Nothing Better than a Cold Miller Lite Season Opener
By Mary Burbach

May 1, 2004-  A cold weather day and die-hard loyal fans set the stage for the 2004 Eastern Wisconsin Stock Cars “Miller Lite” Season Opener on Saturday, May 1st at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth.  Over 140 cars are signed in for the season in the Winged Super Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Super Stock and All-American Mighty 4 divisions that make up the EWSC race program.

As the first Winged Super Modified A-Main feature race of the 2004 season hit the track, polesitter # 15 John Schraufnagel of Lomira and # 8 Kris Hansen of Manitowoc set the pace for the 30-lap race.  Schraufnagel grabbed the lead from the first lap with heat winner # 3 Robert Enders of Howards Grove, # 97 Tony Wondra of Campbellsport and past track champion # 7  Pete Ostrowski of Milwaukee on his bumper.  When Ostrowski’s car broke in lap three and parked in the infield, Enders took control of the race.  A lap later, # 4 Paul Pokorski of West Bend, the 2003 EWSC Track Champion, pulled in behind Enders and began his challenge for the lead.  By lap 7, Enders with the front of the pack approached lap traffic but Enders maneuvered around the lapped cars to build up a healthy lead over second place Pokorski.  When Enders approached the second group of lapped traffic, he was held up and Pokorski caught up to the leader.  Halfway through the race, in lap 15, Enders and Pokorski both passed a third lapped car before the only yellow flag was displayed for debris on the track.  As the race was relined up and the lapped cars placed to the back of the field, Enders had Pokorski and # 98 Tim McMullen of Plymouth directly behind him.  By lap 20, Pokorski and McMullen were even at the start/finish line and Enders began pulling away from them.  # 97 Tony Wondra of Campbellsport and Miller Lite Fast Qualifier # 2 Billy Hafemann of Waldo battled in fourth and fifth waiting for the right opportunity to take over the front spots.  A lap later, McMullen took over second and set his sights on the win.  Lapped traffic played a role again, when Enders got held up in lap 24.  McMullen tried a swift move in turn 2 to pass leader Enders but at the line, Ender held onto his lead.  Two laps later, McMullen made his move in turns 3 & 4 to race down the front stretch in the control position.  As the white flag flew, Enders attempted to recapture the lead to no avail as McMullen maneuvered to take the first checkered flag for the Winged Super Modified A-Main.  Enders secured second with Pokorski, Wondra and Hafemann rounding out the top five.  McMullen also won the Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award by passing 7 cars to win the race.

An early yellow flag before the first lap was completed, rearranged the Limited Late Model A-Main event.  When the cars were relined up, polesitter # 71 Henry Dickmann of Sheboygan and new front row starter # 6 Richard Hed from Sheboygan Falls brought the 18-car field around to take the green flag.  Dickmann grabbed the early lead with Hed on his bumper.  As the cars crossed the start/finish line in lap four, Dickmann and Hed were side-by-side with returning driver # 88 Dave Jessen of Fredonia right behind them.  When the field was relined up after a couple cautions, Jessen used his outside row restart position to take over second place from Hed. By lap 8, # 85 Tim Carman of Sheboygan Falls and the 2002 Track Champion, # 8 Dan Dippel of Plymouth raced directly behind Jessen and Hed.  As Dickmann held them off for laps, Jessen and Hed battled back and forth.  The final yellow flag brought the race to time limit with a green-white-checkered flag combination finish.  Dickmann lined up out front by himself with Jessen inside the second row and Hed outside.  This time it was Hed who used the outside groove to take over second as the white flag flew.  At the checkered, Dickmann won the first Limited Late Model A-Main for the 2004 Miller Lite Season.  Hed followed in second with Jessen, Carman and Dippel rounding out the top five.  The Meyer Motors Hard Charger award went to # 21 Mark Dingel of Sheboygan for passing eight cars.

Returning driver # 87 Brian Genske of Sheboygan Falls, secured the lead on the first lap of the Super Stock 20-lap A-Main event.  After the only caution of the race in lap one, heat winner # 35 Ben Schmidt of Plymouth jumped into second and pressured Genske for the lead. By lap five, # 95 Donny Kulow also of Plymouth,  # 84 Bradley Ruh of Elkhart Lake and Plymouth rookie # 19 Phil Coppersmith made up the top five.  Two laps later, as Genske was distancing his car out in front of the field, another past Track Champion # 7 Brian Gilles of Plymouth joined the top five and began his battle with Ruh.  Halfway through the race, in lap ten, Genske built a comfortable lead over the field while Schmidt and Kulow battled for the second spot.  Just after Gilles passed Ruh for fourth, # 15 Brian Kaat of Plymouth also passed Ruh for fifth.  Three laps from the checkered flag, the 2003 Track Champion # 48 Doug Teunissen of Sheboygan Falls took fifth place from Kaat.  At the checkered, Genske won the first Super Stock A-Main of the 2004 season with Schmidt, Kulow, Miller Lite Fast Qualifier Gilles, and B-Main winner Teunissen rounding out the top five.  Gilles and Teunissen tied for the Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award by passing 8 cars each.

