Photo Highlights

Bob Richardson (#2) came out on top of the Midwest Modified main event this evening at Riverside Raceway. Craig Tarsi (#55) closes in on Jeff Heintz (#57) during the Street Stock feature race as they navigate a scenic turn two, at Riverside Raceway.

Once the rain subsided, the stories of the evening were a pair of young drivers capturing their first checkered flags in the heat races, the struggles of a couple point leaders and Bob Richardson finally shaking off the dark cloud of bad luck that has followed him around all season.

Richardson's good luck began early in the evening as he drew the outside pole position for the feature. He used that to his advantage, passing pole sitter Bob Kleinschmidt on the opening lap. From there, Richardson cruised as Kleinschmidt held off Jerry Grasse and Pat Zdroik for most of the race.

A week after three big wrecks, the Miller Lit WISSOTA Midwest Mods raced without a single caution in both their heat and feature races, which proved to be great news for Richardson who won easily with the big lead he amassed as Jerry Grasse and Pat Zdroik picked their way to second and third respectively.

It was a tough night for the Fire-Up Fireworks WISSOTA Street Stock point leaders, especially in their heat race. Bruce Belland fought hard to finish third, but point leader Roger Walker could not find the handle and finished seventh.

Walker was able to solve most of his problems in the feature, surviving a tangle with Belland, which sent Walker's car spinning down the backstretch. In the waning laps, Walker was in contention for his third consecutive feature victory, but Craig Tarsi was standing in his way.

After a lack-luster season debut last week, and a fifth place finish in the heat race, Tarsi got to the lead on the first lap of the feature. Tarsi watched as Walker was able to close to within a car-length in the final laps, but was never able to get by.

Lee Christjohn's Fire-Up Fireworks Chevy came home third as Bruce Belland, Dan Zelten and Mark Schuenemann battled three wide down the front stretch for fourth. Belland got the best of that battle. Zelten edged out Schuenemann by inches for fifth.

After a pair of second place finishes last week, second year Pure Stock driver Ryan Valeria entered the night with a lot of confidence. In the second Pure Stock heat, Valeria took the early lead and cruised to his first career victory at Riverside as Lee Schuppler and Rob Rodziczak battled for second.

Valeria hopes for a sweep were dashed, however, as he was one of the many who had a difficult time working through traffic. Outside pole-sitter Lee Schuppler lead every lap of the twelve-lap feature race. Rob Rodziczak put the pressure on late, but he did not have enough time to make a move.

Lapped traffic played a factor in the end of the race as Schuppler had a difficult time passing Bill Slizewski, allowing Rodziczak to close in. Also, Charlie Jackson got loose behind Slizewski in the final corner and had to dive to the pit lane to save the car, turning what would have been a solid fourth place finish into a disappointing eighth.

Super Bandit driver Chad Schinke has only limited sponsorship, yet he was able to pull off an upset victory in his heat race. Schinke survived being beat around and spun out by the field only to see a caution come out with two laps to go, which put KGL Racing driver Jordan Kurtti right on his back bumper. Despite all of Kurtti's efforts, Schinke held on in the final two
laps to earn the hardest working victory of the season.

Kurtti came back in the feature, however. Schinke was pushed to the back of the pack early on, but there was another upset in the making as regular Bandit driver Steven Justin lead the majority of the race. On the final lap, Justin and Kurtti spilt the lapped car of Schinke. Kurtti chose the high line, which proved to be the right line.

Kurtti kept the KGL Racing dominance going with his second feature victory of the season. Justin had to settle for second.

After mechanical failures Saturday night, Eli Gustafson had his backup car the Riverside on Tuesday and struggled to a third place finish in his heat, and a fourth in the feature. His lead over Kurtti in the point standings is now only three points.

Racing continues next Tuesday night at Riverside. It's Simac's Plumbing and Heating Night. A full night of racing is planned along with the much-anticipated Eighth Annual Harry's Fireworks Show, which once again promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Riverside Raceway Results:  June 22, 2004

Miller Lite WISSOTA Midwest Mods
Heat: 1st Z1-Zdroik; 2nd 2-Richardson; 3rd 30-Carley
Feature: 1st 2-Richardson; 2nd 5-Grasse; 3rd Z1-Zdroik; 4th 0-Kleinschmidt; 5th 2C-Gross

Fire-Up Fireworks WISSOTA Street Stocks
Heat: 1st 17Z-Zelten; 2nd 96-Schuenemann; 3rd 22B-Belland
Feature: 1st 55-Tarsi; 2nd 5-Walker; 3rd 93-Christjohn; 4th 22B-Belland; 5th 17Z-Zelten

Pure Stocks
Heat 1: 1st 190-Jackson; 2nd 7-Luedke; 3rd 63-Lacrosse
Heat 2: 1st 5-Valeria; 2nd 57-Schuppler; 3rd 15-Rodziczak
Feature: 1st 57-Schuppler; 2nd 15-Rodziczak; 3rd 7-Luedke; 4th 63-Lacrosse; 5th 17-J.Miller

Bandits/Super Bandits
Heat 1: 1st 2-Truscott; 2nd 2Z-Langdon; 3rd 27-Gustafson
Heat 2: 1st 10-Schinke; 2nd 26-Kurtti; 3rd 271-Martin
Feature: 1st 26-Kurtti; 2nd 49-Justin; 3rd 2-Truscott; 4th 27-Gustafson; 5th 37-D.Miller