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Faust Starts Mid-Season Push
Jul 11th
 Mark Faust
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM HIGHLAND SPEEDWAY! FAUST STARTS MID SEASON CHARGE WITH SECOND WIN IN A ROW (July 10 2010) HIGHLAND IL – This past Saturday The Highland Speedway provided today’s generation of fans a chance to see the tradition that the Highland Speedway was built upon; it was 70’s night presented by Agri Pride FS Inc. Racecars provided by The Gateway Vintage Race Cars raced the Speedway allowing the Highland fans, young and old, a taste of yesteryear. This event was coupled with a 70’s dress contest which was won by Highlands first “Streaker”. The night featured a winner in the UMP Late Models, whose family has had a long tradition of racing at the Speedway. Mark Faust of Breese IL, whose dad, brothers, uncle and cousin have all raced at the Highland Speedway, claimed his second feature win of the 2010 season. Current point’s leader, the “Highland Bulldog”, Chad Zobrist, fell victim to a bad pill draw to start his heat race and that led him to a 10th starting spot on the grid in feature. All of which made it a very tough night on the driver of the 78. His worst encounter happened on the second restart of the feature when the Bull Dogs Super Late Model received the worst end of a multi car pile up in between turns one and two. With help from the Speedway’s safety crew the blue and white 78 of Zobrist was able to continue on, and continue on he did. By lap fifteen Zobrist managed to make it to the fourth spot. With the 30 of Alhambra IL’s Mark Voigt ahead of him in third and the 27 of the “Summerfield Gear Jammer” Mike Schulte sitting in second. Faust driving his familiar number 51, jumped out to an early race lead, while several race cautions bunched the field, the 51 was never seriously challenged for the lead. The race ended with Faust wining his second feature of the season, Schulte ran a good second, Voigt was third, Zobrist gave it all he could but unfortunately ran out of laps finishing fourth, and John Beck from Springfield IL, rounded out the top 5. The win by Faust cuts ever so slowly into the points lead currently held by last years Champion Zobrist. Things are definitely are getting interesting in the Late Model Points standings. Things are really starting to heat up in the Steve Schmitt Modifieds, less than one hundred points are currently separating the top four cars. Adding to the mix, that last years Class Champion Jim Werner might have found his mojo, there still is a lot of racing left in the 2010 for him to make the charge to the front and the Championship is anybody’s to claim. Russell Eilers continues his dominance in the Sportsmen category. While the numbers have dwindled the racers that do come to do battle against the 8E are giving an excellent example of how interesting this class is. The battle between the 23 of Dennis Werner, the 1 driven by Robbie Eilers and the 88 driven by Rob Lee allowed the 8E to race to his 7th checker of the season. Russell’s younger brother Ryan finished 5th. TJ Eilers from Troy IL captured his first win in the Street stock Division and Bob Zbinden also grabbed his first checker of the 2010 season in the Factory Stock Class. Highland Notes: Race Results for 7/10/2010 UMP Late Model – Heat 1  UMP Late Model – Heat 2 UMP Late Model – Heat 3 UMP Late Model – Feature UMP Steve Schmitt Modified – Heat 1 UMP Steve Schmitt Modified – Heat 2 UMP Steve Schmitt Modified – Heat 3 UMP Steve Schmitt Modified – Feature UMP Sportsman – Heat 1 UMP Sportsman – Heat 2 UMP Sportsman – Feature UMP Street Stock – Heat 1 UMP Street Stock – Heat 2 UMP Street Stock – Feature UMP Factory Stock – Heat 1 UMP Factory Stock – Heat 2 UMP Factory Stock – Feature Hard Charger award to UMP Factory Stock driver This was $50 donated by the winner of |
Hotdogs Score Big At Highland’s Fan Appreciation Night
Jun 28th
(6-26-10) Highland IL-With $1.00 hotdogs on the grill, it was the Helvetia Sharpshooters Fan Appreciation Night at the Highland Speedway. Summer time is here and the weather was as hot as the action on the track.
The Highland Speedway is the only track in Southern Illinois that race races Super Late Models on Saturday nights and the fans at Highland love their late models.
Mark Faust, had a strong showing early in the UMP Summer Nationals race held the previous Tuesday evening at the Speedway, (but had to drop out due to a flat), proved tonight why he was a multi track champion and former UMP National Champion. After winning his heat race Faust started out side the front row along side the “Trenton Tornado” Michael Kloos.
Faust jumped out to a blistering pace but only completed one lap before a five car pileup in turn three sent the 22 of Dan Jacober and the 20 of Jon Cory to the pits for the evening. In single file restart formation Faust led the field to the starting line but it took three tries before flagman Dan Dondaro was happy with a restart. This just added more fuel to the fire of the driver of the number 51, Faust Automotive sponsored car, as Faust moved into a completely different zip code leading Kloos in the 6K, the 78 of last Saturday’s winner Chad Zobrist, the 30 of Mark Voigt and the 25 of “Fast” Frankie Martin.
At lap six, with Faust still on the move, Zobrist moved past Kloos to take over second, with Voigt and Martin in tow. A caution with 2 laps to go set up a green, white, checker allowing Zobrist a chance to see the tail end of the 51. At the drop of the green flag Mark Faust again checked out and captured his second feature win of the 2010 season, Zobrist, Kloos, Voigt, and Martin rounded out the top five.
UMP Steve Schmitt Modifieds
What looked like a runaway for Chris Smith in the 155 came to a halt after a caution on lap nine brought the field together. That was all Brian Bielong in the 73 needed as four laps later he got around the 155 of Smith. A late race caution had no affect on Bielong as he made it to victory lane for the second time this season. Smith followed in second, Jim Werner in the 44, Dean Hoffmann in the 24-1D and Brett “the Kid” Korves in the 25 were the top five finishers.
Sportsmen, Street Stock and Factory Stock
Russell Eilers made the best of the Sportsmen field with his sixth win of the 2010 season. The 23B Mark Bohnenstiehl was first runner up, outside front row sitter the 88 of Rob Lee came to the stripe third. “The Saw” Jimmy Cummins was next and Russell’s brother Ryan Eilers was fifth.
The Street Stocks had a rough time getting their race started but they eventually they got things going, Jake Hewitt come out on top in a race called for time. T J Eilers, Brad Venhaus, Brian Crawford, and Dennis Ponder were the top five cars
In another close and exciting race the Factory stocks saw Justin Suhre take home the trophy. Jordan Suhre, Kyle McMahon, Jacob Rexing, and Trevor Isaak finished second through fifth.
Highland Notes: No racing next weekend July 3rd. Everyone at the Highland Speedway wishes you a safe and Happy Fourth of July weekend.
Saturday, July 10, When we return to racing, besides the UMP Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsmen, Street Stocks, and Factory Stocks, there will be Vintage Race Cars and the famous 70’s Night ($200 for best 70’s costume)