In the first of two All-American Mighty 4 A-Mains, polesitter # 91 Jay Riemer grabbed the early lead and held off # 9 Jason Voss for five laps.  Voss used an opportunity to maneuver on the outside groove to take over control of the 15-lap race in lap 6.  After the leader and the front of the pack passed a couple lapped cars, # 42 Jason Juech of West Bend battled passed Riemer to take the second spot and apply pressure to leader Voss.  Five laps from the end of the race, Juech’s pressure paid off as he passed Voss to take over the lead of the race.  In lap 12, # 28 Steve Boss of Waldo, # 19 Kurt Jakubowski of Sheboygan Falls and # 32 Scott Long of Waldo provided a fan-favorite move as the three cars raced out of turn 4 and crossed the start\finish line dead even.  As the checkered flag flew, Juech won the first Mighty 4 A-Main race with Voss, Riemer, Jakubowski and Long finishing in the top five.  The Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award went to A-Main winner Juech for passing 10 cars.

In the second Mighty 4 A-Main, # 68 Joe Miller of Plymouth catapulted up and through the protective guardrail on the side of the official flagstand in the infield on lap one.  Fortunately, Miller was not injured but retired his car to the pit area.  Returning driver # 71 Tammy Dickmann of Sheboygan grabbed the lead and held off # 62 Eric Muehlbauer of Kiel for two laps before # 15 Cory Edler of Cascade took over the lead in lap four.  Two laps later, # 85 Vicky Milbrath of Howards Grove moved into second.  At the line in lap seven, Edler and Milbrath crossed the line side-by side with the slight advantage going to Edler.  One lap later, the second and final yellow flag would come out and reline up the field.  # 03 Sandra Meyer of Plymouth used the reline up to jump from sixth before the restart to third.  As the race wound down and the cars took the checkered  flag, Edler finished first with Milbrath and Meyer right behind him in second and third.  # 27 Jeff Gierke and # 33 Josh Long of Waldo rounded out the top five.  The Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award went to Edler after he passed 10 cars to win the race.

Join Eastern Wisconsin Stock Cars for the second race of the season on May 8th at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth.  Qualifying begins at 5:45 PM with racing to follow.
 
Summary:  2004 EWSC Miller Lite Season Opener
Winged Super Modified:
Miller Lite Fast Qualifier:  Billy Hafemann, Waldo – 13.803
A-Main (30 laps):  1) Tim McMullen, Plymouth; 2) Robert Enders, Howards Grove; 3) Paul Pokorski, West Bend; 4) Tony Wondra, Campbellsport; 5) Billy Hafemann, Waldo; 6) Gary Laack, Glenbeulah; 7) Brian Portschy, Oostburg; 8) Barry Maas, Cascade; 9) Kris Hansen, Manitowoc; 10) Dennis Klumb, Grafton;
B-Main (10 laps):  1) Klumb; 2) Adam Brasser, Plymouth; 3) Dave Becker, Greenbush; 4) Lee Mohs, Waldo; 5) Matt VanWyk, Sheboygan Falls;
Heat # 1 (10 laps): 1) Enders; 2) Pokorski; 3) Laack;
Heat # 2 (10 laps): 1) Chuck Tuschl, Reedsville; 2) Pete Ostrowski, Milwaukee; 3) Wondra;

Limited Late Model:
Miller Lite Fast Qualifier:  Brian Cesar, Sheboygan – 15.593
A-Main (18 laps):  1) Henry Dickmann, Sheboygan; 2) Richard Hed, Sheboygan Falls; 3) Dave Jessen, Fredonia; 4) Tim Carman, Sheboygan Falls; 5) Dan Dippel, Plymouth; 6) John Scharenbroch, Sheboygan Falls; 7) Jim Schmidt, Cleveland; 8) Mark Dingel, Sheboygan; 9) Charlie Schmidt, Oostburg; 10) Todd Jensema, Sheboygan Falls;
B-Main (15 laps):  1) Terry Goetsch, Sheboygan; 2) Mark Zimmermann, Kohler; 3) Matt Buckman, Plymouth; 4) Dingel; 5) Jensema; 6) Gary Glander, Sheboygan Falls;
Heat # 1 (10 laps):  1) Dingel; 2) Jensema; 3) Buckman;
Heat # 2 (10 laps):  1) Zimmermann; 2) Brian Kessler, Plymouth; 3) Melissa Singer, Waldo;
Heat # 3 (10 laps):  1) Goetsch; 2) Cesar; 3) Jessen;

