June 15, 2007; Columbus, WI. - Stoughton's Mike Taylor came out on top after a furious side by side battle over the final 22 laps to win the 35 lap late model main event at Columbus 151 Speedway.  Rocky Breezer and Jeff Falbe paced the field to the start.  Entering turn one, Breezer slid up the track, opening the bottom lane and allowing Taylor to drive underneath. Taylor, Breezer and Falbe made it a three wide battle down the backstretch for the top spot.  Taylor took control entering turn three as Breezer pulled in behind for second. 

Photo Highlights

Mike Taylor enjoys his trip to victory lane after a hard fought win in the Late Model feature contest. #34 Dean Schultz chases #41 Mike Taylor to the Late Model Feature finish. Bud Riedner takes home the Street Stock Feature win. Vern Brown won the Formula Indy Association Feature event. Rookie Kyle Stark, won the Hobby Stock Feature. #71 Jamie Dunn leads the Hobby Stocks with #20 Gary Pashley and # 92 Kyle Stark hot on her heels. Rookie Stephen Sheel won the Bandit Feature.   George Wachuta wins the Back-Up Feature. #11 Dave Moore tries to hold on to the lead while #39 George Wachuta advances.

A series of three cautions in four laps served to jumble the field behind the leaders, but Taylor remained out front followed by Breezer, John Wasserburger and Bobbi Bishofberger.  Wasserburger moved into second on the outside of Breezer just as the fourth and final caution flew on lap 13.  Using the competition cone, Dean Schultz entered the top five, and on the restart, charged to the outside of Taylor for the lead.  The two competitors waged an intense side by side battle for the lead for the next 22 laps.  Making only slight contact twice, they traded the advantage back and forth.  Schultz looked to loose his grip with five laps to go, but regained his control and pulled back even with Taylor.  But Schultz didn't have quite enough to pull off a pass for the win as Taylor crossed the line in front for his first feature win since 2003.  Rounding out the top five were Schultz, Wasserburger, Breezer and Bishofberger.  Steve Dobratz scored fast time in qualifying with a lap of 13.342.  Heat winners included Shaun Scheel and Jerry Auby.

Bud Riedner of Waunakee inherited the lead with five laps remaining to drive to the win in the 25 lap street stock feature event.  Dan Gosda and Mike Amador made up the front row at the start with Gosda gaining the lead on lap one.  Dennis Schwark followed him underneath Amador for second with Jim Rohrbeck in third.  On lap ten, Schwark went to the high side looking to get by Gosda which allowed Rohrbeck to slide under for the second spot when Schwark couldn't hold on.

Rohrbeck began to look for a way by the leader, as they raced each other hard over the next 10 laps.  On lap 20, Gosda became slightly loose exiting turn four and Rohrbeck made slight contact with the leader.  Gosda slid to the infield as the caution waved over the speedway.  Both drivers were sent to the rear of the field for the restart, which handed the top spot to Riedner with Tim Syvrud in second.  Once the green returned, Riedner cruised to the checkers with Syvrud, Don Trush, Kevin Anderson and Scott Lawver completing the top five.  Lawver also set fast time with a lap of  14.115 while heat winners were Johnny Robinson and Tony Showers.

Kyle Stark of Waterloo won his first feature of the season taking home the victory in the 20 lap hobby stock feature.  Jarrod Sutherland and Zach Schmidt lead the field to green as they battled side by side for the opening three laps.  Sutherland finally gained control of the lead on lap four as Jamie Dunn moved into second.  The trio of Stark, Jim Tate and Gary Pashley moved through the field and into the top five on lap nine.  The three traded positions with Sutherland and Dunn showed the way until lap 14 when Dunn spun in turn two bringing out the caution. 

Under the yellow, it was determined that Sutherland was leaking fluids from his machine and he was sent to the pit area. Track officials allowed Dunn to retake her spot in front of the field as a result.  On the restart, Stark moved to the inside of Dunn while Pashley went to the outside making a three wide battle for the lead. Stark won the battle and took control of the top spot while Dunn slid back.  Jim Tate took advantage of this to move into second behind Stark.  As the white flag flew, Tate looked to the high side of Stark for the lead, but Stark proved too strong as he took the checkers first followed by Tate, Pashley, Mike Storkson and Dustin Ward.  In qualifying, Tate set a new track record for the hobby stocks with a lap of 15.137.  Zach Schmidt took top honors in the heat race.

Stephen Scheel of Lake Mills charged through the field to take the win in the 18 lap bandit feature event.  Starting from the outside of row six, Scheel entered the top five on lap eight.  While Ryan Hart paced the field Scheel was picking off cars on the high side moving to fourth on lap ten and third a lap later with Gary Stark in tow. Scheel motored past Hart for the lead on lap 12 with Stark moving into second and Sean Watters following into third.  The top three drove away from the field over the final six laps with Scheel crossing under the checkers first followed by Stark, Watters, Mike Clapper and Rory Padfield.  Jake Wasserburger was quick qualifier on the evening with a lap of 16.084 while heat winners included James Bohling, Kyle Watters and Joe Cross.

   In wild and crazy back up action, Brooklyn's George Wachuta took top honors in the 8 lap feature event.  Dave Moore took the initial lead on the first lap with Ryan Oetzel right behind.  Oetzel slapped the backstretch wall on lap three which ended his night.  Wachuta inherited second and immediately went to work on the leader, making the winning pass on lap five.  Wachuta cruised to the win followed by Moore in second and Bruce Havel in third.

Also joining the program was the Formula Indy Racing Association. Vern Brown of Waunakee claimed the 20 lap FIRA feature event coming from row two on the start.  Tim Roach grabbed the early lead on lap one, but as the pack exited turn four, Brown drove underneath Roach and took the top spot away.  Kai McNulty and Grant Greenfield moved
into second and third respectively a lap later.  Brown showed the way over the final 19 laps as he crossed the line in first with Greenfield, Jim Bass, Neil Guillentine and Roach rounding out the top five.  Pacing the field in qualifying was Jim Bass while Guillentine won the heat race.

   Next Friday, June 22, is a full program in all divisions sponsored by the Brothers of the Third Wheel.  Time trials begin at 6:30 withracing at 8 pm.  Please visit www.racingonline.com/columbus151 for  more information.

For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here