6/5/2015
Ryan Bowers Best For Billy Anderson Memorial Win At Princeton
Ryan Bowers was following Lee Grosz during the early stages of the 14th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial feature race trying to figure out how he was going to pass him. With 11 laps scored, Grosz raced past the flag stand and into turn one to begin lap 12. He never completed the lap, as his quick 4J sprint car hit a bit of a rut, shot over the berm in turn one, slid down the embankment and made hard contact with the retaining wall and fence putting him out of action for the remainder of the race. Bowers took control up front for the final 14 laps and went on the record his first win of the season in UMSS competition. The Mastell Racing team had just installed a fresh Gaerte power plant under the hood of the 199 sprinter earlier in the week, and the engine, car and driver were in sync on this night at the Princeton Speedway. The win paid the 2014 UMSS Rookie of the Year $2,450, as Bowers added his name to an already impressive winner's list for this annual event. Members of the Anderson family presented the trophy during the celebration in RockAuto.com Victory Lane. Midwest Power Equipment and GRP Motorsports added money to the top four spots in the feature race.
The 25 lap feature race got off to a rough start, as pole sitter Brooke Tatnell and fellow front row starter Thomas Kennedy made contact in turn two in front of the field on the opening lap. The ensuing melee saw Leigh Thomas crash into Tatnell's car on the back stretch resulting in Tatnell tipping over. Three-time UMSS champion Jerry Richert, Jr. got collected in the accident when his car contacted Kennedy's sprinter. The race was red flagged. Tatnell's crew changed a top wing and Rick Kobs car needed work on a rear brake caliper. The latter two tagged the tail for the restart. Thomas Kennedy, the current UMSS point leader, along with Richert and Thomas were out of the race. The remaining field of cars was criss-crossed according to UMSS rules which put Lou Kennedy, Jr. and Lee Grosz on the front row.
When the race went green, Grosz bolted into the lead on the top side. Third starter Ryan Bowers quickly moved to second and began his pursuit of the leader. Grosz' misfortune 11 laps into the race resulted in the only other caution. Bowers led the final 14 circuits, but Tony Norem kept working the bottom lane, a departure from where he usually runs, moving past Chris Graf for second and setting his sights on the leader. Norem, who won the first-ever Billy Anderson Memorial race, slowly was reeling in Bowers but ran out of laps. Chris Graf finished third, Scott Winters was fourth, and Rick Kobs came from the back of the pack for fifth.
Heat race wins for the 17 cars on hand went to Grosz, Tatnell and Thomas Kennedy. The two Challenge Races saw Lou Kennedy, Jr. lead all 8 laps in the first one while Bowers led 7 laps in the second one only to see Tatnell duck under him on the final lap in turn 3 and emerge with the lead and eventual win. Jeff Pellersels had his steering lock up in his heat race, resulting in his car shooting over the berm in turn one, down the embankment and into the retaining wall and fence. Although he did not flip over, the hard contact resulted in serious damage sidelining him for the remainder of the evening. Davey Heskin, driving the Donnohue Designs 34DD car, was unable to make the call for his heat race with oiling issues. The team got the car race ready for the Challenge race and feature event though. Lee Grosz turned the quickest transponder scored lap in the first heat race with an 11.177 second tour around the high-banked 1/4 mile oval. Chris Graf still holds the quickest lap at Princeton in UMSS competition when he gassed it around the track last June in 11.068 seconds.
The UMSS wants to thank the Princeton Speedway, the Anderson family, all the drivers, crews, fans and sponsors for an entertaining night at the 14th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial. Sprint car fans can follow the UMSS on their website at www.umsprints.com or become a friend of the UMSS on their Facebook page.
UMSS Race Results - Princeton Speedway June 5, 2015 (Race #4)
14th Annual Billy Anderson Memorial:
GRP Motorsports & Midwest Power Equipment A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 199-Ryan Bowers[6]; 2. B1ST-Tony Norem[11]; 3. 20G-Chris Graf[7]; 4. 23W-Scott Winters[9]; 5. 34-Rick Kobs[8]; 6. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[3]; 7. 14-Brooke Tatnell[1]; 8. 23-Cody Hahn[13]; 9. 03-Jamey Ogston[10]; 10. 34DD-Davey Heskin[16]; 11. 91A-Reed Allex[14]; 12. 52-Jake Lempelius[15]; 13. (DNF) 4J-Lee Grosz[5]; 14. (DNF) 20K-Thomas Kennedy[2]; 15. (DNF) 63-Jerry Richert Jr[4]; 16. (DNF) 29-Leigh Thomas[12]; DNS 1-Jeff Pellersels
Lap Leaders: Grosz 1-11, Bowers 12-25. Cautions: (2)...Red flag on opening lap from contact between 14 & 20K in turn 2, collected 63 & 29. 14 restarted tail along with 34. Yellow with 11 laps in when leader Grosz jumped over turn one berm and hit the fence, out of race.
Hoosier Racing Tire Challenge Race 1 (8 Laps): 1. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[1]; 2. 20G-Chris Graf[2]; 3. 20K-Thomas Kennedy[4]; 4. 4J-Lee Grosz[5]; 5. 23W-Scott Winters[3]; 6. 34DD-Davey Heskin[8]; 7. 23-Cody Hahn[7]; 8. 91A-Reed Allex[6]; DNS 1-Jeff Pellersels
Lap Leader: L. Kennedy 1-8. No cautions.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race 2 (8 Laps): 1. 14-Brooke Tatnell[5]; 2. 199-Ryan Bowers[2]; 3. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[6]; 4. 34-Rick Kobs[3]; 5. B1ST-Tony Norem[1]; 6. 29-Leigh Thomas[7]; 7. 03-Jamey Ogston[4]; 8. 52-Jake Lempelius[8]
Lap Leaders: Bowers 1-7, Tatnell 8. Cautions: (1) for 03 spin on opening lap.
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 4J-Lee Grosz[1]; 2. 03-Jamey Ogston[2]; 3. 21K-Lou Kennedy Jr.[4]; 4. B1ST-Tony Norem[3]; 5. 91A-Reed Allex[5]; 6. 52-Jake Lempelius[6]
Lap Leader: Grosz 1-6. No cautions.
Driverwebsites.com Ultimate Sprint Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 14-Brooke Tatnell[2]; 2. 23W-Scott Winters[1]; 3. 199-Ryan Bowers[4]; 4. (DNF) 1-Jeff Pellersels[3]; 5. (DNF) 29-Leigh Thomas[5]; DNS 34DD-Davey Heskin
Lap Leader: Tatnell 1-6. Cautions: (2) for 29 stalled front stretch with 3 laps in & 1 over turn one berm and into fence on restart, 1 done for the night.
Midwest Power Equipment Ultimate Sprint Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 20K-Thomas Kennedy[2]; 2. 34-Rick Kobs[1]; 3. 20G-Chris Graf[3]; 4. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[5]; 5. 23-Cody Hahn[4]
Lap Leader: Kennedy 1-6. No cautions.
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