Super Stock:
Miller Lite Fast Qualifier:  Brian Gilles, Plymouth – 16.919
A-Main (20 laps):  1) Brian Genske, Sheboygan Falls; 2) Ben Schmidt, Plymouth; 3) Donny Kulow, Plymouth; 4) Brian Gilles, Plymouth; 5) Doug Teunissen, Sheboygan Falls; 6) Brian Kaat, Plymouth; 7) Kevin Zimbal, Sheboygan Falls; 8) John Dirks, Elkhart Lake; 9) Phil Coppersmith, Plymouth; 10) Bradley Ruh, Elkhart Lake; 
B-Main (15 laps):  1) Teunissen; 2) Steve Schad, Cleveland; 3) Brian Goetsch, Sheboygan; 4) Dan Holm, Port Washington; 5) Jamie Theobald; 6) Bob Peter, Howards Grove;
Heat # 1 (10 laps):  1) Rick Hed, Sheboygan Falls; 2) Teunissen; 3) Paul Perronne, Plymouth;
Heat # 2 (10 laps):  1) Schmidt; 2) Jeremy Sauter, Plymouth; 3) Genske;
Heat # 3 (10 laps):  1) Goetsch; 2) Dirks; 3) Gilles;
 
All American Mighty 4’s:
A-Main # 1 (15 laps):  1) Jason Juech, West Bend; 2) Jason Voss; 3) Jay Riemer; 4) Kurt Jakubowski, Sheboygan Falls; 5) Scott Long, Waldo; 6) Steven Ruh, Elkhart Lake;
A-Main # 2 (15 laps):  1) Cory Edler, Cascade; 2) Vicky Milbrath, Howards Grove; 3) Sandra Meyer, Plymouth; 4) Jeff Gierke; 5) Josh Long, Waldo; 6) Wesley Baumann, Elkhart Lake;


Eastern Wisconsin Stock Cars  Point Standings as of May 1, 2004
Winged Super Modifieds
Position, Car#, Driver, Points
1 98 Tim McMullen 95
2 3 Robert Enders 84
3 4 Paul Pokorski77
4 2 Billy Hafemann72
5 97 Tony Wondra70
6 62 Gary Laack67
7 22 Barry Maas 53
8 55 Brian Portschy51
9 7 Pete Ostrowski40
10 72 Dennis Klumb38
11 99 Chuck Tuschl36
12 00 Adam Brasser32
13 8 Kris Hansen 30
14 19 Dave Becker 29
15 42 Matt Van Wyk29
16 9 Lee Mohs25
17 15 Jon Schraufnagel18
 
Limited Late Models
Position, Car#, Driver, Points
1 71 Henry Dickmann79
2 88 Dave Jessen79
3 6 Richard Hed76
4 85 Tim Carmen 70
5 8 Dan Dippel62
6 21 Dingel Bros. 55
7 57 John Scharenbroch53
8 22 Charlie Schmidt 50
9 69 Brian Cesar 49
10 5 Terry Goetsch48
11 89 Todd Jensema45
12 79 Jim Schmidt 42
13 16 Brian Kessler 41
14 52 Mark Zimmermann 40
15 12 Matt Buckman37
16 38 Scott Haugstad29
17 53 Gary Glander26
18 67 Melissa Singer 26
19 65 Keith Borth18
20 2 Gregg Herr 13
21 7 Brian Haese13

Super Stocks
Position, Car#, Driver, Points
1 87 Brian Genske85
2 35 Ben Schmidt 84
3 7 Brian Gilles 82
4 15 Brian Kaat75
5 95 Donny Kulow72
6 48 Doug Teunissen69
7 4 Kevin Zimbal59
8 98 John Dirks 58
9 29 Jeremy Sauter46
10 12 Brian Goetsch37
11 84 Bradley Ruh37
12 22 Jamie Gauger34
13 19 Phil Coppersmith 30
14 59 Dan Holm 29
15 85 Steve Schad/Dave Haag 26
16 91 Jamie Theobald26
17 60 Tim Anderson 24
18 99 Rick Hed23
19 47 Paul Perronne21
20 97 Bob Peter 21
21 6 Josh McDonald 13
22 13 Randy Ostermann Jr. 9
23 58 Dave Holm 8
24 2 Damrow Bros. 5

All-American Mighty - 4's
Position, Car#, Driver, Points
1 15 Cory Edler77
2 42 Jason Juech77
3 9 Jason Voss 67
4 85 Vicky Milbrath67
5 03 Sandra Meyer 59
6 91 Jay Riemer59
7 19 Kurt Jakubowski54
8 27 Jeff Gierke54
9 32 Scott Long 49
10 33 Josh Long 49
11 7 Wesley Baumann 44
12 46 Steven Ruh44
13 5 Amber Rabe39
14 66 Travis Moehring39
15 3 Jason Seehaver34
16 76 Aaron Hauck 34
17 01 Bill Flunker30
18 71 Tammy Dickmann30
19 28 Steve Boss 27
20 62 Eric Muehlbauer27
21 4 Jason McDaniel 25
22 14 Beckie Goetsch25
23 29 Nick Schuette23
24 68 Joe Miller 23
25 11 Herbst/Veldboom21
26 77 Mark Kuhfuss21