Sipple dominates Manitowoc Expo Opener!!

May 17, 1998; Manitowoc, WI. -Randy Sipple jumped from his front row starting spot into the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back in winning the season opening 360 sprint car feature Sunday night at the Manitowoc Expo Raceway.

The 360 Sprints are the main class! Manitowoc County Expo Raceway has all the Sprint Car action a fan could want. Each week the 360 Sprints battle wheel to wheel and wing to wing in effort to snare a checkered flag at Manitowoc County Expo. Here Rick Busslaff (#30) goes wing to wing with former Mini-Sprint Star Mike Emme (#88).

Robert Cullen came home victorious in the dirt sportsman feature while Roy Ihlenfeldt topped the modified 20-1ap finale. Melvin I and Melvin II were the winners in the cruiser feature.

Sipple, who wasn't even on hand for the scheduled season opener a week earlier, struggled in qualifying as he ended up with just the seventh quickest lap Getting a handle on the track, Sipple went on to win the division's first heat race

Eventual race winner Randy Sipple (#39) uses the low line to pass Tim Haddy (#21) during the feature event. Sipple held off Kurt Davis to win the feature, while Haddy toom home a sixth place finish.

At the drop of the green flag in 25-1ap feature, Sipple jumped out to the lead over Rick Busslaff, Kurt Davis, and Lloyd Dykstra Sipple immediately began to buitd on his margin with Busslaff trying to hold off Davis for second

Todd King brought out the yellow flag with just one lap scored complete when he spun out in turn four. King, who had set fast time earlier, was able to continue.

Back under the green, Davis was able to get around Busslaff for second with Dykstra dropping Busslaff another spot as the fifth lap was put on the board.

King brought out the second and final caution of the event as his car came to rest on the frontstretch on lap seven. King was pushed to the pit area and through for the night

Sipple was able to run three car lengths ahead of Davis over the last 18 laps to collect the win. Davis came home second followed by Dykstra, Mike Emme, and Jerry Wenzel.

After watching several of the lead cars falter during the dirt sportsman feature, Cullen ended up in the right place at the right time to collect the win.

Frank Wirtz jumped into the lead and immediately began to pull away from field Wirtz would only last three laps, though, as he ended up taking his car into the pit area with mechanical woes handing the lead over to Todd Krause.

Krause immediately began to work his way through the slower cars and had lapped all but two other drivers as the race hit the halfway point. Krause would end up taking his car off the track, too, giving the lead to Cullen.

Cullen, who was substituting for his brother Jesse went on to take the win over Mike Anderson, Matt Schuette, and Eric Vanderloop.

After suffering a fiat tire in an opening lap incident, Ihlenfeldt worked his up from the back of the pack to win the modified feature race over Mike Kudick, Todd Hughes, and Bryan Anderson.

Racing action continues this Sunday night, May 24, with 360 sprint car qualifying set for 5:30 and racing at 6:00 pm.

360 SPRINT CARS:
FEATURE - Randy Sipple, Elkhart Lake; Kurt Davis, Milwaukee; Lloyd Dykstra, Waupun; Mike Emme; Jerry Wenzel, Manitowoc; Tim Haddy, Mayville; Rick Busslaff, Campbellsport; Todd King, Sheboygan Falls.

DIRT SPORTSMAN:
FEATURE - Robert Cullen, Chilton; Mike Anderson, Cleveland; Matt Schuette, Howards Grove; Eric Vandertoop, Manitowoc; Kirk Shillcox, Two Rivers; Todd Krause: Frank Wirtz.

MODIFIED:
FEATURE- Roy Ihtenfeldt, Kewaunee; Mike Kudick, Mishicot; Todd Hughes, Greenbush; Bryan Anderson, Milwaukee; Rick Otte; Jesse Bray, Manitowoc; Shown Jaeger, Manitowoc.