Kloos Holds Off “King Kong” Korte to Start the 2011 Season at Highland
Lynn, Weber, Eilers, Ripperda and Suhre All Winners
(April 4, 2011) HIGHLAND IL – The excitement of returning to the race track for another year and add to the equation it’s the 50th year of racing, the buzz in the pits and the grandstand at the Highland Speedway were reaching unexpected levels. For those of us who have spent the winter here in the Midwest we know the winter was full of surprises including more snow and rain than we have had in a few years. Now you have a spring with limited days of sunshine and very few windows of opportunities for doing track work, you know Promoter Scott Kuhn and his track crew had their work cut out for them. Add to the fact that late last fall the track was reshaped with a lot of dirt repositioned you soon realize that the odds were stacked against the Highland track crew. With that being said, the track crew worked long hours when the weather permitted and had prepped a raceable track under the circumstances for the season opener presented by 97.5 FM The Rock.The fans were treated to great side by side finishes that has made racing at the Palace of Power famous for the last 50 years.
The much talked about return of Randy Korte, from Highland IL, lived up to all the hype. Korte and long time Highland favorite Michael Kloos, of Trenton IL, driving for Gerstner and Sons Racing out of Breese IL, started on the front row of the Becker Jewelers UMP Super Late Model Feature. Racing alongside each other, when Kloos would take the lead the 6K faithful would come to life and as soon as the 00 of Korte would grab the lead all the King Kong fans would shake the grandstands, it all came down to the final lap with Kloos on the inside and Korte trying to move to the outside of the 6K taking a shot at the double checkers, but in the end Korte found himself just short of the finish line in second as Michael Kloos, The Trenton Tornado kicked off the 2011 season with a win, Korte was second, Paul Bailey from Pocahontas IL, Mike Schulte from Summerfield IL, and Chad Zobrist out of Highland IL, rounding out the top 5 in the Becker Jewelers Super Late Models.
Brian Lynn, The 2010 track Champion for the Lincoln Speedway made the journey from his Mason City IL home south and found the friendly confines of the Highland Speedway to his liking. Lynn held off the Highland regulars in the Steve Schmitt Modified division and kicked off the 2011 season at the Highland Speedway with a win. Scott Weber from Festus MO in the 4J, was runner up, Brett” the Kid” Korves from Belleville followed in third, the Racing Realtor, Chad Sellers from Breese IL was fourth and Brownstown Il’s, Steve Lach completed the top 5.
Scott Weber doing double duty climbed into his famous 8 Ball Black Pearl Pro Crate Late Model and immediately returned to his winning ways. The 2010 UMP National Champion jumped out to an early lead while the 01 of Casey Montague from Lebanon IL made a valiant effort at the Champ but came up short in the newest class added to the Highland Speedway schedule. DJ Cygan from St. Jacob IL, Dustin Korte out of Highland IL and Matt Santel from New Memphis Il filled out the top five.
Russell Eilers from Highland IL the Speedway’s 2010 Sportsmen Champion grabbed the checker flag in the first feature of the season finishing just ahead of Rob Lee from Sorento IL, his brother ryan Eilers, Justin Ketrow from Trenton IL, and Rick Johnson from Glen Carbon.
The UMP Factory Stocks (formally known as the Highland Street Stocks) had Michael Ripperda of Highland IL outlasting Jeff Buss from Carlyle IL, Stephan Fohne and Jake Hewett from Troy IL and Shaun Hortsmann from Highland IL..
In keeping in line with the UMP, the Speedway’s governing body, the class formerly known as the Factory Stocks and Hornets will be called the Sport Compacts and collecting the first Sport Compact victory in 2011 was Jordan Suhre, from Alhambra IL, second was Justin Suhre also from Alhambra, Kyle McMahon from Mt. Vernon IL followed in third, Trevor Isaak from Highland IL, and Jacob Rexing from Brighton IL, finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Next up at the Highland Speedway is Steve Schmitt Motors night, April 9th. To keep up with all the happening of the Highland Speedway visit the tracks web site at HighlandSpeedway.com or on Face Book at Facebook.com/highlandspeedway. New in 2011 is our text messaging program, simply text Highland to 9 10 11 to have all the latest information about the Highland Speedway right on your cell phone. (Normal text messaging rates apply)
UMP Becker Jewelers Late Model
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 6K Michael Kloos
2 00K Randy Korte
3 81 Paul Bailey
4 27 Mike Schulte
5 78 Chad Zobrist
6 25 Frankie Martin
