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It's Gregorich by
Inches in Super Late Action at Sands,
Weinfurter up to the Test in Super Stocks!
By Jeffrey Sachse |
July 21,
2006;
Plover, WI -
It was a matter of inches. Coming off the final turn in Super Late
Model action on Team Scheril Companies Night at Golden Sands Speedway,
defending track champion Mark Eswein appeared to be on his way to his
first feature win of the 2006 racing season, but a hard charging Eugene
Gregorich Jr., had other ideas. Running the high line Gregorich
would come off turn four with enough momentum to reach the finish line
first by a matter of inches, stealing the win from Eswein and taking his
second trip to victory lane this season.
In Super Stock action Brian Weinfurter would lead a freight train of
competitors to the finish line taking the victory by a slim margin over
Wes Coon whose late race charge fell just short of victory. In the
Pure Stock class, a late race charge by Mike Gwidt brought him to the
lead in the closing laps of the contest to collect the victory.
The three races held for the 2-Man Cruisers were captured by the teams
of Bohm/Gladowski and Floistad/Floistad while the final checkered of the
evening for the class went to Kampert/Kampert. To round out the
evening a field of busses took to the racing surface with Gary Wosick
making his way to the front and grabbing the victory.
The Super Late Model field would do battle for 40 laps
non-stop, and fans were treated to an excellent high speed display.
Gregg Ruffalo would open the contest with the lead as Blake Horstman
tried working the high side for the top spot. Ruffalo would
attempt to repel the challenges of both Horstman who was trying the high
line and Brandon Selle who was working the low groove. The trio
ran in close formation while defending track champion Mark Eswein made
his way into the fourth spot by lap four.
Selle had worked by Horstman for second and tried on several
occasions to pass Ruffalo. The track officials felt Ruffalo was
using too much racetrack on and lap eight the caution flag was thrown
and Ruffalo was moved back two positions. This place Selle in the
lead with Horstman, Ruffalo, Eswein and Tim Hintz in the top five.
Eugene Gregorich who had started in the fourth row was up to the sixth
spot.
Selle would set the pace on the restart with Horstman giving chase.
Eswein made his way under Ruffalo on lap ten after working the inside
lane. Once stuck in the outside groove Ruffalo would lose several
spots elevating Hintz to fourth and Gregorich to fifth.
Eswein continued his march forward surpassing Horstman with an inside
pass coming off turn two on lap 17 to reach second. Selle
continued to lead the way but Eswein closed quickly and would make his
way under Selle with an inside pass in turn three at the halfway point
of the race. While Eswein was having a great deal of success this
evening, so was Gregorich who crept ever close to the front of the pack.
In quick fashion Gregorich picked off cars reaching the third spot on
lap 23.
Only Selle in second place was left to act as a buffer between Eswein
and a hard charging Gregorich. Selle would fall to Gregorich's
charge with a dozen laps to go in to go in the event. But Eswein
had built up a six car length lead. Lap after lap Gregorich would
narrow the gap until the pair were nose and tail with five laps left in
the event. Eswein opted for the low groove while Gregorich chose
the high side. As the white flag flew Gregorich dove deep into
turn one and the pair drew even going down the backstretch. Eswein
would nose ahead into turn three, but Gregorich's momentum allowed him
to draw even for the drag race to the finish coming off turn four.
As the crowd rose to it's feet, Gregorich would reach the stripe first
by a matter of inches. Eswein would settle for second.
Selle's solid performance would net a third place run. Horstman
claimed fourth and Hintz would complete the top five.
The Super Stocks would make their way to the high banked third mile
oval with Dan Braun and Brian Weinfurter on the front row of the event.
As the green flag flew Weinfurter would get the jump on Braun taking the
opening lead. Braun would then face the challenges of Scott Hamel
to would challenge for the second spot. The pair would run side by
side for the second position as Weinfurter slowly opened up a small
lead.
Hamel would slip on lap eight, giving Braun firm control of the
second spot. Before Braun could get back in line Wes Coon and
Brian Back also made their was past into third and fourth respectively
on lap eight.
Coon would continue his charge to the front working the high line on
Braun. After several laps of side by side racing Coon would prove
successful in taking the position.
Weinfurter meanwhile had built up a six car length lead, which Coon
fought hard to erase. Coon was assisted in his effort to catch
Weinfurter when the caution appeared with six laps to go after Mike
Brooks and David Pagels tangled on the front stretch.
As the green flag returned Weinfurter was back to leading the way
with Coon glued to his rear bumper. Back would hold down the third
spot followed by Matt Raykowski and fast qualifier Tim Plowman.
Over the final laps Coon would drift to the high side several times to
try and setup a pass but Weinfurter was able to hold off the challenges
and take the win. Coon would settle for second followed by
Raykowski, Back and Plowman.
