Lepak claims third feature checkered of season in Lates, while Sankey takes career first Super Stock victory! By Jeffrey Sachse

July 20, 2001; Plover, WI -  On a very warm and muggy night action was heating up at Central Wisconsin's Power Playground Golden Sands Speedway. Bumper to Bumper presented Kid's Night and a full program of racing action on the high banked third mile oval.  In addition to a complete race program, kids had the opportunity to enjoy an appearance by Speedo The Clown, and participate in a coin grab and many other exciting activities.

Photo Highlights

Jeremy Lepak (#40) won his third Super Late Model feature victory of the 2001 season. He is the only driver to have won that many feature this season in Late Model action. Kevin Peterson (#36) led the Super Late Model contest until Jeremy Lepak (#40) made a pass for the lead on lap 10 of the 30 lap contest. For the second consecutive week Allen Check (#20) turned in the fastest qualifying performance in the Super Late Models. Shaking the bad luck! Alan Sankey (#3) had seemingly been headed for victory in Super Stock action on several occasions only to have bad luck steal the win.  Tonight luck was on his side as he won his first career feature at Golden Sands Speedway. During the closing laps Alan Sankey (#3) had to contend with Jim Cormack (#7) in the Super Stock feature.  Sankey was able to hold on for the win. Cary Lyons (#82) is not stranger to setting quick time in the Super Stocks.  This was his sixth fast qualifying performance of the year. Another sweep!  John Matthews (#98) avoided spins and spills on the final lap of the Pure Stock feature to cap off a clean sweep of the evenings events. The Golden Sands Speedway two seater promotional truck, built by Terry Marzofka stops to give kids a ride during kids night. Speedo The Clown! Delighted fans off all ages with his on track antics.

In preliminary action, Allen Check of Shantytown bested his fellow competitors in the Late Model division for the second straight week in qualifying and he chose to take the Hot n' Now Ultimate Challenge, which has a pot of $1,400 should a driver come form the back of the pack and win the feature. Unfortunately for Check he was unable to finish the feature event.

As the field of 16 Super Late Models roared to the green flag for their 30 lap headliner, Todd Stapleman and Kevin Peterson waged a battle for the top spot.  Stapleman was able to make the initial surge to the lead, but Peterson fought back on the outside.   Peterson was able to slip ahead of Stapleman on the third round and began to pull away.  Stapleman began to slowly fade back in the pack as Greg Weinfurter used the iced line to annex second on lap five.  Jeremy Lepak followed into third and immediately began to pressure Greg Weinfurter.  Lepak was on the move using the outside line and powered past Greg Weinfurter into second on lap nine.

Peterson meanwhile began to slow slightly and Lepak was soon challenging for the top spot. On lap ten Lepak again used the outside line through turns one and two to sweep past Peterson for the lead.  Meanwhile back in the pack Burton Brown had been slicing his way to the front of the field.  Brown drove around Peterson for the runner-up spot before the conclusion on lap 12 to garner the runner-up spot.

While the lead duo of Lepak and Brown began to pull away, Jeff Weinfurter began to make his presence felt as he advanced into the third spot at Peterson expense as the race reached the halfway point.   White the lead trio would remain the same for the final half of the contest, the positions changed rapidly back in the pack. 

When the checkered flag fell Lepak was victorious for the third time third season, Brown was able to ward off a last lap passing attempt by Jeff Weinfurter to earn second.  Jeff Weinfurter finished third.  Frank Nitzke found himself in fourth after a late race surge and last week's feature winner Gary Back made his way into the top five on the final lap of the non-stop contest.

In Super Stock action, Cary Lyons turned the fastest lap for the sixth time this season and he opted to take the Mobile Link Challenge, which was up to $700.  Lyons was able to make some headway in the main event but would end up in seventh at the checkered leaving the pot for another week.

The Super Stock contest would be a wild affair with several caution periods.  Alan Sankey and Tim Hintz lined up in the front row and Sankey drove to the initial lead.   The lead pair was able to pull away from the pack.  Hintz was able to maintain the same pace as Sankey and actually drew along side to challenge for the lead on lap ten.  

Hintz however suddenly began to slow.  Hintz had his luck turn even worse on lap 13 as the driveline let got in the Hintz machine.  As he tried to drive to the infield he collected the third place car of Randy Storlie.  As Storie was trying to avoid contact with the slowing car he was given his position back. 

As a result when the green flag reappeared it was Sankey, Storlie, Jim Cormack and Keith Bohmsach in the lead position.  Cormack was able to power around the outside of Storlie for the runner-up position before the next caution flag appeared on lap 16 when Brian Stroik who earlier won the semi-feature event lost and engine going down the backstretch.

Sankey again was able to maintain the lead, while Cormack and Bohmsach diced for the second spot.  Cormack closed on Sankey's rear bumper and he was in the process of attempting an outside pass for the lead when the final caution of the race flew with three laps remaining as several cars got collected in an incident on the front stretch. 

In the sprint to the finish Sankey was able to hang on for his long awaited first career feature victory at Golden Sands Speedway.  Cormack and Bohmsach waged a side by side battle for second the final three laps with Cormack getting the nod for the runner up spot.  Bohmsach, Storlie and last weeks feature winner Jason Kirsling rounded out the top five finishers.

The Pure Stock feature was spiced by a variety of spins and a surprise ending.  Tim Steinhoff had lead much of the feature event before he lopped his machine coming off turn four in the waning laps, giving the lead to Harvey Vera with three laps to go.  Vera's opportunity to earn the win fell by the wayside in the final turn as he and Dan Gollen got together  while charging for the checkered.   As the cars raced towards the finish line John Matthews, who had not been in contention for the win heading into the final lap suddenly saw his opportunity.   Matthews dove low on the track to avoid the spinning cars and reached the finish line ahead of Hank Frasch for the win giving him a sweep of the evenings event.   Frasch, Scott Christensen, Ken Soyka and Jim Koback were awarded the top five positions in a thrilling finish.

Next week Friday evening, is the 3rd Annual Team Schierl Companies Night.  In addition to Super Late Model and Super Stock action, the 4 Cylinders will join the program.  Also on the card are the ever popular Bus Races which will conclude the evening of action on Central Wisconsin's Power Playground, Golden Sands Speedway.  Golden Sands Speedway is located between Wisconsin Rapids, and Plover, Wisconsin on Highway 54.  Time Trials get underway at 6:30 p.m., with the first race taking the green flag at 7:45 p.m.   For more information check out www.goldensandsspeedway.com or call (715) 423-4660.

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