Pevely, MO (June 14, 2003) Everything was in place for a repeat of last weeks U.M.P. Late Model feature as Ed Dixon and Kevin Gundaker both started on the front row again. This time however, Dixon jumped out to the lead with a good start as Gundaker hooked a rut and lost several positions. Tim Ratajczyk jumped into second spot and then moved past Dixon for the lead on lap 4. Dixon would suffer mechanical woes a few laps later. Gundaker would also break a few laps after Dixon. Ratajczyk opened up a huge lead on the rest of the field until he tangled with the lapped car of Andy Pryor on lap 17, sending Ratajczyk spinning in turn four. Mark Oller who had worked his way up to second, inherited the lead. Oller went on to an easy win. The final eight laps saw a great battle for second place between Clay Baumann and Kyle Steffens, as Baumann edged Steffens at the line for second. Dave Jumper took the fourth spot and Steve Shive rounded out the top five.
A nasty crash on the opening lap of the U.M.P. Modified feature happened on the front stretch, as Larry Hull got upside down with Jim Beishir's car on top of Hull's. Steve Zelch's car was also in the crash. All three drivers were OK. Scott Weber took the lead on the third lap and battled with Rusty Griffaw for a few laps before Weber pulled away to a comfortable lead. However, Weber suffered a flat left rear with six laps remaining. Rich Whaley moved past Griffaw for the lead on lap 15. A caution flew with two laps remaining as Josh Russell hit the wall and came to a stop in turn one. Another hard crash on the restart as Ray Wagner hit the wall in turn two very hard with the car climbing up the wall and dropping back down. Wagner's car required a wrecker at each end to tow it off the track. On the restart, Whaley drove away to pick up the victory. Griffaw held off Leon Rakers for second. Brian Wolfmeier moved up to take fourth and John Hoffman was fifth.
The AARA Sportsman division had a great three way battle for the lead for the first 1/2 of the race between Ed Lowry, Paul Belken and Paul Bauman until the caution came out for Nathan Walsh's crash in turn four. Bauman left the track during the caution with a broken left front suspension. Ed Lowry reassumed the lead on the restart, but his motor went up in smoke on lap nine. Belken also suffered from a problem and dropped back deep in the field. Darren Holland then took the lead with Todd McGraw second. Scott Stuppy moved up to third, but he too soon had motor problems and dropped out of the event. Holland edged out McGraw in a photo finish to pick up his first win of 2003. Mark Schnurbusch was third, Mike Nicholson fourth and Steve Borgetti fifth.
U.M.P. Late Models – 20 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 77 Clay Baumann
2. 28 Don Klein
3. 51 Steve Shive
4. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
Heat 2:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 47 Danny Haynes
4. 8 Kyle Steffens
Dash:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 77 Clay Baumann
4. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
Feature:
1. 67 Mark Oller
2. 77 Clay Baumann
3. 8 Kyle Steffens
4. 2J Dave Jumper
5. 51 Steve Shive
6. 47 Danny Haynes
7. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
8. 28 Don Klein
9. 46 Paul Belken
10. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
11. 10 Andy Pryor
12. 66 Jim Gibson
13. 23 Brian Garner
14. 13 Dewayne Kiefer
15. 68 Tom Fitzgerald
16. 11 Kevin Gundaker
17. 70 Rich Lawson
18. 50 Ed Dixon
19. 1D Dean Hoffman
20. 21 Bobby Bittle
U.M.P. Modifieds – 32 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 3R Leon Rakers
2. 16 Rusty Griffaw
3. 9W Doug Wood
4. 17 Jim Shereck
Heat 2:
1. 45M Eric Mabery
2. 21 Dennis Richards
3. 51 John Hoffman
4. 88 Joe Puricelli
Heat 3:
1. 1W Ray Walsh
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 18 Brent Thompson
4. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
* Won by 89 Bobby Bittle – DQ Did Not Go To Scales
Heat 4:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 70 Josh Russell
4. 166 Brian Worley
Dash:
1. 16 Rusty Griffaw
2. 45M Eric Mabery
3. 1W Ray Walsh
4. 4J Scott Weber
Semi:
1. 41 Larry Hull
2. 23 Dylan Sharp
3. 95B Jim Beishir
4. 3L Bill LaRue
5. 58 Eugene Hoffman
6. 45 Eric Franklin
7. 22X Clint Eckenrodt
8. 89 Bobby Bittle
9. 8X James Reed
DNS. 77 David Cann
Feature:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 16 Rusty Griffaw
3. 3R Leon Rakers
4. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
5. 51 John Hoffman
6. 1W Ray Walsh
7. 45M Eric Mabery
8. 17 Jim Shereck
9. 88 Joe Puricelli
10. 23 Dylan Sharp
11. X1 Dave Sandage
12. 3L Bill LaRue
13. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
14. 6 Ray Wagner
15. 70 Josh Russell
16. 166 Brian Worley
17. 4J Scott Weber
18. 21 Dennis Richards
19. 9 Doug Wood
20. 56 Eugene Hoffman
21. 18 Brent Thompson
22. Z34 Steve Zelch
23. 41 Larry Hull
24. 95B Jim Beishir
AARA Sportsman – 28 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 8 Ed Lowry
2. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
3. 18 Buddy Lowry
4. 19 Jimmy Cummins
Heat 2:
1. 66 Darren Holland
2. 38D Mark Blanke
3. 00 Scott Stuppy
4. 111 Zac Parks
Heat 3:
1. 24 Paul Bauman
2. 3P Scott Weber
3. 46 Paul Belken
4. 10 Todd McGraw
Dash:
1. 8 Ed Lowry
2. 24 Paul Bauman
3. 46 Paul Belken
4. 66 Darren Holland
Feature:
1. 66 Darren Holland
2. 10 Todd McGraw
3. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
4. 30 Mike Nicholson
5. 01 Steve Borgetti
6. 111 Zac Parks
7. 19 Jimmy Cummins
8. 75 Ron Imm, Jr.
9. 46 Paul Belken
10. 51 John Hoffman
11. 18 Buddy Lowry
12. 7 Craig Wodicker
13. 00 Scott Stuppy
14. 15 Steve Zelch
15. 128 Lee Clardy
16. 54 Jim Wisenewski
17. 103 Randy Dickman
18. 8 Ed Lowry
19. 11 Darrell Crismon
20. 24 Paul Bauman
21. 27 Nathan Walsh
22. 3P Scott Weber
23. 69 Mark Hunter
24. 38D Mark Blanke
25. 28 Tom Smallwood
DNS. D5 Dave Jenkins
DNS. 411 Marty Heck
DNS. 53 Dwight Scott
AARA Wannabeez – 10 Entries
Heat:
1. 10H Homer Mooney
2. 6 Joe Gruhala
3. 3 Keith Schrader
4. 188 Gary Price
Feature:
1. 99 Robbie Hoffman
2. 6 Joe Gruhala
3. 188 Gary Price
4. 21 Dave Heinrichs
5. 01 Robert Denny
6. 77 Ron Lyons
7. 10H Homer Mooney
8. 3 Keith Schrader – DQ
9. 8 Pat Brewer – DQ
DNS. 11 Chad Carter
