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Riedner Columbus 151 Winner;
Wendt Pepsi Champion!
By Natasha Fabian |
August 13, 2004; Columbus, WI. - Scott
"Chico" Riedner took home his first Late Model feature win at the Columbus 151
Speedway Friday night in the Pepsi 60-lap main event. Riedner, starting from the inside of
the second row had no problem making his way to the front to lead the majority of the
race. Several incidents on the track brought the field together under caution, but no one
was close to catching Riedner until the end when Andy Wendt placed his bid on the top
spot, however the bid wasn't enough to do the job.
Wendt still left the racing surface victorious, however, being declared the
overall winner in the Pepsi Triple 60s championship. The series championship has always
been a prestigious one, several well-known drivers clinching the title in years passed. In
1993, the first winner was NASCAR Nextel Cup rookie Scott Wimmer. ASA Late Model driver
Pete Moore won the title in both 1994 and 1995. Wisconsin Challenge Series superstar Chris
Weinkauf won in 1996, and Mike Langsdorf in 1997. Scott Patrick won back-to-back titles in
1998 and 1999. Jason Erickson topped the competition to win in 2000, Greg Bowers in 2001,
Rob Retallick in 2002, and '03 track champion Andy Tomlinson in 2003.
For the first time, all four Bishofbergers raced at the Columbus 151 Speedway. Ron,
father, raced in the Late Model division finishing ninth in the feature after starting
back in the 21 spot. Ron's 19-year-old daughter, Rikki, competed in the Street Stock
division, finishing eighth in a feature race she started in the sixteenth spot. Bobbi, his
17-year-old daughter, won the feature race in the Street Stocks, and 14-year-old son Zeke
won his heat race in the Bandit division.
Bishofberger led the Street Stock feature from start to finish. Grant Lindner challenged
her for the first four laps, but she gained the advantage and Lindner slipped back to
battle Tony Chase for second. Joe Roatch then challenge Lindner for third, getting the
position on lap nine. Chase was ready to make his move on Bishofberger any way he could,
but his ill-handling car made it impossible to get around her. The action really heated up
on lap 15, when multiple three-wide instances upset the field. Randy Padfield, Roatch, and
Grant Lindner made contact in turn three and the field stacked up behind them, as Lindner
slid sideways to become a barricade. A late-race caution made for a green-white-checkered
finish from starter Gary Ziegler. Bishofberger was the undisputed winner, Justin Schultz,
Dale Weatherwax, Don Truch, and Kevin Anderson following suit behind her.
Jim Tate was the winner in the Hobby Stock main event. Starting seventh, he steadily
worked his way through the field while Mike Amador and Brandon Johnson battled for the
lead. The race was a close battle throughout the pack, the worst crash involving Gary
Pashley and Lincoln Keeser, which sent Pashley hard into the implement tire on the front
straightaway at the end of the race.
Rookie driver Bryan Johnson recorded a clean sweep in the four-cylinder Bandit program. In
qualifying he set a new track record, the fist time a Bandit had broken into the
fifteen-second bracket. Johnson advanced from seventh to win his heat race, and made the
hard charge from fifteenth on the starting grid to win the feature. The race went
virtually caution-free,
giving the fastest drivers the opportunity to make it to the front of the pack.
Steve Oetzel took the checkered flag first in the Backup race, in which drivers pilot
vehicles in reverse around the race track, driving over their shoulder. Point leader Mark
Remsik didn't start the race, tightening up the championship field.
This Friday night, August 20, is Sherman's Garage and Body Shop night at the races,
including a full racing program of Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, four-cylinder
Bandits, and wild and crazy Backup cars. It's also the trailer races. Anyone can enter and
the rules are simple. Just get a car and attach a trailer to it and bring it out to the
speedway for a fan-favorite event. The trailer races are fun for the entire family and
there is no increase in admission for the night. Adults are $8, seniors and students $6,
ages 6-10 $2, and five and under get in free. Qualifying is at 6:30, racing at 8:00. For
more information, log on to www.racingonline.com/columbus151.
For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here
Results
Late Model
Qual: Andy Wendt, Watertown 13.590 secs
Heat Winners: Mike Taylor, Stoughton; Bill Retallick, Marshall; Scott "Chico"
Riedner, Waunakee
Feature: Riedner; Wendt; Nick Wendt, Watertown; Aaron Wilke, Waterloo; Mark Miller,
Columbus (6-10) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson; B. Retallick; John Wasserburger, Poynette;
Ron Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; Tony Schuchardt, Watertown(11-15) Don Mattrisch, Fort
Atkinson; Dean Schultz, Juneau; Delbert Desjarlais, Columbus; Ty James, Oconomowoc;
Taylor(16-20) Rob Retallick, Deerfield; Jason Deppe, Waterloo; Kyle Jarlsberg, Cambrbidge;
Duane Deppe, Waterloo; Clayton Braaksma, Beaver Dam
Street Stock
Qual: Don Trush, Sun Prairie 14.163 secs
Heat Winners: James Helmer, Ixonia; Craig Henning, Helenville; Randy Padfield, Edgerton
Feature: Bobbi Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; Dale Weatherwax, Cambria; Justin Schultz, Rio;
Trush; Kevin Anderson, Cottage Grove
Hobby Stock
Qual: Gary Pashley, York Center 15.278 secs
Heat Winners: Jim Tate, Jr., Watertown; Brandon Johnson, DeForest
Feature: Tate; Larry Moen, Madison; Tylor Schultz, Rio; Pashley; Mike Amador, Mazomanie
Bandit
Qual: Bryan Johnson, Stoughton 15.976 secs NTR
Heat Winners: Zeke Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; Dan Birkett, Lodi; Johnson
Feature: Johnson; "Big Tiny" Dan Gosda, Sun Prairie; Birkett; Ryan Hart,
Edgerton; Brandon Riedner, Waunakee
Backup Cars
Feature: Steve Oetzel, Marshall; Jim Remsik; George Wachuta, Brooklyn; Dave Moore,
McFarland; Tom Gross, Sun Prairie
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