Ricky Baker (52) is ready for a restart ahead of Eddie Hoffman (8) and Scott Tomasik (4) during the Lee Schuler Memorial race at Grundy County Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022. (Chris Goodaker / Daily Southtown)

The combination made Ricky Baker a Lee Schuler Memorial winner for the fifth time.

The Plainfield native was the class of a 20-car field Sept. 4 during Grundy County Speedway’s annual Labor Day Night of Features.

But he’s looking for more.

“It was fun to drive this one,” Baker said. “We’ve still got work to do to get ready for the Bettenhausen (on Sept. 17). We’re just going to keep working on it. And once we get it right, it’s really going to go.”

Baker made his winning pass on Anthony Danta on lap 26 of the 61-lap event. Danta then lost a spark plug wire and had to pull off.

Earlier, Baker spent several laps running behind Danta as he worked his was past early race leader Scott Tomasik.

“I knew I was faster than them,” Baker said. “I was just riding in the beginning, letting them burn up their tires, then Anthony stuck his hand out the window and moved over.

“I commend him for that. Anthony is one great race car driver. I love racing with him. We’ve probably bumped each other 100 times, but we’ve never wrecked. We race each other hard, but we’re clean doing it.”

Baker went on to beat Stan Zolodz by 1.264 seconds. Blake Brown was third, followed by Josh Nelms and Eddie Hoffman.

Jacob Senerchia enjoys the moment after winning the Super Cup feature race at Grundy County Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022. (Tony Baranek / Daily Southtown)

Doing dad proud: Jacob Senerchia has all the right words down pat.

After clinching the Super Cup title with a win on the Night of Features, the 13-year-old New Lenox resident dished around the compliments like a card dealer in Vegas.

“I have to thank all of my sponsors for everything they do,” Senerchia said. “They’re helping me by sponsoring me and all that stuff. Just everybody, the fans coming out, too.”

He even got the punch line right.

“But mainly I have to thank my dad for helping me get fast,” Senerchia said. “And I have to thank Eric Heddins for giving me a car to drive.”

Let the record show that Senerchia also did some pretty impressive driving.

Early in the race, he was tangled up in a backstretch skirmish. But after track officials determined he only spun to avoid the incident, he wasn’t sent to the back for the restart.

With only two laps remaining, Senerchia went from third to first with a smart move in traffic. He went on to beat Carter Appleton and Sy Salinas.

“From spinning to winning,” Senerchia said. “Thankfully, the spin wasn’t my fault so they put me back up into my position. And I just tried to drive it from there.

“Near the end, the leaders got into a few lapped cars. That’s probably what won me the race. They all stacked up, and I just went to the bottom and took it three wide.”

The win was Senerchia’s seventh of the season. He only lost once when he was in the starting feature lineup.

His dad, John, won 10 racing titles at five different tracks. The 10th came in the street stock division in 2018 at Grundy.

Now, Senerchia is devoting himself to helping his sons, Jacob and Zack, start their racing careers. Jacob is ready for the next step.

“I’m really trying to convince him right now,” Senerchia said. “But I need to pick up a sponsor to get there. Hopefully it happens.”

Chasing the crown: With one points night remaining on Sept. 10, all but one of the division title chases was a virtual wrap.

David Einhaus used a third-place finish behind winner Clay Curts and runner-up Matt Clemens on the Night of Features to clinch the sportsman championship over Kevin Murphy.

Scotty Gardner’s victory in the street stock division gave him more than enough points to lock out his father, defending champ Scott Gardner.

D.J. Weltmeyer broke on Friday and was eighth in the Lee Schuler Memorial but only needs to start the feature on Sept. 10 to eliminate Jim Weber.

The only potential last-night drama could occur in the 4-cylinder class, where Jonathan Stevens leads defending champion Cameron Preisler by just 30 points.