Season Championships Cut Short by Rain!
1997 Champions Crowned!

By Jeff Pederson

September 13, 1997; Plymouth, WI. - Three repeat track champions were officially crowned as the 1997 Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car racing season came to a close during the rain-shortened End-of-Season Championships, on Saturday night at the Sheboygan County Fair Park.

	He's number 3?? Pete Ostrowski and his crew raise three fingers to signify his three Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Winger Super Modified championships. Ostrowski successfully defended his title in 1997 and earned his third track title. The other championships came in 1994 and 1996.
Ken Jay Fiedler did all he could on the final night of racing to try and take the Winged Super Modified title from Pete Ostrowski. Fiedler set quick time to open the evenings events, but never had an opportunity to compete in the feature race due to the rainout. Fiedler had a successful season finishing second overall in the point standings.

Pete Ostrowski of Milwaukee claimed his third career Winged Super Modified title by 72 points over Sheboygan Falls driver Ken Jay Fiedler by a 990 to 918 point margin.

Ostrowski also captured the EWSC Winged Super Modified title in 1994 and 1996.

In the Limited Late Model division, defending champion Steve Hoffmann of Plymouth collected his second track championship by 62 points over Fredonia's Dave Jessen (504 points to 442 points).

Tim Thompson of Campbellsport walked away with his second track title in the Super Stock division. Thompson edged Elkhart Lake's Brian Gilles by just three points (191 to 188 ) in the hotly contested points race.

Two in a row!! Steve Hoffmann of Plymouth, WI. had been the man to catch all year in the Limited Late Model division. Hoffmann with consistent performances and two feature wins earned his second consecutive track title.	The top two battle in the heat race! Steve Hoffmann (#14) wrapped up the track title in the Limited Late Model division last week. Here he does battle with number two point man Dave Jessen (#51) prior to the rain.

The shortened End-of-Season Championship program was plagued by steady rain showers which descended on the third-mile clay oval during the Winged Super Modified B- Semi-feature and Limited Late Model feature races. After 12 laps of Limited Late Model feature action, extremely wet track conditions finally forced EWSC officials to cancel all three End-of-Season feature events.

The racing program was considered complete and points were split up equally between all drivers who were set to compete in the Winged Super Modified, Limited Late Model and Super Stock feature races.

A stark contrast in ending the race season! Left; Butch Hafemann (#18) who started the year off by winning the Best Appearing Car at the Let's Go Motorsports show ended the season on a sour note when he flipped his sharp looking Winged Super Modified. In the right photo, Troy Wondra (#32) sits in victory lane after winning his heat on the final night of racing.

The EWSC website will present off season racing news as it develops so be sure to check back often. A complete race report from the awards banquet will be online after it takes place, and information on the upcoming 1998 season will be available here.

Have a safe off season.. see you in 1998.

RESULTS

Limited Late Models HEAT WINNERS FIRST HEAT: #57 Rodney Michaels, Cleveland SECOND HEAT: #75 Dale Bauer, Sheboygan Falls THIRD HEAT: #69 Rick Thompson, Campbellsport FOURTH HEAT: #85 Tim Carman, Sheboygan FAST QUALIFIER: #7 Randy Harshbarger, Campbellsport,.......15.941 Seconds Mr. Fast Time!! Randy Harshbarger posed with a familiar flag after setting yet another quick time in the Limited Late Model division. During the year he posted more fast time efforts than any driver in any division at the Sheboygan County Fair Park Speedway.

The closest title chase! Tim Thompson won his second Super Stock title by a mere three points over Brian Gilles who mounted a late season charge. Thompson took a win in the third heat race during the evening, and when rain cancelled the feature event, it secured the title for the Campbellsport, WI. driver.

Feature races for all divisions were cancelled by rain!