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Pontoon Beach, IL – (September 3, 2006) Craig Smith of Godfrey, IL won the biggest late model event of his young career as he captured the $2,000 top prize in the Gear Changer 50 at Tri-City Speedway. The unique event that featured ten laps on the big half mile oval followed by a required gear change in the rear end by the team's crew and then twenty-five more laps around Tri-City Speedway's quarter mile oval. The first ten lap segment on the half mile was claimed by Steve Sheppard which earned him a $500 bonus for leading at the end of that segment. The gear changing competition was won handily by the crew of Rickey Frankel as they completed the gear change and added five gallons of fuel in just over three minutes. The final stage of the event was the twenty-five laps around the quarter mile over and it was lined up in the order that the crews finished changing the gears. Craig Smith was 8th at the end of the 10 lap segment, and his crew gained him five positions by performing the gear change and fuel service on the car, which started him 3rd in the final segment. When the green flag dropped for the final twenty-five laps, it was Steve Sheppard taking the early lead from the outside front row. Sheppard led the first five laps before Mark Voigt found a faster line around the top and drove past Sheppard for the lead. Voigt led the next twelve laps as Smith worked his way through traffic to the front. Voigt's machine suffered mechanical problems with just eight laps remaining which turned the lead over the second place running Smith. Smith pulled away to a half-track victory. Tim Manville had one of his best finishes of the season as his strong performance yeilded him a second place finish. Steve Sheppard held on to the third spot. Jayme Zidar also came from the rear of the field and raced to a fourth place finish. Mike Bryant came home with a top five finish as he came from the back as well. Bryant had a great night as he won his heat race and the dash earlier in the night.

Matt Mevert picked up win in the UMP Modified division which was worth $1,000. Mevert started in the fourth position and took the lead from Tom Seets, Sr. on lap eight and pulled away to a big win. Seets crossed the line in the second position. Pole sitter Tim Hancock brought his car home in the third position. Tri-City Speedway's UMP Modified point leader John Stanton continued his great season with a fourth place finish. Ray Walsh completed the top five. Walsh also won the King of the Hill dash which feature one on one elimination races with the top twelve cars. Walsh edged Rick Stevenson in the finale of the King of the Hill event which had the fans roaring with it's exciting finishes.

One of the most exciting UMP Sportsman events of the season was won by Troy Medley. Medley and Troy Naeger battled side-by-side lap after lap in the twenty lap event. They were joined at the front by several other cars throughout the event. Robbie Eilers came home in the third position behind Naeger while Jason Keller and Jason Bohnenstiehl rounded out the top five.

Ricky Huebner took the Street Stock main event as he used the high side to work his way to the front from his eighth place starting position. Huebner moved past early leader Sam Kizer with just seven laps remaining in the event and then held off the challenge of Josh Jackson in the closing laps. Robby Benson, Scott Ponder and Tommy Gegg rounded out the top five.

Russell Eilers outdueled his brother Ryan Eilers to earn the Factory Stock main event victory. Aaron Wood would take the third position with Chris Fisher and Jason Crump completing the top five.

UMP Sportsman – 36 Entries
Heat 1
1 M41 Steve Maisel
2 56b Marty Kopp
3 155 Jason Keller
4 57p Bobby Silkwood
5 77 Brandon Hogenson
6 3h Scott Hensler
7 58 Larry Martin
8 3e Ryan Eilers
9 7 Bryan Slover

Heat 2
1 12 Troy Neager
2 45t Trista Stevenson
3 72 Brad Yotter
4 10 Dustin Holman
5 1s Steve Stevenson
6 88s Scott Drew
7 27 Adam Haas
8 56m Charlie Mccaleb
9 9b Ron Brown

Heat 3
1 2k Robbie Eilers
2 23 Dennis Wernle
3 41 Ron Petty
4 18x Tyson Gegg
5 M16 Joe Mccain
6 0 Kevin Lee
7 46 Jimmy Williams
8 3l Todd Loddeke
9 3x Rick Rhoades

Heat 4
1 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
2 62 Troy Medley
3 55 Don Patton
4 28t Tom Smallwood
5 S32 David Walker
6 33 Nathan Bowman
7 19 Nathan Schmidt
8 69 Derk Bryant
9 88sr Matt Hartnett

Dash
1 M41 Steve Maisel
2 62 Troy Medley
3 12 Troy Neager
4 2k Robbie Eilers
5 56b Marty Kopp
6 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
7 45 Trista Stevenson
8 23 Dennis Wernle

Semi 1
1 77 Brandon Hogenson
2 7 Bryan Slover
3 58 Larry Martin
4 M16 Joe Mccain
5 0 Kevin Lee
6 3h Scott Hensler
7 46 Jimmy Williams
8 3e Ryan Eilers

