Denny Schwartz Wins David Richardson Memorial
by Paul D. Bayne
DANVILLE, Ill. (May 27, 2001)  Denny Schwartz scored a popular win at the
Vermilion County Speedway Sunday night, as he led all 50 laps of the David
Richardson Memorial race to earn himself  the championship trophy and a cool
$5,000 in prize money.  Schwartz, the 40-year-old veteran driver from
Ashmore, IL,  started on the pole of the 50-lapper and repeatedly held off
the advances of 2000 UMP National Champion Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN.  "This
was the first night on the new car, and yeah, I like it," said an overjoyed
Schwartz, "Jimmy (Owens) was making me nervous there for the first half of
the race, but once I calmed myself down I was alright," he added.  The win by
Schwartz marked the third year in a row that a driver from Charleston
Speedway has claimed the prestigious event.  Furthermore, the last three
champions of the race all come from or around the Kansas, IL area.

Schwartz, who finished runner-up last year in the David Richardson Memorial
to Tommy Burnside, and  runner-up at the IMCA Super Nationals in 1989, called
this "the biggest win of his racing career".  Driving a brand new Pierce
Chassis fresh out of the box, he is sponsored by Bud's Plumbing &
Heating/Schwartz Race Cars/Bill Bybee Trucking/Gardner Excavating, and also a
special note of thanks to Donnie Dow, Charleston Speedway's owner, who
provided the motor for Schwartz's wire-to-wire triumph.

Owens, fresh off his Friday night march to the checkered flag at Vermilion
County Speedway, tried everything in his power to find a lane to get around
Schwartz.  "There really wasn't much race track left above the bottom, and
each time I tried the outer groove I couldn't make it stick.  My left rear
tire pretty much went away there towards the end, but we're real happy for
Denny and his crew," said a gracious Owens.

A field of twenty-six modifieds earned the right to compete in the David
Richardson main event through ten heat races and six consolation races. 
Track promoter Bill Marietta than added a $300-to-win 25-lap "B" feature for
those finishing positions second through fifth in the consolation races. 
Drivers representing 11 states signed into the pit gate coming from as far as
Texas.  In all, 206 cars from three classes, including 143 UMP modifieds,
were present in the pits, which stretched out all the way to the main gate
entrance.  It was what can only be described as a "who's who" of UMP modified
drivers.

When starter Rick Isaacson dropped the green flag it didn't take long for
things to heat up on an otherwise clear and chilly evening.  Wayne Brooks
from Arkansas, spun his mount on the opening lap down in turn two, prompting
a caution flag and a complete restart.  Brooks' car suffered a flat left rear
tire and was forced to retire to the pits.  When the green dropped for a
second time, polesitter Schwartz jumped out to an early lead as he beat Owens
down into turn one.  Following that duo was second fast qualifier Michael Bradley,
Darryl Herbert, and Wes Steidinger. 

On lap four, former track champion Dan Hamstra, who won the sixth and final
consolation race, went pitside with handling problems.  Owens meanwhile, was
trying to figure out the best way around Schwartz, as he made a bid for the
lead coming off turn two on lap six.  One lap later, current track points
leader Arby Burton, spun in turn one bringing out the yellow and slowing the
field.  Schwartz was able to get a great jump on the restart, but Owens
quickly reeled in Schwartz and applied the pressure once again.

On about lap 15, Tim O'Donnell and John Seets made acquaintances in turn 4. 
O'Donnell's night was done, while Seets was able to continue.  By lap 18,
Owens was all over Schwartz, trying the high side repeatedly and taking a
look on the inside of the black and orange #21s machine.  "I could see him
coming up on the outside several times throughout the race," said Schwartz,
"but I was gonna give up the bottom for nothing.  If he was going to beat me,
he was going to have to get around me up top," he added.  Owens' efforts
would be denied each time by Schwartz, as the two began to put some distance
between themselves and the Bradley, Herbert, Steidinger trio. 

Owens got a little loose coming off of turn four on about lap 21, and
Schwartz was given a little breathing room.  It may have been all the comfort
he needed, as Schwartz began to settle in to a rhythm.  A liitle further back
in the pack, UMP national points leader Chad Kinder, who started 16th, Tim
Reynolds, who started 17th, and Wes O'Dell, who started 26th, began to march
towards the front in a hurry, as they battled for the eighth through tenth
positions.

Davey Gantt brought out the race's final caution when he looped it in turn
two.  Bryan Clendenen, the Northern All Stars Modified Champion in 2000,
worked his way up into the seventh spot on lap 25, while Matt Boknecht fell
out on lap 30.  On lap 31, Bradley began to experience some handling problems
that allowed Herbert and Steidinger to get by on the bottom for the third and
fourth spots.  From that point on in the race, the only question that
remained was "did Owens have enough left to make his way around Schwartz?" 
Time and time again, Owens took a look to the high side, as Schwartz
protected the low groove.

