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Kelsey, Groleau Capture Wilmot Titles
By Michael H. Babicz
(Wilmot, Wis., Saturday, September 27, 2003)-A runner-up finish in the 25-lap
Season Championship feature for winged outlaw sprint cars was good enough to
solidify a first ever track crown for Rick Kelsey of West Allis at Local
Motion Entertainment's Wilmot Speedway Saturday, September 27. Brian
Kristan of Beach Park, Illinois scored an impressive win in the winged warrior
final point race of the year.
William Groleau of South Beloit, Illinois became the first driver in the
52-year history of the one-third mile clay oval facility to win a track
championship while piloting an El Camino. Groleau's seventh place finish
in the hobby stock season championship feature sponsored by Herb's Cycle Parts
of Antioch, Illinois secured the title by 8 points over second place Ken
Netzel in the final standings. Jimmy Scanlon of Pleasant Prairie wrapped
up a third place finish in the 2003 points with a victory in the 15-lap
feature.
Dennis Haldemann of Randolph made it two for two appearances this season with
a flag to flag win in the IMCA-type modified main event.
Roger Lee of Wind Lake picked up his first ever feature win at Wilmot taking
the checkered flag in the Hales sportsman headliner.
Rob Braeger of Milwaukee took the win in a tightly contested Hales Whales
feature to give him his first ever visit in the Wilmot Speedway Victory Lane.
"That was a lot of fun," said Kristan, joined in victory lane by an
elated crew following his fourth feature win of the season at Wilmot despite
running a limited schedule at his home track due to campaigning on the
traveling Interstate Racing Association series. "John Edquist did a
great job. I tried him high once and he shut the door on me. Then
I decided to do a slide job in turn one, and I wasn't sure you could do it
here at Wilmot, but it worked on the new banking."
"My Dad (Joe Kristan) used to like to do crazy stuff with his wings for
open shows, and I'm looking forward to coming out with a little bit of a
secret weapon for next week," Kristan admitted, referring to the open
competition Oct. 4 Wilmot Open Sprints portion of the Fan
Appreciation-Homecoming Fall Festival of Racing. "Coming from 12th
in a 22-car field was really fun. I can't wait until next week to see if
we can win a fifth to match our number."
"This is still Jack Duben's motor," said Kelsey, referring to using
a borrowed engine for the last two weeks. "I have to thank him, and
all of my sponsors and crew, for their support in getting this title. As
for the feature, it was a lot of fun running with John (Edquist) and Brian (Kristan),
but we didn't have quite enough for Brian. We have a few things we're
thinking about for next week, so we'll just have to wait and see."
Edquist, who scored the winged outlaw sprint car rookie of the year honor with
a fifth place finish in the final standings, jumped out to a sizeable early
lead until a caution flew for a spin on lap three. Edquist stayed in
front, beginning to sift his way through traffic like a seasoned veteran until
a yellow flag flew on lap 13 when Bill Waite Jr.'s car lost a right front
wheel in turn two.
Kristan and Kelsey closed up on Edquist on the restart with the trio running
wing to wing several times in the ensuing laps. A pass by Kristan for
the lead on lap 18 was erased due to a spin resulting in the lineup, by rule,
reverting back to the previous fully completed circuit, lap 17, at which time
Edquist was in front.
Two laps after the restart, Kristan successfully completed his "slide
job" by diving from the top of the track to the bottom in turn one, then
drifting back up the banking in front of Edquist for the lead. Edquist
night ended after spinning in turn four five laps from the finish, then
retiring to the pits on the restart with an ill handling car resulting in a
21st place final finish.
Kristan had just enough to keep Kelsey behind him enroute to the checkered
flag. Kelsey came across second. Al Schlafer nipped Leroy
Ostrowski, who started 13th, at the stripe for third. Kevin Hinich came
home fifth to secure second place in the final season point standings.
"We've been having some problems with the car, but we seem to have it
sorted out now," said Scanlon after winning the hobby stock season
championship feature. Third place in the final standings isn't bad, and
I commend William (Groleau) and Ken (Netzel) on great seasons. We're
looking forward to this weekend coming up and seeing if we can keep finishing
strong."
"Do I get a new car, too?" quipped Groleau, the hobby stock
champion, when informed the last time a El Camino was connected with a
championship at Wilmot was when Whitey Harris received a new El Camino for his
championship season back in the 1960s. "Winning the championship is
really nice, especially with the kind of close competition we have in the
class."
