MORRIS, Ill. — Paul Shafer Jr. was the winner of the Lee Schuler Memorial 61-lap super late model stock car special at the Grundy County Speedway as the Northern Illinois raceway hosted its annual “Night of Features” Sunday night.
The Portage, Ind., racer, winner of Friday’s feature and the speedway’s 2020 track champion, wheeled his Paul Shafer Motorsports/Dynamic Metal Recycling Chevrolet No. 7 to the win, having a 0.982-second margin of victory over Blake Brown at starter Greg Kuntz’s checkered flag.
Former two-time track champion Ricky Baker, fast timer Stan Zolodz IV, 2022 titlist D.J. Weltmeyer and Jim Weber rounded out the top six in the 21-car feature field. Eddie Hoffman finished 10th and wrapped up a record ninth track championship at the third-mile paved oval.
With two-groove racing prevailing, Shafer battled with Brown, Weber and Baker for the top spot during the race, which was slowed by four yellow flag caution periods. Working the inside and the outside grooves, Shafer used an inside pass on Brown to secure the lead.
“The track has changed a lot,” said Shafer. “I got the (qualifying) track record here a few years ago and we were ripping around the bottom on fresh pavement – faster than all get out. Now they have put some sticky stuff on the top groove and now we’re ripping the top. I bet ya the fans love it – guys diving to the bottom and then the top (groove) – don’t know if they are coming or going. It’s so much fun as a race car driver. This could be my favorite track again.”
Scotty Gardner won the 35-lap Mid-Am sportsman headliner. Gardner bested Josh Nelms and fastest qualifier Kevin Murphy, who nailed down his third division title at the speedway. Ron Vandermeir Jr., Jeremiah Senko and Matt Clemens were the rest of the top six.
Jonathan Stevens claimed top honors in the 30-lap street stock main event. Stevens, whose car was badly damaged in a wreck Friday, came back strong, beating Matt Lee, Kellen Arnold, Scotty Gardner and Ryan Dawson, who secured the division track championship.
Second-year driver Breanna Riggins captured the 20-lap “sixers feature over Jacob Beard and Seth Rowe while Jerry Legner won the 25-lap main event for “Crown Vic” division drivers as he beat David Einhaus and Eddie Ligue.
In open-wheel action, Tom Schnabel was the winner of the 25-lap Midwest Mayhem Midget feature race. Getting by early pacesetter Scott Koerner, Schnabel bested Jimmy Anderson and Koerner.
Feature Finish
Paul Shafer Jr., Blake Brown, Ricky Baker, Stan Zolodz IV, DJ Weltmeyer, Jim Weber, Josh Nelms, Nathan Kelly, Tristan Batson, Eddie Hoffman, Dave Gentile Jr., Tony Brutti, James Gregait, Dennis Lyp, Jeff Wakeman, Vince Kuelbs, Scott Koerner, Kyle Shear, Larry Schuler, Dean Patterson, Anthony Danta