Pevely, MO (August 16, 2003) Mark Oller of Highland, IL picked up his second straight U.M.P. Late Model feature win at I-55 Raceway. Oller started deep in the field and worked his way through heavy traffic and was battling with early leader Ed Dixon when the first caution came out on lap eleven for a single car spin in turn four. On the restart Oller and Dixon battled side-by-side for the next five laps with Oller using the low side and Dixon racing around the top. But on lap sixteen Dixon got into the front stretch wall and the car rode the wall all the way down the front stretch before coming to a stop just before turn one bringing out the second caution. Dixon was able to restart but had to go to the back of the field on the restart.
On the next restart Brian Wolfmeier continued his great run as he stayed glued to the back bumper of Oller as they paced the field around the bottom of the track with Tim Ratajczyk attempting to mount a challenge using the high side. Ratajczyk got into the outside wall on the backstretch on lap nineteen and then his car darted across the track towards the low side. Kevin Gundaker was unable to avoid Ratajczyk's car as Gundaker's right front drove up and over the left front of Ratajczyk. Gundaker's car came back down on all four wheels and he continued on. Mark McClintock then spun to avoid heavy contact with Ratajczyk. Paul Belken had a separate accident on the same lap and he climbed the turn one wall and nearly went upside down but he was able to keep it from going over and came to rest in turn two. Belken and Ratajczyk's night would be over after the two incidents.
Oller held off the challenges of Wolfmeier for the final few circuits and picked up the win. Gundaker's car seemed unaffected by the earlier contact with Ratajczyk as he raced hard for the lead in the final stages and took third place. Kyle Steffens ran near the front all race long and came home fourth. Danny Haynes rounded out the top five.
There were two feature events in the U.M.P. Modified division, the first being a makeup feature from two weeks ago after rain ended the program early. Dennis Richards paced all twenty laps of the first feature, fending off a host of competitors. Bobby Bittle was able to pull along side Richards on almost every lap but was unable to make the pass and settled for second. Brent Thompson and Ray Walsh were also keeping the battle for the lead tight as they fought lap after lap for the win but settled for third and fourth respectively. Leon Rakers came home fifth.
The night's regularly scheduled U.M.P. Modified feature went to Bobby Bittle as he simply dominated the event. Point leader Ray Walsh battled lap after lap with Brian Wolfmeier for second place with Walsh taking the spot. Brent Thompson continued his good night as he came home fourth. Tom Ratajczyk took fifth. Scott Weber took over the reigns of the Jaenke Racing entry tonight after his own car was severly damaged the night before at another racetrack and came from near the back to finish sixth.
Paul Belken returned to his championship form of season's past and dominated the night in the AARA Sportsman division. Belken pulled away to a comfortable lead and left everyone to battle for second. Scott Stuppy made a late race pass on Todd McGraw to claim second. Paul Bauman took fourth and David Bardin was fifth.
Pat Brewer swept both AARA Wannabee features.
U.M.P. Late Models – 18 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 8 Kyle Steffens
4. 23 Brian Garner
Heat 2:
1. 70 Mark McClintock
2. 11 Kevin Gundaker
3. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
4. 47 Danny Haynes
Dash:
1. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 8 Kyle Steffens
4. 11 Kevin Gundaker
Feature:
1. 67 Mark Oller
2. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 11 Kevin Gundaker
4. 8 Kyle Steffens
5. 47 Danny Haynes
6. 82 Billy Laycock
7. 50 Ed Dixon
8. 28 Don Klein
9. 70B Mark McClintock
10. 23 Brian Garner
11. 70 Rich Lawson
12. 20 Darren Forrest
13. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