7 441 Dan Jacober
8 51R Danny Ripperda
9 18 Bobby Dauderman
10 12 Rick Standridge
11 37 Brian Wolfmeier
12 CRCL7 Matt Weidner
Michael Kloos
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 00K Randy Korte
2 81 Paul Bailey
3 78 Chad Zobrist
4 18 Bobby Dauderman
5 25 Frankie Martin
6 12 Rick Standridge
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 6K Michael Kloos
2 27 Mike Schulte
3 441 Dan Jacober
4 37 Brian Wolfmeier
5 51R Danny Ripperda
6 CRCL7 Matt Weidner
Brian Lynn
UMP Steve Schmitt Modified
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 72 Brian Lynn
2 4J Scott Weber
3 25 Brett Korves
4 E55 Chad Sellers
5 42 Steve Lach
6 75 Darrell Hewlett
7 14 Jeremy Thoele
8 81WIL Ricky Huebner
9 71 Tyler Deibert
10 808X Bob Simmons
11 19 Jimmy Cummins
12 6 Brock Bauman
13 42W McKay Wenger
14 00 Steven Ellison
15 01 Brett Cygan
16 70 Brian Bielong
17 99K Dustin Knerrer
18 808 Kelby Simmons
19 55 Jeff Sparks
20 1D Dean Hoffman
21 55V Brad Venhaus
22 38 Stephen Flannery, Jr
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 808 Kelby Simmons
2 00 Steven Ellison
3 75 Darrell Hewlett
4 99K Dustin Knerrer
5 55V Brad Venhaus
6 6 Brock Bauman
7 71 Tyler Deibert
8 81WIL Ricky Huebner
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 42W McKay Wenger
2 4J Scott Weber
3 01 Brett Cygan
4 E55 Chad Sellers
5 14 Jeremy Thoele
6 55 Jeff Sparks
7 38 Stephen Flannery, Jr
Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 70 Brian Bielong
2 72 Brian Lynn
3 42 Steve Lach
4 19 Jimmy Cummins
5 808X Bob Simmons
6 25 Brett Korves
7 1D Dean Hoffman
UMP Pro Late Model
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 8BALL Scott Weber
2 01 Casey Montague
3 10C DJ Cygan
4 36 Dustin Korte
5 17X Matt Santel
6 18L Brent Lewis
7 9T Travis Horner
8 9STAR Jordan Bauer
9 67 Mark Oller
10 94 Ed Lenhardt
11 55 Daniel Heck
12 30 Ryan Seger
13 4 Jason Suhre
14 54 Bob Simpson
15 59R Aaron Heck
16 48 Bobby Martintoni
17 57 Michael Kloos
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 8BALL Scott Weber
2 36 Dustin Korte
3 10C DJ Cygan
4 18L Brent Lewis
5 57 Michael Kloos
6 9STAR Jordan Bauer
7 30 Ryan Seger
8 94 Ed Lenhardt
9 4 Jason Suhre
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 59R Aaron Heck
2 01 Casey Montague
3 67 Mark Oller
4 48 Bobby Martintoni
5 55 Daniel Heck
6 17X Matt Santel
7 9T Travis Horner
8 54 Bob Simpson
Russell Eilers
UMP Sportsman
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 8E Russell Eilers
2 88 Rob Lee
3 3 Ryan Eilers
4 6 Justin Ketrow
5 92J Rick Johnson
6 45 CJ Simpson
7 1G Len Garson
8 19S Nathan Schmitt
9 115 Aaron Melton
10 1S Steve Stevenson
Heat
Finish Car No Driver
1 8E Russell Eilers
2 92J Rick Johnson
3 3 Ryan Eilers
4 115 Aaron Melton
5 6 Justin Ketrow
6 88 Rob Lee
7 1S Steve Stevenson
8 19S Nathan Schmitt
9 1G Len Garson
10 45 CJ Simpson
Michael Ripperda, Jr.
UMP Factory Stock
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 15 Michael Ripperda, Jr
2 101 Jeff Buss
3 29 Stephen Fohne
4 6 Jake Hewitt
5 54 Shaun Hortsmann
6 53 Justin Leichsenring
7 33 Troy Bunfill
8 6I Austin Isaak
9 17C AJ Cline
10 64 Brian Crawford
11 8T T J Eilers
12 36 Eric Harris
13 29H Cale Hartnagel
14 18 Jerry Thompson
15 9X Trevor Isaak
16 6A Amber Casey
17 5H James Hale
18 52 Tim Koch
19 441 Cody Ventimiglia
20 1G Zach Gili
21 4J Zack Jordan
22 1Z Zach Hoffman
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 15 Michael Ripperda, Jr
2 53 Justin Leichsenring
3 64 Brian Crawford
4 6A Amber Casey
5 29H Cale Hartnagel
6 5H James Hale
7 1Z Zach Hoffman
8 441 Cody Ventimiglia
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 101 Jeff Buss
2 33 Troy Bunfill
3 6 Jake Hewitt
4 17C AJ Cline
5 52 Tim Koch
6 8T T J Eilers
7 1G Zach Gili
Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 54 Shaun Hortsmann
2 29 Stephen Fohne
3 6I Austin Isaak
4 18 Jerry Thompson
5 9X Trevor Isaak
6 36 Eric Harris
7 4J Zack Jordan
Jordan Suhre
UMP Sport Compact
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 26 Jordan Suhre
2 24 Justin Suhre
3 45 Kyle McMahon
4 9X Trevor Isaak
5 17R Jacob Rexing
6 47 Christian Lee
7 33L Caleb Lintezenich
8 02 Vince Shehorn
9 63 Brett Eilerman
10 7S Kate Smith
11 48 Joe Wagner
12 121V Rick Viviano
13 11 Kyle Swip
14 81LE Lacey Egbert
15 17X Joey Haun
16 18 Sean Boyce
17 17W Brent Weaver
18 55J James Southers
19 81 Scott Egbert
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 11 Kyle Swip
2 9X Trevor Isaak
3 45 Kyle McMahon
4 7S Kate Smith
5 81LE Lacey Egbert
6 17X Joey Haun
7 18 Sean Boyce
8 17W Brent Weaver
9 121V Rick Viviano
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 26 Jordan Suhre
2 24 Justin Suhre
3 02 Vince Shehorn
4 47 Christian Lee
5 17R Jacob Rexing
6 63 Brett Eilerman
7 33L Caleb Lintezenich
8 48 Joe Wagner
9 55J James Southers
10 81 Scott Egbert
