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2005 Track Champions Named At Fox Ridge Speedway
(ARCADIA, Wisconsin) - - An interesting dichotomy is laid out for all to see
with the naming of the 2005 Track Champions at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY.
On one side of the scale we have a driver with more than a handful of
championships highlighting a multi-decade career while on the other side of
the scale we have a handful of first-time champions reveling in their title.
It's true that Mother Nature played a decidedly crucial role in bringing to a
close sever extremely close points battles this year. With heavy rains forcing
the cancellation of the final two nights of regular-season action at 'THE BIG
3/8-MILE', points battles which were sure to erupt into full fledge warfare
were simply locked in as they had stood following the August 12th race night
results.
But, even with the forced cancellation of the final two nights, drivers and
fans alike were treated to some wonderful battles leading up to what has now
become the final track standings for 2005.
And with the finalization of the standings - we see the dichotomy mentioned
earlier.
Karl Fenske has a name and a history in the sport that is well known
throughout the upper Midwest. A driver who has visited Victory Lane in a
nearly uncountable number of dirt tracks around the upper Midwest made enough
visits to FOX RIDGE's Victory Lane in 2005 to offset the other nights of bad
luck and hold off the determined challenges of local driver John Doelle to
pick up his third straight FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY USRA Modified Division Track
Championship.
"I saw it in some of the articles this year", commented the Winona
driver with his characteristic laugh - as he referred to his up and down
season, " 'It's either feast or famine for Fenske', but on those nights
when we didn't have problems we were either winning or finishing near the
front."
Despite several feature D.N.F.'s (Did Not Finish) early in the season, Fenske
put together seven Feature wins with nine top-5 and 12 top-10 feature
finishes. And the point battle was still close.
"We didn't even start thinking 'Championship' until Brad Waits (point
leader at the time) missed a week," explained Fenske, "And then it
was Doelle and me - and it got awfully close there for a while!"
And now, with three-in-a-row in his pocket, Fenske is starting to talk like no
race fan ever expected, "I'm not saying that I won't ever drive
again," he stated when asked about 'next year', "But, you probably
won't see any more 'Championship Runs' from the Fenske camp!"
Fenske said that his entire racing set up is for sale, "I've got
everything for sale. If it doesn't sell, maybe I'll polish up the #99 and just
kind of pick and choose a couple races here or there when I get the
urge." But it sure appears that this may have been Fenske's final
full-season hurrah!
FIRST TIME CHAMPIONS
While Fenske basked in the glow of his 'Three-peat' - the other four Divisions
at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY crowned first-time champions.
20 year-old college student Ryan Olson had a 'break-out' year in only his
second full-time season behind the wheel. Three WISSOTA Midwest Modified
feature wins, coupled with an incredibly consistent 12 top-5 and 15 top-10
finishes in 17 starts was the key to wrapping up the Division Title.
After a year that saw the horrific crash and injury to Lonnie Earney - the
odds on sentimental favorite has to be Dennis Earney. This veteran put
together a dominating mid-season run collecting a total of six WISSOTA Super
Stock feature wins while ringing up 10 top-5 and 12 top-10 feature finishes.
Two straight D.N.F.'s on what turned out to be the final two nights of the
season sure tightened up the point battles in this division - but Earney held
on to the point lead and collected the Super Stock Championship.
Danny Hanson's 2005 will probably always be remembered as a story-book
dominant run. Six WISSOTA Street Stock feature wins with 13 top-5 and 15
top-10 finishes in 17 starts built up a solid point lead in the standings,
which was never truly challenged as the on-track action graduated into the
second half of the season.
And with a total of 81 cars collecting points throughout the 2005 season in
the 4-Cylinder HORNETS division - Wisconsin driver Mark Bornitz has plenty to
be proud of. In 17 feature starts, Bornitz's impressive consistency brought
fourth 16 top-10 and 15 top-5 finishes with three of those finishes ending in
Victory Lane!
FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY owners Dave and Judy Hesch, while disappointed with the
regular season ending under the raining conditions, were none the less excited
for the five Champions and the regular competitors as well. "We are
extremely sorry that the season had to end with 2 rainouts!", offered
Dave, "It would have been a great night with the point battles so close
in all of the classes - we were really looking forward to it!"
"Congratulations to our Track Champions, Karl, Dennis, Danny, Ryan &
Mark and all of the 2005 drivers." Added Judy, "We hope to see all
of these drivers, and many more, along with our many faithful race fans at the
'THUNDER AT THE RIDGE' in October!"
FOX RIDGE racing action takes a rest through the month of September before
resuming in full force with the two-day "THUNDER AT THE RIDGE"
scheduled for Friday October 7th and Saturday October 8th. Spectators can also
enjoy a unique night of fun on Saturday September 17th when FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY
hosts the "HARVEST HAVOC - Night of Destruction". A Combine
Demolition derby will highlight this evening of 'full-moon fever' along with
"TUFF-TRUCKS" competition, a 'Burn Out' contest, and 'Spectator
Races'!
Spectators or interested participants can visit the FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY web
site www.foxridgespeedway.com
or call the Speedway Office at (608) 323-3396 for more details!
Congratulations, once again, to Karl Fenske, Dennis Earney, Ryan Olson, Danny
Hanson, & Mark Bornitz - the 2005 FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY TRACK CHAMPIONS!!
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