Triumph over Tragedy: Junkyard Dogs
go back-to-back in victory lane!
Tempers run hot, emotions boil over for several teams

From the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, the entire Junkyard Dog team experienced a range of emotions throughout the month of June that included ones no one ever should face, to those only they have felt.

A memorial monster truck, decals on all JYD and Orange Taxi cars, and the number "03" wherever you looked. The passing of team, and more importantly, family member 3-year-old Owen Bleuer gave an already cohesive team even more reason to come together, support one another and unite in their Championship goals. With Owen undoubtedly ridin' shotgun with his uncle, Ryan Bleuer and the rest of the pack made short and impressive work of every opponent in their way on the path to victory.

The upset-minded Orange Taxi Company nearly pulled one of the biggest shockers ever seen as they pushed reigning champions the Killer Bee's to the limit in the opening race. Kyle Shearer #06 was out front for the Taxi's and was completely untouchable for 3 laps. But, the Bees swarmed back and took over after a wicked shot from #77 Robbie Stahulak stopped Shearer for good allowing the #71 car to take the checkered flag.

The volatile emotions of team demolition derby spilled over from the track to the pits after a controversial hit thrown by #34 Johnny Ryan on #24 Jason Van Allen in the JYD vs. Stranglehold race. The Dogs won the race outright, but the big shot left Van Allen a bit shaken from the side impact. He and Ryan shook hands, but that wasn't about to clear the air between these two factions.
Zak Van Allen and Ryan went nose-to-nose then were separated by Josh & Jason Van Allen and Ryan Bleuer. But, it was only beginning. Josh and Ryan began exchanging verbal's and the pits from both sides spilled onto the track! TDA Officials and Joliet Police stepped into try and break up the mob and thankfully nothing physical took place; outside of Josh Van Allen being forcefully face planted onto the hood of a car by Joliet Police!! Van Allen was led away in cuffs but released later in the night. We'll have more on this situation and any ruling/penalties from the TDA as soon as they're released.

Havoc rebounded from a poor first event with a victory, or better yet, survival of the Mean Green Machines. #18 Joe Snow and #17 Tim Pankow were on opposite ends in one of the hardest hits ever last month, but this time they were united in a path of destruction. Snow decimated his wagon in an attempt to stop #47 Jason Ritacco which was immediately followed by Pankow's car crunching hit on #43 Steve Gursky, Jr. Pankow kept it floored and bounced off Gursky's car and charged head-on into #44 Rich Wilson with a sickening smash! Pankow was terminated again! Mean Green flexed their destructive muscle, but Havoc outlasted the onslaught to take the win.

Snow immediately jumped out of his MGM #18 car and right into his #22 Beyond Driven wagon for another crack at getting a team into the next round. Beyond Driven clashed with Damage, Inc. in a see-saw battle which included numerous nasty knockout shots. #88 Fred Knight got rocked by the #2 Beyond Driven car and #22 Joe Snow followed with a massive full speed shot on #81 Kurtis Kraehmer. John Klimek in the #20 got past #8 Dave Swan with more help from Snow and captured the checkered to put Beyond Driven into Round 2.

For the sixth straight race, the Bees faced off with the Dogs, and again with a shocking result. The JYD systematically took apart the Bees in an eye opening performance that stunned the '07 Champions. #35 Gerritt Vanderbilt was out front to block for the speedster #03 Ryan Bleuer, but his services were hardly needed. #34 Johnny Ryan slammed #77 Stahulak with a high impact head-on smash while Brickman, #36 Tom Lewis, dropped a bomb on #7 Brian Anderson. Bleuer blasted around the barriers and collected the 5 laps in amazing time sending the JYD to the Finals.

The semi-finals concluded with two teams in perfect position to really shake up the point standings and put themselves right into the Championship hunt. John Klimek's #20 car died right as it was pulling to the staging area and this situation ignited the second controversy of the night. The green flag flew with three running Beyond Driven cars, but the #29 backup car roared into the race as Klimek vacated his car on the track. The empty car never came into play and did not seem to disrupt what became an intense back and forth battle with numerous lead changes.
#43 Steve Gursky, Jr. and the #2 car for Beyond Driven both looked on the verge of victory several times, only to be knocked backwards by the opposition. Several cars on both sides appeared to be dead only to re-fire moments later and go on the attack. The marathon mauling had the crowd amped up as they were witnessing the race of the night!
Joe Snow put a permanent block on #44 Rich Wilson and the #29 tore through the wasted relics to annihilate Gursky on the 4th lap! All was silent momentarily until the #2 roared back to life and the crowd went wild. 1 and 1/4 untouched laps and Beyond Driven was into their first ever Finals!

However, Team 2's joy quickly turned to disgust as TDA officials disqualified them for having too many cars on the track and a car entering the track after the green flag had flown. Needless to say, the decision angered and upset everyone on Beyond Driven including a few drivers who verbally said "I quit" on the spot. TDA Officials state that the #29 was being waved off and they attempted to prevent him from going onto the track after the flag, while Team 2 argues they saw the officials waving the car on. Unfortunately, the TeamDemo.com video cameras did not catch the moments in question as it happened in a matter of seconds after the cars were staged.
The ruling would stand which meant Havoc was now given a pass into the Finals while Beyond Driven was left with four wrecked cars, less money and lower points.

Fred Sibley and his Lil' Red Beer Hauler burned up a car during intermission. The new jet engine cooked that Buick in no time!

Havoc found themsevles suddenly in the Finals and also a surprise offer from Killer Bee's. Former Havoc driver Brian Anderson handed over his car to Chris McGuire in a move which could potentially benefit both teams. Could Havoc pull off the upset or would the JYD complete their whirlwind month as originally planned? Havoc vaulted off the line and put three cars immediately out front. #44 Rich Wilson provided the first big hit and he stopped Vanderbilt in the #35. #43 Gursky, Jr. had the lead for only seconds before getting a double team hit from Ryan and Lewis. #47 Jason Ritacco took the lead but never made it past turn 4 and was stopped by Ryan. #03 Ryan Bleuer assumed his familiar spot as the runner and charged into Lap 2 after surviving a hellacious head on from #40 Chris McGuire in the re-skinned Bees car. It became a 4-on-1 assault as Wilson was the last remaining car for Havoc. Brickman took him out as Bleuer was still running wild. Ritacco got re-fired but he immediately took a two car trouncing in Turn 3. He didn't give up though and again made another attempt towards Bleuer, but was knocked into the wall by Brickman. One lap to go, but Gursky re-fired the #43 and locked his sights on the leader.
Gursky blasted Bleuer in the passenger side front door and sent the #03 into the wall only one turn from victory. But, the Dogs weren't far behind and #34 Johnny Ryan paid Gursky back in the same way with a hard shot in the door which sent him flying backwards. The #43 was a folded up distorted mess! Bleuer straightened his car out, raced towards the finish line and clinched the win!

Junkyard Dogs absolutely dominated this night and did so against the likes of Stranglehold, Killer Bees, and Havoc, all title contenders or winners in the past 3 years. With the win, JYD widens their points lead, but Havoc, Killer Bees and, yes, Beyond Driven are definitely within range of turning this whole season upside down. Check out the News page for complete points breakdown.

Congratulations to the Junkyard Dogs on their second victory in 2008! A simple question must be proposed: Can...they...be...stopped??