When they crossed the stripe, it was Schwartz, Owens, Herbert, Steidinger,
and Bradley claiming the top five, while Burdette, Clendenen, Kinder, O'Dell,
and Reynolds rounded out the top ten.  Only 16 cars finished on the lead lap,
with no cars falling a lap down. 

Complete UMP modified results

Heat 1 (top 2 advance)
Denny Schwartz, Nick Gough, Mike Chastain, Kyle Logue

Heat 2 (top 2 advance)
Michael Bradley, Matt Boknecht, Mark Moore, Dan Hamstra

Heat 3 (top 2 advance)
Jimmy Owens, Wayne Brooks, Dean Vickers, John DeMoss

Heat 4 (top 2 advance)
Darryl Herbert, Todd Gilpin, Bart Richardson, Rob Fuqua

Heat 5 (top 2 advance)
Steve Picou, Rob Timmons, Wes O'Dell, Tony Roland

Heat 6 (top 2 advance)
Wes Steidinger, Chad Kinder, Danny Schwartz, Paul White

Heat 7 (top 2 advance)
John Burdette, Tim Reynolds, George White, Jarod Temples

Heat 8 (top 2 advance)
Arby Burton, Shane Cottle, Tim O'Donnell, RJ Gall

Heat 9 (top 2 advance)
Davet Gantt, Don Kiger, Dave Porth, Kevin Weaver

Heat 10 (top 2 advance)
Bryan Clendenen, John Seets, Everette Bradham, Bryan Collins

Consi 1 (winner advances...two through five to B main)
John DeMoss, Mike Chasteen, John Hudson, Kevin Weaver, Chuck Haga

Consi 2 (winner adavances...two through five to B main)
Tim O'Donnell, Brandon Maxwell, Eric Smith, Tommy Burnside, Rob Fuqua

Consi 3 (winner advances...two through five to B main)
Dean Vickers, Doug St. Myers, Blaine Farr, Tony Roland, Eddie Kindred

Consi 4 (winner advances...two through five to B main)
Davey Gantt, Bart Richardson, Tim Hancock, Ryan Young, Larry Raines

Consi 5 (winner advances...two through five to B main)
Wes O'Dell, Kyle Logue, Rocky Griffin, Jarod Temples, Jerry Danford

Consi 6 (winner advances...two through five to B main)
Dan Hamstra, Danny Schwartz, Dusty Moore, RJ Gall, Lance Dehm

Feature
Denny Schwartz, Jimmy Owens, Darryl Herbert, Wes Steidinger, Michael Bradley,
John Burdette, Bryan Clendenen, Chad Kinder, Wes O'Dell, Tim Reynolds, Dean
Vickers, John DeMoss, Don Kiger, John Seets, Nick Gough, Davey Gantt, Shane
Cottle, Matt Boknecht, Everette Bradham, Todd Gilpin, Rob Timmons, Steve
Picou, Tim O'Donnell, Arby Burton, Dan Hamstra, Wayne Brooks

B Feature
Kyle Logue, Danny Schwartz, John Hudson, Rocky Griffin, Doug St. Myers, Tony
Roland, Blaine Farr, Jarod Temples, Chuck Haga, Tim Hancock, Ryan Young,
Eddie Kindred, Eric Smith, Dusty Moore, Robin Huffman, Rob Fuqua

---

 

Owens Nabs $1,000 NKF Win at Vermilion County

          
By Paul D. Bayne 

DANVILLE, Ill. (May 25, 2001)  If Friday night’s UMP modified racing action is in any way an indication of what is yet to come  this Sunday at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, well race fans had better plan on an early arrival to get a good seat, if a seat at all.  Friday night, promoter Bill Marietta and his Vermilion County Speedway staff, hosted the National Kidney Foundation series for what would essentially be a tune-up for the 8^th Annual David Richardson Memorial race, to be held this Sunday at the 3/8-mile clay oval facility located in east central Illinois.  Over 60 modifieds turned up to try and find their ways into the 30-lap main event. 

Newport, Tennessee’s Jimmy Owens, the 2000 UMP National Champion, made his way to the high banks of Danville, and showed people why he is just that, a champion.  Driving a Lightning Chassis, sponsored by Southwest Speed/H-1 Auto Parts/Redline Oils/Bilstein Shocks, Owens started on the outside of pole sitter Chuck Haga, and struck early by vaulting himself into the lead as the field took the green flag and headed for turn one.  As the remainder of the twenty-four car field tip-toed their way through the first two turns, Owens was able to stretch out to a several car length lead over Haga, who was being hounded by Dan Hamstra of Fair Oaks, IN.  

