January 12, 2013 U.S. Cellular Coliseum - Bloomington,
IL Round - 5
By: Ole Woody
Doogan
THE "JAMMER" IS BACK! & A DUSTY TORNADO TORE
THRU TOWN!!
The "Battle For Bloomington" is traditionally one of the best
WC Rounds of the season and tonight was no different. An enthusiastic, much
larger than last year, crowd braved the cold winter weather to get to the
coliseum for some red hot ice racing inside.
The
Manufacturers World Cup Bikes started off the program with the big story being
the return of Defending World Champion Jared Mees-Clio, MI to the Series. He
picked up right where he left off last season with a perfect Heat Race
performance. Also winning all his Heats was "Captain" Kirk Cheney-Hastings, MI
and with quick time he earned the Pole for the Main.
Before
the Main a 6-lap LCQ was run. This one showcased a strong run by the "Freight
Train" Tom McGrane-Gap, PA leading wire to wire. The real battle for this one
for second place between Darren Carter-Bloomington, IL and Oakland, NJ's Jay
Maloney. Carter held off a determined Maloney for 4 laps but Jay was too strong
and got by on lap 5 down low. Fourth place went to "Fly'n" Brian McKenna-Boston,
MA who was struggling tonight with a new set of tires. He was followed by
Bloomington natives Shea Knuth and Brittany Powell who both looked good out
there tonight.
The
8-lap Main Event was up next and all "safe" money was on the "Jammer". Official
ICE Referee Robert Arms released the starting gate and it was Cheney out first
and in the lead for a lap and a half. On lap 2 Jared got by underneath and set
sail. From that point on all the action was to see who would join Mees on the
podium. Maloney also got by Cheney moving into second place. McGrane made a late
race move taking the third and final spot in the limelight. He was followed
respectively by Cheney; MeKenna; Knuth; Powell and Carter who crashed
out.
A
big ole Bloomington style field of Pro ICE Unlimited Outlaw Quads turned out
tonight to give it a go, 19 to be exact. It was great to see so many of our old
friends from Iowa and Illinois! Round one Heat Race victories were earned by
Chuck "The Ica Man" Calvert-Madison, WI; Dusty "Time Bomb" Crouch-Topeka, KS;
Kevin Veon-Winterset, IA; Mandy "Wild Child" Brodil-Poplar Branch, NC and Table
Grove, IL's Ryan "Hit Man" Kaufman. Tonight's Round-2 Heat winners were, going
better every week, Anthony Demeo-Woodland Park, NJ; also getting quicker and
quicker Ken "Stuntman" Remer-Burlington, WI; local hot shoe Todd
McGuire-Bloomington, IL; Crouch and Brodil.
So is so often the case with big fields like this the LCQ is the most intense race
of the night. The top 4 finishers will move on to the money race Main Event and
the bottom 4 going home empty handed. There's only 4 laps to get the job done so
if you snooze you lose! Veon was wide awake in this one taking the lead from the
#2 starting slot. Once he got there he never looked back. Had he turned around
he'd seen Demeo and Remer chasing him down like the blood hounds in Cool Hand
Luke! But hold on to your horses! In a daring last move Shane "Nitrous Man"
Quam-Gladstone, IL blew by Remer! In the process Remer was turned around
allowing the new age "Cool Hand" Kevin Smith-Overbrook, KS to move up to the
4th and final transfer position. Told ya these LCQ's get wild! Just
missing the cut was Calvert followed by Garrett Dean-Hamilton, IL; Brandon Davis
first time up on the Harley-Davidson powered "Thunder Quad" and Remer who got so
close to making the Main.
Wow!
After that wild LCQ we still had the Main to run! Boom! The gate went up and
Mandy was gone being chased by Crouch and McGuire. Mandy had opened up a big
lead by lap 4 of this 6-lapper when suddenly, and totally uncharacteristic, the
"Wild Child" lost it spinning out of control on the ice! She quickly gathered it
back up and was immediately WFO but the "Time Bomb" pounced on the opportunity
to grab the lead. In the chaos McGuire and others following got all messed up.
Once things sorted themselves out for the last lap Crouch wasn't
about to give the gift he'd just received back! He went on win just ahead of
Brodil and Kaufman to round out the podium. Following the first three
respectively were Veon; Smith; Quam; Demeo and McGuire. Man! If the Official ICE
Scorekeeper job ever opens up I'm not available! Way too
hard!!
Things
are getting very interesting with just two more Rounds, Hampton, VA and Trenton,
NJ, before the 2013 World Champions will be crowned at the beautiful new Ford
Center in Evansville, IN on February 23rd. See ya soon at an ICE
Race!!
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