Gary Foster took the initial lead in the hobby stock feature. Scanlon
worked his way to the front in turn two on lap two after the two battled side
by side for a lap. Groleau was in contention until a flat tire sent him
to the pits for a couple of laps.
Todd Hensley, who earned rookie of the year honors for the division, suffered
a flat tire on lap eight, thus allowing Groleau to rejoin the race, although a
couple of laps down from the leaders. Scanlon went on to the win with
Foster holding off Netzel for second. Todd Roe was fourth. First
time driver Jim Vandervere came across impressively with a fifth place finish.
"How close were they?" queried Haldemann, referring to his feature
win a week before by inches in the closest finish ever for a IMCA modified
feature at Wilmot. "I thought they were right on me. I'm beginning
to like this place and look forward to coming back next week."
Haldemann led start to finish with his Mopar powered machine. A pair of
early race cautions kept the field close, but each time "Flyin Grandpa
Haldemann," as he is nicknamed by his family, pulled away ending up
winning by several car lengths even though he did not know it. Mike Conn
took second with Scott Shultis third and first time Wilmot competitor Russ
Reinwald fourth and 2003 champion Ed Devall fifth as the four came tightly
across at the checkered despite being a ways back from Haldemann.
"This is a good group of guys to run with," said Lee after his first
Wilmot win despite racing for 16 years at the now permanently closed Hales
Corners Speedway near Milwaukee. "The corners are a little tighter then
Hales, but we're getting used to it. I hope the fans are enjoying the
show because we're having a lot of fun in the cars."
Lee led wire to wire in the non-stop sportsman feature, but not without some
stiff competition. Each time the 1996 Hales Corners Speedway Whales
Division Champion, the former class he completed in, Lee was up to the
task. Dan Sorce, Donny Sorce Jr., first year competitor Tommy Moore and
Bob Parker rounded out the top five.
"We traded a little paint, but like they say, rubbing is racing,"
Braeger said following his first win of 2003 and first ever at Wilmot.
"Lon (Meagher) and Leo (Sullivan) were right there heading into the last
turn. I just put my foot to the floor and hung on."
Braeger took the lead at the drop of the green and officially led every lap at
the start/finish line. Unofficially, Braeger and Meagher swapped the
lead several times, taking the white flag signaling the final lap door handle
to door handle. Coming for the checkered flag through turns three and
four, all three cars were side by side. At the checkered flag it was
Braeger by less than one foot over Meagher. Sullivan came across third
despite a badly overheating engine.
The Mike's Bikes of Gurnee tricycle race was won by 4-year-old Ryan
DeBettignies of Racine over 8-year-old Jennifer Indermuehle of Antioch in a
"Wisconsin versus Illinois/Bears-Packers" preview of the Monday
Night Football match up.
It proved to be a lucky night for the DeBettignies family as Ryan's coloring
contest entry was drawn by hobby stock feature winner Scanlon to win a new
bicycle courtesy of Local Motion Entertainment's Wilmot Speedway and Herb's
Used Cycle Parts of Antioch.
Damion Shepherd, age 7, of Kenosha, son of one of the Wilmot sprint car
drivers, dressed in a "ghoul" costume to win a new bike from Local
Motion Entertainment's Wilmot Speedway and Herb's Used Cycle Parts in the
first ever Wilmot Speedway Costume Contest.
A total of 80 cars competed in 18 events with the final event ending at 10:10
p.m.
The last major dirt track event for 2003 and one of the largest ever staged in
Wisconsin during the month of October is next up for the newly reconfigured
one-third mile banked clay oval located on the Kenosha County Fairgrounds in
Wilmot. This marks the biggest single day event staged during the fall
racing season in the 52-year history of the facility and definitely the
largest under the first year owners Gary Brown and Mike & Terry Simons of
Local Motion Entertainment, Inc.
An old-fashioned "run what you brung" open competition winged outlaw
sprint car program headlines the Fan Appreciation/Fall Festival Night of
Racing on Saturday, October 4. Winner of the 25-lap "A" main
will receive $1,000. A $500.00 bonus posted by Randy Sippel of the Open Wheel
Driving School/Rent-A-Ride program based in Elkhart Lake will be awarded to
the top finishing 360 cubic inch powered sprint car competing in the mostly
410 maximum cubic inch powered field.
