July 1, 2005; Columbus, WI. - Fireworks by the Thundercats brought a great night of racing to a close Friday at Columbus 151 Speedway. Hobby Stock, Street Stock and Late Model feature races were run to make-up for the rain-shortened program of a week ago.

Photo Highlights

#1 Rob Retallick races #65 Jim Syvrud for the Late Model make-up Feature win. #26 Chico Riedner overtakes #12 Scott Lawver for the Street Stock Feature win. Bobbi Bishofberger #01 edges out #30 Grant Lindner for the Make-Up Street Stock Feature win. #10  Larry Moen edges #27 Jim Tate Jr. for the win in the Make-Up Hobby Stock Feature.  #86 Tylor Schultz works his way through the pack to win the Hobby Stock Feature.

The Hobby Stock Make-Up Feature was lined up on the track for opening
ceremonies. The nine-laps ran last week were wiped from the books as a complete restart was prescribed. The new front row featured Doug Pashrig and Gary Haarklau replacing Kevin Zielski who was not in attendance. On the first circuit Dan Gosda got out of shape coming out of turn four. He would nearly recover before collecting Lincoln Keeser and the front straight wall. On the fresh start Pashrig got the early jump but would push hard into turn one allowing Haarklau to take over the lead. Larry Moen used the outside groove to get challenge for the lead, finally succeeding on lap three. Jim Tate Jr. used the same groove to get from his fourth row starting position to second place in just five laps. Tate gave chase but would wind-up about four feet short as Larry Moen scored the win. Following Tate across the line in third was Alan Dorn, then Haarklau and Mike Storkson.

In the postponed 25-lap Street Stock feature Bobbi Bishofberger and Dan Schmidt of Watertown brought the field up to speed. Schmidt was suffering from apparent handling problems and would turn the race single-file in a matter of laps. Chasing Bishofberger were Grant Lindner of Poynette and Dustin Ward. Current point leader Kevin Anderson would move from fifth row to fourth place by lap five. Don Trush worked his way up on the outside and touched tires with Kyle
Taylor causing Trush to fall back again. As they crossed the finish line Bishofberger would pick up the win followed by Lindner, Ward, Anderson and Taylor.

Rob Retallick and Mike Taylor brought the final make-up event, the 35-Lap Late Model Feature, to the line. Retallick would grab the early lead with Jim Syvrud of Portage and Mike Taylor tucking in behind him. Taylor developed a bad push sliding-up nearly half a groove each corner. Jefferson's Jason Thoma would break the third place barrier on lap sixteen with Watertown's Andy Wendt in tow. Retallick meanwhile had built up a straightaway advantage over Thoma with Syvrud trying to chase him down. Syvrud would close only when Retallick slowed for lapped traffic. The win would go to Retallick followed by Syvrud, Thoma, Wendt and Rookie Tim Woollen who fought hard to get past the very wide Taylor.

The night then officially began with Bandit Heat Race action with Tyler Kelley (Oregon), Rodney Mundt (Johnson Creek), Tom Bleaker (Watertown), and Bud Riedner (Waunakee) all winning their respective heats. Bryan Johnson would pace the four-cylinder division with a time of 16.033. The Bandit Semi Feature also belonged to Tyler Kelly who transferred to the main event with Kyle Watters (Sun Prairie).

Hobby Stock heat race wins were recorded by Watertown's Jim Tate Jr. (Fast Time: 15.344) and Russ  icholson (Stoughton). Street Stock preliminaries were awarded to John Remsik (Watertown), Chico Riedner (Waunakee), and defending track champion Brett Schmidt (Watertown). Don Trush set fast time with a circuit in 13.954 seconds. Jerry Eckhardt (Johnson Creek) set fast time in the Late Model Division at 13.299. Ron Bishofberger (Fort Atkinson) and Mike Taylor (Stoughton) picked up wins in Late Model heat races.

The Cherry Bomb 50 would roll to the line with Jason Thoma and Dean Schultz pacing the field. As the cars nearly completed the first lap Tim Woollen (Sun Prairie) got sideways near the front of the field. A scary moment followed as Jim Syvrud went for a ride well above the racing surface climbing the pile that was in front of him. The incident collected a number of cars all of whom would continue except for Syvrud and Tyler James (Oconomowoc). James appeared to suffer the most damage. A complete restart ensued with Dean Schultz (Juneau) running away from the field. Lapped traffic would become a factor as early as lap twelve. Kurt Clapper (Dane) picked up the second position. Andy Wendt would make his way around Jason Thoma for third just before the caution fell on lap twenty-six for a spinning Paul Kisow (Marshall). On the restart the lapped traffic allowed Schultz to regain his several car-length lead. Schultz would go on to score the
victory followed by Clapper, Wendt, Don Gaserude (Fort Atkinson) and Thoma.

Visiting driver Scott Lawver (Roscoe) along with Dennis Schwark (Sun Prairie) would pace the thirty-lap Street Stock feature. Lawver pulled out front early while being chased by Troy Yohn (Waterloo). Chico Riedner would apply pressure to Yohn by lap twelve and be awarded the position on the lap-seventeen restart for a spinning Rich Rothwell (Madison). As the green fell Lawver and Riedner pulled away from the field. Lawver slipped up the track a little in turn three of lap
twenty-one. That was as much of an opening as Riedner's "Tijuana Taxi" needed, officially taking the lead on lap twenty-three. Caution would fall one lap later as Ken Morris (Madison) and Brett Schmidt got together and Schmidt went sideways down the front straight. More of the same as Riedner and Lawver separated from the field on the restart. Riedner would lead Laver to the checkered flag followed by Yohn, Dan Schmidt (Watertown), and Dale Weatherwax (Cambria).

For the second time during the evening Doug Pashrig (West Bend) would bring the Hobby Stock Feature to the line, this time with Travis Schneeberg (Cottage Grove) outside row one. Schneeberg jumped out to an early lead with Tylor Schultz joining him on the outside. For the next eighteen laps the pair would race side by side in the longest, closest race all night. John Robinson (Beloit) power past Schneeberg but wouldn't be left with enough time to take the lead. Schultz would
edge Robinson at the line followed by Schneeberg, Larry Moen (Madison), and Lincoln Keeser (Whitewater). Schneeberg failed the post race technical inspection.

Track officials made up for the lack of an extended feature in the Bandit division by racing the division clockwise. The eighteen-lap event was brought to the line by Tom Bleaker and Casey Strese both hailing from Watertown. Bleaker would take the lead early and hold it until the caution fell on lap three. Kyle Smith (Lake Mills) appeared to forget the race was being run clockwise as he turned left going into turn one nearly clobbering the outside retaining wall but stopping just short. Kyle Riedner (Waunakee) would catch Bleaker but ran out of time. Bleaker scored the win followed by Riedner, Shaun
Scheel (Johnson Creek), Ryan Hart and Brian Paulson both of Edgerton.

In Wild & Crazy Back-Up racing action Rick Verdon (Fitchburg) jumped out to the early lead. He appeared to have the race in hand when he spun on his own leaving the door wide open for current point leader George Wachuta (Brooklyn). Wachuta would win by a large margin followed by Verdon, Ryan Oetzel (Brodhead), Dave Moore (McFarland), and Scott Hart (Madison).

On Tap:
Fri 8 MILLER 50; 50 lap Late Model Feature; ROLL OVER CONTEST; Toy Toss at intermission
Fri 15 ROD "PINKY' JOHNSON MEMORIAL RACE; CHAIN (3 CAR) RACES; FORMULA INDY RACING ASSOC; NASCAR giveaway

For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here