Eric Ruppel wins at Antigo

June 12, 2006
Chetek, WI
For Immediate Release

Ruppel takes Round 2 at Antigo

The long awaited opening rounds of the 2006 Lucas Oil CORR Sportsman  
Series began at the Langlade County Fairgrounds in Antigo, Wisconsin.  
The weather was somewhat cool, but thankfully rain was nowhere in  
sight. For the first in CORR?s history this event was for Sportsman  
competitors only. The track officials also eliminated the traditional  
back section of the course. This gave the fans a better look at some  
of the CORR?s  ?Pro - Stars of the Future? as they gain the needed  
experience to get to the premier level of short-course off-road  
racing.  The layout of the track was still 8/10ths of a mile in length.

Eric Ruppel and his Loose Cannon Racing #837 Chetek Off-Road, Phil?s  
Inc., Art Carr Transmission, BFGoodrich Tires Sportsman Stock Ford  
F-150 were ready to challenge for the 2006 Lucas Oil CORR Sportsman  
Stock Truck Championship. The truck was completely disassembled over  
winter with a new engine tuned for the 2006 restrictor plate as well  
as an updated Art Carr Transmission installed for the run for the  
championship.  After winning his first CORR round of racing and the  
Sportsman Rookie of the Year title, Eric has his sights set on the  
series championship for 2006.

Saturday ? Round One

Eric drew the pole position for the opening round of the 2006 season.

At the start Eric sprinted into the lead with #885 Don Demeny in  
second. On lap two the reigning class champ, Dave Waldvogel #810,  
began to pressure Eric for the lead. Eric went wide going through the  
final turn and the # 810 grabbed the lead. The next few laps had Eric  
and the #810 of Rod Wells battling for position.

On lap 6, the truck caught a hole and flatten a tire. This slowed his  
pace considerably and eventually retired on lap ten. The team was  
credited with a 10th place finish.

Sunday ? Round Two

Due to his 10th place finish, the Loose Cannon entry started on the  
inside of the second row.

When the green flag dropped all eleven Stock Trucks roared down the  
front stretch with Eric powering his way into the lead. As the pack  
headed down the backstretch the BFGoodrich tires really put the power  
to the track. The second place truck of Keith Steele soon found Eric?s  
lead to be too much. At the halfway point Eric had over a ten-truck  
length lead over second place. Even when lapped traffic came into  
play, the #837 Ford F-150 never missed a beat. At the checkered flag,  
Eric came home first. In fact his last lap was the fastest lap of the  
round, taking 57.292 seconds for an average speed of 50.269mph.

?After the mistake I made on Saturday, I knew I had to make it up  
somehow. I can?t say enough about the work everybody put into this  
truck over the winter. The truck was just awesome, Amsoil kept our  
Ford engine and Art Carr transmission running cool, and the BFGoodrich  
tires were really hooked up. This was the first weekend I used Racing  
Optics visor tear offs and they were awesome. The True Flow air filter  
and Dynomax exhaust kept our engine at peak performance. I can?t wait  
to get to Crandon!? ? commented driver Eric Ruppel.

After the weekend of racing Loose Cannon Racing is second in the  
points standing just two points out of the lead.

Eric Ruppel would like to thank all his supporters including: Phil?s  
Inc.-Truck Stuff, Chetek Off-Road, Art Carr Transmissions, BFGoodrich  
Tires, Ford Trucks, Amsoil, Optima Batteries, True Flow Filters,  
Ringers Gloves, Fox Shocks, American Racing Wheels, Racing Optics,  
Auto Meter, Dynomax, Fox Shocks, Mastercraft Seats, Sunoco Race Fuels,  
Precision Gear, Nonemacher Dairy and Grain, A & J Landscape,  
Irrigation & Lighting, and Alliance Realty ? Kelly Ewert.

Next Race ? June 24-25 ? Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run in  
Crandon, Wisconsin.

Currently Eric Ruppel and the Loose Cannon Off-Road Race Team have  
marketing opportunities available for the 2006 Lucas Oil CORR  
Sportsman series.

To contact Eric Ruppel at Chetek Off-Road. Call (715) 924-2729 or  
email:  rupe@chibardun.net or Mike Reusche (847) 869-2434,  
race@mt-graphics.com


-Mike Reusche, Marketing MTG
-	finish photo by Jeremy Pyatskowit
-	header photo by  J & L Photography