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"The Gun" Todd
Stapleman win Super Late Shoot-Out at Sands!
Brooks Collects another Super Stock checkered!
By Jeffrey Sachse |
June 16,
2006;
Plover, WI -
Todd Stapleman lived up to his nickname "The Gun", as the Super Late
Model feature contest turned into a shoot-out for thee victory during
the final laps of the contest at Golden Sands Speedway. On a very
warm evening, with a show presented by Mark Motors, Stapleman had his
hands full in the closing laps with a hard charging Travis Sauter.
Sauter, who had started deep in the field moved within striking distance
with three laps to go, but Stapleman was able to repel the challenges
and collect his first feature win on the high banked third mile oval
since August of 2002.
In the Super Stock division, Mike Brooks turned in another smooth
performance to earn his third feature victory of the 2006 season.
During the final laps Brooks had to fend off defending LaCrosse
Fairgrounds Grand National Sportsman champion Dan Gilster to obtain the
victory. In the Pure Stock division, is was another showdown
between a local competitor and a tough visitor. In this case Troy
Engman used his knowledge of the raceway to fend off Mike Litchfield for
the win.
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Todd
Stapleman (#77) earned his first Super Late Model feature win at
Golden Sands since August of 2002.
The
final lap "shoot-out" was won by Todd "The Gun" Stapleman (#77) as
he managed to fend off a last lap challenge by Travis Sauter (#01)
for the victory in the Super Late Model feature.
Burton Brown (#07) topped the Super Late Model semi-feature.
Chris Weinkauf (#75) and Todd Stapleman (#77) ran
wheel to wheel during the opening laps of the Super Late Model
feature contest.
Jeff Kendall
(#00) ruend in the fastest qualifying effort this evening at Golden
Sands Speedway.
Mike Brooks (#25) scored his third feature win of the
2006 season in the Super Stock division.
Galen Manternach (#5) and Mike Brooks (#25) duel for
the top spot during the opening laps of the Super Stock feature.
Troy Engman (#99) topped the Pure Stock main event this evening at
Golden Sands Speedway.
Mike Gwidt (#25) topped the qualifying in the Pure Stock division.
The 2-Man Cruisers held three feature contests with
wins posted by the teams of Bohm/Gladowski (#2); McDonald/McDonald
(#50) and Wierzba/Wierzba (#44). |
The 40 lap Super Late Model contest would go non-stop from
green to checkered. Chris Weinkauf sat on the pole for the event with
Stapleman to his outside. Sauter meanwhile started deep in the field.
At the drop of the green flag, Stapleman used the high line around the
oval to edge ahead of Weinkauf. On lap two Weinkauf drifted high
allowing second year Super Late Model competitor Tim Hintz to scramble
to second. Weinkauf would get back in the lower groove, but soon lost
the third position to Brandon Selle who opted for the high line to make
the pass. Selle and Weinkauf would run wheel to wheel for several
laps before Selle secured the spot on lap 12.
Stapleman meanwhile slowly pulled away from those giving chase and by
the halfway point of the contest had built a straightaway lead. Sauter
meanwhile had been quickly slicing through traffic reaching the fourth
spot by lap 20.
Sauter continued his march forward working past Selle for third on
lap 22. Out front Stapleman had extended his lead to nearly a
quarter-lap over Hintz who was turning in a very solid showing. On
lap 25 Sauter worked the high groove to surpass Hintz for second and the
chase was on.
With each passing lap Sauter narrowed the gap Stapleman had built and
by the time five laps remained in the contest it became apparent that a
showdown over the final laps would take place. With three laps to
go Sauter has caught up to Stapleman's rear bumper, but Stapleman held
on tenaciously to the lead. On a couple occasions Sauter attempted
to work the low line before changing strategies and maneuvering to the
high side of the banked oval. As the pair took the while flag
Sauter drove in hard on the outside and nearly drew event with Stapleman
down the backstretch. Stapleman however remaining determined and
never faltered reaching the stripe first by a nose to claim the victory.
Sauter would settle for second after an impressive passing display.
Current point leader Kenny Richards also made a late race charge
reaching third in the closing laps, but he was unable to close on the
lead duo. Defending track champion Mark Eswein finished fourth and
Selle completed the top five finishers.
The Super Stock main event saw Mike Brooks pace every lap of the
contest, but the victory was far from easy. Brooks would get the
jump on fellow front row started Galen Manternach, having the lead in
hand before the completion of lap one. Oleson meanwhile, stuck in
the high groove quickly gave up several positions, including second to
Dan Gilster, a formidable competitor from the LaCrosse Fairgrounds oval.
Though Gilster normally competes on a much larger raceway he quickly
adapted to the Golden Sands high banked third mile oval.
Gilster would move into the second slot and begin to hound Brooks
looking for a way to the lead. Tim Hamel would follow in the third
position during the early portions of the contest. The lead trio would
race around the track nose to tail quickly turning in laps.
