June 4, 2004; Columbus, WI. - A field of 26 Limited Late Models was on hand for the second round of the Pepsi Triple 60s Friday evening at the Columbus 151 Speedway. Eighteen made the show on time, while two advanced from a semi-feature qualifier event. Ty James and Ken Scott made up the front row of the field for the main event. James took early command of the 20-car Late Model feature field. Kyle Jarlsberg, the winner of round 1, was forced to start near the back of the pack, making the show only by advancing through the semi-feature.

Photo Highlights

Bill Retalick shows the youngins what it takes to win a Late Model Feature, picking up the win in round 2 of the Pepsi Triple 60's. Brent Gergen (#38) passes Dale Weatherwax (#33) on his way to a Street Stock Feature win. Brian Paulson (#41) tries to hold off the charging of Bryan Johnson (#44) as he passes him on his way to a Bandit Feature win. Mark Remsik charges across the finish line ahead of last years track champion Rick Verdon (#83)

On lap 11, a bobble in turn 3 stacked the middle of the field: Jarlsberg held on to avoid serious damage; Dean Schultz nearly put his machine on its side. With 10 laps officially in the books, the leaders wer! e Ty James, Duane Deppe, Chris Ratajczyk, Chico Riedner, and Denny Bergeron rounding out the top five. Ken Scott and Clayton Braaksma made contact in turn four, bringing the field under caution again on lap 23.

Bill Retallick came out of the woodwork, making a triumphant pass on the outside for the lead at the halfway point of the race. The two grooves of the track were hot, and Aaron Wilke and Chris Ratajczyk picked up on Retallick's logic. Always a contender at the Speedway, fast-time qualifier Andy Wendt was running in sixth with twenty laps remaining. Lapped traffic became a factor on lap 50. Retallick's lead closed up fast and Wilke was ready to race for the win.

However, the lineup changed on lap 56 when Ken Scott's solo spin from fifth place required tow truck assistance for Jarlsberg and Bergeron. Ron Bishofberger left the track under his own power. 64-year-old Retallick, 1971 Columbus 151 Speedway Super Late Model track champion won the thrilling second round of th! e Triple 60s challenge.

Brent Gergen took the early lead in the Street Stock feature. Gergen was able to pull ahead since Dan Schmidt had a mirror full of Dale Weatherwax breathing down his throat for second place. The field was brought under caution nine laps in to avoid Dustin Ward's solo spin in turn three. Bret Schmidt took advantage of the single-file restart, working on second by lap 20. Gergen won, Bret Schmidt coming across the line a foot in front of Dan Schmidt for second and third place, respectively.

Tylor Schultz started the Hobby Stock feature mid-pack, but was at the point by only the fifth lap. The race for much of the event was for fourth place between Gary Pashley and Larry Moen. Schultz won the contest and took home a case of Pepsi with the other division feature winners.

Checkered Flag Racing News columnist Charlie Spry started his first appearance of the '04 season by leading the first few laps of the Bandit feature without contest. To change things up, the division raced the "wrong way" around the track so that no driver in the beginner's class was able to set up his/her car. 2003 Bandit Champion Brian Paulson took the lead thereafter, but Bryan Johnson made maintaining the lead no easy task for Paulson. The two raced sided-by-side for several laps, despite lapped traffic. The crowd was on its feet eyeing up the drama trackside, but was able to sit down on lap 12 with a disabling caution of Matthew Reuter. Johnson won the photo finish over Paulson.

As a promotion, Pepsi encouraged children ages 12 and under to pick up a free T-shirt at the gate. Those wearing the T-shirt in following weeks will receive free merchandise and discounts on concessions.

The Columbus 151 Speedway races Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Bandits, and Backup cars every Friday night. Coming up June 11 will be the annual Summer Rumble with the Jefferson Speedway - two nights, two tracks, and one winner. To accommodate the increased amount of cars, gates will open at 4:00, qualifying at 6:15 (possibly as early as 6:00), with racing to follow at 8:00. More information can be found online at www.racingonline.com/columbus151.

For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here

Results


Late Model:
Fast qualifier: Andy Wendt, Watertown, 13.594 sec.
Heats: 1) Jason Deppe, Waterloo 2) John Wasserburger, Poynette 3) Chico Riedner, Waunakee
Semi: J. Deppe; Kyle Jarlsberg, Cambridge
Feature: (1-5) Bill Retallick, Marshall; Aaron Wilke, Waterloo; Wendt; Ty James, Oconomowoc; Duane Deppe, Waterloo
(6-10) Steve Dobbratz, Rio; Chris Ratajczyk, West Bend; Riedner; Rob Retallick, Deerfield; Don Mattrisch, Fort Atkinson
(11-15) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson; Wasserburger; Clayton Braaksma, Beaver Dam; J. Deppe; Ken Scott, Rio
(16-20) Denny Bergeron, Waterloo; Ron Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; Jarlsberg; Dean Schultz, Juneau; Mike Held, West Bend

Street Stock:
Fast qualifier: Bret Schmidt, Watertown, 14.384 sec.
Heats: 1) Brent Gergen, Jefferson 2) Randy Padfield, Edgerton
Feature: (1-5) Gergen; B. Schmidt; Dan Schmidt, Watertown; Dale Weatherwax, Columbus; Kevin Anderson, Cottage Grove
(6-10) Luke Padfield, Jefferson; Grant Lindner, Poynette; Justin Schultz, Rio; Craig Olver, DeForest; Bobby Stough Jr., Waunakee (11-15) Jim Rohrbeck, Portage; Don Trush, Sun Prairie; Dennis Schwark, Sun Prairie; Joe Roatch, Brooklyn; Dustin Ward, Beaver Dam (16-18) Rikki Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson; R. Padfield; Bobbi Bishofberger, Fort Atkinson

Hobby Stock:
Fast Qualifier: Gary Pashley, York Center, 15.635 sec.
Heats: 1) Mike Kearney, Rio 2) Lincoln Keeser, Jefferson
Feature: (1-5) Tylor Schultz, Rio; Keeser; Jim Tate Jr., Watertown; Larry Moen, Madison; Pashley (6-10) Kearney; Andy Raley, Fall River; Mike Amador, Mazomanie; Ryan Zielski, Oconomowoc; Bryon Piller, Watertown

Bandit:
Fast qualifier: Troy Yohn, Waterloo, 16.595 sec.
Heats: 1) David Sletten, Madison 2) Brian Paulson, Edgerton
Feature: (1-5) Bryan Johnson, Stoughton; Paulson; Mike Winters, Sun Prairie; Dan Birkett, Lodi; Yohn (6-10) Dan Gosda, Sun Prairie; Sletten; Mike Storkson, Madison; Travis Schneeberg, Sun Prairie; Richard Boyce, Marshall (11-15) Tina Remsik, Watertown; Kyle Stark, Waterloo; Linda Carignan, Pardeeville; Charlie Spry, Orfordville; Keith Bell, Brodhead (16-18) Tiffany Desjarlais, Columbus; Ryan Oetzel, Marshall; Matthew Reuter, Columbus

Backup: Mark Remsik, Deerfield