MORRIS, Ill. — Stan Zolodz IV was the winner of the 61-lap Lee Schuler Memorial late model stock car special at Grundy County Speedway, which held its annual Night of Features Sunday evening.
The 19-year-old Hebron, Ind., driver wheeled his Schupp Real Estate-sponsored, S4 Motorsports-owned 2020 Camaro to his first late model victroy at the third-mile paved oval, winning the race that honors Lee Schuler, the speedway’s 1972 late model champion.
A field of 20 started the evening’s main event with Jake Gille taking the lead after starting on the inside of the front row. With 11 laps in the books, Zolodz moved by Gille for the top spot, where he would remain all the way to the checkered flag.
Most of the way, Zolodz had Paul Shafer Jr., points leader in the late model action at Grundy, in his rearview mirror. Shafer, the event’s fastest qualifier, pressed Zolodz for the win with D.J. Weltmeyer racing a close third.
Twenty-eight laps were completed with six-time late model champion Eddie Hoffman and Blake Brown getting together on a restart, bringing out the race’s fifth of seven yellow caution flags. Brown, a two-time late model winner at Grundy this season, was out of the race.
Most of the rest of the way, Shafer seemed ready to strike for the lead with Zolodz never giving up the number one position. At the checkered flag, Zolodz held a .240-second margin over Shafer. Weltmeyer finished third, followed by Ricky Baker, who had won the last three Schuler Memorial races, Dave Gentile Jr. and Scott Koerner.
“It’s super exciting,” said Zolodz. “I’ve been waiting for this. I use to race against Paul (Shafer Jr.) in the Bandoleros and Legends cars. I knew he (Shafer) was very fast and he qualified number one tonight. He’s been consistent all year long. It really feels good that he finished behind me for once.”
“The car was really good in the beginning and middle portion of the race,” said Shafer. “I worked him (Zolodz) over and over and over. I just couldn’t get him. He had a lot of drive off the turns. He was just a little bit better. I don’t like to slam or door people. That’s not how I race.”
Brown, who hails from Twin Lakes, Wis., won the 40-lap Mid American sportsman feature, capturing his second Mid American division main event of the season. Brown bested division points leader Kevin Murphy and Cory Clougherty. Marqus Hoover and Timmy Stewart rounded out the top five.
For the sixth time this year, Chicago’s Eddie Ligue was the winner in street stock feature competition, winning the 35-lap feature over Scott Gardner and Randy Weese. Fifteen-year-old Cameron Preisler, from Braidwood, Ill., was the winner of the 30-lap headliner for four-cylinder stocks as he defeated Garett Braden and Scott Ingram.
Rob Baaske of Wheaton, Ill., took home top honors in the 25-lap Super Cup feature. Winning for the second time this year, Baaske defeated Sean Eurick and Brandon Vines. Koerner, another driver that was doing double-duty, won the 25-lap main event for Illini Racing midgets. Koerner, a three-time series champion from Joliet, bested Tom Schnabel and Ryan Finley.
The Finish:
Stan Zolodz IV, Paul Shafer Jr., D.J. Weltmeyer, Ricky Baker, Dave Gentile Jr., Scott Koerner, Jake Weinreich, Keith Tolf, Nathan Kelly, Eddie Hoffman, James Gregait, Steve Seligman, Alex Clubb, Jake Gille, Billy Hulbert, Blake Brown, Joe Fadke, Dean Patterson, Jim Weber, Dan Odell.