Grundy County Speedway Andy Grod PR Director

Under super cold conditions, 100 race cars saw competition at the Grundy Fairgrounds, with twenty late models, thirty-three Mid-Americans and 47 Street Stocks earning championship points on a night that went smoothly despite the temperatures.

He almost won the last 30 lap late model feature in a duel with Scotty Koerner, but this Friday night, Billy Knippenberg Jr., from Joliet, was able to get past pole sitter Steve Moenck on lap 17. He then went on to hold off Moenck for the remainder of the event to win his first feature of the season at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois.

Moenck, who was making his first appearance of the season in his Riverton Custom Cabinetry Ford, led the first half of the main event, battling with Posen's Tom Smith for the lead.

Running side by side and bumper to bumper, Moenck and Smith pulled out to twelve car lengths over third place Koerner , with Knippenberg, Troy Voyles and in tight formation.

The outcome of the event changed drastically on lap three, when Brian Clubb and Dave Weltmeyer got locked together as they sped down the back stretch. Both cars made heavy contact with the turn three wall and were removed on the hook.

By the mid-way point, three time feature winner Eddie Hoffman, from Wheaton, moved past Duane Pierson for the fifth spot, then advanced past Koerner with nine laps to go. Defending track champion, Brett Sontag, who was following Hoffman from the drop of the green, went to the low side and took the spot from Hoffman, with Hoffman keeping on Sontag's tail.

Knippenberg was able to hold a three car length lead over the field in his Batavia Services - Bill's Speed Shop - Dukane Technical Services sponsored Chevy as Sontag, Moenck and Hoffman battled for the runner up spot.

On the final circuit, as Hoffman entered turn one, something broke on the car, sending his black number 8 spinning and out of the event.

With only one lap remaining, Knippenberg was able to hold off Sontag, who jumped past Moenck on the final lap, giving Knippenberg his first late model win of the season.

Sontag claimed second, followed by Moenck, Koerner, Joe Einhaus Jr and Boris Jurkovic,

In the Mid-American main event, Shawn Matthuis took a turn leading the twenty car field, but was over taken by Dave Gentile Jr on the third go around.

Caution bunched the field when Stacey Ferguson and Greg Thorson make contact, sending both drivers to the rear of the pack.

When the green again flew, Joliet's Pat McCabe went to the low side and passed Gentile for the lead and never looked back.

The battle for the number two spot heated up when Jim Trejo, from Morris, and Kellen Arnold ran nose to tail for several laps, and closed up on McCabe as leader McCabe made his way through lapped traffic.

With two laps remaining, caution for a spinning Jimmy Becker made it a two lap dash, but McCabe was up to the challenge, crossing the line by three car lengths over Trejo. Arnold took third, followed by current point leader Jerry Einhaus Jr, Gentile and Jeremy Bloomberg.

In the 12 lap Mid-American Semi-feature, Rob Werkmeister, from Plainfield, weld off a hard charging Erik Pierce to claim the ten car event, with both cars advancing to the feature event.

In the 20 lap Street Stock main event, Nathan Lambes won the event, after taking the lead from Lee Starks, who led the first thirteen circuits.

Andy Koning, fast qualifier Don O'Leary and Chris Cooling ran in a tight formation, closing in on the leaders, and were able to get close, but not able to challenge for the lead as Lambes crossed the finish line three car lengths in front, followed by Koning, O'Leary. Cooling and Starks.

Racing Continues every Friday night at the Grundy County Speedway, located just north of I-80, on Rt 47, in Morris, Illinois, with time trials at 6:45 and the first race slated for an 8 pm start.

30 lap Late Model Feature: 1. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Joliet, 2. Brett Sontag, Joliet,

3. Steve Moenck, Mokena, 4. Scott Koerner, Joliet, 5. Joe Einhaus Jr., Seneca,

6. Boris Jurkovic, Orland Park, 7. Duane Pierson, Lockport, 8. Travis Foster, Wilmington, 9. Tom Smith, Posen, 10. Troy Voyles, Sycamore

1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Dan Odell, Morris, 2. Gary Raven, Hometown

2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Knippenberg, 2. Dave Weltmeyer, Dyer, Indiana

LM Trophy Dash Winner: Rob Scamen, Coal City

Fast Time: Sontag:15.352

25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Pat McCabe, Joliet, 2. Jim Trejo, Morris,

3. Kellen Arnold, Minooka, 4. Jerry Einhaus Jr., Seneca, 5. Dave Gentile Jr., Elwood,

6. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 7. Len Koprowski, Mokena, 8. Tom Knippenberg, Channahon, 9. Ryan Finley, Big Rock, 10. Shawn Matthuis, New Lenox.

12 lap Mid-American Semi-Feature: 1. Rob Werkmeister, Plainfield, 2. Erik Pierce, Lake of the Hills, 3. Billy Neering, Cedar Lake, Indiana, 4. Bruce Barclay, Rolling Meadows

1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 2. Werkmeister

2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Frank Dignam, Peotone, 2. Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk,

3rd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. McCabe, 2. Stacey Ferguson, Minooka

MA Trophy Dash Winner: Greg Thorson, Morris,

Fast Time: Einhaus:16.103

20 lap Street Stock feature: 1. Nathan Lambes, Hinkley, 2. Andy Koning, Joliet,

3. Don O'Leary, New Lenox, 4. Chris Cooling. Joliet, 5. Lee Starks, Morris,

6. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 7. Charlie McDaniel, Braidwood, 8. Bill Gagnon, Plainfield,

9. Jason Komnick, Morris, 10. Larry Landrum, Lisle

12 lap SS Semi-feature: 1. Justin Wren, Coal City, 2. Wayne Meirhofer, Joliet,

3. Jason Lynch, Bridgeview, 4. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 5. Brad Shoudis, Morris

6. John Ventrello, Morris

1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Rickie Woo, Evergreen Park, 2. Lynch

2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Wren, 2. Meirhofer

3rd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Gagnon, 2. Koning

SS Trophy Dash Winner: Dawson

Fast Time: O'Leary:18.192