Scott Sipple tops Expo Sprint Car action!!

That was the case in the 360 sprint car feature Sunday night at the Manitowoc Expo Raceway as Scott Sipple drove to victory in the 25-1ap event.

The same car visited victory lane!! However this week the driver was different! Scott Sipple, driving the same ride that brother Randy took to victory on opening night, repeated that performance picking up the win in the 360 Sprint division. The Sipple's are two for two in 1998, in 360 Sprint action!

Sipple, aboard the same car that Randy Sipple wheeled to victory two weeks ago to the only other sprint car feature held at the track this year, came out on top as he beat Jerry Wenzel to the stripe by nearly a full straightaway.

Mike Kudick won a hotly contested modified feature race over Russ Huxford while, Chad Rathke came home the winner in the dirt sportsman main. Melvin I & Melvin II won the cruiser feature race.

Lloyd Dykstra took the lead at the drop of the green in the sprint car feature followed closely by Andy Glewen and Lou Burmeister. Dykstra would last just one half of the first lap though, as his car slowed off of turn two and headed straight to the infield.

The Dykstra miscue handed the tead over to Glewen who would immediately stretch his margin out over Burmeister, Sipple, and Mike Emme.

Sipple was able to get around Burmeister on lap four and took up chase on the leader Glewen, As Sipple tracked Glewen down, Emme was also able to swing by Burmeister and gain the third spot. Glewen's race ended on lap 12 as the powerplant in his car went and he coasted to a halt on the frontstretch.

Sipple inherited the lead and never looked back from that point to claim his first Manitowoc Expo feature win, Emme would also have motor problems which allowed Wenzel to finish second followed by Kurt Davis, Burmeister, and Rick Busslaff.

Mike Kudick scored his first career Modified victory in convincing fashion, taking not only the feature but his heat race as well making it a sweep of the evening events in the Modified division.

While Kudick was scored the leader on each lap of the modified feature he received a real scare late in the race from both Huxford and Jesse Brey.

With 18 laps in the books Kudick ran up behind a group of four slower cars allowing Huxford and Brey to close the gap. The trio went around the outside of one of the lapped cars but as they raced down the backstretch Nuxford was able to drive his car next to Kudick.

Pressure up front! Mike Kudick (#26) holds a slim lead over Russell Huxford (#6H) in the closing stages of the Modified feature. Kudick was up to the challenge and took the win. Huxford was a vary close second.

Entering turn three side-by-side, Kudick used the car of Bryan Anderson as a block to seal the win with Huxford collecting second place money Galen Bower drove by Bray late to gain third while Anderson was credited with fifth.

Rathke's win in the caution-plagued 20-tap dirt sportsman feature turned out to be a walk in the park as he easily beat Chad Schlenvogt to the stripe.

The survivor! Chad Rathke (#9) kept control of his car when involved in a bumping incident while trying to hold the lead. Rathke was dueling with Jesse Cullen when the pair traded paint. Cullen lost control, while Rathke maintained the top spot. Rathke went on to win the event.

Jesse Cullen had what appeared to be the fastest car on the track as he started the feature in the third row and was working on Rathke for the lead when the duo made contact in turn two, Cullen spun to the infield and was forced to rejoin from the back of the pack.

The incident gave Rathke a huge lead and despite the yellow flags he was able to take the win ahead of Schlenvogt, Eric Vandertoop, J.J. Walvoord, and Jerry Delebreau.

Melvin I & Melvin II dominated the cruiser feature race as they led all 18 laps to beat out the Thor/Hendnckson combination.

Action continues this Sunday night at the Expo with the first scheduled appearance by the Interstate Racing Association sprint cars. Modifieds are also on the card with qualifying at 5:30 pm and racing to follow.

The track is located on 1-43 and Highway 151 on the Southwest side of Manitowoc. The third mile high-banked clay oval has easy access from the freeway and is located on the Maintowoc County Expo Fairgrounds.

360 SPRINT CARS:
25 Lap Feature - 1.) Scott Sipple, Elkhart Lake; 2.) Jerry Wenzel, Manitowoc; 3.) Kurt Davis, Milwaukee; 4.) Lou Burmeister, Milwaukee; 5.) Rick Busslaff, Campbellsport; 6.) Mike Emme, Sheboygan; 7.) Lloyd Dykstra, Waupun; 8.) Andy Glewen, Waupun
10 Lap Heat - 1.) Sipple; 2.) Wenzel; 3.) Emme

DIRT SPORTSMAN:
20 Lap Feature - 1.) Chad Rathke, Fredonia; 2.) Chad Schlenvogt, Port Washington; 3.) Eric Vanderloop, Manitowoc; 4.) J.J. Walvoord, Oostburg; 5.) Jarry Delebreau, Green Bay; 6.) Kirk Shillcox, Two Rivers; 7.) Robert Cullen, Chilton; 8.) Mike Anderson, Sheboygan
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Rathke; 2.) Schlenvogt
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Eddie LeMay; 2.) Walvoord

MODIFIED:
20 Lap Feature- 1.) Mike Kudick, Mishicot; 2.) Russ Huxford, Green Bay; 3.) Galen Bower, Big Bend; 4.) Jesse Brey, Manitowoc; 5.) Bryan Anderson, Milwaukee; 6.) Eric Schribner, Kiel; 7.) Don Cabunac, Milwaukee; 8.) Jeremie Hedrick, Green Bay
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Huxford; 2.) Anderson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Kudick; 2.) Hedrick