Pevely, MO (September 20, 2003) A huge field of cars turned out for the 21st Annual I-55 Raceway Pepsi Nationals as 124 cars filled the pit area. Shannon Babb took home the $10,000 U.M.P. Late Model top prize. Babb took the win in dramatic fashion in a classic 3 way battle with Billy Moyer and Don O'Neal. Babb held of the challenges of Moyer and O'Neal for the first 39 laps, but lapped traffic came into play on the final lap. Moyer and O'Neal got under Babb going into turn one on the final lap and they came out of turn two racing three wide. O'Neal won the drag race into turn three but Babb and O'Neal made contact through turn four and O'Neal's car went high allowing Babb and Moyer to drive back past him.
This was Babb's second big win of 2003 at I-55 Raceway. Babb also won the $10,000 Tri-State Challenge event back in May.
Babb took the lead on the opening lap from his front row outside starting position. The first caution came on lap seven when fourth place running Justin Allgaier found the turn two wall and collected pole sitter Randy Korte. Korte was able to continue, but Allgaier's night was done. The second caution came out two laps later when Rodney Melvin and Billy Drake made contact on the front stretch, with both cars making contact with the wall and then spinning. Melvin's night ended and Drake was able to restart from the rear of the field. There were a couple of more early cautions for debris, before the final fifteen laps were run caution free.
Kevin Weaver put together a strong run and finished fourth. The 2003 U.M.P. Late Model Track Champion at I-55 Raceway Ed Dixon rounded out the top five.
Tom Ratajczyk picked up what may have been the biggest win of his career in the U.M.P. Modified division. Ratajczyk and Scott Weber battled side by side for the lead for the first fourteen laps. After Weber had mechanical problems, Ratajczyk held off Jeff Leka for the final six laps and took the win. Bobby Martintoni moved past Leka with just two laps remaining and took second. Dennis Richards came home fourth and the 2003 U.M.P. Modified Track Champion at I-55 Raceway, Ray Walsh, took fifth.
Scott Stuppy claimed the AARA Sportsman feature. Stuppy held of Troy Naeger for the win. Steve Maisel, making his first appearance of the 2003 at I-55 Raceway was third. The 2003 AARA Sportsman Track Champion, Paul Bauman was fourth. Bob Prince rounded out the top five.
U.M.P. Modifieds – 47 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
2. 3L Jeff Leka
3. 1W Ray Walsh
4. 95 Jerry Grither
Heat 2:
1. 59 Rich Whaley
2. 55 Marty Smith, Jr.
3. C6 Ray Wagner
4. 89 Bobby Bittle
Heat 3:
1. 48 Bobby Martintoni
2. 21 Dennis Richards
3. 30 Mark Voigt
4. 1D Dean Hoffman
Heat 4:
1. WF0 Kyle Logue
2. 51 John Hoffman
3. 56 Kevin Epperson
4. 8X James Reed
Heat 5:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 7 Mark Miner
3. X1 Dave Sandage
4. 11 Kyle Byerline
Dash:
1. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 3L Jeff Leka
4. 59 Rich Whaley
Semi #1:
1. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
2. 166 Brian Worley
3. 41M Brent Mullins
4. 29 Jeff LeBaube
5. 10 Kelly Kovski
6. 19 Chris Simmerman
7. 00 Steve Picou
8. 31 Kent Schoeck
9. 192 Brian Allen
10. 4 Ricky Weeks
11. 92K Ted Klaus
12. 6 D.J. Hickman
DNS. 2 Todd Ferber
DNS. 45M Eric Mabery
DNS. 50 Chris Woods
Semi #2:
1. 9 Doug Wood
2. 11 Matt Goulden
3. 88 Joe Puricelli
4. 41 Larry Hull
5. C4 Chris Soutiea
6. 60 Jared Kneemiller
7. 22 Clint Eckenrodt
8. 3R Leon Rakers
9. 14K Loren Knox
10. 15 Doug Blair
11. 2 Kyle Steffens
DNS. 0 Gabe Regot
DNS. 73 Chris Moyer
DNS. 23 Dylan Sharp
Feature:
1. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
2. 48 Bobby Martintoni
3. 3L Jeff Leka
4. 21 Dennis Richards
5. 1W Ray Walsh
6. WF0 Kyle Logue
7. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
8. 89 Bobby Bittle
9. 1D Dean Hoffman
10. 7 Mark Miner
11. 9W Doug Wood
12. C6 Ray Wagner
13. 51 John Hoffman
14. 11K Kyle Byerline
15. 166 Brian Worley
16. 11G Matt Goulden
17. 56 Kevin Epperson
18. X1 Dave Sandage
19. 4J Scott Weber
20. 30 Mark Voigt
21. 59 Rich Whaley
22. 55 Marty Smith, Jr.
