EARL PLESSINGER TAKES 4K AT VCS
By Namgalf

(9/2/01)A total of 94 UMP modifieds graced the fairgrounds at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Illinois Sunday evening trying to snare the $4000 prize for the winner. Included were the top 3 point men presently in UMP Chad Kinder, Denny Schwartz and Jimmy Owens plus stars from at least 6 states. Indiana driver Dale Hayes turned the fastest lap in qualifing thus earning the pole for the first heat wherefrom the winner would grace the pole of the 40 lap feature. The winners of the following 7 heats would fall in line behind with second place filling out the next 4 rows. Four consi races were ran with the top 2 finishers also making the 24 car feature event. Also there was a non-qualifier feature of 25 laps with the winner given the option of taking the winnings and trophy from that race or tagging the tail of the main event. Enough of that and on to the results:
Fast time: Dale Hayes
First heat: Jeff Houchens, Dale Hayes, John Burdette, Terry Duncan
Second Heat: Scott Weber, Don Kiger, Roger Cary, Danny Schwartz
Third heat: Jimmy Owens, Elvin Herschberger, Matt Bachman, Richie Hedrick
Fourth Heat: Earl Plessinger, Chuck Haga, Bub Patrick, Todd Kirkland
Fifth Heat: Tommy Burnside, Denny Schwartz, Josh Ferguson, Sean Seavers
Sixth Heat: Michael Bradley, Gary Cook Jr., Chad Kinder, John Seets
Seventh Heat: Everett Bradham, Ryan Bowman, Jason Lakey, Mike Chasteen
Eighth Heat, Arby Burton, Wes Steidinger, Bobby Bittle, Mark Moore
Consi One: Roger Cary, John Burdette, Jeff Leka
Consi Two: Todd Kirkland, R.J.Gall, Lance Dehm
Consi Four: Bobby Bittle, Jason Lakey, Mark Moore
Consi Three: Chad Kinder, John Seets, Rob Fuqua
Non-qualifier Feature:
1. Mark Moore 2. Lance Dehm
3. Jeff Leka 4. Danny Schwartz
5. Tim O'Donnell 6. Matt Boknecht
7. Brian McDaniel 8. Tommy Kroll
9. Sean Seavers 10.Joel Funk
11.Brian Shirley 12.John Hudson
13.Leon Rackers 14.Matt Goulden
15.Cory Rolfe 16.John Hollifield
17.Duane Ekright 18.Charlie Phillips
19.Matt Bachman 20.Greg Wright
21.Zack Geist
This race was the 3 thru 8 finishers of the consi races. Three cars did not show for the start. Also the winner was given the option of taking the $300 winnings and trophy or tagging the tail of the A main. Mark Moore told the officials " I came here to race the big feature" thus took the challenge and tagged the A giving the win to Lance Dehm and moving everyone up one position. I believe there were only 2 cautions and a total of 17 cars finished the 25 lap affair. Main event was next and it was a dandy. Jeff Houchens and Scott Weber led the hive of bees to the green with Houchens immediatly jumping to the front with Jimmy Owens and Weber grappling for the second slot. Earl Plessinger, Tommy Burnside, Michael Bradley began tugging for position with all changing many times lap to lap. Houchens rolled to a 5 car length lead by lap 5 by which Owens had grabbed the #2 spot and Weber had fallen to the group behind to have a 4 car battle trying to catch the leaders. The only caution of the 40 lapper would wave at lap 9 allowing the field to close with Houchens still leading Owens followed by Plessinger, Burnside, Bradley and a fading Weber. With the leaders running the three leaders running the bottom of the speedway Burnside clearly had the faster car by going all the way to the very top and was making headway on the restart for a couple of laps when something broke in his automobile right at the flagstand causing him to retire very sportingly by rolling off the turn 2 exit allowing the race to continue. By this time all eyes were on 10th starting Don Kiger and 13th starting Denny Schwartz who were leading the wolves also at the rim of the quarter mile speedplant. At lap 15 Kiger had moved to the 6th spot with Schwartz right there with him 8th showing the top 2 point men at VCS are not slouches by any means. Also at lap 15 Plessinger had motored under Owens for the runnerup spot and was right on the bumper of Houchens for the lead. On lap 17 Plessinger moved around Houchens for the lead by using the middle groove to gain access. Owens would follow suit in the same groove at the halfway marker. Kiger and Schwartz had moved to the 5th and 6th positions with Weber struggling to hold the 4th slot. Just past half way Kiger made short work of Weber and began to make up the 5 lenght lead of the Owens-Houchens battle. By lap 25 Houchens fell victim and Kiger seemed to be the fastest car on the track with Schwartz following suit. Plessinger was coasting (if that can be done in a race like this) and had just caught a two car battle at the rear of the field then seemed to loose a little handle making passing difficult for him. Kiger meanwhile gaining momentum caught Owens and streaked by at lap 30 with Schwartz unable to keep up the pace of Kiger just now getting by Houchens for 4th. On lap 33 Schwartz had caught up to Owens but his charge would end there. Plessinger had built a half straight or more lead but Kiger was making up ground every lap especially with the leader stuck in a 4 car group of lappers that he could do nothing with. With 6 to go Kiger nearly went over the top of turn one but kept it on the track losing a couple of lengths in the process. At lap 35 he had gained over half of the lead but on lap 37 repeated the turn 1 mistake and would eventually fall 2 lengths short of the victory. Owens would hold on for third with Schwartz and Houchens filling out the top 5. Of the 25 starters 20 would finish with none lapped as the lapped cars pulled off just after getting lapped. Feature finish:
1. Earl Plessinger 2. Don Kiger
3. Jimmy Owens 4. Denny Schwartz
5. Jeff Houchens 6. Wes Steidinger
7. Chuck Haga 8. Scott Weber
9. R.J.Gall 10.Michael Bradley
11.Arby Burton 12.Gary Cook Jr.
13.Jason Lakey 14.Bobby Bittle
15.Roger Cary 16.Chad Kinder
17.John Seets 18.Mark Moore
19.Ryan Bowman 20.John Burdette
21.Dale Hayes 22.ElvinHerschberger
23.Everett Bradham 24.Todd Kirkland
25.Tommy Burnside
Track conditions were excellent with the track smooth and racing grooves from top to bottom with 3 and 4 wide racing very common throughout the field. Movers through the field were Kiger from 10th to 2nd, Lakey from 24th starter to 13th, Steidinger from 16th to 6th, Gall from 22nd to 9th. Fallers were Bradham from 7th to 23rd, Herschberger from 10th to 24th, Hayes from 9th to 21st. Great to see a wonderful field of cars and drivers and also a good crowd on hand. Pierce built race cars had 4 of the top 5 with Owens in his Lightning the only different chassis. All racing was finished at 11:25. Thanks to all and congratulations to Earl Plessinger.