Pontoon Beach, IL (June 1, 2005) Randy Korte fought off the challenges of Rodney Melvin for most of the thirty laps during the main event to capture the UMP Challenge of Champions event at Tri-City Speedway. Korte charged into the lead on the opening lap from the outside front row starting position and paced all thirty laps. Melvin stayed glued to the back of Korte for most of the event, but Korte put a little distance between himself and Melvin late in the event as they worked lapped traffic. Mark Oller continued his great season at Tri-City Speedway as he made a late race pass on Clay Baumann to finish third. Baumann, who won the qualifying dash, came home fourth. Michael Kloos rounded out the top five.

Read more...

Pontoon Beach, IL (May 29, 2005) Mother Nature put a damper on most of the main events as rained moved in during the UMP Late Model main event. The UMP Late Model main event was officially declared completed after just nineteen of the twenty-five laps were completed as the track became too wet.

The UMP Late Model main event proved to be a barn burner however, as Rodney Melvin and Steve Sheppard battled side-by-side for the final eight laps. The two traded the lead several times and Sheppard crossed the line with a nose out front on lap nineteen. The caution waved on lap twenty and the finish was reverted back to the last officially completed lap. Mark Oller rolled across the line in the third spot, with Jayme Zidar taking fourth and Ed Dixon rounding out the top five.

Read more...

Pontoon Beach, IL (May 22, 2005) Bryan Collins used the high side to move past Mark Oller on the fifth lap of the twenty-five lap main event in the UMP Late Model division and cruised to victory. Collins, of Elsberry, MO, kept a steady and smooth pace around the top of the 1/4 mile oval enroute to the win. Oller raced the low side and brought his mount home in second. Steve Sheppard took the third position while Wisconsin's Jayme Zidar took fourth. Billy Laycock rounded out the top five.

Ray Walsh, James Lafferty and Steve Maisel put on a fierce three way battle for the lead for the entire twenty laps of the UMP Modified main event. Maisel led the very early laps before Walsh moved past on the high side. Maisel continued to challenge Walsh for the lead throughout the event as Lafferty often made it a three-wide battle. Walsh was able to hang on using the high side to claim the win, Maisel just edged Lafferty out for the second position. Matt Simpson followed Lafferty across the line to take fourth and Bobby Martintoni completed the top five.

Read more...