IRA Sprint Car Results - Hales Corners Speedway - 07/03/2002

Meyer Wins IRA Sprint Car Main
At Hales Corners Speedway
By John Shea
    Franklin, Wis., July 3-When Todd Hepfner blew an engine while leading 
handily, Steve Meyer picked up the lead and held off a charging John Haeni to 
win the Interstate Racing Association Bumper to Bumper Sprint Series feature 
at the Hales Corners Speedway on Wednesday night.
    Jim Melis led the opening lap of the 30-lap headliner before Hepfner 
charged into the lead using the outside groove in turn four.  Once in front, 
Hepfner pulled away until his engine erupted in a plume of smoke along the 
frontstretch on lap 13.  Hepfner coasted a full lap before coming to a stop 
along the frontstretch, necessitating a yellow on lap 14.
    Hepfner's misfortune handed the lead to Meyer, who led Melis, fast 
qualifier Scott Neitzel and Travis Whitney back to the green flag.  Haeni 
restarted sixth and steadily worked his way to second by lap 21.  Meyer 
maintained his advantage when he began lapping the tailenders on lap 22, but 
his lead evaporated when Neitzel stopped along the frontstretch on lap 26, 
setting up a four-lap dash for the win.
    With three lapped cars separating the lead duo on the restart, Meyer made 
a good getaway when the race resumed.  Haeni cleared the slower cars within a 
lap and closed on Meyer in the final three circuits but could not catch him 
before the checkered flag fell.  Trailing Meyer and Haeni at the finish were 
Kim Mock in third after a late race surge, Bill Warren in fourth and Whitney 
in fifth.  Melis, Joe Roe, Joe Symoens, Wayne Modjeski and Scott Uttech 
rounded out the top-10 finishers.
    Melis, Meyer, Roe and Hepfner won the four heat races and Ty Bartz and 
Scott Uttech won the twin B Mains.  "Battlin'" Billy Wirth rolled over in the 
first heat without injury.
    The WIMSA mini-sprints ran in support of the IRA program, with Jeff 
harder picking up the win in the 15-lap main event.  Mike Kertscher was 
second, with Bryan Perl third, Kevin Eggert fourth and Buddy Luebke fifth.
SUMMARY
(Provisional Results)
IRA SPRINT CAR
    30-lap A-Main-1. Steve Meyer; 2. John Haeni; 3. Kim Mock; 4. Bill Warren; 
5. Travis Whitney; 6. Jim Melis; 7. Joe Roe; 8. Joe Symoens; 9. Wayne 
Modjeski; 10. Scott Uttech; 11. Mike Reinke; 12. Ty Bartz; 13. Todd King; 14. 
Jason Johnson; 15. Craig Lager; 16. Mike Stefka; 17. Dave Uttech; 18. Matt 
Wasmund; 19. Scott Neitzel; 20. Rick Kelsey; 21. Todd Hepfner; 22. Jimmy 
Uttech Jr.
    12-lap B Mains-First: 1. S. Uttech; 2. King; 3. Jimmy Uttech Jr.; 4. 
Darrell Dodd; 5. Fred Ebler; 6. Greg Frost.  Second: 1. Bartz; 2. Lager; 3. 
Johnson; 4. Brian Kristan; 5. Charlie Osborn; 6. Curt Grant.
    10-lap Heats-First: 1. Melis; 2. Neitzel; 3. Modjeski; 4. Whitney.  
Second: 1. Meyer; 2. Reinke; 3. D. Uttech; 4. Wasmund.  Third: 1. Roe; 2. 
Symoens; 3. Haeni; 4. Mock.  Fourth: 1. Hepfner; 2. Warren; 3. Stefka; 4. 
Kelsey.
    Fastest Qualifier-Neitzel; 13.010 seconds (92.237 mph).
WIMSA MINI-SPRINT
    15-lap A Main-1. Jeff Harder; 2. Mike Kertscher; 3. Bryan Perl; 4. Kevin 
Eggert; 5. Buddy Luebke; 6. Terry Ahern.
    10-lap Heats-First: 1. Kertscher; 2. Luebke; 3. Eggert; 4. Scott Billish. 
 Second: 1. Harder; 2. Perl; 3. Roger Barrett; 4. Dwayne Williford.