Among the impressive list of winged warriors expected to compete are Rick
Kelsey, 2003 Wilmot Champion; Joe Roe of Pleasant Prairie (originally from
Zion, Illinois) who won his ninth Interstate Racing Association traveling
series title this season; Brian Kristan; Kurt Winker of Pleasant Prairie,
coming off a strong third place finish in the KELE World Challenge held during
the Knoxville (Iowa) Sprint Car Nationals in August; Tim Cox of Park City,
Illinois who won a Michigan-based asphalt sprint car championship in 2002; and
six-time Wilmot Champion Dave Moulis of Johnsburg, Illinois who is running a
limited schedule this season.
Interest has been received from sprint car drivers from a three state area
including Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, as the Wilmot Open format allows
drivers who compete under many different sets of rules to compete in one
event. The only requirements, besides general safety, are for the cars
to make the minimum weight rule of 1400 pounds, with the driver, and to have
top wings no wider then the width of the car and no longer then the tail tank.
IMCA-type modifieds, with no claim rule in effect, are expected to continue to
draw a strong field from throughout the region with many tracks already shut
down for the winter.
The Eastern Wisconsin winged super-modifieds based in east-central Wisconsin
will make their first Wilmot appearance since the late 1990s.
Hobby Stocks, Hales Sportsman and Hales Whales are on the program.
The motorcycle-engine powered winged mini-sprints, rained out on Sept. 13,
have been added to the program making it seven divisions with seven feature
events on the schedule.
The season point championships for Wilmot have all been decided as the Oct. 4
event is a non-point show for all classes.
Mike's Bikes of Gurnee tricycle races will be held prior to the National
Anthem Ceremony.
Linda Coil, country western recording artist, will perform in a free post-race
concert for fans, competitors and crews.
Wilmot Speedway's first events are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Grandstands will open at 4 p.m. with the pits opening at 2 p.m.
Grandstand admission remains $11 for adults, $9 for students ages 9-15, $8 for
senior citizens and military personnel, with children ages 8 and under
accompanied by an adult admitted free. A family ticket priced at $25 for
two adults and all young people ages 0-15 accompanying them remains available.
Fans, competitors and crew members are reminded to bring non-perishable food
items or monetary contributions for the Speedway's food drive to aid Shalom
Interfaith Food Center in Kenosha and C.O.O.L. Food Pantry in Waukegan,
Illinois. Contributions may be turned in at the Speedway souvenir
building with the individual becoming eligible to win a new furnace or garage
heater from Hi-Tech Heating and Cooling of Twin Lakes or a Nextel Cellular
phone package from 1st Alliance of Twin Lakes or Lake Geneva. The winner
will be selected from entries though Oct. 4.
For latest information contact the 24-hour race line at 262-862-2446 or the
website at www.wilmotspeedway.com.
LOCAL MOTION ENTERTAINMENT, INC.'S WILMOT SPEEDWAY
WILMOT, WIS. - SUMMARY - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2003-
OUTLAW WINGED SPRINTS:
25-LAP SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE:
