Dixon, Hoffman & Belken win at I-55!
PEVELY, MO (June 16, 2001) Defending UMP Late Model National Champion Ed Dixon used the high side of the track to move from his fourth place starting spot into the lead on the very first lap. Kevin Gundaker and Tim Ratajczyk battled lap after lap for second place, with Gundaker claiming second by a nose. The race was slowed on lap seven when Rick Bayer hit the front straight wall and again on lap eight when there was an eight car crash on the front stretch. After each restart, Dixon was able to hold onto the lead while Gundaker and Ratajczyk battled for second. Mark Oller was able to work his way through traffic and finish fourth. Billy Faust came home fifth. This was DixonÂ’s 497th career feature win. Fifteen-year-old Justin Allgaeir won his heat race and the dash. Other heat winners were Ratajczyk and Gundaker.
The UMP Modifieds had the crowd on their feet as they battled three and four wide all throughout the field. Keith Grider took the early lead using the top of the track, but Scott Weber overtook Grider for the lead on lap seven using the bottom of the track. Meanwhile, Dean Hoffman, Brent Mullins and Rusty Griffaw were moving up to challenge Weber and Grider. Hoffman and Weber battled side by side for the lead the final two laps with Hoffman beating Weber by a half car length to pick up the victory. Brent Mullins crossed the line third, Rusty Griffaw fourth and Rich Whaley fifth. Heat winners were Brian Wolfmeier, Weber, Mullins and Grider. Weber also won the dash.
Paul Belken picked up his sixth win of the season in the AARA Sportsman division. Following Belken across the line were Mark Blanke, Brian Worley, Paul Bauman and Doug Wood. Worley, Gary McKinnon, Dennis Wernle and Belken won the heats and Belken also won the dash.
UMP LATE MODELS (27 Cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
2. 19 Billy Faust
3. 67 Mark Oller
4. 9B Chuck Baird
HEAT 2:
1. 1A Justin Allgaier
2. 28 Don Klein
3. 50 Ed Dixon
4. 33 Jason Frankel
HEAT 3:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 51 Steve Shive
3. 32 Danny Maguire
4. 20 Mark Gansmann
DASH:
1. 1A Justin Allgaier
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 11 Kevin Gundaker
4. 50 Ed Dixon
SEMI:
1. 7 Rick Bayer
2. 87 Ken Rumble
3. 12 Wayne Downing
4. 47 Danny Haynes
5. 95 Jeff Johns
6. 10 Rodney Pense
7. 89 Keith Adamson
8. 23 Brian Garner
9. 36 David Green
FEATURE:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 11 Kevin Gundaker
3. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
4. 67 Mark Oller
5. 19 Billy Faust
6. 20 Mark Gansmann
7. 87 Ken Rumble
8. 33 Jason Frankel
9. 1A Justin Allgaier
10. 28 Don Klein
11. 47 Danny Haynes
12. 16 Mike Hammerle
13. 2J Dave Jumper
14. 12 Wayne Downing
15. 95 Jeff Johns
16. 10 Rodney Pense
17. 4Q Scott Geashel
18. 32M Danny Maguire
19. 44 Dean Motsinger
20. 51 Steve Shive
21. 9B Chuck Baird
22. 36 Ron Sensel
23. 17 Jim Shereck
24. 7 Rick Bayer
UMP MODIFIEDS (33 Cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
2. 16 Rusty Griffaw
3. 95 Jerry Grither
4. 6 Ray Wagner
HEAT 2:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 14 Leroy Haney
3. 62 Troy Medley
4. 29C John Campbell
HEAT 3:
1. 4M Brent Mullins
2. 1D Dean Hoffman
3. 59 Rich Whaley
4. 18R Shawn Rayfield
HEAT 4:
1. 7 Keith Grider
2. 17 Jim Shereck
3. 11 Kyle Steffens
4. 11Z Brian Collins
DASH:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 7 Keith Grider
3. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
4. 17 Jim Shereck
SEMI:
1. 19C Vic Catalano
2. 21 Dennis Richards
3. 45M Eric Mabery
4. 56 Kevin Epperson
5. 12 Jesse Snyder
6. C4 Chris Soutiea
7. 314 Jeff Masson
8. 41 Larry Hull
9. X1 Dave Sandage
10. 15H Jeffrey Masson
11. 9D Dean Harris
DNS. 70 Gary Watson
DNS. 28 Chris Woods
FEATURE:
1. 1D Dean Hoffman
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 4M Brent Mullins
4. 16 Rusty Griffaw
5. 59 Rich Whaley
6. 14 Leroy Haney
7. 11 Kyle Steffens
8. 6 Ray Wagner
9. 95 Jerry Grither
10. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
11. 18 Shawn Rayfield
12. 17 Jim Shereck
13. 11Z Brian Collins
14. 29C John Campbell
15. 3R Leon Rakers
16. 7 Keith Grider
17. 19C Vic Catalano
18. 45M Eric Mabery
19. 21 Dennis Richards
20. 8 Kirk Murphy
21. 56 Kevin Epperson
22. 81 Mike Barbeau
23. 62 Troy Medley
24. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
AARA SPORTSMAN (36 Cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 166 Brian Worley
2. 9 Doug Wood
3. 34 Ray Wohlschlaeger
4. 10 Todd McGraw
HEAT 2:
1. 20 Gary McKinnon
2. 93 Jeff Honea
3. 44 Nick Werner
4. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
HEAT 3:
1. 74 Dennis Wernle
2. 38D Mark Blanke
3. 81 Billy Ames
4. 8 Ed Lowry
HEAT 4:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 24 Paul Bauman
3. 12 Troy Naeger
4. F16 Frank Melton
DASH:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 166 Brian Worley
3. 38D Mark Blanke
4. 74 Dennis Wernle
SEMI:
1. 4 Ricky Horton
2. 00 Scott Stuppy
3. 500 Dan Dixon
4. D40 Ed DeMille
5. 17H Dave Heimos
6. 350 Robert Dill
7. 43 Bobby Dees, Jr.
8. 01 Steve Borgetti
9. 21 Brad McKinnon
10. 45 Mike Seymour
11. D5 Scott Weber
12. 64 Lee Bowers
13. 218 Matt O'Harver
14. 19 Brad Grantham
DNS. 92 Jim Abshier
DNS. D5 Dave Jenkins
DNS. 26 Gary Wilson
FEATURE:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 38D Mark Blanke
3. 166 Brian Worley
4. 24 Paul Bauman
5. 9 Doug Wood
6. 81 Billy Ames
7. 74 Dennis Wernle
8. 00 Scott Stuppy
9. 44 Nick Werner
10. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
11. 18 Daryl Dodge
12. 8 Ed Lowry
13. 75 Ron Imm
14. 17H Dave Heimos
15. 4 Ricky Horton
16. 51 John Hoffman
17. F16 Frank Melton
18. 500 Dan Dixon
19. 350 Robert Dill
20. 93 Jeff Honea
21. D40 Ed DeMille
22. 20 Gary McKinnon
23. 34 Ray Wohlschlaeger
24. 12 Troy Naeger
