DREAMS COME TRUE FOR WISCONSIN'S REFFNER AT THE `MILE
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (August 29, 2004) - All drivers want to win on their home track, but for those from
Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Mile is the epitome. This afternoon, Stevens Point's Bryan Reffner realized two
dreams come true during the Lester Buildings 200 at the legendary one-mile track.
"This victory is bittersweet in more ways that you can imagine," Reffner said not long after crossing the finish
line in his No. 80 Menards Chevrolet with a 0.747-second margin of victory. "This is my team that we started
last year, and we struggled last year through the majority of the season. A lot of dumb luck happened to us.
"We wanted to run strong here; it's a hometown track for me. I've run here (in a lot of classes) and never won.
To have my first win with my own team, with the Morton Salt people and all those people that were important
to this team here. It's more overwhelming than you can imagine," he said of winning on The 'Mile with his own
team, the two dreams that come true for him.
The last time Reffner took the checkered flag in ASA National Tour competition was 1995, so he was ready to
celebrate his third career win. After some monstrous donuts on the frontstretch he progressed to one of the
most unusual winner's circle celebrations. Reffner climbed from his car and doused his team with cans of
Morton's Salt, one of his team sponsors. The 1995 ASA champion later added the more traditional
champagne to the celebrations.
Finishing second was another Wisconsin driver, Wasau's Kevin Cywinski, who also said it was important for
him to have a good run at The Milwaukee Mile. The driver of the No. 1 Country Joe Homes Chevrolet started
on the pole as the top 35 cars were set by points when qualifying was rained out on Saturday afternoon.
"I grew up in Wasau and we made trips here to watch guys like Davey Allison, Bobby Allison, and you name it;
just a lot of the legends," Cywinski said. "For me, you always want to run good in front of your hometown fans.
You got family and friends that come to the race and you just don't want to let them down. There is probably
more pressure on me to run good here and at Madison (International Speedway in Oregon, Wis.)."
Crossing the line third was Toby Porter in the No. 11 Meijer Chevrolet. It was Porter's fourth consecutive Top-
5 finish continuing a streak which began at Madison International Speedway.
"I tell you what, my Meijer Chevrolet was good today, even though I was getting tight off the corner," Porter
explained. "We kept freeing it up and the car got better every time we pitted. I tell you what; we'll take a third
place finish. I think this makes four Top-5s in a row so you can't complain about that."
Tim Sauter and Scott Lagasse Jr. rounded out the Top-5. The rest of the Top-10 finishers were Jon Vig in his
first ASA National Tour start, rookie Jay Middleton, Butch Miller, Robbie Pyle and rookie Brett Sontag. The
Lester Buildings 200 saw five lead changes among six drivers, and 15 of the 40 starters finished on the lead
lap. There were 11 cautions for 63 laps.
The BFGoodrich Tires Halfway Leader award was given to Ed Brown, who also received the Cool Shirt "Cool
Move of the Race" award leading 39 laps, more than doubling his five year ASA National Tour career total.
The VP Fuels "Hard Charger of the Race" was Mike Eddy who moved up 23 positions from his starting spot of
35th. Mike Chaffee, crew chief on Cywinski's No. 1 Monte Carlo, won the SK Hand Tool Crew Chief of the
Race for the second time this season.
The next event for the ASA National Tour is Monday, September 6 at Elko (Minn.) Speedway, continuing a
long ASA tradition of racing on Labor Day in Minnesota. The American Speed Association is based in
Pendleton, Ind., and has offered stock car racing programs since 1968, including the ASA National Tour, ASA
Late Model Series, several regional touring series and the ASA Member Track programs. For additional
information, visit asaracing.com.
- www.asaracing.com -
