Plymouth’s Scott Haugstad and Elkhart’s Paul Dirks on Top at Plymouth
By Mary Burbach

July 10, 2004- The Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Limited Late Models and Super Stocks joined the IRA Sprint show at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth on Saturday, July 10th.

After locking in 12 cars through the heat races, six more competitors transferred from the B-Main into the Limited Late Model 30-lap A-Main.  Sheboygan’s # 65 Keith Borth grabbed the lead in the first lap but # 71 Henry Dickmann also of Sheboygan briefly took the top spot from Borth in lap two.  Borth was not ready to give up control and took back the lead a lap later.  By lap four, Plymouth’s # 38 Scott Haugstad passed Dickmann to challenge Borth for the lead.  As Haugstad applied the pressure, # 85 Tim Carman of Sheboygan Falls pulled in behind Haugstad in third while another Sheboygan Falls driver, # 6 Richard Hed, moved into fourth.  The first and only yellow flag halted the racing action in lap six and lined up leader Borth out in front alone with Haugstad and Carman in the first row behind him.  Borth charged out in front to hold his lead but only for a lap.  Coming out of turn four to complete lap eight, Haugstad dove around Borth to beat him to the line by a bumper.  A lap later, Carman passed Borth to take over second behind Haugstad.  As leader Haugstad and Carman started pulling away from the rest of the field, Hed moved into third and began his chase to catch the two.  As Haugstad and Carman raced up to the back of the pack, Hed and # 69 Brian Cesar of Sheboygan caught up to them and it turned into a four car battle for the win only five laps from the end.  At the checkered flag, Haugstad held off the other competitors to win his first A-Main of the season.  Carman followed in second with Hed, Cesar and heat winner Borth rounding out the top five.  The Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award went to Cesar and # 12 Matt Buckman of Plymouth as both passed six cars.

On the first lap of the Super Stock A-Main, a multi-car spin in turns three and four thrilled the fans but did not cause a caution as all the cars involved spun and kept racing.  Elkhart Lake’s # 89 Paul Dirks grabbed the early lead in lap two with # 45 Joe Schmidt of Plymouth on his bumper.  Sheboygan’s # 22 Jamie Gauger maneuvered into third while Plymouth’s # 19 Phil Coppersmith grabbed fourth.  Just before the only yellow flag appeared in lap six, the leader’s brother # 98 John Dirks of Elkhart Lake passed two cars to pull into fourth.  On the restart, Paul Dirks led with Schmidt and Gauger in the row behind him.  After the green flag flew, John Dirks passed Gauger for third.  A lap later, # 7 Brian Gilles of Plymouth joined the top five.  By the half way point in the 20-lap race, leader Paul Dirks still had Schmidt and brother John on his bumper with Gilles and # 84 Bradley Ruh of Elkhart Lake in fourth and fifth.  Two laps later, Gilles maneuvered around John Dirks to pull into third.  By lap 13, Gilles passed Schmidt for second.  As leader Paul Dirks raced through the turns, Gilles stayed close, waiting for his opportunity to take over control of the race.  Paul Dirks made sure the opportunity never presented itself and went straight to the checkered to win his first A-Main of the season.  Gilles followed in second with Schmidt, heat winner John Dirks and Ruh rounding out the top five.  The Meyer Motors Hard Charger Award went to Gilles after passing an impressive 10 cars to finish second.

Join Eastern Wisconsin Stock Cars on  Saturday, July 17 for the Pat Rand Memorial / LEGENDS of EWSC/MSC Night at the races.  The Winged Super Modified division will run Twin 22-lap A-Mains in honor of the fallen # 44 Pat Rand.  The Legends Celebration will honor drivers who had an important role in the growth and history of Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car club through its 40+ year history.