Ruppel Wins 2005 Pit Bull Rookie of the Year Honors

September 6, 2005
Chetek, WI


Engine Problems Slow Ruppel in Crandon – Wins 2005 Pit Bull Rookie of the
Year Honors!

After winning Round 10 at the Boss Snowplow Challenge in Bark Rive, Eric
Ruppel and his #837 Phil’s Inc. AMSOIL BFGoodrich Tire Swant Graber Ford
F-150 were looking to build on past performances.  The Saturday morning
practice session went well, and the Loose Cannon Race Team was anxious for
the start of Round 11.

Round 11 – Saturday
Eric was positioned right in the middle of the front row of the “infamous”
land rush start into Turn One. The middle of the 1600-foot long straightaway
leading to the first turn is smooth and flat on both sides, but full of
whoops and moguls down the middle, directly in Eric’s path.

When the green flag dropped the BFGoodrich tires hooked up really well and
the Fox Shocks sucked up most the moguls as Eric found himself in third
place as the leaders headed towards the Barn Jump. With only Al Konitzer and
Scott Beauchamp in front of him, the Loose Cannon Race team was looking to
finish on the podium. That all ended on Lap 3, when Eric pulled off the
track with a blown radiator hose which emptied all the coolant out of the
engine. The team was credited with an 11th place finish.

Round 12 – Sunday
The team replaced the “faulty hose” Saturday night and the hope of a good
final round of racing was still in the air. The land rush start found Eric
running in 4th place as everyone headed down the front straightaway. As Eric
headed for the Precision Gear “gravel pit” turn, the a couple of trucks made
minor contact, which sent  #837 spinning back to tenth place. The next seven
laps saw Eric and Tim Konitzer battle for position. Both drivers passed each
several times, when on Lap 9 the engine blew the same radiator hose ending
the season for Eric Ruppel. Officially the team finished in 10th place.

After the race the team found the cause of the excessive water pressure
produced by the engine. The head gaskets were leaking allowing the pressure
created by the stroke of the pistons. This additional pressure would
eventually cause the weakest part of the cooling system, the rubber water
hoses, to fail. 

The last weekend of racing for the 2005 Lucas Oil CORR Sportsman 2 division
had Eric Ruppel finishing eight overall in the standings. The team
accumulated 105 points in its first of competition in the CORR Sportsman
series and came home with Pit Bull Tires Rookie of the Year honors!

“Racing in CORR was the goal I set for myself several years ago when we
began in the Formula 4x4 class. When we got to Lake Odessa for our first
race, I knew the competition would be tough, but that was an understatement.
Every time out at least six or seven trucks are capable of winning. I can’t
thank my wife, Deanne and my team, Jesse Davis, Kent Kramer, Nate Roske, and
Steve Wickman enough. The help from other CORR competitors really was cool….
winning the Sportsman Rookie honors is a credit to all my supporters. We
will be back next year and without the cooling gremlins…hopefully to contend
for the championship.” – commented Eric Ruppel.

Thanks to the guy and his daughter who after meeting Eric Ruppel in Topeka,
came all the way to Crandon to watch Eric race. They really appreciated the
care package of racing souvenirs from Probst Motorsports, Taylor Racing,
Federico Racing, The Sticker Dude, Ringers Gloves, and Phil’s Inc.

Thanks again to all the supporters of Eric Ruppel and his CORR Sportsman
Stock Truck team.

Swant Graber Ford	AMSOil			BFGoodrich Tires 	Phil’s Inc./MT Graphics      
Optima Batteries	
Alltel			Art Carr Trans		American Racing  	Autometer                        
   Precision Gear
Fox Shox		K &N Filters		Mastercraft Seats	              MSD Ignition 

For more information about Eric Ruppel and his CORR Sportsman Stock Truck
team visit - www.philsinc.com/ericruppel or
contact Eric Ruppel at Chetek Off-Road. Call (715) 924-2729 or email: 
rupe@chibardun.net