Photo Highlights

Roger Walker (#5) captured top honors during the first Tuesday Night event of the season at Riverside Raceway. Pete Luedke (#7) came away with a feature victory in the Pure Stock main event. Jordan Kurtti (#26) was victorious in the Bandit main event this evening. Eli Gustafson (#27) was victorious in the Super Bandit class main event.

Riverside’s version of the big one occurred coming to the green flag of the Miller Lite WISSOTA Midwest Mod feature. Pat Zdroik’s mod broke loose in mid pack, veering into the side of point leader Guy Carley. The result was a wreck that involved half of the ten-car field.

The track was almost completely blocked as the mods of Zdroik, Carley and Bob Kleinschmidt were intertwined at the exit of turn four, resulting in a red flag that lasted over 15 minutes.

Kleinschmidt, along with Bob Richardson and Rob Whittaker, also involved in the wreck, could not continue. Zdroik and Carley were able to continue.

Once racing resumed Jerry Grasse, who made his return to Riverside after a year off, checked out from the field, and cruised to a convincing victory, but the driver on the charge was Pat Zdroik. Showing no ill effects from the opening lap wreck, Zdroik picked his way through the field and into the second position in the latter stages of the race. Rounding out the top five were Troy Smart, Ollie Schoonover, and Guy Carley.

Roger Walker took it to the field in the Fire-Up Fireworks WISSOTA Street Stock Feature in a role reversal from the feature of two weeks ago. This time, it was Bruce Belland who struggled to get around Mark Schuenemann. In fact, Schuenemann was able to hold on to second. Dan Zelten was the last car running in fourth.

Riverside Raceway debuted its new rule, which separates the Bandits and Super Bandits when there are over twelve cars. Because of failing to finish the first feature of the season, Jordan Kurtti had a low point average and was put into the combined Bandit/Super Bandit feature. The underpowered Bandits were no match for Kurtti who dominated the twelve-lap feature and cruised to victory over Steven Justin and Shane Hall.

Teammate Eli Gustafson was in the Super Bandit feature and dominated his race in the same fashion as Kurtti. Making his debut at Riverside, Bill Martin had a strong showing, finishing second. Dustin Miller rounded out the top three.

The Pure Stocks finished out the night’s action. Pete Luedke took the lead early in the feature and looked to run away from the field. A caution at the halfway point of the race, however, put the field back together and let point leader Rob Rodziczak close to Luedke’s back bumper.

Luedke and Rodziczak dueled for the remaining seven laps of the race. Luedke threw the block a couple times to keep Rodziczak at bay and held on to take the win. Wayne Nylund finished third. Keith Durand finished fourth with his new car. Joel Miller rounded out the top five.

Earlier in the evening, Ollie Schoonover, Bruce Belland, Pete Luedke, Rob Rodziczak, Jordan Kurtti and Eli Gustafson were heat race winner.

Racing continues at Riverside next Tuesday on Oil Depot Night.

Riverside Raceway Results: June 8, 2004

Miller Light WISSOTA Midwest Mods

Heat: 1^st 74-Schoonover; 2^nd 30-Carley; 3^rd 14-Smart

Feature: 1^st 5-Grasse; 2^nd Z1-Zdroik; 3^rd 14-Smart; 4^th 74-Schoonover; 5^th 30-Carley

Fire-Up Fireworks WISSOTA Street Stocks

Heat: 1^st 22B-Belland; 2^nd 5-Walker; 3^rd 17Z-Zelten

Feature: 1^st 5-Walker; 2^nd 96-Schuenemann; 3^rd 22B-Belland; 4^th 17Z-Zelten; 5^th 76-Kallas (out)

Pure Stocks

Heat 1: 1^st 7-Luedke; 2^nd 71-Nylund; 3^rd 190-Jackson

Heat 2: 15-Rodziczak; 2^nd 21-Slizewski; 3^rd 74-Houle

Feature: 1^st 7-Luedke; 2^nd 15-Rodziczak; 3^rd 71-Nylund; 4^th 63-Durand; 5^th 17-J.Miller

Bandits/Super Bandits

Heat 1: 1^st 26-Kurtti; 2^nd 25-Wilberding; 3^rd 49-Justin*

Heat 2: 1^st 27-Gustafson; 2^nd 271-Martin; 3^rd 37-D.Miller

Super Bandit Feature: 1^st 27-Gustafson; 2^nd 271-Martin; 3^rd 37-D.Miller; 4^th 25-Wilberding; 5^th 13-Depies

Combined Feature: 1^st 26-Kurtti; 2^nd 49-Justin*; 3^rd 131-Hall*; 4^th 626-Diers* (out)