Dirt on Dirt - Fighting back challenges, Richards wins at La Salle

March 24

La Salle Speedway,

La Salle, IL

Sanction: Sunoco American Late Model Series (Thaw Brawl) - $7,000

Information provided by: Staff and track reports (last updated March 25, 8:57 pm)

Fighting back challenges, Richards wins at La Salle

Thaw Brawl

Josh Richards
Chris Simpson
Tim McCreadie
Bobby Pierce
Dennis Erb Jr.
Tony Jackson Jr.
Rob Toland
Brent Larson
Scott Schmitt
Ryan Unzicker
Spencer Diercks
Mason Oberkramer
Payton Looney
Austin Rettig
Shannon Babb
Kolby Vandenbergh
Hudson O'Neal
Jeff Roth
Rich Bell
Joe Godsey
Shannon Scott
Kevin Weaver
Jason Feger
Michael Kloos
Mike Mataragas

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Jim DenHamer

Josh Richards heads for a $7,000 victory in the Thaw Brawl opener.

What won the race: Fighting back challenges from polesitter Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., second-starting Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., captured a $7,000 victory on the opening night of the sixth annual Thaw Brawl at La Salle Speedway. Chris Simpson finished second in the caution-free 40-lapper.

Quotable: "I just tried to put it where it felt comfortable and get by those (lapped cars) the best that we could and hold 'em off," said race winner Josh Richards. "I felt like I'd slip a little bit. I could hear an engine a little bit a couple of times and I just tried to move around and gauge (where I was) off the other cars."

Key notes: Richards scored his third victory of the 2017 season; his previous wins came at Georgia-Florida Speedweeks. ... The race marked the Best Performance driver's first career victory on both the MARS West and Corn Belt Clash tours and his second career ALMS victory. ... Former La Salle winner Bobby Pierce made multiple challenges for the lead, but slipped out of the groove in the final laps to finish fourth. ... Heat winner Jason Feger was forced to start at the rear of the field after going to a backup car. ... The sixth annual Thaw Brawl continues on Saturday with the winner’s share of the purse up $2,000 from last year’s $15,000-to-win event. … Watch every lap of the action live via pay-per-view video on DirtonDirt.com.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., improved from eighth to notch a podium finish; Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., advanced from 10th to fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Richards's Best Performance Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Dargie Racing Engine and sponsored by Bulk Material Lift, Peoples National Bank, Valvoline, Keyser Manufacturing, State Farm and Integra Shocks.

Car count: 35

Fast qualifier: Chris Simpson

Time: 12.982 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Bobby Pierce, Josh Richards, Rob Toland, Jason Feger

Consolation race winners: Michael Kloos, Hudson O'Neal

Provisional starters: Austin Rettig, Shannon Scott, Jeff Roth, Rich Bell

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From track reports

La SALLE, Ill. (March 24) — Fighting back challenges from polesitter Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., second-starting Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., captured a $7,000 victory in the opening night of the sixth annual Thaw Brawl at La Salle Speedway.

Preliminary results:

Consolation results

Second consolation (top two transfer): Hudson O’Neal, Shannon Babb, Rich Bell, Austin Rettig, Charlie Olsen, Shannon Scott, John Provenzano, Randy Manos, Roger Markham, Jason Wagner

First consolation (top two transfer): Michael Kloos, Mike Mataragas, Jeremiah Hurst, Ryan VanderVeen, Joe Godsey, Jay Morris, Chris Osborn, Jay Brendle, Bob Gardner

Heat race results

Fourth heat (top four transfer): Jason Feger, Tim McCreadie, Kevin Weaver, Payton Looney, Shannon Babb, Rich Bell, Shannon Scott, Randy Manos

Third heat (top four transfer): Rob Toland, Scott Schmitt, Spencer Dierks, Ryan Unzicker, Jason Wagner, Hudson O’Neal, Austin Rettig, Charlie Olsen, John Provenzano

Second heat (top four transfer): Josh Richards, Brent Larson, Dennis Erb Jr., Kolby Vandenbergh, Michael Kloos, Jeremiah Hurst, Ryan VanderVeen, Chris Osborn, Jay Brendle

First heat (top four transfer): Bobby Pierce, Chris Simpson, Mason Oberkramer, Tony Jackson Jr., Mike Mataragas, Jay Morris, Bob Gardner, Joe Godsey, Jeff Roth

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Chris Simpson, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Mason Oberkramer, Bob Gardner
Row 3: Tony Jackson Jr., Jay Morris
Row 4: Joe Godsey, Jeff Roth
Row 5: Mike Mataragas
Second heat
Row 1: Josh Richards, Brent Larson
Row 2: Kolby Vanderburgh, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 3: Jay Brendle, Ryan VanderVeen
Row 4: Chris Osborn, Michael Kloos
Row 5: Jeremiah Hurst
Third heat
Row 1: Jason Wagner, Rob Toland
Row 2: Scott Schmitt, Spencer Dierks
Row 3: Ryan Unzicker, Austtin Rettig
Row 4: Charlie Olsen, John Provenzano
Row 5: Hudson O’Neal
Fourth heat
Row 1: Kevin Weaver, Jason Feger
Row 2: Payton Looney, Tim McCreadie
Row 3: Shannon Babb, Shannon Scott
Row 4: Rich Bell, Roger Markham
Row 5: Randy Manos

Qualifying

Coming off a victory in last weekend’s MARS West event at Springfield (Mo.) Raceway, Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, topped Friday’s qualifying charts, tripping the clock with a time of 12.982. Three drivers — Mike Mataragas, Michael Kloos and Jeremiah Hurst — weighed in light at the scales following their qualifying laps and will start on the tail of their respective heat races.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Group 1
Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 12.982
Josh Richards (1), Shinnston, W.Va., 13.265
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.369
Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 13.419
Mike Mataragas (1m), DeKalb, Ill., 13.424
Michael Kloos (6K), Trenton, Ill., 13.478
Mason Oberkramer (93), Broseley, Mo., 13.504
Kolby Vandenbergh (15), Ashland, Ill., 13.541
Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 13.587
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.627
Tony Jackson Jr. (56), Lebanon, Mo., 13.648
Jeremiah Hurst (58), Dubuque, Iowa, 13.681
Jay Morris (77M), Watseka, Ill., 13.785
Jay Brendle (25B), Kirkland, Ill., 13.805
Joe Godsey (26R), Bedford, Ind., 14.174
Ryan VanderVeen (23V), Six Lakes, Mo., 14.175
Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 14.448
Chris Osborn (61), Peoria, Ill., 14.723
Group 2
Jason Wagner (J12), Deer Creek, Ill., 13.486
Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 13.508
Rob Toland (39), Davenport, Iowa, 13.54
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.621
Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 13.691
Spencer Diercks (29D), Davenport, Iowa, 13.714
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 13.787
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.903
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.929
Austin Rettig (94), Sikeston, Mo., 13.957
Shannon Scott (4), Henryetta, Ohio, 13.993
Charlie Olsen (28), Huntley, Ill., 14.099
Rich Bell (21), Sheffield, Ill., 14.117
John Provenzano (5), Marseilles, Ill., 14.189
Roger Markham (11), Virgil, Ill., 14.219
Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 14.46
Randy Manos (R1), Kingston, Ill., 14.781