Pettis Wins Super Lates & Laessig Takes Four In A Row
Marshfield Super Speedway
May 8, 2004

Mother Nature threatened us with rain all week, but fortunately the Stratford Sign Night never saw a drop here at the "Big Half-Mile."  Fast time was set by Judd Brandl in the Super Late Models, Cale Laessig with another quick time for the Supers and Keith Wirtz was the 4-Cylinder fast timer.

Eugene Gregorich Jr. led the first part of the CARQUEST Super Late Model feature.  Eric Wisz raced second for the first lap until Ben Pettis passed him.  Elliott Weiler and Brian Back moved to the front to take third and fourth over the next couple of laps.  The first caution flew on lap eight for the spun car of Kyle Davis.  Both driver and car were okay and able to continue.  Gregorich led the restart and the next lap, but Pettis took the lead from him for lap ten and the caution was out again.  This time for the spun car of Elliott Weiler, he was also able to continue.  Dean LaPointe and Judd Brandl had both been working their way to the front and were third and fifth with Back running fourth.  Lap 14, caution again, this time for the spun car of Josh Bell, Bell's car made contact with the wall in turn two and was unable to continue racing.  Pettis led the restart, and Back moved up to second, passing Gregorich.  Back, Gregorich, LaPointe, Brandl and Rory Melbinger were all racing for those front spots.  Just as the white flag flew, Back began slowing down due to a broken rim.  He was able to finish sixth.  Pettis continued his strong lead for the win, Gregorich moved up to second, LaPointe third, Melbinger fourth and Brandl fifth.

The CWSSA CARQUEST Super Stock feature, Travis Zvolena led the first three laps.  Randy Emmerich led the next three and then fast timer Cale Laessig took charge.  Emmerich fell to second, Zvolena third, Tim Hintz fourth and Matt Raykowski fifth.  Hintz passed Zvolena for third on lap eight.  Laessig won, Emmerich second, Hintz third, Zvolena fourth and Raykowski fifth.

The first three laps of the CWMSA 4-Cylinder feature were led by Torey Nitzsche.  JJ Flick led the next two, Steve Hauser led lap six, Paul Berg led lap seven and then Keith Wirtz took over the lead.  Berg continued to run second and challenge for the lead, Hauser raced third, Flick fourth and Kevin Eckes fifth.  Eckes moved up, passing Flick and then Hauser.  The caution was out on lap 11 for the spun car of Deven Adams, he was able to continue.  The race restarted, but before another lap was complete, Jake Nawrocki spun off the backstretch.  He was unable to continue.  Wirtz led the restart, Berg second, Eckes third, Hauser fourth and Flick fifth.  Just as the field came out of turn four, Wirtz drifted high up the track and Berg took the lead for the win.  Wirtz finished second, Eckes third, Hauser fourth and Flick fifth.

The first race for the 2-Man Cruisers saw the team of Pat Dickman and Jesse Zopfi take the win.  Dan Szymkowiak and Ryan Pionek finished second and Josh Boyer and Dustin Clark third.

Next Saturday's races are sponsored by Mid-States Equipment Inc. Hydraulics and Meyer's Equipment Mfg. Corp.  Racing includes CARQUEST Super Late Models, CARQUEST Super Stocks, Motorcycles, IMCA Oldtimers & 1-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:  Judd Brandl 17.790
CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stocks:  Cale Laessig 20.381
CWMSA 4-Cylinders:  Keith Wirtz 22.115

Heats
CARQUEST Super Late Models
Heat 1:  Krzykowski, Gregorich, Wisz, Bell, Gress.
Heat 2:  E. Weiler, Back, Brandl, LaPointe, Melbinger.

CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stocks:
Heat 1:  Laessig, Hintz, Hetzel, Emmerich, Raykowski.

CWMSA 4-Cylinders
Heat 1:  Brandl, Elmhorst, Nitzsche, McGiveron, A. Eckes.
Heat 2:  Berg, Wirtz, K. Eckes, Flick, Hauser.

Features
CARQUEST Super Late Model:  Pettis, Gregorich, LaPointe, Melbinger, Brandl, Back, Wisz, Davis, Gress, E. Weiler.

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

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

2-Man Cruiser:  Dickman/Zopfi, Szymkowiak/Pionek, Boyer/Clark, Larsh/Becker, Koplien/Allen.

POINT STANDINGS
CARQUEST Super Late Models
1. Judd Brandl201
2. Dean LaPointe201
3. Brian Back 194
4. Rory Melbinger175
5. Ben Pettis168
6. Eugene Gregorich Jr. 163
7. Jeff Weinfurter150
8. Elliott Weiler142
9. DuWayne Davis 130
10. Josh Bell 125

CARQUEST CWSSA Super Stocks
1. Cale Laessig225
2. Tim Hintz 192
3. Matt Raykowski174
4. Travis Zvolena159
5. Rick Hetzel152
6. Randy Meyer (R) 148
7. Randy Emmerich139
8. Chad Scholl 132
9. Bruce Stanley 131
10. Scott Havlicek110

CWMSA 4-Cylinders
1. Keith Wirtz157
2. Kevin Eckes Sr. 153
3. Paul Berg 147
4. Steve Hauser 137
5. George Brandl104
6. Adam Eckes100
7. Torey Nitzsche98
8. Jeremiah Strauss 96
9. Don Elmhorst93
10. Curt Luedtke90

2-Man Cruisers
1. Dickman/Zopfi25
2. Szymkowiak/Pionek24
3. Boyer/Clark 23
4. Larsh/Becker 22
5. Koplien/Allen 21