9/11/2015
Justin Henderson Just Keeps Winning, Tops Earl Kouba Memorial
The final weekend of the UMSS season arrived with two big events on the schedule. Racing for the largest UMSS purse ever and the longest distance in a feature race, Justin Henderson of Tea, South Dakota kept his late season UMSS win streak intact when he topped Brooke Tatnell in the 55 lap feature race which paid a whopping $5,500 to win during the running of the 23rd Annual Earl Kouba Memorial at the St. Croix Valley Raceway on Friday night September 11. Henderson led all 55 laps from his pole starting spot. Building on his Princeton Speedway and St. Croix Valley Raceway victories in August, Henderson made his third consecutive appearance in Rock Auto Victory Lane in as many UMSS starts.
With added money from Midwest Power Equipment and a host of other event sponsors, the Kouba family delivered the highest paying race in UMSS history. Surprisingly, the race only drew a field of 18 cars although the quality was certainly strong. Because of the distance in the feature race, the UMSS ran three 10 lap heat races with passing and finishing points. Russ Hall, Tatnell and Scotty Thiel topped the heats. Those three drives plus Henderson redrew for the top four starting spots in the main event. Henderson drew the pole with Tatnell outside. Hall and Thiel sat in row two. The race would be highlighted by a five minute and 55 second pit stop at the halfway mark for fuel. Any car that changed tires would have to tag the tail of the field.
With 2014 UMSS Rookie of the Year Jamey Ogston unable to start the feature, seventeen cars took the green flag. The race ran 28 laps nonstop to the mandatory pit stop with Henderson in control up front. Sixteen of the starters were still running which made for lapped traffic on the 1/4 mile bullring. Nobody changed tires, so the running order remained Henderson, Tatnell, Thiel ,Hall and Chris Graf in the top five. Graf was looking for the Midwest Power Outlaw Sprint Car Series championship in the fourth and final race of this special mini-series within the UMSS schedule. Graf was going up against Jerry Richert, Jr. and Ryan Bowers for the title. Graf needed to finish higher than Richert, as the two drivers were tied in the point standings after three races although Richert technically had the tie-breaker with a victory in the first race at Deer Creek Speedway in the end of June.
The second half of the race saw a couple of yellow flags. The first one blinked on with 34 laps in the books for a Bob McVitty spin in turn two. Under this caution, Todd King pulled to the infield with engine issues. The final caution flew after the leaders had taken the checkered flag when Russ Hall spun in turn four on the final lap while running fourth. Henderson had continued his dominance up front and handily won the race. Tatnell rode home in second ahead of Thiel, Bowers and Graf. Jamie Ball, Lee Grosz, Richert, Hall and Chris Martin completed the top ten. Only two cars dropped out of the 55 lap feature race!
Graf finished in front of Richert to earn the Midwest Power Outlaw Sprint Car Series title and the $1,000 that came with it. Richert and Bowers finished behind Graf in the final points in the four race series which saw victories by Richert, Tony Norem, and two for Henderson. Current UMSS point leader Ryan Bowers now heads into the final race of the season with a 24 point lead over Graf in the UMSS championship standings. Depending on where Graf finishes, Bowers needs to stay within about eight positions of Graf to earn a lock on the title at the Richert Memorial the following night.
The Kouba family wishes to thank the many fine sponsors who make this event a reality each year, now with 23 years in the books. 2015 sponsors included Midwest Power Equipment, GRP Motorsports, D&D Motorsports, Gillund Enterprises-Justice Brothers, Bevlor Utilities, Proto Fab, Donnahue Designs, Trondson Engines as well as the Kouba family and St. Croix Valley Raceway. The total purse topped the $15,000 mark! Justin Henderson added his name to a list that reads like a who's who in upper Midwest sprint car racing history.
UMSS Race Results - St. Croix Valley Raceway September 11, 2015 (Race #18)
23rd Annual Earl Kouba Memorial
Midwest Power Equip & GRP Motorsports 23rd Annaul Earl Kouba Memorial Feature (55 Laps): 1. 1-Justin Henderson[1]; 2. 14-Brooke Tatnell[2]; 3. 64-Scotty Thiel[4]; 4. 199-Ryan Bowers[9]; 5. 20G-Chris Graf[10]; 6. 5J-Jamie Ball[8]; 7. 4J-Lee Grosz[5]; 8. 34D-Jerry Richert Jr[12]; 9. 29H-Russ Hall[3]; 10. 44-Chris Martin[7]; 11. 5-Anna Kouba[11]; 12. 1D-Dean Brown[14]; 13. 91A-Reed Allex[15]; 14. 52-Jake Lempelius[16]; 15. 7M-Bob McVitty[13]; 16. (DNF) 73-Todd King[6]; 17. (DNF) 87-Cody Hahn[17]; DNS 03-Jamey Ogston
Lap Leader: Henderson 1-55. Cautions: (3) with first one for halfway pit stop, second one with 34 laps in for 7M spin turn 2, and final one on last lap when 29H spun in turn 4 coming to checkers.
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 29H-Russ Hall[2]; 2. 44-Chris Martin[1]; 3. 5J-Jamie Ball[4]; 4. 34D-Jerry Richert Jr[3]; 5. 7M-Bob McVitty[5]; 6. (DNF) 87-Cody Hahn[6]
Lap Leader: Hall 1-10. No cautions.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Ultimate Sprint Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 14-Brooke Tatnell[2]; 2. 1-Justin Henderson[6]; 3. 199-Ryan Bowers[3]; 4. 20G-Chris Graf[5]; 5. 91A-Reed Allex[1]; 6. 52-Jake Lempelius[4]
Lap Leader: Tatnell 1-10. No cautions.
Hoosier Racing Tire Ultimate Sprint Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 64-Scotty Thiel[1]; 2. 73-Todd King[2]; 3. 4J-Lee Grosz[5]; 4. 5-Anna Kouba[4]; 5. 1D-Dean Brown[3]; DNS 03-Jamey Ogston
Lap Leaders: King 1-5, Thiel 6-10. No cautions. Note: 03 Ogston done before night even began with motor issue, loaded up and headed for home.
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