1. Brian Kristan, Beach Park, Ill.
2. Rick Kelsey, West Allis, Wis.
3. Al Schlafer, Sussex, Wis.
4. Leroy Ostrowski, Milwaukee, Wis.
5. Kevin Hinich, Kenosha, Wis.
6. Bill Wirth, Cudahy, Wis.
7. Jimmy Uttech Jr., Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
8. Danny Schlafer, Sussex, Wis.
9. Dan Duffield, McHenry, Ill.
10. Doug Dean, Zion, Ill.
11. Dave Uttech, Kenosha, Wis.
12. Jereme Schroeder, Lake Villa, Ill.
13. Wayne Modjeski, Oak Creek, Wis.
14. Mark Wernes, Jr., West Allis, Wis.
15. B.G. Wood, Kenosha, Wis.
16. Johnny Fahl, Brown Deer, Wis.
17. Chad Tessman, Jefferson, Wis.
18. Craig Hemmen, New Berlin, Wis.
19. Dan Shepherd, Kenosha, Wis.
20. Shane Dayney, Salem, Wis.
21. John Edquist, West Allis, Wis.
22. Bill Waite Jr., Cherry, Ill.
"B" MAIN:
1. J. Uttech;
2. Fahl;
3. Chad Tessman, Jefferson, Wis.
4. Shepherd;
5. Dan Uttech, Kenosha, Wis.
6. Rob Heywood, Antioch, Ill.
7. Dave Maynard, Twin Lakes, Wis.
8. Keith Fellner, Sturtevant, Wis.
9. Dennis Janusz, Greenfield, Wis.
10. Bobby Tierney, Burlington, Wis.
11. Jeff Capps, Kenosha, Wis.
12. Bill Cusker, Park City, Ill.
13. Mike Counce, Wildwood, Ill.
1st 10-LAP HEAT:
1. Waite;
2. Ostrowski;
3. Schroeder;
4. J. Uttech.
2nd 10-LAP HEAT:
1. Wernes;
2. Dayney;
3. Modjeski;
4. Fahl.
3rd 10-LAP HEAT:
1. Kristan;
2. Dave Uttech;
3. Wood;
4. Shepherd.
8-LAP DASH:
1. D. Schlafer;
2. A. Schlafer;
3. Dean;
4. Kelsey.
IMCA MODIFIEDS:
20-LAP SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE:
1. Dennis Haldemann, Randolph, Wis.
2. Mike Conn, Big Bend, Wis.
3. Scott Shultis, Waukegan, Ill.
4. Russ Reinwald, Plainfield, Wis.
5. Ed Devall, Waukegan, Ill.
6. Larry Surleta, Round Lake, Ill.
7. Jim Morrison, Antioch, Ill.
8. Mike Sullivan, Trevor, Wis.
9. Tom Brown, Fox Lake, Ill.
10. Brian Crapser, Caledonia, Wis.
11. Dave Holden, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
12. Lee Tibbitts, Hebron, Ill.
13. Elmer Everman III, Kenosha, Wis.
14. Nick Simons, Genoa City, Wis.
15. Larry Marshall, Kansasville, Wis.
16. Mike Simons II, Genoa City, Wis.
17. Ty Webster, Burlington, Wis.
18. John Dost, Bristol, Wis.
19. Rob Olson, Lake Villa, Ill.
20. Tom Nichols, Kenosha, Wis.
12-LAP "B" MAIN:
1. Morrison;
2. M. Simons;
3. Reinwald;
4. Holden;
5. Nichols;
6. Jimmy Joe Urbanik, Salem, Wis.
7. Tony Kautz, Richmond, Ill.
8. Scott Heath, Antioch, Ill.
9. Dan Mech, Greenfield, Wis.
10. Billy Combs, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
11. Jason Therkelsen, Milwaukee, Wis.
12. Dave Grenlund, Sharon, Wis.
13. Patrick Marcott, Milwaukee, Wis.
14. Bob Tellefsen, McHenry, Ill.
1st 10-LAP HEAT:
1. Devall;
2. Marshall;
3. M. Sullivan;
4. Crapser.
2nd 10-LAP HEAT:
1. N. Simons;
2. Conn;
3. Haldemann;
4. Webster.
3rd 10-LAP HEAT:
1. Shultis;
2. Olson;
3. Tibbitts;
4. Everman.
HALES SPORTSMAN:
FEATURE:
1. Roger Lee, Wind Lake, Wis.
2. Dan Sorce, Franklin, Wis.
3. Don Sorce Jr., West Allis, Wis.
4. Tommy Moore, Milwaukee, Wis.
5. Bob Parker, South Milwaukee, Wis.
6. Mike Arnold, Milwaukee, Wis.
7. Brian Stankowski, Greenfield, Wis. (Did Not Start)
8-lap Heat:
1. Don Sorce;
2. Dan Sorce;
3. Lee;
4. Moore.
HOBBY STOCKS:
HERB'S CYCLE PARTS OF ANTIOCH, ILL
15-LAP SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE:
