CHICAGO WHISPERS
by Stan Kalwasinski
October 13, 2008
Chicago, Ill.—Illiana Motor Speedway’s 47th annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 presented by Lisa Thomas Salon is now in the record books with Joliet’s Brett Sontag claiming his first career Bettenhausen victory. The Schererville, Ind. speed plant saw Sontag become the race’s 23rd different winner with the win being Sontag’s first feature win ever at Illiana.
Last Saturday’s event was originally scheduled for September 13, but three days of rain, totaling almost 10 inches, and local flooding forced the postponement of the traditional Chicago area short track event with Illiana owner Mike Mikuly “scrambling” for a date that would be a “fit” for all concerned.
Thirty-eight entries showed up at Illiana for practice and qualifying on Saturday with Sontag and his rapid-running black Ford Fusion No. 5 showing a lot of strength in Saturday’s practice as well as during Friday evening’s “hot laps.” Sontag was the fastest qualifier Saturday, touring the half-mile paved oval in 19.605 seconds for an average speed of 91.813 miles per hour.
Sontag, who was a rookie in late model racing in 1991, captured this year’s late model track championship at the Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., giving the 37-year-old driver a total of three track titles at his “home track.” Sontag won back-to-back Grundy late model crowns in 2001 and 2002. Previously, he was the track’s “Budget Bumper” division titlist in 1988.
What a difference a year makes!
Usually among the leaders when he has chosen to race at Illiana during infrequent visits, Sontag crashed hard into a light pole during last year’s Bettenhausen 100, destroying his late model stock car and suffering injuries. A year later, things changed with Sontag scoring an impressive victory after taking the lead from Tom Smith on lap 42 and never looking back.
“This track owes me one,” said Sontag. “The last one (accident) almost killed me. At least all the lights are still standing. The car was great. The car was so neutral. I kept thinking, money, money, money! I’ve got to pay my rent and gotta pay for the differential.”
Sontag’s differential story was an interesting one.
“I was at Rockford (Speedway for the National Short Track Championships in late September) and I blew a differential apart,” said Sontag after Saturday’s win. “I got a new diff for it and the ring and pinion were chewed up, but I figured it will be good enough. We were practicing today and we made about six laps and it blew the gear apart—the quick change. It ripped one of the bearings out of the cover. When we qualified, we didn’t put the piece of bearing back in it, so after qualifying it was full of garbage. This thing (car) would hit the ‘chip’ eight, nine times if I kept my foot to the floor. It’s the wrong gear.”
Both Sontag and second place finisher Smith used Ford “crate” engines for power Saturday, again adding fuel to the fire about the advantage “crate” engines have at Grundy and Illiana. Sontag and Smith were one-two in the points at Grundy this year and “crate” engines powered a number super late model feature winners at Illiana in 2008, including wins by Jack Kalwasinski, Josh Nelms and relative stock car newcomer Sean Murphy. Sontag’s winning engine came from McGunegill Engine Performance in Muncie, Ind.
Smith, who qualified 13th fastest and started on the pole by virtue of the “13” invert, led the first 41 circuits of the 100 lapper until Sontag, who started 13th in the 26-car field, worked his way to the front on lap 42. It was pretty much Sontag the rest of the race, which was slowed by way too many caution flags with 10 being the “unofficial” number.
“It was fun to come back here. I haven’t been here in two years,” Smith said. “I got lucky (with the invert) and it put me on the pole. I actually needed some laps. We struggled in practice last night and this afternoon. I called my (Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway) partner, Bob Blount, and he said to do a couple of things (to the car). It actually worked. We went out there blind at the start of the race with a couple of things. It worked out pretty good. I knew Brett was way faster than me though. I tried to hang with him, but he had the class covered. He had a heck of a car. My hat’s off to him. He ran a good, clean race.”
Sontag’s best Bettenhausen finish previously was a third in 2003. Sponsors of Sontag’s “winning ride” included RDCS, Inc., CPC Powder Coatings, Joliet Junior College, NI Steel, Sontag Speed Supplies, B&D Sewer and Advanced Race Cars. Sontag, who owns and operates Advanced Race Cars, reworked a Pathfinder chassis to his liking. Sontag took home $3,500 in prize money and lap prize earnings.
Second fastest qualifier and pre-race favorite, Eddie Hoffman, who has four Bettenhausen race wins including last year’s, was never a factor in the race. Hoffman and his Tom and Lisa Kmak-owned Ford Fusion seemed to struggle a little bit during the night.
“We expected to win or finish in the top three anyway,” said Hoffman, who finished fourth with 9-to-1 power. “The car was a little off, a little skatey. We thought about running the ‘crate’ motor car. I think the ‘crate’ cars have an advantage, especially in longer races. We were still off a little bit. No matter what, I think if we would have had it ‘on the money’ like we do a lot of times, we could have contended for the win. I had to work actually. That’s work when you have to run back there and the car’s not running all the great.”
Five-time Illiana track champion Mike White finished third behind Sontag and Smith, wheeling his Ray and Jackie Wroblewski-owned Monte Carlo No. 14. White’s usual ride, the Tom Rose-owned Chevy No. 00, has been in “dry dock” since a major crash in August. A Joe Rhyne 9-to-1 engine propelled White during the evening.
Looking over some Bettenhausen race statistics, White has started 19 Bettenhausen 100 lappers with a couple of runner-up finishes in 2001 and 2007 being his best efforts to date. White, who garnered another Illiana late model driving title this year, no doubt would love to add a Bettenhausen trophy to his collection
Not too many “out-of-towners” visited Illiana for this year’s Bettenhausen contest. Looking over the entries, only Wisconsin’s Matt Kocourek, who finished 10th, along with Danny Darnell and Keith Tolf, who both did not make the race, could be considered “visitors.” Speaking of not making the race, three-time race winner Larry Schuler suffered mechanical problems after qualifying and did not make the feature lineup. Schuler, who won the Bettenhausen 100 in 1986, 1993 and again in 1999, had qualified 18th fastest.
It was also a “tough night” for four-time Bettenhausen race champion Dave Weltmeyer. Weltmeyer and his Impala SS qualified only 24th fastest and raced to a third place finish in the second 12-lap “last chance” qualifying race to make the field. Starting in 22nd spot, Weltmeyer lasted on 17 laps. Weltmeyer’s wins came in 1995, 1996, 2001 and 2004. Weltmeyer’s 1995 win saw him collect more than $5,000 in winnings when the race was “heavily” sponsored by Dana Transport. Weltmeyer drove the Howe Racing Enterprises “house car” to the win that year.
Former “retired” Bettenhausen race winners in attendance Saturday included Frank Gawlinski, the all time winner with nine victories, two-time winner Ray Young, 1973 champ Tom Jones and ‘68 winner Buck Hinkle. Gawlinski’s first win came in 1981 when the race was run under the “rules and regulations” of John McKarns’ ARTGO late model circuit with his last win coming in 1997. Sandwiched in between those wins were three straight victories from 1990 through 1992. Other victories came in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1994. Gawlinski’s yellow No. 14 always seemed to be in victory lane at Illiana.
The address for news and comments is 9618 Cypress Ave., Munster, Ind. 46321-3418 or e-mail to skalwasinski@yahoo.com.
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