Junget Tops Miller Challenge 50 Round One
at Columbus 151! May 10, 2002; Columbus, WI. - Gerry Junget of Rio captured his first win of the season by driving to victory in the Miller Challenge Series Race One 50-lap late model feature at the Columbus 151 Speedway on Friday nightA
Junget, the defending late model champion, exchanged the lead several times with Delbert Desjarlais of Columbus in the early laps before taking command of the top spot for the final time on lap nine. The race was slowed by three cautions that bunched the field up, but Junget was able to pull away. In the closing laps, Al Weishoff of Columbus and Dean Schultz of Juneau were cutting into the lead held by Junget, but time ran out and they settled for second and third. Weishoff and Schultz had started the event in the seventh row. Desjarlais came across the line in fourth ahead of Scottie Hatton of Waterloo. Finishing in sixth through tenth were Ed Wolff III of Clyman, Brian Lind of Stoughton, Butch Mierendorf of Lake Mills, Steve Dobbratz of Rio and John Acker of Spring Green. Bret Schmidt of Watertown outbattled John Schafer of Monona to score his first win of the season in the 25-lap street stock feature. Schmidt took the lead for good on lap twenty-one after moving up from his sixth row starting position. Schafer's car later failed a post race inspection which moved Jason Thoma of Jefferson up into the second spot. Dan Schmidt of Watertown drove a strong race to finish in third ahead of Ian Marks of Columbus. Justin Schultz of Otsego, in his first year in the street stock division, followed in fifth. Jerry Chapman of Juneau edged out Bill Bush of Jefferson at the line as the checkered flag waved to pick up his first win of the season. Chapman moved up steadily from his sixth row starting position to move alongside of Bush on the final lap and win the drag to the finish line. Terry Wangsness of Whitewater crossed the line in third. Ken Scott of Rio, who started the event in the last position, followed in fourth. Jim Wingett of Fall River was fifth. Rick Verdon of Fitchburg jumped into the lead early and went on to win the back up race. Steve Oetzel of Marshal was second. Matthew Wachuta of Brooklyn took third. Fast times for the evening were turned in by Aaron Wilke of Waterloo in the late models, Justin Schultz in the street stocks and Ken Scott in the hobby stocks. Scott nearly set a track record turning a lap at 15.342. The record in the hobby stock division is held by Gerry Junget at 15.332 set on August 21, 1998. Late model heat race wins were recorded by Brian Lind, Andy Tomlinson of Poynette and Brent Knight of Watertown. Street stock heat race victories were registered by Randy Padfield of Edgerton and Dennis Catencamp of Marshall. The hobby stock heat races were won by Ken Scott and Jerry Chapman. Racing action will continue this Friday night with Junior Fan Club Night. In addition to a full program of late model, street stock, hobby stock and back up racing the four cylinder Bandits will also be in action. There will also be a B.J.'s Roadside Rollover Contest. A special car & driver photo/autograph session is also scheduled along with fun giveaways for kids. |
