Skelton Wins Season Opener

Saturday, May 18, 2002
by Jay Ohman

Beaver Dam, WI - Defending point champion K.J. Skelton of Cascade, Wisconsin started the Midwest Sprintcar Association 2002 season in style claiming the first feature win of the season. After the MSA watched the first 2 dates washed out by rain, and despite the cool day, the season got off to a hot start Saturday May 18th at the Raceway at Powercom Park.

Dan Duffield seized the early lead from pole sitter Jeff Schmidt and had opened up a 4 car lead on the field, but with 9 laps in the books, Chad Deselle had closed the gap and taken the lead. A lap later the first yellow of the feature waved as David O'Neals' mount came to a stop on the front stretch.

Frank Firari had problems during the caution laps, relinquishing his third place spot to Michael Emme, with Doug Schenck and Skelton immediately behind. With the return to action, Emme and Skelton advanced on Deselle and with 17 laps in, Skelton passed Emme, then Deselle to become the third and final leader.

The yellow waved for the second time on lap 19 as the machines of Dan Uttech and Joe Wipperfruth came to a stop on the track. Todd Lehr, Troy Hepfner and Danny Schlafer had been working their way up through the field and were all within striking distance with the return to action.

Skelton would prove his mettle opening up a considerable lead in the remaining laps. Emme held off the advances of Lehr to hold on to second, Lehr took Hard Charger honors advancing 15 spots to secure the third spot. Hepfner had picked his way through to claim the fourth spot with Deselle rounding out the top five finishers.

Danny Schlafer picked his way to the sixth spot, and O'Neal rebounded from the rear of the field to take seventh. Schenck slipped to finish eighth, Mark Wernes Jr. edged out Al Schlafer in a closing laps battle for the ninth and tenth spots.

With the introduction for the first time of the 12 lap twin B-Main format, Wipperfurth advanced from his last row starting to pass Jay Schneider with 4 laps to go for the checkers. Schneider followed in second and Dan Uttech finished third. In the second B-Main, Lehr worked by T.J. Luedtke with 5 laps to go to claim the win, John Sauermilch Jr. secured the third and final transfer spot.

Wernes ran well to pick up the Hepfner Race Products first heat win, Danny Schlafer patiently worked from the last row to take second spot. Frank Firari jumped out from his front row starting spot to notch the second heat checkered flag sponsored by JB Enterprises, with Doug Schenck finishing second.

The MPD third Heat was won by Hepfner, with Skelton on his heels. Chris Wiser took advantage of a first lap caution to run away from the field and claim the checker in the B & B Oval Track Products heat number 4, Dan Duffield ran a solid second.

Wiser picked up the Wisconsin PC Fast Time Award with a fast lap of 13.538.

Disaster tagged Danny Schlafer as he tumbled during time trials after hooking the infield berm.

The MSA returns again next week Saturday May 25th to The Raceway at Powercom Park. For all of the latest standings, results, pictures and more, visit the MSA website at www.msasprints.com.

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Midwest Sprintcar Association - Results for May 18, 2002
Feature -- 1. K. J. Skelton, Cascade, WI; 2. Michael Emme, Manitowoc, WI; 3. Todd Lehr, Twin Lakes, WI; 4. Troy Hepfner, Hartland, WI; 5. Chad Deselle, Dane, WI; 6. Danny Schlafer, Sussex, WI; 7. David O'Neal, Greenfield, WI; 8. Doug Schenck, Madison, WI; 9. Mark Wernes Jr., West Allis, WI; 10. Al Schlafer, Sussex, WI; 11. Lloyd Dykstra, Waupun, WI; 12. Frank Firari, Lowell, WI; 13. Chris Wiser, Sussex, WI; 14. Dan Duffield, McHenry, IL; 15. T.J. Luedke, Plymouth, WI; 16. Jeff Schmidt, Slinger, WI; 17. Chad Tessman, Jefferson, WI; 18. John Sauermilch Jr., Sheboygan, WI; 19. Joe Wipperfurth, Sun Prarie, WI; 20. Dan Uttech, Kenosha, WI; 21. Jerry Ski, Milwaukee, WI; 22. Jay Schneider, West Bend, WI.

