Hoffman
visits and wins LGR Super Late Main!
Eddie Hoffman Jr. from Wheaton, Illinois, a former ARTGO and Grundy Speedway champion, won his first 30 lap super late model feature of the season. Jerry Cowan of Burlington in his third year of racing, won his first 25 lap super stock feature, with a last lap move. Mike Monore,a second generation driver from nearby Pell Lake, won his first 25 lap sportsman feature of the season and Bob Olson won the roll over contest. Rookie Jamie Artelt slipped in front of the field, at the drop of the double greens, in the super late model contest. First night driver Dennis Carlton, Russ Blakley and Denny Hiffman were right on his tail. Blakley threaded his way to the front by lap three, with Shane Bishop in hot pursuit. Artelt, Kent Burkoth and Al Schill were next. There wasn't an inch to give as the field was extremely tight. Schill worked his way into second on lap nine, with Eddie Hoffman and Landry Potter in the Mike Voight Jr. entering the top six, one lap later. Blakley and Schill were putting on a great show up front, with Burkoth just waiting for any mistakes. On lap thirteen Hoffman and Potter joined the top three, that would set up a great second half of the event. Then the first caution appeared just as the mid point would end, as Jamie Wallace and Burkoth had contact. Wallace spun wildly onto the infield, facing the on coming pack. The caution quickly came out and both drivers were regaled to the rear. The great race continued, as the green reappeared, and Blakley held the lead for one more. Schill stuck to that inside groove like he was on a rail, inching in front on lap seventeen. Blakley wasn't going to give in easy, as the 1999 rookie of the year, crept back in front, one lap later. These two diced back and forth, with Schill inside and Blakley outside, holding a perfect line. Blakley was in front at the wire the next two laps, but a tangle with Bishop and Artelt stopped the contest one more time. Then one lap later Mike Simon put his years of experience to good use, clipping the inside wall, in front of the chilled to the bone crowd, for the final caution on the race. This could have been an even worse crash, if it wouldn't be for the veteran's driving to save his car from destruction. On the restart Blakley who drove a picture perfect race drifted up, only so slightly and that was all Schill needed to charge in front. Hoffman quickly followed, as Potter and Blakley made contact, with Potter now in third. Schill remained inside and Hoffman scooted outside the leader on lap twenty three. One lap later Potter tried the inside, with excellent three deep action. Schill securely had the top spot, with just five laps to go. Point leader Brad Durbin entered the top four with Hiffman and Blakley hoping for a break. Once again Hoffman tried the outside, even though Potter could have taken away his second spot, with any mistake. Each time Schill came back in front by the wire. It was a dead heat on lap twenty six, with Hoffman gaining the edge one lap later. It was a close finish as Hoffman crossed the line the winner, Schill and Potter were next, with Durbin, Hiffman, a recovered Wallace and Burkoth next with Bishop nipping Blakley for eighth.
The super stock feature was another close contest, as Tim Wilson and rookie Mike Bell tussled for that top spot, as the race began. Scott Peterson and Greg Peterson were next, with Tom Fay and Al Kuphal right behind the top four. Bell pulled in front on lap three, with Wilson feeling the pressure of Greg Peterson, one lap later. Kuphal smoothly followed, securing fourth on lap six. Greg Peterson got around Wilson on lap seven, with Bell still out front.
It was two and three deep racing, as the mid and back runners tried to move up. Dan Huber and Fay fought hard for that fifth position, with Huber gaining the upper hand one lap later. Quickly the Second year driver got under Kuphal, with Jeff Lorenz, John Janssen, the fast time qualifier following his move. Somehow point leader Adam Regnier skipped in front of this group, grabbing third from Huber on lap nine. One lap later, Doug Benedict dumped liquid all over turn three and the first caution appeared. Jerry Cowan headed for the pits with a loose bumper, during that ruckus. The restart set up gave Huber the big advantage, choosing the inside, Bell was still the leader, but Peterson fell to fourth. Huber and Regnier fought hard for that second spot, with Janssen looking for an opening. The leader was smoothly driving a awesome race. Janssen wrestled third from Huber on lap eighteen, with Lorenz up to fifth. Somehow, Regnier inched in front of Bell with just four laps to go. One lap later, Huber broke an axle coming out of turn four , flying high in the air, the remaining sixteen drivers missed the loose wheel and the disabled mount. Anyone who comes here on a regular basis knew that this three lap dash would be wild. But no one could have imaged it would be this wild. Regnier slipped in front with Janssen to his right and Lorenz to the right of Janssen, with a three deep situation. This threesome made contact coming off turn four for the checkered, giving a clear path on the inside. Cowan who was only running sixth on the restart, dove inside and out raced his fellow competitors to the wire for his first win, of the season stunning the frozen crowd. Regnier recovered for second, Lorenz third, with Janssen, Greg Peterson, Mike Kooi, Jeremy Tess and Kuphal completing the top eight.
It took nearly twelve minutes to run the first three laps of the sportsman feature. Jerry Freeman and Shawn Utphall got together on lap two and Brian Baker flew high off the wall entering turn three, after getting pinched during a lap three incident. Baker's race car was heavily damaged, but no one was injured in either confrontation. Midwest enduro front runner, Ken Smart led the first four laps of the battle, before Eric Roberts came in front. Within afew laps Mike Monroe was trying to move in front, but Roberts held his line, not giving an inch to his challenger. Zac Deeringer the 1999 super stock champion only in his second night here, was working on Smart, with Mid American point leader Rick Corso right on his bumper. This field was tight, as Scott Poritz the 1999 champion here and fast timer, slipped under Corso on lap eleven. Two laps later Corso gained the spot back, then moved past Deeringer one lap later. Poritz quickly followed with ten laps to go. Corso spun around coming off of turn two , after contact with Poritz. The caution came out and that meant both would restart in the rear. On the final green, Roberts still held the edge, with Monty Coffman the 1999 rookie of the year, all over third place Deeringer. Monroe tried and tried to out run the leader, but it looked like Roberts would pull off this win. But with just four laps to go, Monroe systematically gained the top spot and cruised to victory, over Roberts, Deeringer, Utphall, Corso, Coffman, Poritz and LeRoy Potter. This Friday night, the moto cross weekly show takes to the stadium dirt course at 8 pm. On Saturday night Burlington Heating and Air conditioning sponsor the weekly show, along with Wisconsin Fans for Auto Racing. The Wisconsin Allison Legacy Cars and the sport trucks, join the super late models and super stocks. Time trials begin at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp. SUPER LATE MODELS: SUPER STOCKS: MID-AMERICAN SPORTSMAN: |
