November 1, 1997; Kiel, WI. - Three newly crowned track champions were officially honored for their outstanding performance during the 1997 Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car season at the 37th annual awards and point payoff banquet Saturday night at Millhome Supper Club in Kiel.
A grand total of 102 drivers also earned individual accolades for their participation in the 20 race 1997 EWSC point series at the Sheboygan County Fair park third-mile clay oval track in Plymouth.
| Pete Ostrowski - 1997 EWSC Winged Super Modified Champion | ||
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Pete
Ostrowski (left) holds the championship trophy
with car owner Randy Luedtke (right). Ostrowski used consistent performances throughout the season which included six top five feature finishes including a feature win, to earn his third season title. Ostrowski hopes to earn his third consecutive championship in 1998! |
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However, the spotlight belonged to Winged Super Modified champion Pete Ostrowski of Milwaukee, Limited Late Model titlist Steve Hoffmann of Plymouth, and Super Stock champ Tim Thompson of Campbellsport throughout most of the evening's festivities.
Ostrowski racked up one feature race victory and five fast qualifier awards on the way to his third career EWSC Winged Super Modified track championship. The 16 year Winged Super Modified and Sprint Car competitor topped runner-up Ken Jay Fiedler of Sheboygan Falls by 72 points (990-918) to pick up his third Winged Super Modified track title in the last four years.
"I would like to thank the EWSC board of directors, the track employees and all the fans who make Plymouth such a great place to race every week," Ostrowski told the banquet large crowd. "I owe this championship in part to my crew. We certainly encountered our fair share of accidents and mechanical problems this year, but the crew kept us on the track and on top of the points all season."
The 1994 and 1996 EWSC Winged Super Modified champion rolled to the 1997 title on the strength of six top-five feature finishes in 14 races and two heat race wins.
Ostrowski, who posted his 11th career EWSC Winged Super Modified feature victory this season, closed his acceptance speech by presenting a special trophy to his car owner Randy Luedtke.
"Randy doesn't seem to get as much recognition as I do, but he should," Ostrowski said. "He has been a very important factor in our success over the past five years. I can't say enough about Randy and the rest of my crew. They do an outstanding job every year."
Steve Hoffmann rolled to his second consecutive Limited Late Model title after collecting two feature victories and 10 top-five showing in 14 main events during the 1997 campaign.
| Steve
Hoffmann (right) of Plymouth, celebrates his
championship with his wife. For Hoffmann this years title
was his second straight championship in the Limited Late
Model division. Hoffmann's performance included 10 top five finishes in 14 events held this season including two feature wins. He also posted a fast qualifying effort and six heat race victories en route to the title. |
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The 16th year EWSC Limited Late Model competitor also earned one fast qualifier award and six heat race wins to edge second place finished Dave Jessen of Fredonia by 62 points (504-442) in the final point standings.
The 1997 season also marked the eighth straight year that Hoffmann has finished in the top-five in the final Limited Late Model point standings.
Tim Thompson topped Brian Gilles of Elkhart Lake by just three points (191-188) to rack up his second career Super Stock track championship.
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The
Thompson brothers both had something to
celebrate. Tim (right) won the Super Stock championship
by a mere three points, winning three features along the
way to edge out Brian Gilles. Rick (Left) did a fine job in his rookie year with the Limited Late Model class. Picking up "Rookie of the Year honors in that division. |
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The sixth year Super Stock driver recorded a division leading three feature race victories, five heat wins and one fast qualifier award during his standout 1997 season. Thompson, who was the 1995 co-Super Stock champ, also added six top-five feature finishes in 13 main events.
Former Limited Late Model and Super Stock driver Dave Enders of Kiel picked up Rookie-of-the-Year honors in the Winged Super Modified division with a 23rd place finish in the final point standings. Enders captured one heat race win and one top-ten main event showing during the recently completed season.
Craig Schueffner of Sheboygan Falls grabbed the Winged Super Modified Most Improved Driver award while Lomira's Troy Wondra won the Winged Super Modified Hard Luck Trophy.
Campbellsport's Rick Thompson earned Rookie-of-the-Year accolades in the Limited Late Model division after three successful seasons in the Super Stock ranks. Thompson capped off his rookie Limited Late Model campaign with a ninth place showing in the final point standings on the strength of two top-five feature finishes and three heat race triumphs.
Dave Jessen picked up the Most Improved Driver honors in the Limited Late Model division while Sheboygan's Randy Markwardt collected the Limited Late Model Hard Luck Trophy.
Fredonia's Bill Greiveldinger was honored as the Rookie-of-the-Year in the Super Stock division with a 34th place showing in the final point standings. Plymouth's Brian Kessler earned the Most Improved Super Stock driver award and Dan Holm of Waldo grabbed the Super Stock Hard Luck Trophy.
Veteran driver and car owner Kermit Schulz of Manitowoc received the 1997 Dick Berth Award of Excellence for his 40 years of dedication to EWSC Winged Super Modified racing.
Schulz competed as a Winged Super Modified driver and car owner at the Plymouth track from 1958 to 1997 before announcing his retirement earlier this season.
1997 Awards
Winged
Super Modifieds
Track Champion - Pete
Ostrowski, Milwaukee, WI ( 3rd Title )
Most Feature Wins - Gary Laack, Glenbeulah, WI ( 3 Wins )
Rookie of the Year - Dave Enders, Kiel, WI
Most Improved Driver - Craig Schueffner, Sheboygan Falls, WI
Hard Luck Trophy - Troy Wondra, Lomira, WI
Best Appearing Car - Dave Enders, Kiel, WI
Limited
Late Model
Track Champion - Steve
Hoffmann, Plymouth, WI ( 2nd Title )
Most Feature Wins - Dick Hed, Plymouth, WI ( 3 Wins )
Rookie of the Year - Rick Thompson, Campbellsport, WI
Most Improved Driver - Dave Jessen, Fredonia, WI
Hard Luck Trophy - Randy Markwardt, Sheboygan, WI
Best Appearing Car - Dick Hed, Plymouth, WI
Super
Stocks
Track Champion - Tim
Thompson, Campbellsport, WI ( 2nd Title )
Most Feature Wins - Tim Thompson, Campbellsport, WI ( 3 Wins )
Rookie of the Year - Bill Greiveldinger, Fredonia, WI
Most Improved Driver - Brian Kessler, Plymouth, WI
Hard Luck Trophy - Dan Holm, Waldo, WI
Best Appearing Car - Dean Gosse, Kiel, WI
Dick Berth Award of Excellence - Kermit Schulz - Manitowoc, WI