Hales Corners Speedway, Full Results, 06-14-2003

Watson Spoils Schlieper's
Plans at Hales Corners
By John Shea
    Franklin, Wis., June 14--Jimmy Watson stole some of Dan Schlieper's 
thunder Saturday at the Hales Corners Speedway.
    Schlieper, a traveling star with the UDTRA late model tour, cut his 
racing teeth at Hales Corners Speedway and made a return to the venerable 
third-mile oval on Saturday night.  After dominating the 30-lap main event, however, 
Schlieper found his designs on a big homecoming win spoiled by a gritty run from 
weekly Hales veteran Watson.  Watson stormed past Schlieper with seven laps 
remaining and went on to score a popular victory.
    Pat Heaney won the opening round of the popular annual Borchardt Speed - 
Automotive Sportsmen Triple Crown, while Jason Zdroik won the modified 
feature, J.J. Weickowski topped the second round of the N&S Towing Hales Whales 
Triple Crown headliner and Chris Blake took top honors in the 4-cylinder 
nightcapper.
    The 30-lap UMP late model feature got off to a rough start as Bill 
Rezutek, George Scheffler and Ron Stroika spun and crashed exiting turn four on the 
opening lap.  A caution for debris in turn three slowed the proceedings on lap 
two before a big crash involving Rick Scheffler, Scott Specht, Russ 
Scheffler, George Scheffler, Jim Letizia and Stroika produced the event's third yellow 
flag period in as many laps.
    Up front, Schlieper had gotten past polesitter Watson and led the way on 
the restart.  Dan Sorce moved by Watson for second, with Chris Carlson fourth 
and defending track champ Bret Sievert fifth.  Schlieper began to blow past 
slower cars on lap 12 as Watson got around Sorce for the runner-up spot.
    Sievert, meanwhile, was on the move.  He got past Carlson for fourth and 
then Sorce for third before demoting Watson from the second spot on lap 16.  
Sievert chased Schlieper for the next three laps before his job was made easier 
by the event's fourth yellow for a Brian Konopka spin in turn one on lap 19.
    When the race resumed, Sievert made several attempts at Schlieper along 
the bottom, which Schlieper repelled.  Behind the lead duo, however, Watson had 
placed his car against the cushion and began to make a charge.  Watson first 
dusted off Sievert and then blew by Schlieper in turns three and four to take 
the lead on lap 22.
    Schlieper picked up the pace in his pursuit of Watson, but Watson never 
put a wheel wrong in the final seven laps as he rode the cushion to his second 
main event win of the 2003 season.  Schlieper settled for second, with Sievert 
third, Carlson fourth and Rick Scheffler fifth.
    Don Scheffler burst into the lead at the start of the 35-lap Borchardt 
Speed - Automotive Sportsmen Triple Crown feature with Heaney, Jeff Tondryk, 
Mark Lewis and Mike Marshall following.  Scheffler moved out to a large advantage 
over Heaney in the early laps as the field shuffled with faster cars mid-pack 
beginning to come to the front.
    Former sportsmen champ Dave Gorny advanced from ninth at the start to 
fourth by lap 12, and third at lap 13.  Scheffler, meanwhile, saw his lead 
shrinking as Heaney steadily closed the gap as the race worked to halfway.  Heaney 
caught Scheffler on the low side exiting turn two on lap 15 and took the lead 
going up the backstretch.
    Gorny's charge was thwarted by the slower car of Jim Fisher, which 
Tondryk used as a pick to get back past Gorny and into third place.  The field was 
brought back together on lap 23 when Marshall spun on the frontstretch, 
bringing out the event's only caution flag.
    When the race resumed, Heaney held Scheffler off to pick up the win, 
while Tondryk kept Gorny at bay to hold onto third.  Defending sportsmen champ Don 
Sorce Jr. finished fifth after starting 12th.
    "The Juice" Jason Zdroik topped the 20-lap modified main over Spencer 
Frost.  Jim Zdroik was next under Bob Martin's checkered flag, with Jeff 
Bodendorfer and Scott Barnharst rounding out the top five.
    After winning the opening round of the N&S Towing Hales Whales Triple 
Crown on May 17, Weickowski followed it up with an encore performance on Saturday 
night, picking up the win over Barry Cates, Jim Reinhardt and Ken Fleury Jr. 
in a finish that exactly mimicked the top-four from the opening round.  Jeremy 
Bregant brought his classic Pontiac GTO home in the fifth position.
    Chris Blake won the 4-cylinder Mud Puppies show-closer over Eddie Lemay 
III.  Pat Krimmer placed third and Kevin Kuhnke fourth.
    Racing continues at the Hales Corners Speedway on Saturday night, June 21 
with a full program of UMP late model, sportsmen, modified and Hales Whales 
racing, plus the 4-cylinder Mud Puppies.  The night will be highlighted by twin 
25-lap features for the high-powered UMP late models.  Time trials are at 
6:15 p.m., with racing immediately following qualifying.  Hales Corners Speedway 
is located on Hwy. 100, one half-mile south of Forest Home Avenue in Franklin, 
next to Hiller Ford.  For more information, call (414) 778-4710 during 
regular business hours, or (414) 425-4700 on race day.  You can also visit Hales 
Corners Speedway on the world wide web at www.halescornersspeedway.com.
SUMMARY
UMP LATE MODEL
    30-lap Feature--1. Jimmy Watson, Big Bend; 2. Dan Schlieper, Pewaukee; 3. 
Bret Sievert, Franklin; 4. Chris Carlson, South Milwaukee; 5. Rick Scheffler, 
Waukesha.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Watson; 2. Schlieper.  Second: 1. Scott Specht, 
Sheboygan Falls; 2. Sievert.
    6-lap Dash--Specht.
    Fast Qualifier--Specht.
SPORTSMEN
    35-lap Feature--1. Pat Heaney, Wauwatosa; 2. Don Scheffler, Wauwatosa; 3. 
Jeff Tondryk, Milwaukee; 4. Dave Gorny, West Allis; 5. Don Sorce Jr., West 
Allis.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Scheffler; 2. Heaney.  Second: 1. Roger Lee, Wind 
Lake; 2. Sorce Jr.
    Fast Qualifier--Lee.
MODIFIED
    20-lap Feature--1. Jason Zdroik, Big Bend; 2. Spencer Frost, Waterford; 
3. Jim Zdroik, Big Bend; 4. Jeff Bodendorfer Jr., Waterford; 5. Scott 
Barnharst, Franklin.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Mike Watson, Franklin; 2. Ben Godlewski, Waukesha. 
 Second: 1. Everette Fitch, Racine; 2. Barnharst.  Third: 1. Frost; 2. Mike 
Bodendorfer, Waterford.
    Fast Qualifier--Jim Zdroik.
HALES WHALES
    25-lap Feature--1. J.J. Weickowski, Waukesha; 2. Barry Cates, Greenfield; 
3. Jim Reinhardt, Milwaukee; 4. Ken Fleury Jr., Franklin; 5. Jeremy Bregant, 
West Allis.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Weickowski; 2. Reinhardt.  Second: 1. Jeremy 
Bregant, West Allis; 2. Jim Shambeaue, Milwaukee.
    Fastest Qualifier--Reinhardt.
4-CYLINDER MUD PUPPIES
    Feature--1. Chris Blake, Milwaukee; 2. Eddie Lemay III, Milwaukee; 3. Pat 
Krimmer, Milwaukee; 4. Kevin Kuhnke, South Milwaukee.