Further back fast qualifier Tim Plowman and current point leader Brian
Back were putting on a passing display for the fans. Plowman had
just cracked the top five, when his car began to shower sparks as a tire
began to go down. Plowman got the reprieve he needed to head to the pits
when Brian Weinfurter expired a motor with six laps to go in the contest
forcing a caution.
While Plowman retired to the pits for a quick tire change, the field
bunched up behind Brooks. When racing resumed Brooks was up to the
challenge pulling away slightly from Gilster who had his hands full with
Hamel as the battle for second spot heated up.
Over the final laps Brooks maintained a swift pace to earn the
checkered. Gilster would hand onto second finishing one car length
behind the leader. Hamel claimed third followed by Manternach and
Wes Coon.
It would take Troy Engman the first five rounds to work through
traffic and past early race leader Eric Kawlewski to take the top spot
in the Pure Stock main event. Engman would not have an easy trip
to victory lane however, as visiting racer Mike Litchfield worked into
the second spot before the halfway point of the contest. Engman
soon found himself challenged by the newcomer with Dean Aschbacher
moving up to third making it a three way battle for the lead over the
final five laps of the contest.
Litchfield looked to the low side on several occasions, but Engman
remained flawless in his driver to the checkered. As the checkered
flag fell Engman was still out front with Litchfield, Aschbacher, fast
qualifier Mike Gwidt and current division point lead Dean Zakrezwski
following.
Due to the number of rainout this season, including last weekend's
program, and additional Sunday afternoon race date had been added to the
2006 schedule. On Sunday, July 30th, a weekly point program will
take place as part of a double header weekend. The Friday Night,
July 28th, program that week will feature the stars of the Wisconsin
Challenge Series, where many of the Midwest's Finest Super Late Model
racers will challenge the local favorites on the high backed oval.
Next week racing action will feature the Mid-Season Championship
Night of racing. Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and
Four Cylinders will all be in action during the program, with extended
feature contests for each division.
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.) Todd
Stapleman; 2.) Travis Sauter; 3.) Ken Richards; 4.) Mark Eswein; 5.)
Brandon Selle; 6.) Blake Horstman; 7.) Allen Check; 8.) Chris Weinkauf;
9.) Jason Weinkauf; 10.) Tim Hintz
25 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Burton Brown; 2.)
Gregg Ruffalo; 3.) Jim Duchow; 4.) Monte Gress; 5.) Derek Gress; 6.) Tom
Litchfield
12 Lap Consolation: 1.) Rene Scheinoha; 2.)
Litchfield; 3.) Eugene Gregorich Jr; 4.) Dick Coleman; 5.) Mike Merriam
First 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Coleman; 2.) Gregorich
Jr.; 3.) Merriam
Second 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Steve Gress; 2.) Brown;
3.) Mark Van
Third 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Check; 2.) Jeff Weinfurter;
3.) Duchow
Fourth 12 Lap Heat: 1.) Horstman; 2.) Sauter; 3.) J.
Weinkauf
Fast Qualifier: Kendall, 12.167 Seconds
Super Stocks
25
Lap Feature:
1.) Mike
Brooks; 2.) Dan Gilster; 3.) Tim Hamel; 4.) Galen Manternach; 5.) Wes
Coon; 6.) Dave Neitzke; 7.) Denny Crass; 8.) Brian Back; 9.) Tim
Plowman; 10.) Randy Storlie
15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) David Pagels; 2.)
Storlie; 3.) Bert Soyka; 4.) Josh Oelson; 5.) Ed Szlewgowski
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Bert Soyka; 2.)
Szlewgowski; 3.) Pagels
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Neitzke; 2.) Storlie;
3.) Gilster
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Roger Stanczyk; 2.) Back;
3.) Hamel
Fast Qualifier: Plowman, 13.260 Seconds
Pure
Stocks
15 Lap Feature:
1.) Troy
Engman; 2.) Mike Litchfield; 3.) Dean Aschbacher; 4.) Mike Gwidt; 5.)
Dean Zakrezwski; 6.) Andrew Hintz; 7.) Eric Kawlewski; 8.) Chuck
Stebbins
10 Lap B-Feature:
1.) Mark Kaeliher; 2.) Troy Porter; 3.) John Evers; 4.) Joey
Kuhn; 5.) Doug Wheelock
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Coletta Gomes; 2.) Porter; 3.)
Robert Hinz
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Todd Kuehl; 2.) Ron
Grabarski; 3.) Matt Ciesielski
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Aschbacher; 2.) Hintz; 3.) Gwidt
Fast Qualifier: Gwidt, 14.909 Seconds
2-Man
Cruisers
First 10 Lap Feature:
1.)
Bohm/Glodowski
Second 10 Lap Feature: 1.) McDonald/McDonald
Third 10 Lap Feature:
1.) Wierzba/Wierzba
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