Jody Kropp Scores Clean Sweep In Memory Of Derek Dowson

By Gary Jacob

Great Falls, MT -- WISSOTA dirt modified veteran Jody Kropp was a regular on the Montana Dirt Late Model Tour in 2004, but has been without a ride in 2005. When John Dowson found himself busy getting his daughter settled into college, he asked friend Kropp to wheel his dirt late model in the tour event at Electric City Speedway on Saturday night. Kropp ended up drawing the pole position for the heat action, winning that and then again drawing the pole for the feature race. Kropp was a wire to wire $600 winner in the feature run to finish off his perfect night. Fellow racer Jim Zaremski, the winner the previous weekend, had renumbered his car to #40 to honor the memory of Dowson's son Derek, who had been killed in an accident. Derek wore #40 as a high school player. After a sixth place heat finish, Dave Freeman battled to second in the feature to cut Rock Degele's point lead down to ten tallies. Degele was third in the feature ahead of fifth ranked Kelly Hample.

There was a nine car WISSOTA dirt late model turnout. Kropp and Belgrade's Bob Scott had the front row for the heat race, but Rich Herman drove to the bottom to get around both Scott and Hample, moving to second behind Kropp. A yellow for a spun Ron Fuller allowed Degele to close on the two leaders, but he settled for a third place finish behind Kropp and Herman. Zaremski was fourth ahead of Hample. The redraw for the feature lineup put Kropp and Herman on the front row. Herman fall back to fifth early in the action as Kropp, Hample and Freeman battled out front. A late race spin again tightened the field up to leader Kropp, but he stayed out front for the win. Freeman ran second ahead of Degele. Zaremski had a last lap incident that dropped him to last as Hample ran fourth ahead of Herman, Fuller, Scott and Rory Minster.

An earlier rain out will be made up at Gallatin Speedway on Sept 2nd. That will be the final point night for the tour as the three track's September specials will not carry points. The Govenor's Cup runs on Sept 3 at Billings, the Summer Nationals run in Belgrade on Sept 9 and the annual Montana Roundup has it's two night slot in Great Falls on Sept 23-24. The Governor's Cup is actually a two night show in Billings, but the late models are only part of the Saturday slate.

Summary Heat-Jody Kropp, Rich Herman, Rock Degele, Jim Zaremski, Kelly Hample. Main-Kropp, Dave Freeman, Degele, Hample, Herman, Ron Fuller, Bob Scott, Rory Minster, Jim Zaremski.

Zaremski Rebounds With Great Falls Feature Win

By Gary Jacob

Great Falls, MT -- Rebounding from a hard crash last Friday night at Gallatin Speedway that kept him away from the Saturday night date in Billings, Jim Zaremski was the $600 feature winner as the Montana Outlaw Late Model Tour visited Electric City Speedway for the second time in 2005. Series point leader Rock Degele from Glasgow made a late charge at Zaremski but settled for second in his Moody Chassis. Second ranked Dave Freeman, a hometown racer, ran third for a $350 check and third ranked Warren Drazich was a $300 fourth. The rain plagued series again saw rain showers just prior to the heat action, but the track was repacked and the racing completed.

Ten dirt late models checked in and Billings racer Kelly Hample won heat 1 over Drazich and Zaremski. Freeman outraced Ron Fuller and John Dowson in heat 2. The feature action went to Zaremski ahead of Degele, Freeman, Drazich, Hample, Gallatin winner Rory Minster, Fuller, Dowson, young Rich Herman and Bob Scott.

On July 22-23, the NAPA/MDA teams from South Dakota and Wyoming make their annual trek north to run the co-sanctioned events at Gallatin and Billings. Many of the Montana teams are also expected to support a Sunday night NAPA/MDA event just across the border in Sheridan WY on July 24.

Summary Heat 1-Kelly Hample, Warren Drazich, Jim Zaremski, Rock Degele, Rich Herman. Heat 2-Dave Freeman, Ron Fuller, John Dowson, Rory Minster, Bob Scott. Main-Zaremski, Degele, Freeman, Drazich, Hample, Minster, Fuller, Dowson, Herman, Scott.