Semi 2
1 S32 David Walker
2 1s Steve Stevenson
3 19s Nathan Schmidt
4 27 Adam Haas
5 69 Dereck Bryant
6 33 Nathan Bowman
7 9b Ron Brown
8 88sr Matt Hartnett
9 88s Scott Drew
10 56m Charlie Mccaleb

Feature
1 62 Troy Medley
2 12 Troy Neager
3 2k Robbie Eilers
4 155 Jason Keller
5 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
6 45t Trista Stevenson
7 77 Brandon Hogenson
8 M41 Steve Maisel
9 S32 David Walker
10 55 Don Patton
11 23 Dennis Wernle
12 28 Tom Smallwood
13 72 Brad Yotter
14 7 Bryan Slover
15 19s Nathan Schmidt
16 41 Ron Petty
17 1s Steve Stevenson
18 18x Tyson Gegg
19 58 Larry Martin
20 57p Bobby Silkwood
21 10 Dustin Homan
22 56b Marty Kopp

UMP Late Models – 19 Entries
Heat 2
1 11b Mike Bryant
2 16 Rusty Griffaw
3 33m Tim Manville
4 30 Mark Voigt
5 13 Dewayne Kiefer
6 112 Tim Ratajczyk
7 11z Bryan Collins
8 33f Rickey Frankel
9 17s Brad Sullivan

Heat 1
1 5s Steve Sheppard
2 82 Billy Laycock
3 81 Craig Smith
4 8 Kyle Steffens
5 27 Mike Schulte
6 22k Kenny Van Dorn
7 9z Jayme Zidar
8 76 Butch Kruckeberg
9 16h Mike Hammerle-dns
10 11d Brian Diveley-dns

Dash
1 11b Mike Bryant
2 5s Steve Sheppard
3 33m Tim Manville
4 16 Rusty Griffaw
5 81 Craig Smith
6 82 Billy Laycock

Feature
1 81 Craig Smith
2 33m Tim Manville
3 5s Steve Sheppard
4 9z Jayme Zidar
5 11b Mike Bryant
6 8 Kyle Steffens
7 27 Mike Schulte
8 16 Rusty Griffaw
9 13 Dewayne Kiefer
10 33f Rickey Frankel
11 112 Tim Ratajczyk
12 82 Billy Laycock
13 16h Mike Hammerle
14 17s Brad Sullivan
15 22 Kenny Van Dorn
16 11z Bryan Collins
17 30 Mark Voigt
18 76 Butch Kruckeberg
19 11d Brian Diveley-dns

UMP Modifieds – 35 Entries
Heat 1
1 44 Tim Hancock
2 20n Bobby Newberry
3 48 Bobby Martintoni
4 51 Bob Stanton
5 96t Nick Thery
6 11w Wes Weinman
7 0 Jeff Ely
8 21s Kenny Shaw
9 69 Scott Sugg

Heat 2
1 9s Tom Seets Sr
2 1w Ray Walsh
3 21m Steve Meyers
4 99r Robby Helms
5 18 Bobby Dauderman
6 94 Ed Lenhardt
7 155 Chris Smith
8 99w John Watson-dns

Heat 3
1 1a Steve Meyer Jr
2 16 Tommy Seets Jr
3 9w Scott Weber
4 87 Jimmy Cummins
5 15 Clayton Miller
6 56 Jim Lafferty Jr
7 7 Ethan Schnapp
8 75 Terry Wagner
9 10x Rob Pendergrass

Heat 4
1 22 Matt Mavert
2 11h John Stanton
3 77 Rick Stevenson
4 19 Mark Pflueger
5 20 Matt Acord
6 37 Mike Monroe
7 28s Shawn Burns
8 15c Kenny Collier

Dash
1. 44 Tim Hancock
2. 9s Tom Seets
3. 1a Steve Meyer, Jr.
4. 22 Matt Mevert

King Of The Hill Dash
1 1w Ray Walsh
2 77 Rick Stevenson
3 16 Tommy Seets Jr
4 48 Bobby Martintoni
5 9w Scott Weber
6 44 Tim Hancock
7 11h John Stanton
8 9s Tom Seets Sr
9 20n Bobby Newberry
10 22 Matt Mavert
11 1a Steve Meyer Jr
12 21m Steve Meyers

Semi 1
1 15m Clayton Miller
2 69 Scott Sugg
3 56 Jim Lafferty Jr
4 21s Kenny Shaw
5 96t Nick Thery
6 75 Terry Wagner
7 7 Ethan Schnapp
8 0 Jeff Ely
9 11w Wes Weinman-dns
10 10x Rob Pendergrass-dns