23. 95 Jerry Grither
24. 8X James Reed
U.M.P. Late Models – 38 Entries
Qualifying:
1. Shannon Babb 13.305
2. Justin Allgaier 13.372
3. Randy Korte 13.468
4. Billy Moyer 13.6
Dash:
1. 00 Randy Korte
2. 18 Shannon Babb
3. 20 Mark Gansmann
4. 21 Billy Moyer
5. 50 Ed Dixon
6. 1A Justin Allgaier
7. 27 Rodney Melvin
8. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
9. 2J Dave Jumper
Heat 1:
1. 27 Rodney Melvin
2. 11 Kevin Gundaker
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. 47 Danny Haynes
5. 28 Don Klein
6. 75 Bert Cheatham
7. 70 Rich Lawson
DNS. 8 Kyle Steffens
Heat 2:
1. 4 Mike Mullvain
2. 26 Billy Faust
3. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
4. 1S Rick Salter
5. 77 Clay Baumann
6. 71 John Bohn
7. 8 Ron McQuerry
8. 51 Steve Shive
Heat 3:
1. 71 Don O'Neal
2. 3S Brian Shirley
3. K5 Gary Keeling
4. 67 Mark Oller
5. 82 Billy Laycock
6. 2J Dave Jumper
7. 23 Brian Garner
8. 82 Roger Brickler
Heat 4:
1. B12 Kevin Weaver
2. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
3. 76 Mark Voigt
4. 5 Bret Sievert
5. F15 Steve Sheppard
6. 100 Scott Weber
7. E55 Brad Loddeke
DNS. 13 Charlie Savage
Semi #1:
1. 47 Danny Haynes
2. 28 Don Klein
3. 77 Clay Baumann
4. 1S Rick Salter
5. 71 John Bohn
6. 75 Bert Cheatham
7. 8 Ron McQuerry
8. 70 Rich Lawson
DNS. E55 Brad Loddeke
DNS. 8 Kyle Steffens
Semi #2:
1. 67 Mark Oller
2. 5 Bret Sievert
3. F15 Steve Sheppard
4. 2J Dave Jumper
5. 100 Scott Weber
6. 82 Billy Laycock
7. 82 Roger Brickler
DNS. 51 Steve Shive
DNS. 23 Brian Garner
DNS. 13 Charlie Savage
Feature:
1. 18 Shannon Babb
2. 21 Billy Moyer
3. 71 Don O'Neal
4. B12 Kevin Weaver
5. 50 Ed Dixon
6. 9 Billy Drake
7. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
8. 4 Mike Mullvain
9. 26 Billy Faust
10. 3S Brain Shirley
11. 5 Bret Sievert
12. 00 Randy Korte
13. 77 Clay Baumann
14. 76 Mark Voigt
15. 47 Danny Haynes
16. K5 Gary Keeling
17. 28 Don Klein
18. 11 Kevin Gundaker
19. 20 Mark Gansmann
20. 67 Mark Oller
21. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
22. 27 Rodney Melvin
23. 1A Justin Allgaier
24. F15 Steve Sheppard
Sportsman – 39 Entries
Heat 1:
1. 4 Ricky Horton
2. 8 Ed Lowry
3. 911 Christian Doggendorf
4. 27 Nathan Walsh
Heat 2:
1. M41 Steve Maisel
2. 50 Eric Rudd
3. 60 Randy Tyson
4. 30 Mike Nicholson
Heat 3:
1. 24 Paul Bauman
2. 12 Troy Naeger
3. 19 Jimmy Cummins
4. 86 Doug Kim
Heat 4:
1. 00 Scott Stuppy
2. 46 Paul Belken
3. 66 Darren Holland
4. 98 David Bardin
Dash:
1. 4 Ricky Horton
2. M41 Steve Maisel
3. 46 Paul Belken
4. 00 Scott Stuppy
Semi #1:
1. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
2. 43 Mike Harris
3. 87 Gary Haynes
4. K3 Bob Koch
5. 91 Chad Reum
6. 103 Randy Dickman
7. 100 D.J. Griffaw
8. 411 Marty Heck
9. 39 Bob Hooker
DNS. 73 Phil Argus
Semi #2:
1. 3P Bobby Prince
2. 55 Chris Smith
3. 69 Mark Hunter
4. 7 Craig Wodicker
5. 128 Lee Clardy
6. 11 John Burns
7. 78 Rick Barker
DNS. 10 Todd McGraw
DNS. 105 Matt Hancock
Feature:
1. 00 Scott Stuppy
2. 12 Troy Naeger
3. M41 Steve Maisel
4. 24 Paul Bauman
5. 3P Bobby Prince
6. 4 Ricky Horton
7. 66 Darren Holland
8. 8 Ed Lowry
9. 50 Eric Rudd
10. 98 David Bardin
11. 43 Mike Harris
12. 19 Jimmy Cummins
13. 60 Randy Tyson
14. 6 Brian Noeth
15. 86 Doug Kim
16. 27 Nathan Walsh
17. 18 Buddy Lowry
18. 30 Mike Nicholson
19. D5 Dave Jenkins
20. 21 Brad McKinnon
21. 46 Paul Belken
22. 911 Christian Doggendorf
23. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
24. 55 Chris Smith
