MORRIS, Ill. — In the process of ending his long successful short track racing career, Rich Bickle Jr. visited the Grundy County Speedway Saturday night and made off with the victory in the 30-lap late model feature race during the track’s Fan Appreciation Night.
Winning late model specials recently in Wisconsin Dells and Slinger, Wis., the 60-year-old Edgerton, Wis., racer wheeled his Tony D’Ambrose-prepped T1 Racing Chevrolet No. 45 to the victory, posting his first win at Grundy in a number of years. Setting fast time during qualifications earlier in the evening, Bickle had a .965-second advantage over Dave Gentile Jr. at the finish. Clay Curts, Curt Tillman, Matt Chester and James Gregait rounded out the other top finishers.
Securing a record seventh career late model track championship, Eddie Hoffman finished 10th in Saturday’s 30 lapper.
Ron Vandermeir Jr. took home top honors in the 25-lap Mid American sportsman headliner, defeating track champion Blake Brown, Vince Cooper, Vince Kuelbs and John Ventrello.
Wrapping up his track championship, Scott Gardner scored the win in the 25-lap street stock feature race. Gardner bested Randy Weese, Sal Lozano, Chad Bayuk and Bill Serviss.
Trevor Tichy was the winner of the 20-lap main event for the pure stocks (four-cylinder) division as he defeated Dan Schmeissing and Johnathan Stevens. Coming home sixth in the feature, Cameron Preisler captured the division track championship.
JoJo Fadke won the 15-lap Super Cup Series feature over Jacob Senerchia and Landon Hocking.
The speedway closes out its racing season next Saturday as it hosts the 60th annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 presented by Elite Trade Show Services late model stock car special.