Erik Kawlewski would set the pace for much of the Pure Stock feature
with Dean Aschbacher following in his tire track. Mike Gwidt using
the high line would reach second with seven laps to go in the contest
and would sweep into the lead with two laps left in the race. Once
out front Gwidt would pull away from Kawlewski and take the checkered by
three car lengths. Kawlewski would finish second. Current
division points leader and the evening's fast qualifier Dean Zakrezwski
would make a final lap pass of Aschbacher for third. Aschbacher
and Frank Calabrese would round out the top five finishers.
Next Friday Night, July 28th will be the start of a double header
weekend with racing taking place on both Friday and Sunday evenings.
On Friday night the stars of the Wisconsin Challenge Series will make
their final appearance of the season at Golden Sands Speedway.
Series competitors Frank Kreyer, Andy Monday, Adam Royle, Jeff Kendall,
Dave Feiler, Steve Holzhausen, John Zimmermann and Don Turner will
joining defending series champion Nathan Haseleu in effort to best the
top local competitors including Mark Eswein, Kenny Richards, Brandon
Selle, the Weinkauf brothers Jason and Chris for supremacy in a 100 lap
feature contest which will feature a 24 car starting grid. The
filed will be set through qualifying and a pair of 30 lap qualifying
races. The evening will conclude with a 30 lap B-feature for those
drivers who just missed the main event.
In addition to the WCS Super Late Models, 4 cylinders, 2-Man Cruisers
and the popular Wisconsin Sport Trucks will also be on the schedule.
The on Sunday evening, July 30th, Golden Sands Speedway will be
hosting a special twilight program to makeup for several of the rainouts
earlier in the year. The program will feature a full show of Super
Late Model, Super Stocks, 4 cylinder and 2-Man Cruisers.
Golden Sands Speedway is located between Wisconsin Rapids and
Plover, Wisconsin on Highway 54. For additional information please call
(715) 423-4660 or consult the track website at
www.goldensandsspeedway.com
For
complete RACESTAT Race Results Click Here!
Super Late Models
40
Lap Feature:
1.) Eugene Gregorich Jr; 2.) Mark
Eswein; 3.) Brandon Selle; 4.) Blake Horstman; 5.) Tim Hintz; 6.) Kenny
Richards; 7.) Gregg Ruffalo; 8.) Pat Williams; 9.) Jim Duchow; 10.)
Jason Weinkauf
25 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Chris Weinkauf; 2.) Kasey Chase;
3.) Derek Gress; 4.) Elliott Weiler; 5.) Todd Stapleman; 6.) Joe
Krzykowski
First 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Stapleman; 2.) Tom
Litchfield; 3.) Jeremy Switlick
Second 12 Lap Heat: 1.) C. Weinkauf; 2.) Weiler;
3.) Chase
Third 12 Lap Heat: 1.) J. Weinkauf; 2.) Burton
Brown; 3.) Frank Nitzke
Fourth 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Eswein; 2.) Duchow; 3.)
Richards
Fast Qualifier: Richards, 12.118 Seconds
Super Stocks
25
Lap Feature:
1.) Brian Weinfurter; 2.) Wes Coon;
3.) Matt Raykowski; 4.) Brian Back; 5.) Tim Plowman; 6.) Josh Oleson;
7.) Scott Hamel; 8.) Dave Neitzke; 9.) Roger Stanczyk; 10.) Randy
Emmerich
15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.)
David Pagels; 2.) Jason Szymkowiak; 3.) Bert Soyka; 4.) Ed Szelagowski;
5.) Thomas Dowe
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) John Totzke Jr.; 2.)
Dowe; 3.) Szelagowski
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Oleson; 2.) Braun; 3.) Storlie
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Back; 2.) Raykowski; 3.)
Hamel
Fast Qualifier: Plowman, 13.246 Seconds
Pure
Stocks
15 Lap Feature:
1.) Michael
Gwidt; 2.) Eric Kawlewski; 3.) Dean Zakrezwski; 4.) Dean Aschbacher; 5.)
Frank Calabrese; 6.) Ron Grabarski; 7.) Andrew Hintz; 8.) Troy Engman
12
Lap Semi-Feature: 1.)
Gary Haarklau; 2.) Becky Grabarski; 3.) Joey Koch; 4.) Mark Kealiher;
5.) Raymond Kramer
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Coletta Gomes; 2.) Kealiher; 3.) Kramer
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Hintz; 2.) Chuck
Stebbens; 3.) Haarklau
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Brad Luck; 2.) Gwidt; 3.)
Zakrezwski
Fast Qualifier: Zakrezwski, 14.843 Seconds
2-Man
Cruisers
First 10 Lap Feature:
1.) Bohm/Gladowski;
2.) McDonald/McDonald; 3.) Burns/Bates; 4.) Wadel/Kalata;
Second 10 Lap Feature: 1.) Floistad/Floistad; 2.)
Michels/Zellner; 2.) Kelley/Resheske; 4.) Zallner/Kuhn; 5.)
Helbach/Helbach
Thirs 10 Lap Feature: 1.) Kampert/Kampert;
2.) Wierzba/Wierzba; 3.) Green/Wheelock
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