Semi 2
1 94 Ed Lendhardt
2 18 Bobby Dauderman
3 155 Chris Smith
4 37 Mike Monroe
5 20 Matt Acord
6 15c Kenny Collier
7 28s Shawn Burns-dns
8 99w John Watson-dns

Feature
1 22 Matt Mavert
2 9s Tom Seets Sr
3 44 Tim Hancock
4 11h John Stanton
5 1w Ray Walsh
6 21 Steve Meyers
7 18 Bobby Dauderman
8 77 Rick Stevenson
9 16 Tommie Seets Jr
10 1a Steve Meyer Jr
11 48 Bobby Martintoni
12 94 Ed Lendhardt
13 15m Clayton Miller
14 20n Bobby Newberry
15 51 Bob Stanton
16 56 Jimmy Lafferty Jr
17 19 Mark Pflueger
18 155 Chris Smith
19 87 Jimmy Cummins
20 9w Scott Weber
21 69 Scott Sugg
22 99r Robby Helms

Factory Stocks – 16 Entries
Heat 1
1 8e Russell Eilers
2 2 Aaron Wood
3 88 Gary Price
4 F5 Chris Fisher
5 12 Bryan Garrett
6 186 Steve Crump
7 14 Tommy Roady
8 7w Tim Welch

Heat 2
1 10 Dave Race
2 3 Ryan Eilers
3 86 Jason Crump
4 8t Tj Eilers
5 41 Nancy Petty Smith
6 03 Jonathan Schulte
7 8 David Pulley Jr
8 63 Bob Crawford

Feature
1 8e Russell Eilers
2 3 Ryan Eilers
3 266 Aaron Wood
4 F5 Chris Fisher
5 86 Jason Crump
6 10 Dave Racer
7 8 David Pulley Jr
8 03 Jonathan Schulte
9 186 Steve Crump
10 41 Nancy Petty Smith
11 8t Tj Eilers
12 12 Bryan Garrett
13 63 Bob Crawford
14 14 Tommy Roady
15 7w Tim Welch
16 88 Gary Price

Street Stocks – 38 Entries
Heat 1
1 69k Sam Kizer
2 8 Scott Ponder
3 69b Robby Benson
4 30 Kasey Govero
5 00 Tony King
6 18d Ben Davis
7 74 Eric Rensing
8 07 Steve Stonecipher
9 44 Michael Austin
10 88 Kyle Watson

Heat 2
1 63 Richie Gabriel
2 36 Danny Ems
3 93 Todd Erickson
4 47 Brian Clardy
5 11 Ronnie Heaton
6 34 Brett Clardy
7 6699 Audie Murphy
8 27 Gene Crain
9 92b Brent Kehrer
10 1b Coley Meyer

Heat 3
1 5j Josh Jackson
2 31 David Parker
3 17 Jimmy Bell
4 12 Bobby Hinson
5 82 Morris Booth
6 48 Corey Perigo
7 13t Shawn Taske
8 2j Greg Jones
9 18b Rocky Berliew

Heat 4
1 22 Tommy Gegg
2 W1 Ricky Hueber
3 51 Jason Stanton
4 04 Greg Schumacher
5 64 Brian Crawford
6 5g Jimmy Glover
7 2m Larry Marsala
8 441 Dwayne Bateman
9 80 Greg Cannon

Semi 1
1 48 Corey Perigo
2 00 Tony King
3 13t Shawn Taske
4 82 Morris Booth
5 74 Eric Rensing
6 2j Greg Jones
7 18d Ben Davis
8 441 Dwayne Bateman
9 07 Steve Stonecipher
10 18b Rocky Berliew
11 88 Kyle Watson-dns

Semi 2
1 11 Ronnie Heaton
2 2 Larry Marsala
3 80 Creg Cannon
4 27 Gene Crain
5 1b Coley Meyer
6 441 Dewayne Batemant
7 64 Brian Crawford
8 34 Brett Clardy
9 6699 Audie Murphy
10 5g Jimmy Glover
11 92b Brent Kehrer

Feature
1 1w Ricky Huebner
2 5j Josh Jackson
3 69b Robby Benson
4 8 Scott Ponder
5 22 Tommy Gegg
6 36 Danny Ems
7 31 David Parker
8 48 Corey Perigo
9 17 Jimmy Bell
10 12 Bobby Hinson
11 00 Tony King
12 11 Ronnie Heaton
13 51 Jason Stanton
14 04 Greg Schumacher
15 13t Shawn Taske
16 69k Sam Kizer
17 82 Morris Booth
18 47 Brian Clardy
19 93 Todd Erickson
20 63 Richie Gabriel
21 30 Kasey Govero
22 2 Larry Marsala