1. Jim Scanlon, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
2. Gary Foster, Kenosha, Wis.
3. Ken Netzel, Bristol, Wis.
4. Todd Roe, Kenosha, Wis.
5. Jim Vandervere, Beach Park, Ill.
6. Todd Hensley, Twin Lakes, Wis.
7. William Groleau, South Beloit, Ill.
8. John Simons, Chicago, Ill.
9. Jason Jarvis, Winthrop Harbor, Ill.
10. John Fletcher, McHenry, Ill. (Did Not Start)
HEAT:
1. Scanlon;
2. Foster;
3. Netzel;
4. Hensley;
HALES WHALES:
10-LAP FEATURE:
1. Rob Braeger, Milwaukee, Wis.
2. Lon Meagher, Racine, Wis.
3. Leo Sullivan, Milwaukee, Wis.
CHILDREN'S TRICYCLE:
FEATURE:
1. Ryan DeBettignies, (age 4), Racine, Wis.
2. Jennifer Indermuehle, (age 8), Antioch, Ill.
1st Heat:
1. Indermuehle;
2. Hanna Morrison, age 4, Antioch, Ill.
3. Mellisa Moe, age 7, Mundelein, Ill.
2nd Heat:
1. DeBettignies;
2. Ryan Mech, age 4, Greenfield, Wis.
CHILDREN'S COSTUME CONTEST WINNER:
Damion Shepherd, age 7, Kenosha
CHILDREN'S COLORING CONTEST WINNER:
Ryan DeBettignies, age 4, Racine, Wis.
UNOFFICIAL - LOCAL MOTION ENTERTAINMENT'S WILMOT SPEEDWAY
POINT STANDINGS (FINAL)
OUTLAW WINGED SPRINTS: (FINAL-2003)
1. Rick Kelsey, West Allis, Wis. (11K) - 772
2. Kevin Hinich, Kenosha, Wis. (34) - 647
3. Bill Wirth, Cudahy, Wis. (53W) - 579
4. Al Schlafer, Sussex, Wis. (26) - 488
5. John Edquist, West Allis, Wis. (27) - 452 (Rookie of the Year)
6. Doug Dean, Zion, Ill. (2) - 437
7. Dan Duffield, McHenry, Ill. (73D) - 414
8. Danny Schlafer, Sussex, Wis. (25) - 382
9. Brian Kristan, Beach Park, Ill. (5) - 322
10. Leroy Ostrowski, Milwaukee, Wis. (27L) - 322
IMCA MODIFIEDS: (FINAL-2003)
1. Ed Devall, Waukegan, Ill. (6) - 502
2. Scott Kuxhouse, Antioch, Ill. (57) - 493
3. Mike Sullivan, Trevor, Wis. (7) - 467
4. Larry Surleta, Round Lake, Ill. (55) - 450
5. Tom Brown, Fox Lake, Ill. (88) - 430
6. Nick Simons, Genoa City, Wis. (24) - 424
*7. Dave Holden, Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (29) - 403
*7. John Dost, Bristol, Wis. (30) - 403
9. Lee Tibbitts, Hebron, Ill. (03T) - 394
10.Ty Webster, Burlington, Wis. (58) - 373
HOBBY STOCKS: (FINAL-2003)
1. William Groleau, South Beloit, Ill. (90) - 561
2. Ken Netzel, Bristol, Wis. (83) - 553
3. Jim Scanlon, Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (5J) - 514
4. Gary Foster, Kenosha, Wis. (82) - 483
5. Todd Hensley, Twin Lakes, Wis. (99) - 463 (Rookie of the Year)
6. Todd Roe, Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (33) - 392
7. Jason Jarvis, Winthrop Harbor, Ill. (17) - 303
8. Kurt Goetzke, Union Grove, Wis. (7) - 282
9. John Fletcher, McHenry, Ill. (12F) - 274
10. Jim Coots Jr., Trevor, Wis. (57) - 204
BASIC INTERNATIONAL CARS (BIC) 4-CYLINDER: (FINAL-2003)
1. Bob Koch, McHenry, Ill. (3) - 274
2. Nick Petska, Spring Grove, Ill. (10-9er) - 269
3. Ben Blau, McHenry, Ill. (6) - 187
4. Jay Lundsford, Caledonia, Wis. (57L) - 112
5. Randy Schneider, Burlington, Wis. (23) - 110
6. Chris Blake, Kenosha, Wis. (69M) - 76
7. T.J. Hamm, Lake Geneva, Wis. (41) - 74
8. Steve Bayer, Lake Villa, Ill. (RR2) - 73
9. Rod Brossart, Lake Geneva, Wis. (24) - 70
10. Jason Conrad, Kenosha, Wis. (220) - 65
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