Dixon Delivers 500 at I-55!
PEVELY, MO (July 28, 2001) Ed Dixon of Washington, MO reached a huge milestone in the UMP Late Model class by winning his 500th career feature. Dixon held off attempts by three different drivers that tried to take the win away. Early in the race, Chuck Baird battled side-by-side with Dixon, and then it was Danny MaguireÂ’s turn. Maguire pulled along side Dixon several times before he spun coming out of turn four with nine laps remaining. That gave Tim Ratajczyk the opportunity to take the lead away, but Dixon held him off for the final nine laps and picked up the victory. Ratajczyk held off Kevin Gundaker for second. Dave Jumper and Billy Faust rounded out the top five.
Dixon’s 500th feature win came on the fifteen-year anniversary of Don Klein’s 500th feature win. Klein, who had won his 555th feature just the night before, pulled into victory lane to congratulate Dixon. Track promoter Ray Marler presented Dixon with a special plaque for his 500th victory. In the post race interview Dixon said, “I’m very proud to win my 500th feature here at I-55, I’ve always considered this my home track”.
Jim Shereck continued his great season by picking up another win in the UMP Modified division. Shereck, of St. Charles, MO, led all twenty laps to grab the win. Brent Mullins and Brian Wolfmeier swapped second place back and fourth before Mullins took it back for good with two laps to go. Brett Cygan, making his first visit of the season to I-55 Raceway was fourth and Leroy Haney fifth.
The next generation of racers battled for the win in the AARA Sportsman division. Paul Bauman, who is the nephew of Don Klein, passed Dan Dixon, the son of Ed Dixon, with just five laps remaining to pick up his first ever feature win in the Sportsman division. Veteran racer and current points leader Paul Belken also got around Dixon and finished second. Dixon came home third, Troy Naeger fourth and Mark Blanke was fifth.
UMP Modifieds (24 Cars)
Heat 1:
1. 4J Scott Weber (Blew Engine – Drove Maisel's car in feature)
2. 4M Brent Mullins
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 17 Jim Shereck
Heat 2:
1. 6 Ray Wagner
2. C4 Chris Soutiea
3. 95 Jim Beishir
4. 10 D.J. Cygan
Heat 3:
1. 16 Rusty Griffaw
2. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 01 Brett Cygan
4. 18 Brent Thompson
Dash:
1. 6 Ray Wagner
2. 17 Jim Shereck
3. 16 Rusty Griffaw
4. 1D Dean Hoffman
Feature:
1. 17 Jim Shereck
2. 4M Brent Mullins
3. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
4. 01 Brett Cygan
5. 14 Leroy Haney
6. 18 Brent Thompson
7. C4 Chris Soutiea
8. 7 Keith Grider
9. 8 Kirk Murphy
10. X1 Dave Sandage
11. 70W Gary Watson
12. 4J(M41) Scott Weber
13. 11 Kyle Steffens
14. 45M Eric Mabery
15. 56 Kevin Epperson
16. 6 Ray Wagner
17. 16 Rusty Griffaw
18. 1D Dean Hoffman
19. 59 Rich Whaley
20. 28 Pat Lawson
21. 95 Jim Beishir
22. 10 D.J. Cygan
DNS. 14K Loren Knox
DNS. M41 Steve Maisel
UMP Late Models (20 Cars)
Heat 1:
1. 9B Chuck Baird
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 2J Dave Jumper
4. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
Heat 2:
1. 32M Danny Maguire
2. 67 Mark Oller
3. 77 Clay Baumann
4. 47 Danny Haynes
Dash:
1. 9B Chuck Baird
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 32M Danny Maguire
4. 67 Mark Oller
Feature:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 11 Kevin Gundaker
4. 2J Dave Jumper
5. 26 Billy Faust
6. 47 Danny Haynes
7. 28 Don Klein
8. 9B Chuck Baird
9. 83 Bill Masters
10. 10 Rodney Pense
11. 71 John Bohn
12. 14U Bruce Unterbrink
13. 12 Wayne Downing
14. 33 Jason Frankel
15. 32M Danny Maguire
16. 95 Jeff Johns
17. 67 Mark Oller
18. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
19. 4 Larry Loughary
DNS. 77 Clay Baumann
AARA Sportsman (30 Cars)
Heat 1:
1. 500 Dan Dixon
2. F16 Ricky Horton
3. 166 Brian Worley
4. 28 Sam Worley
Heat 2:
1. 20 Gary McKinnon
2. 46 Paul Belken
3. 38D Mark Blanke
4. 18 Daryl Dodge
Heat 3:
1. 24 Paul Bauman
2. 12 Troy Naeger
3. 10 Todd McGraw
4. 74 Dennis Wernle
Dash:
1. 500 Dan Dixon
2. 24 Paul Bauman
3. 46 Paul Belken
4. 12 Troy Naeger
Semi:
1. 9 Doug Wood
2. D40 Ed DeMille
3. 44 Nick Werner
4. 92 Jim Abshier
5. 42 Nathan Walsh
6. 49 Daniel Hancock
7. 19 Brad Grantham
8. 911 Jerry Doggendrof
9. 105 Matt Hancock
10. 51 John Hoffman
DNS. 411 Marty Heck
DNS. 59 Jeff Whaley
Feature:
1. 24 Paul Bauman
2. 46 Paul Belken
3. 500 Dan Dixon
4. 12 Troy Naeger
5. 38D Mark Blanke
6. 166 Brian Worley
7. 00 Scott Stuppy
8. 10 Todd McGraw
9. 28 Sam Worley
10. 75 Ron Imm
11. 18 Daryl Dodge
12. 92 Jim Abshier
13. 16F Ricky Horton
14. 20 Gary McKinnon
15. 01 Steve Borgetti
16. 64 Jim Smith
17. 42 Nathan Walsh
18. 87 Gary Haynes
19. 50 Mike McGowan
20. 9 Doug Wood
21. 44 Nick Werner
22. 911 Jerry Doggendrof
23. 74 Dennis Wernle
24. D40 Ed DeMille
