Pevely, MO (May 3, 2003) A night with three photo finishes kept fans on the edge of their seats during the feature events. In the U.M.P. Late Model division, Tim Ratajczyk appeared to be on his way to an easy win as he took off from his front row starting spot and pulled away from the rest of the field. However, a caution on lap thirteen bunched up the field. Ratajczyk again opened up a comfortable lead by driving around the very bottom of the track. But in the final five laps Kevin Gundaker found a fast line and reeled in Ratajczyk. Gundaker pulled past Ratajczyk on the final lap as they went down the back stretch, but Ratajczyk found the faster line though turns three and four and drove along side and just ahead of Gundaker at the finish line. Mark Oller quietly moved up and took the third spot. Brian Wolfmeier took the fourth spot by edging out Danny Haynes who took fifth.
The U.M.P. Modified feature event had Scott Weber, Ray Walsh and Rusty Griffaw battling the entire twenty laps for the lead. Weber and Walsh roared around the top of the track, scraping the wall with their rear quarter panels lap after lap, while Griffaw would pull along side them around the very bottom of the track. You could of put a blanket over the three cars as they came across the finish line and took the checkered flag. Weber held on for the win, Walsh was second and Griffaw third. Tom Ratajczyk came from near the back of the pack to finish fourth and Rich Whaley took home the fifth spot.
Todd McGraw took home his second win of the season in the AARA Sportsman division. However, Scott Stuppy drove up from the back of the field made it the closest finish of the night. Both cars stopped on the front stretch after the feature as they each thought they had won, but it was McGraw by a nose. Ed Lowry had his best run of the season and finished third, David Bardin came back after a hard crash last week and was fourth. Last weeks winner Paul Bauman was fifth.
The Dwarf Cars made their only scheduled appearance this season at I-55 Raceway and U.M.P. Late Model driver Danny Haynes stole the show as he took the win. Ron Wick made an impressive run, as he started twenty-first and finished second. Troy Jacobs was third.
The AARA Wannabee feature was won by Joe Gruhala as it was cut short when Sharon Hoffman had a scary crash at the half way point. Contact between several cars going down the back stretch sent Hoffman's car into the inside wall near the opening to the pit area. The roof had to be cut away from Hoffman's car to get her out safely. However, after treatment on the scene, Hoffman refused to be transported to the hospital and appeared to be alright.
U.M.P. Late Models – 18 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 1D Dean Hoffman
3. 67 Mark Oller
4. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
Heat 2:
1. 8 Kyle Steffens
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 50 Ed Dixon
4. 47 Danny Haynes
Dash:
1. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
2. 1D Dean Hoffman
3. 11 Kevin Gundaker
4. 50 Ed Dixon
Feature:
1. 112 Tim Ratajczk
2. 11 Kevin Gundaker
3. 67 Mark Oller
4. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
5. 47 Danny Haynes
6. 2J Dave Jumper
7. 8 Kyle Steffens
8. 117 Jeff Leka
9. 46 Paul Belken
10. 9B Chuck Baird
11. 82 Billy Laycock
12. 27 Kenny Helmick
13. 28 Don Klein
14. 70 Rich Lawson
15. 1D Dean Hoffman
16. 10 Andy Pryor
17. 50 Ed Dixon
18. 44 Dean Motsinger
U.M.P. Modifieds – 34 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 3R Leon Rakers
3. Z34 Steve Zelch, Jr.
4. 56 Kevin Epperson
Heat 2:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 1W Ray Walsh
3. 3L Jeff Leka
4. 22G Steve Grotz
Heat 3:
1. 16 Rusty Griffaw
2. 166 Brian Worley
3. 89 Bobby Bittle
4. 88 Joe Puricelli
Heat 4:
1. 1 Josh Carroll
2. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
3. 45M Eric Mabery
4. 14K Loren Knox
Dash:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 1W Ray Walsh
4. 16 Rusty Griffaw
Semi:
1. 18 Brent Thompson
2. 51 John Hoffman
3. 9W Doug Wood
4. 70 Josh Russell
5. 6 Ray Wagner
6. C4 Chris Soutiea
7. 8X James Reed
8. 7M Kevin Moffett
9. 68 Andy Anderson
10. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
11. X1 Dave Sandage
DNS. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
DNS. 32 Eldred Winebaugh
DNS. 21 Dennis Richards
Feature:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 1W Ray Walsh
3. 16 Rusty Griffaw
4. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
5. 59 Rich Whaley
6. 3R Leon Rakers
7. 45M Eric Mabery
8. 22G Steve Grotz
9. 18 Brent Thompson
10. 9W Doug Wood
11. 56 Kevin Epperson
12. 70 Josh Russell
13. 14K Loren Knox
14. 41 Larry Hull
15. 88 Joe Puricelli
16. 8M Kirk Murphy
17. 23 Dylan Sharp
18. 1 Josh Carroll
19. 95B Jim Beishir
20. Z34 Steve Zelch, Jr.
21. 3L Jeff Leka
22. 51 John Hoffman
23. 89 Bobby Bittle
24. 166 Brian Worley
AARA Sportsman – 27 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 66 Darren Holland
2. 18 Buddy Lowry
3. 19 Jimmy Cummins
4. 49 Matt Hancock
Heat 2:
1. 8 Ed Lowry
2. 86 Doug Kim
3. 01 Steve Borgetti
4. 24 Paul Bauman
Heat 3:
1. D5 Dave Jenkins
2. 10 Todd McGraw
3. 50 Eric Rudd
4. 411 Marty Heck
Dash:
1. 8 Ed Lowry
2. 66 Darren Holland
3. 10 Todd McGraw
4. D5 Dave Jenkins
Feature:
1. 10 Todd McGraw
2. 00 Scott Stuppy
3. 8 Ed Lowry
4. 98 David Bardin
5. 24 Paul Bauman
6. 18 Buddy Lowry
7. 86 Doug Kim
8. 19 Jimmy Cummins
9. 75 Ron Imm, Jr.
10. 49 Matt Hancock
11. 15 Jim Troutman
12. 01 Steve Borgetti
13. 50 Eric Rudd
14. 27 Nathan Walsh
15. 111 Zac Parks
16. 21 Brad McKinnon
17. 7 Craig Wodicker
18. 411 Marty Heck
19. 66 Darren Holland
20. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
21. 46 Greg Stumbaugh
22. 69 Mark Hunter
23. 64 Lee Bowers
DNS. 4 Ricky Horton
DNS. 3P Bob Prince
DNS. 93 Jeff Honea
AARA Wannabees – 15 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 21 Dave Heinrichs
2. 72 Stan Cain
3. 10H Homer Mooney
4. 01 Robert Denny
Heat 2:
1. 3 Mike Robinson
2. 8W Ron Williams
3. 8 Pat Brewer
4. 21Z Jeff Zohner
Feature:
1. 6 Joe Gruhala
2. 21Z Jeff Zohner
3. 188 Gary Price
4. 8W Ron Williams
5. 57 Don Hoffman
6. 8 Pat Brewer
7. 01 Robert Denny
8. 2 Betty Honaker
9. 49 John Sundstrom
10. 72 Stan Cain
11. 99 Robbie Hoffman
12. 58 Sharon Hoffman
13. 10H Homer Mooney
14. 3 Mike Robinson
DNS. 21 Dave Heinrichs
Dwarf Cars – 22 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 69 Ron Wick
2. 56 Rick Shetley
3. 411 Jimmy Brown
4. 28 Troy Jacobs
Heat 2:
1. 61 Tony Madlem
2. 41 John Griffin
3. 51 Bob Klausner
4. 02 Don Wadlow
Heat 3:
1. 30 John Sullivan
2. 58 Danny Haynes
3. 141 Tim Griffin
4. 69B Justin Buchholz
Feature:
1. 58 Danny Haynes
2. 69 Ron Wick
3. 28 Troy Jacobs
4. 41 John Griffin
5. 30 John Sullivan
6. 69B Justin Buchholz
7. 56 Rick Shetley
8. 31 Jeff Morgan
9. 51 Bob Klausner
10. 40 Vince Conway
11. 25 Robert Halbrook
12. 21 Neal Hovis
13. 96 Pam Sheppard
14. 02 Don Wadlow
15. 8 John Leaky
16. 15 Sam Layton
17. 411 Jimmy Brown
18. 141 Tim Griffin
19. 61 Tony Madlem
20. 14 Glenn Province
21. 4 Ron Wadlow
DNS. 98 Todd Williams
