(August 25, 2001) – The Intermountain Late Model Series made its way into Rocky Mountain Raceways for the first time in almost a month. With the points battle really heating up for both the ILMS Championship and the Genesis Manufacturing & Distribution Rookie of the Year, the action promised to excellent with 19 cars ready to do battle on the 3/8 oval.
The first hot lap session before qualifying went off with out much action with one exception, when the #36 of Greg Hillock got loose coming out of turn two and spun down into the infield. Greg restarted the engine and went on with his hot laps. In the second hot lap session Bret Houskeeper #16 lost his engine and would borrow the #41 car owned by Jeff Hillock for the night.
Qualifying once again saw Marty Zehr #63 set fast time with a 15.478 and was followed by Russell Butler #25 (15.578), Kevin Stauffer #2 (15.643), Kenny Rich #30 (15.652) and Gary Porter #77 (15.688). (click here for qualifying results)
In the first of two 15-lap heat races started nine cars with Travis Kidd #55 and the #8 of Wade Frey on his outside. The #4 of Randy Hardman was able to take his car to the front and hold off the #8 of Wade Frey and the hard charging #30 of Kenny Rich to take the checkers, following Rich was the #55 of Travis Kidd and the #25 of Russell Butler.
The second heat race started ten cars with the #09 of Rick Ellison on the pole with Fred Walker #50 on his outside. Ellison held onto the lead until lap ten when the #63 of Marty Zehr passed him on the outside coming out of turn two and brought the #36 of Greg Hillock with him. Zehr would stay out front to take the checkers followed by #36 Hillock, #09 Ellison, #30 Joe Hood and #2 Kevin Stauffer.
The drop of the green flag for the main event saw the #11 of Brad Young on the pole, with Fred Walker on his outside, who would jump to the front and lead until lap seven when the #36 of Greg Hillock took the lead from the #09 of Rick Ellison. By lap 15 the fast cars who started in the back due to the full filed invert where being to find their way up to the front. The first of two yellows in the race would come on lap 19 when the #11 of Young got loose coming out of turn two and spun. After getting his car re-started he would join the field at the back.
The restart saw the #36 in the lead followed by the #09 of Ellison, #37 Joe Hood, #77 Gary Porter and #4 Randy Hardman rounding out the top five. The second and last caution of the night would come on lap 29 when the #2 of Kevin Stauffer and the #50 of Fred Walker would get together coming out of turn one, sending Walker down to the infield. This earned them both a trip to the back of the field.
On the restart the top five had not changed and the battle for positions would continue with the #63 of Marty Zehr and the #25 of Russell Butler getting together going into turn two causing Zehr to spin but he got going just as the leaders came around and lapped him. The #25 car of Butler was black flagged and would finish two laps down. Hillock was able to hold of the #37 of Joe Hood for his first ILMS win.
