Pontoon Beach, IL – (May 15, 2005) Another huge field of racecars turned out at Tri-City Speedway on this Sunday night, all total there were 134 racecars packed into the pit area. Great racing in all five divisions heated things up on what was another cool night at the track.

The U.M.P. (United Midwestern Promoters) Late Model division main event featured Randy Korte and Rodney Melvin in a classic battle through lapped traffic throughout the event. Melvin jumped to the lead on the opening lap and lead the first five circuits before Korte worked his way past Melvin using the high side. Melvin soon moved to the high side and kept Korte in range as Steve Sheppard joined the battle using the bottom. As the race moved past the half way point, heavy lapped traffic became an issue for the leaders. As they encountered the first group of lapped cars, Melvin found his way past Korte and reassumed the lead. It was short lived as the two encountered more traffic, Korte found his way back around Melvin. As the race wound down to the final few circuits, the two leaders again found themselves in more lapped traffic and once again Melvin found his way back around Korte. Melvin would hang on for the final two circuits and claim the victory with Korte taking second. Sheppard claimed the third spot with Ed Dixon finishing fourth and Michael Kloos rounding out the top five.

In the UMP Modified division, Rusty Griffaw was looking for his third victory of the season at Tri-City Speedway and appeared to be well on his way after he won his qualifying heat and the dash. Griffaw then jumped out to the early lead in the main event. However, on lap eight, Ray Walsh found a faster line around the top and moved past Griffaw to take the lead and would lead the rest of the way enroute to picking up his first victory of 2005 at Tri-City Speedway. Griffaw would take second, Jim Shereck claimed the third position while Brian Bielong and track point leader John Stanton completed the top five.

Dennis Wernle also took advantage of lapped traffic enroute to claiming the Sportsman main event. Jimmy Cummins led the early laps but was soon overhauled by Brandon Hogenson. Hogenson would lead for most of the main event, but Wernle, who moved ahead of Cummins just a few laps earlier, found the better line through a couple of lapped cars and went on to claim the win. Hogenson settled for second. Don Patton moved around Cummins late in the event to take third while Cummins settled for fourth. Bryan Slover rounded out the top five.

A four car battle for the lead in the Street Stock division caused a little contraversy Darrell Morey got into the back of leader Sam Kizer coming out of turn four on the final lap causing Kizer to spin. The race was restarted with Kizer back up front and Morey in the infield after he was disqualified for the on track incident. Kizer would hold off Kevin Dunham on the restart and take the win. Brad Yotter was third and Mark Pflueger and Jason Stanton rounded out the top five.

Ralph Bradford claimed the win in the Factory Stock main event. The top six cars ran almost the entire event in one huge pack. They swapped positions every single lap and came down to a near photo finish at the end. Russell Eilers, Aaron Wood, John Baker, Rob Shaw, Robbie Eilers completed the top six!

UMP Late Models – 28 Entries
Heat 1
Pos Driver Car #
1 Rodney Melvin 27
2 Randy Korte 00
3 Mark Oller 67
4 Steve Grotz 22G
5 Jason Frankel 33
6 Craig Smith 81
7 Clay Baumann 77
8 Bob Geashel 8
9 Shawn Rayfield 18R
10 Matthew Hartnett 89

Heat 2
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ed Dixon 50
2 Michael Kloos 6K
3 Chad Zobrist 78
4 Mark Voight 30
5 MIke Bryant 11
6 Pat Ryan 6
7 Billy Laycock 82
8 Jim Morrison 18
9 Tim Brown 2B

Heat 3
Pos Driver Car #
1 Steve Sheppard 5S
2 Jayme Zidar 9Z
3 Rick Standridge 12
4 Joe Dresch 5
5 Mark Gansmann 20
6 Charles(frankie) Martin 25
7 Michael Hammerle 16H
8 Kevin Lee 77L
9 Charles (Chuck) Carriker Jr. 35

Semi
Pos Driver Car #
1 Clay Baumann 77
2 Billy Laycock 82
3 Jim Morrison 18
4 Michael Hammerle 16H
5 Shawn Rayfield 18R
6 Kevin Lee 77L
7 Tim Brown 2B
8 Matthew Hartnett 89
9 Bob Geashel 8
10 Charles (Chuck) Carriker Jr. 35

Dash
Pos Driver Car #
1 Rodney Melvin 27
2 Ed Dixon 50
3 Randy Korte 00
4 Michael Kloos 6K
5 Steve Sheppard 5S
6 Jayme Zidar 9Z