B-Main -- First: 1. Wipperfurth; 2. Schneider; 3. Dan Uttech; 4. Aaron Shippman, Cascade, WI; 5. Craig Hemmen, New Berlin, WI; 6. Mick Hinkel;
Second: 1. Lehr; 2. Luedke; 3. Sauermilch; 4. Jim Uttech Sr., Kenosha, WI; 5. Keith Olejnik, Sun Prarie, WI; 6. Bill Taylor, Cascade, WI; 7. Craig Gravatt, Plymouth, WI; 8. Jeremie Hedrick, Shawano, WI; 9. Craig Compton.

Heat Race -- First: 1. Wernes; 2. Danny Schlafer; 3. Schmidt; 4. Tessman; 5. Tim Haddy, Lomira, WI; 6. Paul Geib, Cascade, WI; 7. Kurt Davis, West Allis, WI; 8. Joe Pantely, Beaver Dam, WI; 9. Hinkel;
Second: 1. Firari; 2. Schenck; 3. Al Schlafer; 4. Dykstra; 5. Dan Uttech; 6. Hemmen; 7. Schneider; 8. Lance Fassbender, Rubicon, WI; 9. Shippman;
Third: 1. Hepfner; 2. John Fahl, Milwaukee, WI; 3. Skelton; 4. O'Neal; 5. Deselle; 6. Luedke; 7. Lehr; 8. Jim Uttech Sr.; 9. Gravatt; 10. Bill Wojahn, Pickett, WI.
Fourth: 1. Wiser; 2. Wipperfurth; 3. Duffield; 4. Ski; 5. Emme; 6. Sauermilch; 7. Olejnik; 8. Taylor; 9. Compton; 10. Troy Wondra, Lomira, WI.

Time Trials - 1. Wiser, 13.538; 2. Hepfner, 13.550; 3. Al Schlafer, 13.567; 4. Fassbender, 13.577; 5. Davis, 13.690; 6. Emme, 13.709; 7. Skelton, 13.766; 8. Schenck, 13.867; 9. Haddy, 13.903; 10. Wipperfurth, 13.914; 11. O'Neal, 14.023; 12. Dan Uttech, 14.208; 13. Olejnik, 14.419; 14. Pantely, 14.419; 15. Deselle, 14.421; 16. Jim Uttech Sr., 14.428; 17. Dykstra, 14.453; 18. Geib, 14.467; 19. Wondra, 14.494; 20. Luedke, 14.519; 21. Firari, 14.601; 22. Wernes, 14.635; 23. Duffield, 14.768; 24. Gravatt, 14.772; 25. Hemmen, 14.774; 26. Schmidt, 14.784; 27. Sauermilch, 14.912; 28. Lehr, 15.007; 29. Schneider, 15.161; 30. Hinkel, 15.255; 31. Compton, 15.636; 32. Shippman, 15.818; 33. Wojahn, 16.149; 34. Tessman, 16.900; 35. Taylor, 17.390; 36. Danny Schlafer, 90.000; 37. Ski, 91.000; 38. Fahl, 92.000; 39. Hedrick, 93.000.

Midwest Sprintcar Association
Standings as of May 18, 2002
1. K. J. Skelton 103
- Troy Hepfner 103
3. Michael Emme 98
4. Doug Schenck 88
5. Chris Wiser 86
6. David O'Neal 85
7. Chad Deselle 83
8. Danny Schlafer 78
9. Todd Lehr 76
10. Mark Wernes Jr. 75
11. Frank Firari 70
-- Lloyd Dykstra 70
13. Al Schlafer 68
14. Dan Duffield 62
15. Dan Uttech 57
-- T.J. Luedke 57
17. Jeff Schmidt 56
18. Joe Wipperfurth 53
19. Chad Tessman 52
20. Jerry Ski 50
21. Keith Olejnik 49
-- John Sauermilch Jr. 49
23. Jay Schneider 41
24. Jim Uttech Sr. 40
-- Craig Hemmen 40
26. Aaron Shippman 38
27. Bill Taylor 36
28. Mick Hinkel 34
29. Craig Gravatt 33
30. Craig Compton 31
-- Lance Fassbender 31
-- Tim Haddy 31
-- Kurt Davis 31
34. Jeremie Hedrick 28
35. Joe Pantely 21
-- Paul Geib 21
37. Troy Wondra 16
38. Bill Wojahn 12
39. John Fahl 10

 

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