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RE/MAX
Challenge Series travels to Lake Geneva Raceway for traditional stop!
By Dean Strom |
This season marks the five consecutive year the series has stopped at Lake Geneva
Raceway over the July 4th holiday weekend. For the third consecutive year, the event
will be run in honor of Al Schill, Jr. Schill was a promising second generation
racer on the RE/MAX Challenge Series who died at his home of apparent carbon monoxide
poisoning on March 28, 1999, just hours after finishing a career best second in that
season's opening event.
Saturday gets under way at 4:30 p.m. (CT) with practice for the
RE/MAX Challenge Series competitors. Qualifying is slated for 6:45 p.m. with the
fastest 16 drivers earning automatic starting berths. Five drivers will advance to
the main event via a 25-lap last chance qualifier with the final three spots reserved as
provisional starting spots. The green flag will fly over the Al Schill, Jr Memorial
150 at 8:00 p.m.
In the 2000 version of this event, Al Schill, Sr scored an extremely
popular and emotional win. After battling with six-time series champion Steve
Carlson, Schill, Sr emerged from his potent ride with his son's trademark bent baseball
cap on his head, and told the crowd, "Little Al was riding with me the whole
way."
2001 RE/MAX CHALLENGE SERIES, NASCAR TOURING,
RACE FACTS
WHAT: Al Schill, Jr Memorial 150
RE/MAX Challenge Series, NASCAR Touring, Race #6 of 17
WHERE: Lake Geneva Raceway, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
.33-Mile Paved Oval
WHEN: Saturday, June 30
DISTANCE: 150 Laps, (49.999 Miles)
POSTED AWARDS: $35,100 (Including $2,200 RE/MAX Challenge Series, NASCAR
Touring Championship point fund money)
FIELD: 24 cars. Fastest 16 cars through time trials. Starting positions 17-21
filled by top 5 in 25-lap last chance qualifying race. Positions 22-23 are reserved
as provisional starting spots based on current 2001 RE/MAX Challenge Series Championship
point standings. Position 24 is reserved as a RE/MAX Challenge Series past champion
provisional.
SANCTION: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR)
PROMOTER: Auto Sport, Inc
CONTACTS: Kevin Dawson, Lake Geneva Raceway, (262) 248-8566 Dean Strom, NASCAR, (414)
328-0773
SCHEDULE: Saturday, June 30
2:00 p.m. (CT) Haulers Enter And Registration & Inspection Begins
3:30 p.m. Mandatory Rookie Drivers' Meeting
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Practice
6:15 p.m. Mandatory Drivers' & Crew Chiefs' Meeting
6:45 p.m. Time Trials
7:30 p.m. 25-lap Last Chance Qualifying Race
8:00 p.m. Al Schill, Jr Memorial 150
PARTICIPATING AWARD SPONSORS: RE/MAX International, Anheuser-Busch, Gatorade, Auto Meter,
Five Star Stock Car Bodies, Goodyear Belts & Hoses, Hoosier Tires, Holly Carburetors,
Moog Chassis, Tilton Engineering, Quarter Master Clutches, 3M
Notes Of Interest
* The RE/MAX Challenge Series has visited Lake Geneva Raceway (LGR) on 11 previous
occasions; the last four of which have been sanctioned by NASCAR. Mike Miller won
the series' first visit to LGR on June 2, 1979.
* The RE/MAX Challenge Series evolved from the ARTGO Challenge Series and, in 2001, is
celebrating its 27th consecutive season of competition. The series joined the NASCAR
Touring family in 1998.
* 2000 Event Champion: Al Schill, Sr. 2000 Event Bud Pole Winner: Travis Kvapil.
Al Schill, Sr started 9th and quickly moved his way through the field. Schill
took the lead from Steve Carlson on lap 109 and held of the feisty Carlson by .472 seconds
to take the emotional win. The win came in the event named after his late son and
was the first series win for Schill since 1987. Carlson finished 2nd with Eddie
Hoffman 3rd.
* In the series most recent event, June 22 at Elko Speedway, in Elko, Minnesota, Brian
Hoppe scored the win, his 10th career triumph. Hoppe assumed the race lead on lap 90
when Mike Garvey and the rest of the leaders pitted. Hoppe was never seriously
challenged the rest of the way. Hoppe surprised many by running the entire 250-lap
race without a pit stop. Garvey came back to finish 2nd while Steve Carlson placed
3rd.
* This event is run in honor of Al Schill, Jr. Schill was a promising second
generation racer on the RE/MAX Challenge Series who died at his home of apparent carbon
monoxide poisoning on March 28, 1999, just hours after finishing a career best second in
that season's opening event.
* The series one-lap qualifying record at Lake Geneva Raceway was set by Travis Kvapil on
July 1, 2000 at 15.917 sec. (75.391 mph). The 150-lap race record speed was set by
Al Schill, Sr on July 1, 2000 at 49 minutes 36 seconds (60.484 mph)
Stat Of The Week
In 2000, Travis Kvapil set fast time at seven of the 16 events that made up the schedule.
Through five races his season, no driver has won the Bud Pole Fast Qualifier award more
than once.
2001 Championship Standings Pts Wins Rookie Of The Year Standings
1. Steve Carlson #66 875
3. Ron Breese, Jr #01 768
4. Jason Schuler #37 686
5. Jeff Kendall #00 662
6. Pete Moore #86 647
7. Boris Jurkovic #53 646
8. Mark Kraus #9 641
9. Jeff Storm #68 634
10. Tim Schendel #21 623 |