Feature
Pos Driver Car #
1 Rodney Melvin 27
2 Randy Korte 00
3 Steve Sheppard 5S
4 Ed Dixon 50
5 Michael Kloos 6K
6 Jayme Zidar 9Z
7 Craig Smith 81
8 Clay Baumann 77
9 Chad Zobrist 78
10 Billy Laycock 82
11 Joe Dresch 5
12 Rick Standridge 12
13 Jason Frankel 33
14 MIke Bryant 11
15 Jim Morrison 18
16 Michael Hammerle 16H
17 Pat Ryan 6
18 Steve Grotz 22G
19 Charles(frankie) Martin 25
20 Mark Gansmann 20
21 Mark Oller 67
22 Mark Voight 30

UMP Modifieds – 38 Entries
Heat 1
Pos Driver Car #
1 John Stanton 11H
2 Steve Maisel M41
3 Kenny Wallace 36
4 Brian Bielong 70
5 Jeff Ely 0
6 Scott Riepshoff 11S
7 Corey Carriker C28
8 Todd Ferber 2F
9 Steve Meyer Jr. 1A

Heat 2
Pos Driver Car #
1 James Shereck 17
2 Matt Simpson 444
3 Bobby Martintoni 48
4 Tom Seets P9
5 Jake Seets 8S
6 Mitch Landrum 60
7 Alan Cope 13
8 Leroy Haney 14H
9 John Seets 49

Heat 3
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ray Walsh 1W
2 Rusty Griffaw 16
3 Andy Anderson 68
4 Jay Hughes 71
5 Ryan Tischhauser 02
6 Bob Stanton 51S
7 Don Jacobs 16J
8 Matt Acord 20
9 Tony Walker 80

Heat 4
Pos Driver Car #
1 Rich Whaley 59
2 Billy Smith 14
3 Steve Myers 21M
4 James Lafferty 56
5 Kelly Devall 11
6 Larry Brown 09
7 Mark Lund 17M
8 Greg Wade 39
9 Blake Walters 29W

Semi #1
Pos Driver Car #
1 Todd Ferber 2F
2 Jeff Ely 0
3 Don Jacobs 16J
4 Leon Price 6
5 Tony Walker 80
6 Matt Acord 20
7 Steve Meyer Jr. 1A
8 Scott Riepshoff 11S
9 Ryan Tischhauser 02
10 Corey Carriker C28
11 Bob Stanton 51S

Semi #2
Pos Driver Car #
1 Jake Seets 8S
2 Kelly Devall 11
3 Steve Stevenson 22
4 Greg Wade 39
5 Leroy Haney 14H
6 Alan Cope 13
7 John Seets 49
8 Larry Brown 09
9 Mark Lund 17M
10 Mitch Landrum 60
11 Blake Walters 29W

Dash
Pos Driver Car #
1 Rusty Griffaw 16
2 Ray Walsh 1W
3 John Stanton 11H
4 James Shereck 17
5 Matt Simpson 444
6 Billy Smith 14
7 Rich Whaley 59
8 Steve Maisel M41

Feature
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ray Walsh 1W
2 Rusty Griffaw 16
3 James Shereck 17
4 Brian Bielong 70
5 John Stanton 11H
6 Bobby Martintoni 48
7 Billy Smith 14
8 Matt Simpson 444
9 Steve Myers 21M
10 Tom Seets P9
11 Kenny Wallace 36
12 James Lafferty 56
13 Kelly Devall 11
14 Jake Seets 8S
15 Andy Anderson 68
16 Jay Hughes 71
17 Todd Ferber 2F
18 Jeff Ely 0
19 Don Jacobs 16J
20 Steve Maisel M41
21 Steve Stevenson 22
22 Rich Whaley 59

Sportsman – 19 Entries
Heat 1
Pos Driver Car #
1 Jimmy Cummins 19
2 Kent Nations 50N
3 Junior Benton 32JR
4 Don Patton 55
5 Dave Meyers 00JR
6 Nathan Bowman 33
7 Andy Beavers 21
8 Paul Nash 93
9 Rick Jones 51
10 Jeremy Nash 95

Heat 2
Pos Driver Car #
1 Brandon Hogenson 77
2 Dennis Wernle 23
3 Dave Thornton 5
4 Bryan Slover 7
5 Bob Williams 46
6 Matthew Wright 31
7 Tom Frankel 56B
8 Jake Robbins 86
9 Lawrence Schaefer 53

