By Gary Jacob
Great Falls, MT -- After being rained out the previous weekend in Billings, the Montana Dirt Late Model Tour made it’s first 2005 season visit to Electric City Speedway and Glasgow’s Rock Degele outdueled Great Falls’ own Dave Freeman for the $600 feature win Saturday night. Freeman had won the series opener in his Ford and 23 year racing veteran Degele put his Moody Chassis into the winner’s circle tonight to move into the season point lead, 4 points ahead of Freeman. Degele also won his heat race and he had run second to Freeman in Billings back in May. Degele’s sponsors are Rock’s Auto Mall and Eugene’s Pizza and his car is crewed by Kelly Degele, Mark Wesen, Brad Olsen and Kyle Degele. Freeman earned $450 for second and young Billings racer Rich Herman was a $350 third in his Rayburn. Jim Zaremski and Bob Scott rounded out the top five.
Ten teams checked in and the track provided fast and tacky racing conditions after a week of rain in the area. Running a Mastersbilt that he purchased from 2004 Montana champion Josh Adams, Whitehall’s Ron Fuller led all the way to win heat 1. Herman got around Warren Drazich for second and chased Fuller to the checkered flag. Jim Zaremski debuted a new car with a fourth behind Drazich. In heat 2, Rory Minster led Degele into turn 1 but both Degele and Freeman got around him before lap 1 was finished. Degele outraced Freeman and Minster ran third. In the feature, Fuller and Degele shared the front row and the initial start was ragged with the front row cars making contact. John Dowson ran over the left rear corner of teammate Zaremski, but the race continued without a caution. Freeman quickly moved into second and began to challenge Degele. Drazich suffered a suspension failure and was the first car to retire. Fuller lost power on the restart and Herman raced into third. Dowson spun to force another yellow flag. Degele and Freeman traded the lead several times in the last half of the race, but it was Degele out front at the checkered flag. He was only a single car length in front of hometown favorite Freeman. Herman ran third ahead of Zaremski and Bob Scott, Kelly Hample was sixth ahead of Dowson, Minster and Fuller.
The teams have two nights of racing this weekend as they make their first visit to Belgrade on Friday and then move down the road to Billings on Saturday night. Degele is four points up on Freeman and 14 ahead of Fuller. Scott is one point back of Fuller and looking forward to the first visit of 2005 to his home track on Friday. Hample is 4 behind Scott and 4 ahead of Drazich. The projected point fund for 2005 pays $1000 to the champion, $750 to second, $500 to third, $400 fourth and $300 fifth.
Summary Heat 1-Ron Fuller, Rich Herman, Warren Drazich, Jim Zaremski, Bob Scott. Heat 2-Rock Degele, Dave Freeman, Rory Minster, John Dowson, Kelly Hample. Main-Degele, Freeman, Herman, Zaremski, Scott, Hample, Dowson, Minster, Fuller, Drazich.