14. 2J Dave Jumper
15. 46 Paul Belken
16. 1D Dean Hoffman
17. 68 Tom Fitzgerald
DNS. 2 Todd Ferber
U.M.P. Modifieds – 36 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
2. X1 Dave Sandage
3. 85 Todd Gailius
4. 3R Leon Rakers
Heat 2:
1. 89 Bobby Bittle
2. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
3. 166 Brian Worley
4. 21 Dennis Richards
Heat 3:
1. 18 Brent Thompson
2. 1W Ray Walsh
3. 00 Steve Picou
4. 45M Eric Mabery
Heat 4:
1. C6 Ray Wagner
2. 6 D.J. Hickman
3. 377 Casey Pearson
4. 56 Kevin Epperson
Dash:
1. 89 Bobby Bittle
2. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
4. 18 Brent Thompson
Semi #1:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. C4 Chris Soutiea
3. 41 Larry Hull
4. 88 Joe Puricelli
5. 18 Matt Weidner
6. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
DNS. 23 Dylan Sharp
DNS. 95G Jerry Grither
Semi #2:
1. 7 Dean Vickers
2. 0 Gabe Regot
3. 95B Jim Beishir
4. 3L Bill LaRue
5. 73 Chris Moyer
DNS. 35 Mark Stolle
DNS. 9W Doug Wood
DNS. 59 Rich Whaley
Feature:
1. 89 Bobby Bittle
2. 1W Ray Walsh
3. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
4. 18 Brent Thompson
5. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
6. 4J Scott Weber
7. 3R Leon Rakers
8. 30 Mark Voigt
9. C6 Ray Wagner
10. 21 Dennis Richards
11. 45M Eric Mabery
12. X1 Dave Sandage
13. 7 Dean Vickers
14. 85 Todd Gailius
15. 51 John Hoffman
16. 56 Kevin Epperson
17. 377 Casey Pearson
18. C4 Chris Soutiea
19. 0 Gabe Regot
20. 8X James Reed
21. 6 D.J. Hickman
22. 00 Steve Picou
23. 14K Loren Knox
24. 166 Brian Worley
August 2nd Makeup Feature:
1. 21 Dennis Richards
2. 89 Bobby Bittle
3. 18 Brent Thompson
4. 1W Ray Walsh
5. 3R Leon Rakers
6. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
7. C4 Chris Soutiea
8. 00 Steve Picou
9. 85 Todd Gailius
10. 8 James Reed
11. 166 Brian Worley
12. 41 Larry Hull
13. 7 Dean Vickers
14. 59 Rich Whaley
15. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
16. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
17. 9W Doug Wood
18. 95 Jerry Grither
19. 6 Ray Wagner
20. 4J Scott Weber
21. 17 Jim Shereck
22. 11G Matt Goulden
23. 16J Darrell Hoffman
24. 77 David Cann
AARA Sportsman – 26 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 10 Todd McGraw
3. 8 Ed Lowry
4. 01 Steve Borgetti
Heat 2:
1. 00 Scott Stuppy
2. 24 Paul Bauman
3. 98 David Bardin
4. 19 Jimmy Cummins
Heat 3:
1. D5 Dave Jenkins
2. 66 Darren Holland
3. 3P Bobby Prince
4. 69 Mark Hunter
Dash:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 10 Todd McGraw
3. 24 Paul Bauman
4. 00 Scott Stuppy
Feature:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 00 Scott Stuppy
3. 10 Todd McGraw
4. 24 Paul Bauman
5. 98 David Bardin
6. 8 Ed Lowry
7. 38D Troy Naeger
8. 19 Jimmy Cummins
9. 3P Bob Prince
10. 01 Steve Borgetti
11. 35 Chris Sale
12. 50 Eric Rudd
13. 66 Darren Holland
14. 53 Dwight Scott
15. 75 Ron Imm, Jr.
16. 86 Doug Kim
17. 9 Mike McGinnity
18. 69 Mark Hunter
19. 54 Jim Wisnewski
20. 103 Randy Dickman
21. 39 Bob Hooker
22. 105 Matt Hancock
DNS. 911 Christian Doggendorf
DNS. 128 Lee Clardy
DNS. 411 Marty Heck
DNS. D5 Dave Jenkins
AARA Wannabeez – 21 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 10H Homer Mooney
2. 21 Dave Heinrichs
3. 99 Robbie Hoffman
4. 8 Ken Williams
Heat 2:
1. 57 Don Hoffman
2. 6 Joe Gruhala
3. 41 Matt Johnson
4. 188 Gary Price
Feature:
1. 8B Pat Brewer
2. 21 Dave Heinrichs
3. 58 Sharon Hoffman
4. 10H Homer Mooney
5. 188 Gary Price
6. 8W Ken Williams
7. 99 Robbie Hoffman
8. 23 Chris Roark
9. 6 Joe Gruhala
10. 02 Tracy Missey
11. 88 Scott Price
12. 01 Robert Denny
13. 28 Scott Geary
14. 51 Gene Hoffman
15. 57 Don Hoffman
16. 77 Ron Lyons
17. 41 Matt Johnson
18. 11 Chad Carter
DNS. 177 Dan Wait
DNS. 7 C.J. Wright
DNS. 3 Danny Haynes
August 2nd Makeup Feature:
1. 8B Pat Brewer
2. 6 Joe Gruhala
3. 28 Scott Geary
4. 57 Don Hoffman
5. 21 Dave Heinrichs
6. 188 Gary Price
7. 11 Chad Carter
8. 8W Ken Williams
9. 10H Homer Mooney
10. 41 Matt Johnson
11. 01 Robert Denny
12. 23 Chris Roark
13. 58 Sharon Hoffman
14. 77 Ron Lyons
15. 7 C.J. Wright
16. 99 Robbie Hoffman
