Pevely, MO (July 10, 2004) A full house of 109 racecars checked in to compete in the four divisions on a hot and muggy night at I-55 Raceway. The track started the night off with a moment of silence for Bob Memmer, founder of U.M.P. (United Midwestern Promoters), who passed away earlier this week. That was followed by a night of racing that Bob Memmer would be proud of, with exciting side-by-side racing all night long.
Ken Schrader popped in for a surprise visit to race his U.M.P. Late Model. Schrader came looking for a win, but Matt Taylor stole the show and earned his first victory at I-55 Raceway in a late model. Taylor started on the pole for the main event after winning the dash and jumped out to a strong lead early on in the event while Schrader battled with Ed Dixon for second place. Once Schrader moved past Dixon he slowly began to reel in Taylor. As the two worked lapped traffic, Taylor was able to open up a safe lead at the end and went on to take the victory. Schrader took second and Dixon came home third. Mark Voigt worked his way up from his tenth place starting position to finish fourth and Tim Ratajczyk rounded out the top five. The event went all twenty-five laps caution free.
Clay Baumann earned the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Hard Charger Award. Baumann finished seven positions ahead of where he started and finished ninth. Brian Wolfmeier also improved his finish by seven positions, but Baumann finished ahead of Wolfmeier in the main event. Baumann will be presented the $200 award next week in pre-race ceremonies.
A strong field of thirty-eight U.M.P. Modifieds were on hand and kept the fans on their feet with two, three and even four wide racing throughout the entire field. Five different drivers took turns leading the main event, with six cars battling two and three wide for the lead for the entire twenty laps that went without a caution. Doug Wood, Bobby Bittle and Ray Walsh race three wide for the lead for most of the event. Mark Miner, Jim Shereck and Dean Hoffman each took turns to join in on the battle for the lead. At the finish, it was Ray Walsh picking up the victory with the current point leader Bobby Bittle finishing second. Dean Hoffman took the third spot, with Doug Wood coming home fourth and Mark Miner completing the top five. Doug Wood also won the G&M Steel Dash for Cash $100 bonus.
The AARA Sportsman didn't disappoint the fans as they put on another clinic in side-by-side racing. Early on in the event, it was Paul Belken battling with Paul Bauman for the lead. The two raced side-by-side for several laps until lapped traffic held up Bauman, causing him to lose a couple of spots. Scott Stuppy and Ricky Horton moved up to challenge Belken. Stuppy pulled up even with Belken on the final lap, but Belken won the race to the line. Stuppy settled for second, with Horton taking third. Bauman came back to finish a strong fourth and David Bardin rounded out the top five.
Dave Heinrichs raced his Dodge Neon to victory in the AARA Pro 4 Stock division. Heinrichs took the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, winning handily over second place finisher Homer Mooney. Pat Brewer held off a hard charging Conrad Miner to take third. Miner, making his first appearance in a Pro 4 Stock after moving up from karts, came on strong to finish fourth. Gary Price rounded out the top five.
U.M.P. Late Models – 24 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 47 Danny Haynes
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 99 Ken Schrader
4. 42 John Lansford
Heat 2:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 3L Matt Taylor
3. 45 Denny Woodworth
4. 95 Jeff Johns
Heat 3:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 8 Kyle Steffens
3. 51 Steve Sheppard
4. 30 Mark Voigt
Dash:
1. 3L Matt Taylor
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 50 Ed Dixon
4. 99 Ken Schrader
Feature:
1. 3L Matt Taylor (1)
2. 99 Ken Schrader (4)