Dash
Pos Driver Car #
1 Jimmy Cummins 19
2 Dennis Wernle 23
3 Brandon Hogenson 77
4 Dave Thornton 5
5 Junior Benton 32JR
6 Kent Nations 50N

Feature
Pos Driver Car #
1 Dennis Wernle 23
2 Brandon Hogenson 77
3 Don Patton 55
4 Jimmy Cummins 19
5 Bryan Slover 7
6 Tom Frankel 56B
7 Junior Benton 32JR
8 Andy Beavers 21
9 Dave Thornton 5
10 Matthew Wright 31
11 Rick Jones 51
12 Nathan Bowman 33
13 Lawrence Schaefer 53
14 Bob Williams 46
15 Jake Robbins 86
16 Kent Nations 50N
17 Dave Meyers 00JR
18 Jeremy Nash 95
19 Paul Nash 93

Street Stocks – 27 Entries
Heat 1
Pos Driver Car #
1 Sam Kizer 69
2 Darrell Morey 8
3 Todd Erickson 93
4 Wm (Steve) Stonecipher 07
5 Gregory Schumacher 04
6 Keith Jackson X70
7 Bob Hooker 1X
8 Gregory Jones 2J
9 Phil Cunningham 77D

Heat 2
Pos Driver Car #
1 Kevin Dunham 3D
2 Robby Benson 69B
3 John Burns 111
4 Todd Niemann 5N
5 Dennis Ponder 7
6 Mark Pflueger 19
7 Brad Yotter 72
8 Casey Crane 27
9 Rick Jones II 53

Heat 3
Pos Driver Car #
1 Bobby Hinson 12
2 Jason Stanton 51
3 Josh Jackson 5J
4 Brian Crawford 64
5 Tony King 00
6 AJ Cline 17C
7 Ryan Meuth 19M
8 Eric Skinner 71
9 Darin Wilson 5150

Semi
Pos Driver Car #
1 Brad Yotter 72
2 Ryan Meuth 19M
3 Casey Crane 27
4 Phil Cunningham 77D
5 Gregory Jones 2J
6 Rick Jones II 53
7 Eric Skinner 71
8 Bob Hooker 1X
9 Darin Wilson 5150

Feature
Pos Driver Car #
1 Sam Kizer 69
2 Kevin Dunham 3D
3 Brad Yotter 72
4 Mark Pflueger 19
5 Jason Stanton 51
6 Dennis Ponder 7
7 Phil Cunningham 77D
8 Brian Crawford 64
9 Gregory Schumacher 04
10 Casey Crane 27
11 Keith Jackson X70
12 Bobby Hinson 12
13 Tony King 00
14 Ryan Meuth 19M
15 Todd Niemann 5N
16 Todd Erickson 93
17 Wm (Steve) Stonecipher 07
18 Josh Jackson 5J
19 Robby Benson 69B
20 John Burns 111
21 AJ Cline 17C
22 Darrell Morey 8

Factory Stocks – 22 Entries
Heat 1
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ryan Kress 66
2 Rob Shaw 18S
3 Aaron Wood 2X
4 Scott Wongler 20
5 Leonard Naeger 191
6 Ashley Ryan 6
7 Robert Bussen 2B

Heat 2
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ralph Bradford 36
2 John Baker 7
3 Gary Price 188
4 David Pulley 8
5 Richard Hay 97R
6 Jason Brewington 88C
7 Paul McIntyre 5
8 Tracy Von Rohr 20T

Heat 3
Pos Driver Car #
1 Robbie Eilers 3E
2 Russell Eilers 8E
3 Josh Porch 43
4 Nancy Petty-Smith 41
5 Nick Knebel 52
6 Ken Bell 83
7 Jonathon Schulte 03

Feature
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ralph Bradford 36
2 Russell Eilers 8E
3 Aaron Wood 2X
4 John Baker 7
5 Rob Shaw 18S
6 Robbie Eilers 3E
7 Ryan Kress 66
8 Ken Bell 83
9 Jason Brewington 88C
10 Scott Wongler 20
11 Nick Knebel 52
12 Nancy Petty-Smith 41
13 Ashley Ryan 6
14 Tracy Von Rohr 20T
15 Jonathon Schulte 03
16 David Pulley 8
17 Josh Porch 43
18 Richard Hay 97R
19 Leonard Naeger 191
20 Gary Price 188
21 Robert Bussen 2B
22 Paul McIntyre 5