On lap number two, consolation race winners Don Kiger and Dean Vickers got together in turn three bringing out an early race caution flag from starter Rick Isaacson.  By lap five, Hamstra was able to slide by Haga for second, while Fairbury’s (IL) Wes Steidinger moved around Matt Boknecht for the sixth position.  One lap later, Steidinger got by Dale Hayes for fifth.  On lap seven, Boknecht went into turn one a little hot and spun, then parked his car on the inside apron bringing out the second yellow flag. 

With the order now of Owens, Hamstra, Haga, Arby Burton, and Steidinger, the field rushed towards turn one where Hamstra tried valiantly to get alongside Owens in the corners.  The two began to pull away from the rest of the pack, stretching out to a ten car advantage.  Steidinger was able to get by Burton for fourth on lap 12 and was quickly closing in on Haga for third.  Meanwhile,Oakwood’s (IL) Brian Clendenen, the NALMS modified points champion a year ago, began the race sixteenth on the grid and was by now already up to the eighth position.  At the midway mark, Elvin Herschberger of Peru, IN dazzled the crowd with a three-wheel dance that lasted for two laps, although for all the wrong reasons.  Herschberger’s car had encountered a rear suspension problem that forced him to retire early to the pits, while bringing out the caution.  “I thought the track would be a lot slicker than it was, so we went with a short bar suspension, and when the car rolls in the corners, it rolled right over top of the bird cage and locked us up,” said a disappointed Herschberger.  “We’ll get it fixed and be back Sunday for the big show.  Sometimes you just have nights like this,” he added.

On the restart, Owens pulled away from Hamstra and Haga again as the field roared down the backstretch.  The 18-year-old Steidinger was able to get under Haga for the third spot on lap 18, and one lap later successfully navigated his way by Hamstra for the runner-up spot.  Steidinger, who made his way to Vermilion County after Farmer City Raceway (IL) was forced to cancel their show due to rain, arrived minutes before qualifying, then unloaded and went out and set fast time on the night.  Current UMP points leader, Chad Kinder who started fifteenth, made his way up to the eighth spot on lap 23, while eight cars were dicing for position at the rear of the field.  Late model driver Richie Hedrick worked his way up to seventh on lap 26 using much the same line he would if in the late model.  Hedrick, was one of those drivers who traveled from Farmer City and arrived just in time.  “We got here just in time to get the car unloaded and get in and go, no air pressure adjustments or chassis changes at all.  Just get in in and race.” 

In the closing laps, Steidinger was able to close in on Owens, but could never mount a serious charge for the top spot.  “I thought I was closing in on him, and thought that maybe I could show him a nose, but it wasn’t meant to be.  We just ran out of laps.  He (Owens) is tough to beat, but I still think I might have had something there for him if we had more time.  We needed a caution there at the end,” said Steidinger. 

When the race was concluded Owens had taken the checkered flag first, while Steidinger, Hamstra, Burton, and Clendenen followed in tow.  Rounding out the top ten were Haga, Kinder, Hedrick, Darrin Thye, and Lee Hobbs. 

Heat races were won by Haga, Owens, Hamstra, Hayes, Burton, and Boknecht, while consolation wins went to Don Kiger, Kyle Logue, and Missouri’s Dean Vickers.  Steidinger set fast time with a lap of 15.406. 

Sunday afternoon, Vermilion County Speedway will host the 8^th Annual David Richardson Memorial race, with $5,000 awaiting the winner.  Over 120 cars from eight states are expected to fill the pits.  For more information on this event call (217) 443-6588. 

UMP modified results 

Heat races (top 3 advanced)

Heat 1- Chuck Haga, Wes Steidinger, Tony Roland, Jason Lakey

Heat 2-Jimmy Owens, Lee Hobbs, Elvin Herschberger, Terry Duncan

Heat 3-Dan Hamstra, Bruce Hanford, Bryan Clendenen, Clint DeMoss

Heat 4-Dale Hayes, Tim Reynolds, Sean Seavers, Darrell Herbert

Heat 5-Arby Burton, Denny Schwartz,Chad Kinder, Kyle Logue

Heat 6-Matt Boknecht, Darrin Thye, Richie Hedrick, Danny Schwatz

Consolation races (top 2 advanced)

!st Consy- Don Kiger, Jason Lakey, Darrell Herbert, J.R.Coyner, Scott Weber

2nd Consy-Kyle Logue, Roger Cary, Jeff Leka, John DeMoss, Terry Duncan

3rd Consy-Dean Vickers, Danny Schwartz, Tim O'Donnell, Ed Shamhart,Clint DeMoss

Feature- Owens, Steidinger, Hamstra, Burton, Clendenen, Haga, Kinder, Hedrick, Thye, Hobbs, Hayes, Roland, Kiger, Lakey, Cary, Hanford, Seavers, Danny Schwartz, Reynolds, Denny Schwartz, Boknecht, Logue, Herschberger, Vickers.