Degele Outduels Freeman For Montana Late Model Feature

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.

Degele Gets Second Montana Tour Win

By Gary Jacob

Great Falls, MT -- Rock Degele from Glasgow joined series point leader Josh Adams as a multiple feature winner on the 2004 Montana Outlaw Late Model Tour with his $600 win at Electric City Speedway on Saturday night. The dirt late model portion of the show was hastily scheduled when Gallatin Speedway elected to make up a rainout on Friday night and Great Falls jumped in to give the teams two nights of action. The last minute scheduling limited the field to ten teams and the feature race had 9 starters after Len Brinlee scratched. Degele drove his Rayburn to the win with Great Falls own Rory Minster driving his Fegrs to the $450 runnerup slot. Bob Scott from Bozeman was third and Friday night Gallatin winner Adams ran fourth ahead of Gallatin fourth place finisher Dave Herman. Third paid $350, fourth $300 and fifth $250.

Adams went into the weekend as the point leader and his win and a fourth where the best combined effort of anyone on the weekend. Herman put together a 4th and a 5th. Jim Zaremski was only 11 points back of Adams starting the weekend, but he ran 7th and 8th on the two nights. Degele was only 13 points back of Zaremski and his fifth and a win will push him up to second place. Herman remains the other series title contender. Both Gallatin runnerup Mike McCord and third place Darryn Waldo were among the missing cars tonight. The feature track was extremely dry slick after unsual 100 degree daytime temperatures hit the area. Degele, Minster, Scott, Adams and Herman were trailed by John Dowson, Pee Wee Drazich, Zaremski and Dave Freeman tonight.

The Montana Outlaw Tour continues with co-sanctioned action at Gallatin and Billings on July 23-24. The Gallatin event has already announced a $1000 to win purse structure to draw more of the Wyoming and western South Dakota teams north.

Summary Main-Rock Degele, Rory Minster, Bob Scott, Josh Adams, Rich Herman, John Dowson, Pee Wee Drazich, Jim Zaremski, Dave Freeman.

Clean Sweep For Rock Degele As Montana Tour Visits Great Falls

By Gary Jacob

Great Falls, MT -- Rock Degele from Glasgow drove his Eugene's Pizza and Rock's Auto Plaza sponsored Rayburn to a $600 win as the Montana Outlaw Late Model Tour ran leg 2 of it's 17 race 2004 schedule Friday night at 3/10 mile clay Electric City Speedway. Degele also drives a dirt modified painted exactly like his dirt late model. He enjoyed a perfect night as he also won his heat race. He was chased to the checkered flag in the dirt late model feature by Molt's Mike McCord, Great Falls own Jim Zaremski and previous week Billings winner Josh Adams from Helena. McCord won $450, Zaremski $350 and Adams $300.

Nine of the 14 dirt late models that checked in for the race had run the Billings event the previous weekend. Bob Scott broke before the heat action. The cars were divided into a pair of heat races with wins going to Degele and 30 year racing veteran Ron Fuller from Whitehall. McCord and Russ Wolfe gained the second place finishes, but Wolfe was unable to start the main event leaving a dozen cars in the feature action. Zaremski and the Fegers chassis of Rory Minster gained third place heat runs. Degele was chased to his feature win by McCord, Zaremski, Adams, Minster, Darryn Waldo, Pee Wee Drazich, Rick Herman, Fuller and John Dowson. Adams is off to the fastest start with a win and a fourth while McCord has combined a 2nd and a 4th. Degele was 8th in the Billings opener.

The tour returns to BMP Speedway in Billings for a May 22nd race. The first two race weekend of 2004 will find them in Belgrade on June 11 and back here at Great Falls on June 12.

Summary Heat 1-Rock Degele, Russ Wolfe, Jim Zaremski, Tim Ames, Pee Wee Drazich. Heat 2-Ron Fuller, Mike McCord, Rory Minster, Josh Adams, Jody Kropp. Main-Degele, McCord, Zaremski, Adams, Minster, Darryn Waldo, Drazich, Herman, Fuller, John Dowson, Ames, Kropp.