Hales Corners Speedway, Saturday July 26

Scheffler Doubles-Up On LM
Feature Wins at Hales Corners
By John Shea
    Franklin, Wis., July 26--Nine-time track champion Russ Scheffler won the 
twin 30-lap UMP late model features which headlined the racing program 
Saturday at the Hales Corners Speedway on Behling Racing Equipment - Butler night.
    The first feature was a make-up race for last week's main event, which 
had to be postponed when the visiting IRA sprint car racers ran their program 
until midnight, prompting local police to stop the show before the local racers 
could compete.  The second main event was part of the regularly scheduled 
program.
    Other feature winners on the night were Don Scheffler in sportsmen, Jason 
Zdroik with a last lap pass in modified, J.J. Weickowski in Hales Whales and 
Chris Blake in the Mud Puppies.
    A stiff westerly wind dried the track early in the night, turning it 
black-slick and placing a premium on superior chassis set-up, something that Russ 
Scheffler and his crew chief have always excelled at.  At the start of the 
first 30-lap UMP late model feature, Ron Stroika led the way from the pole but 
was passed on lap three by Jimmy Watson.  Scheffler's Behling Racing Equipment / 
Pro Power / Wild-chassis Grand Prix, meanwhile, shot through the pack from 
his eighth starting spot to run second at lap four.  On lap five, Watson slid 
into the outside wall in turn three, with Rick Scheffler sliding into him along 
with father George Scheffler.  The yellow came out and Watson was out on the 
spot, with the Scheffler's rejoining the chase after repairs.
    Watson's misfortune put Russ Scheffler at the front for the restart and 
he led to the event's conclusion in spite of four additional yellow flags for 
minor spins.  Chris Carlson moved to second on lap 11 and chased Scheffler the 
entire distance, but could not catch him on the tricky surface.  Defending 
track champ Bret Sievert placed third at the finish, with Scott Specht fourth and 
Bill Rezutek fifth.  Stroika's good night ended on lap 24 when he retired 
from fourth place with mechanical problems.
    For the second 30-lap UMP late model main, Carlson started from the pole 
and made good use of it, opening a large lead before two caution flags brought 
the field back to his rear bumper.  The second yellow occurred on lap 19, 
moving Rick Scheffler and Russ Scheffler, second and third at the time, within 
striking distance with 11 laps remaining.
    Carlson made a good getaway on the restart as Russ worked past his 
brother Rick to run second a lap later.  Scheffler gradually ate up Carlson's 
advantage over the next seven laps and caught him in turns one and two on lap 27.  
Scheffler used his momentum to shoot high and drive past Carlson heading into 
turn three, inching ahead exiting turn four with what proved to be the winning 
pass.  Carlson trailed Scheffler under the checkered flag for the second time 
in one night, with Rick Scheffler third, Specht fourth and George Scheffler 
fifth.
    Mark Lewis and John Sidesky swapped the lead each lap for the first three 
laps of the 20-lap sportsmen feature before Lewis was able to maintain a 
slight edge.  On lap six, however, Don Scheffler, decided to split the pair 
exiting turn two and roared past up the backstretch to take the lead.
    Once in front, Scheffler was never seriously challenged in the non-stop 
main event and went on to bag the victory driving the Bellman Motorsports Monte 
Carlo.  Pat Heaney finished second, with Sidesky third, defending sportsmen 
track champ Don Sorce Jr. fourth and Lewis fifth.
    The 20-lap modified feature was much like the other features on the night 
in that the field was forced to struggle for grip on the dry-slick track.  
Starting from the pole, Jimmy Muth Jr. put his prime starting spot to good use 
as he zoomed out to a large lead, interrupted just once for a caution on lap 
five.
    Muth Jr. looked like a sure winner as the race entered its closing laps, 
however, Zdroik and his Hurricane Racing / Muskego Tire entry had worked their 
way to second and were narrowing the gap.  On the final lap Zdroik surprised 
Muth by diving under him entering turn one and challenging for the lead.  Muth 
Jr. tried to battle back up the backstretch, but Zdroik used the preferred 
inside line to shut the door on Muth Jr. exiting turn four and take the surprise 
victory.  Muth Jr. settled for second, with Spencer Frost third, fast 
qualifier Brian Crapser fourth and Dan Mech fifth.
    Weickowski's American United Taxi Monte Carlo led Chris Hoedel and Jim 
Reinhardt to the checkered flag in the 20-lap Hales Whales main.  Lon Meagher 
and Jerry Orvis rounded out the top five.
    Blake held off Chris Baur for the win in the Mud Puppies nightcapper.  
Johnny Knoxville finished third, with Pat Krimmer fourth and Kevin Kuhnke fifth.
    Racing continues at the historic third-mile oval on Saturday night, 
August 2 with a full program of UMP late model, sportsmen, modified and Hales 
Whales racing, plus the 4-cylinder Mud Puppies.  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 Features--First: 1. Russ Scheffler, Waukesha; 2. Chris Carlson, 
South Milwaukee; 3. Bret Sievert, Franklin; 4. Scott Specht, Sheboygan Falls; 5. 
Bill Rezutek, Big Bend.
    Second: 1. Russ Scheffler; 2. Carlson; 3. Rick Scheffler, Waukesha; 4. 
Specht; 5. George Scheffler, Waukesha.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Carlson; 2. Rick Scheffler.  Second: 1. Sievert; 
2. Russ Scheffler.
    6-lap Dash--Russ Scheffler.
    Fastest Qualifier--Dan Sorce, Franklin.
SPORTSMEN
    20-lap Feature--1. Don Scheffler, Wauwatosa; 2. Pat Heaney, West Allis; 
3. John Sidesky, Wind Lake; 4. Don Sorce Jr. West Allis; 5. Mark Lewis, 
Colgate.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Lewis; 2. Sidesky.  Second: 1. Sorce Jr.; 2. Roger 
Lee, Wind Lake.
    Fastest Qualifier--Sorce Jr.
MODIFIED
    20-lap Feature--1. Jason Zdroik, Big Bend; 2. Jimmy Muth Jr., Greenfield; 
3. Spencer Frost, Waterford; 4. Brian Crapser, Milwaukee; 5. Dan Mech, 
Greenfield.
    8-lap Semi-Feature--1. Joe McGrath, Neosho; 2. Dan Tafelski, West Allis; 
3. Bill Tandetzke, Milwaukee; 4. Ben Godlewski, Sussex.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. McGrath; 2. Tafelski.  Second: 1. Muth Jr.; 2. 
Mech.  Third: 1. Crapser; 2. Zdroik.
    Fastest Qualifier--Crapser.
HALES WHALES
    20-lap Feature--1. J.J. Weickowski, Waukesha; 2. Chris Hoedel, Greenfie
ld; 3. Jim Reinhardt, Milwaukee; 4. Lon Meagher, Racine; 5. Jerry Orvis, Butler.
    8-lap Heats--First: 1. Hoedel; 2. Weickowski.  Second: 1. Meagher; 2. 
Trevor Frandsen, Milwaukee.
4-CYLINDER MUD PUPPIES
    Feature--1. Chris Blake, Milwaukee; 2. Chris Baur, Greenfield; 3. Johnny 
Knoxville, Milwaukee; 4. Pat Krimmer, Milwaukee; 5. Kevin Kuhnke, South 
Milwaukee.


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