Weinfurter & LaPointe Take Late Model Mains & Laessig Wins Both Supers
May 1, 2004

American Asphalt night was another cool night for racing action.  Double Super Late and Super Stock features added to the program from the previous week plus a full show.  Dean LaPointe setting fast time again in the CARQUEST Super Lates, Cale Laessig also taking another fast time for the CARQUEST Super Stocks.  Two time champion Keith Wirtz was the quickest 4-Cylinder and new driver Cody Meyer was the best of the 1-Man Cruisers.

The remaining ten laps of the CARQUEST Super Stock feature from last week were run first.  Meyer had been leading at the time the rain started last week and brought the field out for the rest of the feature.  Cale Laessig who was running third, quickly drove up to pass Meyer on the outside.  Laessig unable to pass Meyer on the first attempt challenged back on the inside on lap 18, but the two had contact and Laessig's car spun to the infield.  Meyer took the blame for the incident and Laessig returned to the front of the field.  Laessig won, Randy Emmerich coming in a strong second, Larry Schultz third, Tim Hintz fourth and Matt Raykowski fifth.

Next up was the 25 CARQUEST Super Late Model feature.  Eugene Gregorich Jr. led the field for the first seven laps.  The first caution was out on lap six for the spun car of Elliott Weiler.  Weiler was able to continue and the race resumed.  Jeff Weinfurter who had been running second for five laps pass Gregorich for the lead.  Gregorich fell to second with Ben Pettis, Brian Back and Dean LaPointe close behind.  Back passed Pettis for third on lap nine.  Pettis was later passed by LaPointe and Judd Brandl.  LaPointe moved up a spot, passing Back on lap 14.  The caution was out again on lap 14 for debris in turn two.  As the race went on, LaPointe and Brandl moved up to second and third respectively, but didn't get a chance to challenge Weinfurter for the lead.  Weinfurter won, LaPointe second, Brandl third, Back fourth and Gregorich fifth.

The second CARQUEST Super Late Model feature was first led by Josh Bell and would see four lead changes.  Bell raced hard in the lead, but Rookie Elliott Weiler came up to challenge him and as the two raced side-by-side for several laps, they got too close and had contact causing a spin that brought out the caution.  Brandl who was racing third, then assumed the lead on the restart for lap nine.  He didn't hold the lead alone for long as Jeff Weinfurter moved up along side him to challenge for the lead.  Weinfurter edge ahead for two laps and then Brandl came back for four laps.  Neither driver giving up anything to the other, the two had contact in the middle of the backstretch sending Brandl's car spinning.  Both drivers went to the rear.  Fast timer Dean LaPointe then stepped into the lead.  Brian Back was running second and had some hard challenges from the third place car Eugene Gregorich.  The caution flew the final time on lap 23 for the spun car of Weiler.  A green-white-checkered finish saw LaPointe win his first feature this season, Back second, Gregorich third, Pettis fourth and Russ Weiler fifth.

Matt Raykowski led the first 13 laps of the CWSSA Super Stock feature.  Travis Zvolena ran second for three laps until Larry Schultz took the spot from him.  Fast timer Cale Laessig was moving up fast and passed Schultz for second on lap nine.  Laessig then set his sites on Raykowski and the lead.  Lap 14, Laessig was the new leader.  Just as Laessig took the white flag, Schultz and Raykowski, running hard for second tangled coming out of turn four.  The race was scored complete with Laessig winning, Schultz and Raykowski were scored at the rear.  Randy Emmerich finished second, Shawn Stelzer third, Tim Hintz fourth and Travis Zvolena fifth.

Dan McGiveron and Bill Kolb finished first and second in the 4-Cylinder Semi-Feature which earned them starting spots in the rear of the of the feature.

Don Dunow led lap one of the CWMSA 4-Cylinder feature.  Robert Dalsky led the next five laps.  Lap seven, JJ Flick took over the lead.  The caution flew right after that for the leaking car of Erin Schlough.  Before another lap was completed the caution was out again for a spin with the leaders.  Dale Louze then assumed the lead and held on for the win.  Doug Adams moved up on the checkered flag lap for second, Keith Wirtz third, Kevin Eckes fourth and Paul Berg fifth.

The first lap of the 1-Man Cruiser feature was led by Scott Davis.  Pat Dickman then took over the lead for the win.  Cournoyer finished second, Justin Moore third, Sam Sudduth fourth and David Knauf fifth.

Next Saturday's races are sponsored by Stratford Sign Company.  Racing includes CARQUEST Super Late Models, CARQUEST Super Stocks, 4-Cylinders & 2-Man Cruisers.  Pit Gate opens at 3:30, Grandstand Gates 5 p.m., Time Trials 6 p.m. and Racing 7:30.  Saturday's race is raindated for Sunday Same Times.

Summary
Qualifying
CARQUEST Super Late Models:  Dean LaPointe 17.840
CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stocks:  Cale Laessig 20.163
CWMSA 4-Cylinders:  Keith Wirtz 22.514
1-Man Cruisers:  Cody Meyer 23.811

Heats
CARQUEST Super Late Models
Heat 1:  Bell, Totzke, R. Weiler, D. Davis, K. Davis.
Heat 2:  Gregorich, Weinfurter, B. Back, Brandl, Pettis.

CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stocks:
Heat 1:  Raykowski, Zvolena, Scholl, Stanley, R. Meyer.
Heat 2:  Schultz, Stelzer, Laessig, Hintz, Hetzel.

CWMSA 4-Cylinders
Heat 1:  McGiveron, Luedtke, Kolb, W. Elmhorst, D. Elmhorst.
Heat 2:  Brandl, Flick, Dalsky, Nitzsche, Strauss.
Heat 3:  Adams, Louze, Hauser, K. Eckes, Wirtz.

1-Man Cruisers
Heat 1:  Dickman, Moore, Davis, Sudduth, Meyer.

Semi-Features
CWMSA 4-Cylinder:  McGiveron, Kolb, Luedtke, D. Elmhorst, W. Elmhorst.

Features
CARQUEST Super Late Model:  LaPointe, B. Back, Gregorich, Pettis, R. Weiler, Melbinger, Weinfurter, Brandl, D. Gress, D. Davis.

CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stock:  Laessig, Emmerich, Stelzer, Hintz, Zvolena, R. Meyer, Scholl, Hetzel, Stanley, Schultz.

CWMSA 4-Cylinder:  Louze, Adams, Wirtz, K. Eckes, Berg, Hauser, Flick, Strauss, A. Eckes, Brandl.

1-Man Cruiser:  Dickman, Cournoyer, Moore, Sudduth, Knauf.

Features From 04/24/04
CARQUEST Super Late Model:  Weinfurter, LaPointe, Brandl, B. Back, Gregorich, Pettis, Bell, Melbinger, E. Weiler, Totzke.

CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stock:  Laessig, Emmerich, Schultz, Hintz, Raykowski, Zvolena, Hetzel, Havlicek, Scholl, Meyer.