3. 50 Ed Dixon (3)
4. 30 Mark Voigt (10)
5. 112 Tim Ratajczyk (2)
6. 8 Kyle Steffens (6)
7. 95 Jeff Johns (12)
8. 47 Danny Haynes (5)
9. 77 Clay Baumann (16) **Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Hard Charger**
10. 28 Don Klein (14)
11. 67 Mark Oller (15)
12. 13 Dewayne Kiefer (13)
13. 76 Butch Kruckeberg (18)
14. 36 Ron Sensel (17)
15. 42 John Lansford (11)
16. 51 Steve Shive (8)
17. 441 Brian Wolfmeier (24)
18. 3D Jim Durbin (21)
19. 45 Denny Woodworth (7)
20. 147 Ken Rumble (19)
21. 59 Rich Whaley (20)
22. 2J Dave Jumper (22)
23. 2K Ken Stegall (23)
24. 11 Kevin Gundaker (9)
U.M.P. Modifieds – 38 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 9W Doug Wood
2. 15 Doug Blair
3. 59 Rich Whaley
4. 4J Scott Weber
Heat 2:
1. 21 Dennis Richards
2. 7 Mark Miner
3. 8X James Reed
4. 57 Rick Stevenson
Heat 3:
1. 1W Ray Walsh
2. 17 Jim Shereck
3. 22 Matt Mevert
4. 45M Eric Mabery
Heat 4:
1. 89 Bobby Bittle
2. 56 Kevin Epperson
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
Dash:
1. 9W Doug Wood **G&M Steel Dash for Cash Winner**
2. 1W Ray Walsh
3. 21 Dennis Richards
4. 17 Jim Shereck
Semi #1: (Top 2 transfer)
1. 41M Brent Mullins
2. 87 Gary Haynes
3. C4 Chris Soutiea (1st Alternate for Doug Blair who DNS feature)
4. 10 Todd McGraw
5. 14K Loren Knox
6. 44 Mark Stanfill
7. 41H Larry Hull
8. 41Q Brad Quinn
DNS. 23 Dylan Sharp
Semi #2: (Top 2 transfer)
1. 16 Danny Haynes
2. 10 Terry Baker
3. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
4. 20 Dan Zander
5. 46 Dave Wibbenmeyer
6. 13D Dan Walters
7. 7H Bryan Higgerson
8. 7Z Matt Zimmerly
DNS. 8F Jim Fischer
Feature:
1. 1W Ray Walsh
2. 89 Bobby Bittle
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 9W Doug Wood
5. 7 Mark Miner
6. 17 Jim Shereck
7. 59 Rich Whaley
8. 22 Matt Mevert
9. 4J Scott Weber
10. 41M Brent Mullins
11. 166 Brian Worley
12. 21 Dennis Richards
13. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
14. 45M Eric Mabery
15. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
16. 87 Gary Haynes
17. 57 Rick Stevenson
18. 29 Jeff LeBaube
19. 56 Kevin Epperson
20. 10 Terry Baker
21. 21A Karl Adams
22. C4 Chris Soutiea
23. 8X James Reed
24. 16J Danny Haynes
AARA Sportsman – 26 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 75 Ron Imm, Jr.
3. 30 Mike Nicholson
4. 8 Ed Lowry
Heat 2:
1. 24 Paul Bauman
2. 36 Bob Schmidt
3. 18 Buddy Lowry
4. 4H Marty Heck
Heat 3:
1. 3P Bob Prince
2. 166 Tony Wyatt
3. 22 Eric Rudd
4. 00 Scott Stuppy
Dash:
1. 36 Bob Schmidt
2. 30 Mike Nicholson
3. 8 Ed Lowry
4. 71 David Bardin
Semi: (Top 6 transfer)
1. 166 Tony Wyatt
2. 4H Marty Heck
3. 911 Christian Doggendorf
4. 105 Jim Brown
5. 100 D.J. Griffaw
6. 73 Mike Henderson
7. 59 Jerry Fleming
8. 350 Robert Dill
Feature:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 00 Scott Stuppy
3. 31 Ricky Horton
4. 24 Paul Bauman
5. 71 David Bardin
6. 3P Bob Prince
7. 36 Bob Schmidt
8. 01 Steve Borgetti
9. 8 Ed Lowry
10. 64 Jim Smith
11. 66 Darren Holland
12. 22 Eric Rudd
13. 166 Tony Wyatt
14. 28 Sam Worley
15. 4H Marty Heck
16. 18 Buddy Lowry
17. 105 Jim Brown
18. 97 John Goodson
19. 69 Mark Hunter
20. 30 Mike Nicholson
21. 73 Mike Henderson
22. 100 D.J. Griffaw
23. 75 Ron Imm, Jr.
24. 911 Christian Doggendorf
AARA Pro 4 Stocks – 21 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 10H Homer Mooney
2. 188 Gary Price
3. 20 Ken Williams
4. 180 Alan Conner
Heat 2:
1. 21 Dave Heinrichs
2. 7 Conrad Miner
3. 22 Don Ernst
4. 77 Ron Lyons
Heat 3:
1. 8 Pat Brewer
2. 41 Rodger Ernst
3. 23 Chris Roark
4. 32 Larry Kirkpatrick
Feature:
1. 21 Dave Heinrichs
2. 10H Homer Mooney
3. 8 Pat Brewer
4. 7 Conrad Miner
5. 188 Gary Price
6. 28 Scott Geary
7. 77 Ron Lyons
8. 41 Rodger Ernst
9. 22 Don Ernst
10. 20 Ken Williams
11. 23 Chris Roark
12. 2 John Honaker
13. 180 Alan Conner
14. 31 David Mollak
15. 33 Randy Martin
16. 0 Brian Ziegler
17. 49 Nathan Portell
DNS. 13 Ryan Conner
DNS. 777 Jason Ely
DNS. 88 Bob Price
DNS. 32 Larry Kirkpatrick
