|
Victory Donut for Rookie
Schmidt at Columbus 151
By Jim Remsik |
July 15, 2005; Columbus, WI. - Watertown's Brett
Schmidt had plenty to celebrate Friday night as he scored a victory in the Rod
"Pinky" Johnson Memorial Late Model Feature. The jubilant Schmidt performed a
victory donut to the crowd after the 35-lap event.
Schmidt and Bill Retallick (Marshall) brought the field to the line. On the
flagman's signal Schmidt jumped out to an almost immediate lead while Retallick struggled
in the high groove with apparent traction problems. Caution would slow the race on lap
four for contact between Jim Syvrud (Portage) and Tyler James (Oconomowoc) with Allen
Petrie (Sun Prairie) spinning to avoid the incident.
Brett Schmidt would maintain the lead on the restart followed by the Ford of Mike Taylor
(Stoughton) and Ron Bishofberger (Fort Atkinson). Lapped traffic made an appearance on lap
Seventeen in the form Tim Petrie (Whitewater) who was experiencing his first night of
racing at Columbus 151 Speedway in the '05 season. The yellow flag flew again on
lap twenty-six for debris on the racetrack. The field got up to speed only to be slowed on
lap thirty as Syvrud and Clayton Braaksma (Beaver Dam) made contact and Jeremy Hartwig
(Oregon) nearly avoiding the whole incident. Hartwig made minor contact and slowed to a
stop in front of the flagman as flames crept out from under his hood until the safety crew
diffused the situation. At the end of the thirty-five laps Schmidt held a couple car
length lead over Taylor, Bishofberger, Jerry Eckhardt (Johnson Creek) and Bill Retallick.
Nick Wendt picked up the first heat race win in the Late Model Division. Kurt Clapper of
Dane set fast time on the evening with a 13.570 second lap around the quarter-mile oval.
The Street Stock Division featured one of the most prolific rivalries in motor sports
history. Ken Morris (Madison) had the pole-position in his Chevrolet and was flanked by
Stoughton's Kyle Taylor and his Ford Thunderbird. As the green flag fell Morris jumped out
to the early lead Taylor fell back to second although he stayed in the high groove. The
race for the third position was tight between Jim Rohrbeck (Portage), Dale Weatherwax
(Columbus), and Dustin Ward (Beaver Dam).
Caution slowed the field briefly on lap ten although after the restart the top five went
right back to their pre-caution positions and grooves. Taylor jumped to the outside on
Morris and Weatherwax went to the high groove and Ward took the vacant track behind
Rohrbeck. By lap thirteen Weatherwax had cleared Rohrbeck for third and was being followed
by Grant Lindner (Poynette).
Meanwhile back at the front an epic battle was being waged as the Ford and Chevy were
racing side-by-side lap after lap. Taylor led a lap for the first-time on lap eighteen and
Morris took the lead back on lap nineteen. Taylor regained the advantage on lap twenty but
caution fell before the lap was completed. Dustin Ward broke a rotor and lost his wheel
coming out of turn four and slammed hard in to the concrete barrier. Going back to the
last fully completed lap gave Ken Morris the lead on the restart. Kyle Taylor jumped right
back the outside groove and ran door-to-door for the lead. Four laps to go. Three. Two.
One. On the last lap Weatherwax got into the back of Morris causing them both to slide up
the track. Both would recover and at the line it was, Kyle Taylor picking up the win
followed by Morris, Weatherwax, Kevin Anderson (Cottage Grove), and Grant Lindner.
Chico Riedner (Waunakee) and Bobbi Bishofberger (Fort Atkinson) both registered heat race
victories. Fast time in the Street Stocks a 14.110 lap turned in by Kevin Anderson.
Nick Newton (Jefferson) and Tim Lange (Dousman) brought the 20-lap Hobby Stock feature to
the line. Newton would hold the early advantage until lap two when Travis Schneeberg
(Cottage Grove) snuck underneath him on the back straightaway. Newton would be
black-flagged on lap five for leaking fuel. On lap seven Tylor Schultz came rocketing to
the front of the pack from his fifth row starting position. Fast qualifier Jim Tate Jr.
(Watertown, 15.377) moved in to second position on lap nine. Schultz separated from the
field and had a straightaway advantage on Tate. Tate caught Schultz on lap twelve and
applied pressure every lap until the checkers. At the line it was Schultz, Tate, Lincoln
Keeser (Whitewater), Larry Moen (Madison), and Mike Storkson (Evansville).
Dan Gosda (Sun Prairie) and Larry Moen each won their respective heat races.
The front row of the Bandit feature was all wet with Kyle Watters (Sun Prairie) on the
inside and Sean Watters (Sun Prairie) on the outside. The 18-lap main event was run
clockwise, the opposite direction of the majority of the program. Sean Watters jumped to
the early lead and would later be re-joined by Kyle on the outside. Watters and Watters
raced side-by-side for several laps and were joined by a pair of Riedners, Brandon and
Kyle (Waunakee). Kyle Watters left an opening in the middle. Brandon Riedner split the
Watters and took the lead on lap eleven. Rory Padfield (Stoughton) used the outside to
take second place on lap fourteen. Caution came on lap fifteen for contact between Kevin
Weaver (De Forest) and Rodney Mundt (Johnson Creek). At the line Brandon Riedner was
followed by Ryan DeStefano (Colgate), Sean Watters, Ryan Hart (Edgerton) and Padfield.
Dustin Oostberg (Slinger), Rodney Mundt, and Ryan Hart won the Bandit heat races. Fast
time was registered by Tim Bleaker (Watertown) who turned in a 16.183 second lap. Rookie
Ben Monday of Marshall picked up a victory in the Semi Feature event and transferred to
the main event with Dustin Oostberg.
Rick Verdon of Fitchburg scored a victory in the 8-lap Wild & Crazy Back-up Event.
Wayne Hook (Oregon) got the jump at the line with Verdon taking the lead on the back
stretch of lap one and running away with it. Dave Moore (McFarland) took second followed
by George Wachuta (Brooklyn), Ryan Oetzel (Brodhead), Hook, and Scott Hart (Beaver Dam)
On Tap:
July 22 AUTO ARMOR NIGHT; TRAILER RACES; Kids Drawing/Color Contest
July 29 MILLER 50; 50 Lap Late Model Feature; ROLL OVER CONTEST; Toy Toss
at intermission
August 5 DICK MOORE MEMORIAL RACE; 50 lap Late Model Feature; 30 lap
Street Stock Feature; 25 lap Hobby Stock Feature; Book night give away
For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here
|
