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Braaksma Breezes to 151 Late
Model Win 50!
By Natasha Fabian |
August 6, 2004; Columbus, WI. - Duane Deppe was
the hard charger of the Late Model feature race, advancing five places through the 35-lap
event, but the front row never changed. Clayton Braaksma took the early lead from the
outside of the front row and never looked back. Lapped traffic with eight laps remaining
closed up Braaksma's advantage, but he crossed the line first, over Ty James, Jerry Auby,
Nick Wendt and Tony Schuchardt.
The Formula Indy Racing Association was on hand for their second and final stop
on the 2004 circuit at the 151 Speedway. Rookie Deron Debore jumped to the early lead,
having the fastest machine on the track for the first few laps without a doubt. Vern
Brown, however, the track record holder made the move on the inside to pass for the lead
on lap four. Meanwhile, second-year driver Grant Greenfield made his way up to second with
ten laps to go. Jim Bass was also on the move, gaining on Debore every corner, making the
pass on lap eight for the position. Greenfield was able to close in on Brown's lead when
lapped traffic became a factor halfway through the race. Greenfield had a decent shot at
taking his second win of the year, but ran out of time. Brown took the checkered flag
first, Greenfield right behind, Bass third and Debore fourth.
Dennis Schwark was the winner by six inches over Bret Schmidt in the Street Stock main
event. Ron Coppernoll and Joe Roatch paced the field on the strart, favoring the outside
line. Coming from the fourth starting spot, Schwark worked the outside groove to take the
lead and pull away from the field. At the same time Randy Padfield was gaining on
Schwark's ground, the two also closed in on lapped traffic. Grant Lindner, the previous
week's winner, lost his right rear wheel on lap 19, putting the field under caution.
Padfield jumped to the outside on the restart and side-by-side with Schwark, Bret Schmidt
watching close by, but the victory was to be Schwark's at the line, Schmidt finishing a
close second, and Padfield third.
Larry Moen started in tenth but crossed the finish line first in the Hobby Stock feature,
but not without a lot of work. Brandon Johnson, Andy Raley, and Mike Amador made it three
wide at the start, Raley making the most of the opportunity. The other two cars involved
quickly faded from the front of the field, Moen already up to fourth by lap eight. There
was close side-by-side racing throughout the field, no one getting an easy run. Moen
looked to the outside for the lead on lap 13, Raley holding on strong to second place.
Todd Wright, Lincoln Keeser, and Jim Tate, Jr., diced for
position behind Moen, allowing the leader to shoot away like a rocket. At the drop on the
checkered flag it was Moen with the win, Keeser second and Tate third.
The wild and crazy Bandits lived up to their reputation from the displaying of the green
flag onward in the feature race. Mike Winters eventually won the event, but started the
event four-wide in the first turn with Steve Privett, Ryan Oetzel, and Linda Carignan
along for the ride. On the two-groove track something had to give, and it certainly did
going into turn three. Being that an entire lap was not in the books, the drivers were
given a second chance in a complete restart. Carignan and Winters paced the energized pack
and Winters pulled away before he could get caught up in any more hazardous action. Kyle
Stark, Carignan, and Privett were still up for trouble and ran three-wide for second
place, holding up the faster cars of "Big Tiny" Dan Gosda and Dan Birkett. The
two patiently waited for the pack to settle down before passing for position. Winters
advantage was cut in half when heavy lapped traffic became a major player late in the
race. Birkett looked to the outside but filed back into line due to the lapped cars.
Birkett took over the top spot with eight laps remaining in the 20-lap
affair, but wasn't able to keep it across the line due to a caution being thrown. The
finish was just as close as the race had started, Winters coming out on top, Birkett a
close second, and the rest of the field side-by-side thereafter.
Rick Verdon was the man on the move in the Backup race. He took advantage of his favorable
starting spot and ran away from the field. Mark Remsik, the point leader, gave him a run
for his money but just didn't have the winning combination. Remsik settled for second,
Steve Oetzel coming in third.
For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here
RESULTS
Late Model
Qualifying: Andy Wendt, Watertown, 13.567 secs.
Heat Winners: Brent Knight, Watertown; Chuck Egli, Waterloo
Feature: Clayton Braaksma, Beaver Dam; Ty James, Oconomowoc; Jerry Auby, Sun
Prairie; Nick Wendt, Watertown; Tony Schuchardt, Oregon; A. Wendt; Dean Schultz, Juneau;
Bill Retallick, Marshall; John Wasserburger, Poynette; Ron Retallick, Deerfield
Street Stock
Qualifying: Bret Schmidt, Watertown 14.190 secs.
Heat Winners: Rikki Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; Joe Roatch, Brooklyn
Feature: Dennis Schwark, Sun Prairie; Schmidt; Randy Padfield, Edgerton; Joe Raotch,
Brooklyn; Luke Padfield, Jefferson
Hobby Stock
Qualifying: Terry Wangsness, Delavan 15.341 secs.
Heat Winners: Mike Amador, Mazomaine, Alan Dorn, Waterloo; Lincoln Keeser, Johnson Creek
Feature: Larry Moen, Madison; Keeser; Jim Tate, Jr., Watertown; Gary Pashley, York Center;
Terry Wangsness, Delavan
Bandit
Qualifying: Bryan Johnson, Stoughton 16.091 secs.
Heat Winners: Matt Reuter, Columbus; Mike Winters, Sun Prairie; Johnson
Feature: Winters; Dan Birkett, Lodi; Dan Gosda, Sun Prairie; Johnson; Troy Yohn, Waterloo
FIRA
Qualifying: Vern Brown, Waunakee
Feature: Vern Brown, Waunakee; Grant Greenfield, Waupun; Jim Bass, Waunakee; Deron Debore,
Brandon; Don Fort, Delavan |
