September 29, 2000; Marshfield, WI - Mark Eswein won his third McLeodUSA MARS late model feature of the year Friday night at the Marshfield Speedway. He edged out Chris Wimmer and Lowell Bennett in an exciting three-car dash to the finish line in the 100-lap main event, which ended the McLeodUSA MARS season.

Bennett’s third place finish gave him enough points to wrap up his second straight title in the series. He totaled 1,555 points while Ryan Hanson tallied 1,490, Terry Baldry 1,461 and Rod Wheeler 1,459.

Brian Back set the early pace around the half-mile paved oval. Rod Wheeler moved into second place on lap 11 and then went outside of Back to take the lead on lap 12.

Terry Baldry got around Back for second on lap 14. The first caution flag flew on lap 16 when Wayne Breitenfeldt and Randy Rasmussen got together coming off of turn four.

On lap 21 Jim Duchow slid off the backstretch into a sand pile to bring out another caution flag.

Wheeler led Baldry and Eswein when the race resumed. Eswein slipped inside Baldry for second on lap 30. Eswein then went inside of Wheeler for the lead on lap 46. Baldry and Wheeler got tangled up in turn four on lap 48 to bring out another caution flag. They were both sent to the rear.

Eswein had to hold off Bennett and Wimmer for the rest of the race. Wimmer got past Bennett on lap 75. A yellow flag flew on lap 89 when Mark Markesy stopped in turn one. Wimmer pressured Eswein and on lap 94 they made contact coming off of turn two. Both cars got loose momentarily with Bennett trying to gain the advantage on the outside.

Eswein, however, managed to hold off Wimmer and Bennett to win by less than a car length. Rookie Chris Weinkauf drove a strong race to claim fourth. Veteran Tony Strupp was fifth and Todd Kluever was sixth in only his second series start.

Bennett and Hanson both drove backup cars in the race. Bennett jumped into his own second car after having problems with his primary car in practice. Hanson, who was second in the points behind Bennett, going into the race was forced to drive a car normally piloted by Rory Melbinger after his own mount developed motor problems in practice.

The series banquet will be Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Stone Harbor Resort in Door County.

The Cenex Mini-Stocks were also very eventful, with 22 cars starting the feature. Lots of 4-wide action and at one point they even made it 5-wide. Brad Wildes led the first lap, Mike Molphey for the next one. Then Chris Boykins took the lead, and began lapping cars by lap eight. Trevor Dzwonkowski followed in second, and Bob Gereau in third. Neither Dzwonkowski or Gereau could take the lead away from Boykins. Boykins took the checkered, Dzwonkowski second, Gereau third, Greg Rezin fourth and Jerry Shaw fifth.

Duwayne Davis jumped from the outside pole into the lead for the 1-Man Feature. Dale Koplien ran in second. Don Tieman Jr. held third for the first lap, Glen Bargender for the second. Tieman again on lap four, until Rodney Feltz passed both of them to finish third. Davis won, Koplien second, Feltz third, Lester Kuehn fourth and Bargender fifth.

The winner of tonight’s Wal-Mart Bicycle was Tara Peterson of Big Flats.

For complete race results for the RACESTAT computer CLICK HERE