BREEZER BESTS 'EM IN DICK TRICKLE 99 IN FRONT OF FULL HOUSE AT DELLS MOTOR SPEEDWAY WISCONSIN CHALLENGE SERIES EVENT! WISCONSIN DELLS, WI. (September 3, 2001) -- On a picture perfect day, Portage, Wisconsin native Rocky Breezer made his debut in the Wisconsin Challenge Series by making his entry into the Dick Trickle 99. By the end of the feature contest Breezer would stand in victory lane after scoring the biggest win of his career in front of a packed house. The victory was worth $3,000, which included a generous donation from 5-County Towing of Wisconsin Dells.
Breezer had spent much of the 99 lap feature contest watching a duel for the lead between polesitter Frank Kreyer and multi-time Golden Sands Speedway champion Mark Eswein, as he was content to run in the third position. On lap 93 Kreyer slowed and Eswein stood on the brakes to avoid contact. At the same moment Breezer swept to the outside and shot past the lead pair to lead at the stripe. He would then motor on to a thrilling victory, surviving a late race restart and heavy challenges from Eswein. After accolades and greetings on track by a happy crew, Breezer commented on his victory. "This was just great. I was following those two guys (Eswein and Kreyer ), and I radioed in to my crew and asked what should I do, just follow? They said it's in your hands buddy! They were slowing down and I could see Don Turner coming so I'd better go and it worked. It was great!", exclaimed an estactic Breezer from victory lane. Eswein would lose the runner-up spot on the final lap to Don Turner. After the event Eswein commented on his run. "It's kind of tough to pass on the outside here. When Frank (Kreyer) was leading I may have bumped him a few times, but I'm not one to just drive up through somebody since I'd expect the same out of him", noted Eswein on his run. Eswein's third place finish netted him the point lead as the series head back to his home track for the final event of the season, the Legends of Yesterday 101 at Golden Sands Speedway on Sunday afternoon September 9th. Heading into that event Eswein holds a slim 4 point advantage over Ken Reiser, Eswein currently has 364 markers with Reiser checking in with 360 points. Reiser had been running just outside the top five when a flat tire late in the race forced him to pit. He would return to finish 10th, good enough for the second point position. Allen Check climbed into third in the standings some 50 markers behind with 314 points. Kirby Kurth, who was the point leader heading into the event had a disappointing day. First he expired and engine in his car which had carried him to two series victories so far, and later he would qualify another machine normally piloted by Rich Schuman Jr. Kurth would miss the main event in qualifying and would get caught up in an incident in a qualifying race giving him a disappointing ninth place finish in the qualifier. As a result he dropped to fourth in points with 309 markers, some 56 points back from first place. Jesse Haese maintains the fifth spot overall with 299 points. 22 of Wisconsin's finest weekly short track racers took the green flag to honor Dick Trickle, a master of short track racing. Frank Kreyer, appropriately enough put his number 99 machine into the lead from his pole position, outsprinting Gary Back for the initial lead. Back, looked to be having trouble holding his ground in the challenging outside groove and he began to fall back in the field. Jesse Haase would find himself in the runner-up spot by lap two and Mark Eswein grabbed third from Back with an inside pass in turn four as the field raced to the stripe on lap three. Breezer who started seventh was also making progress, moving to fourth by lap five. Kreyer was setting a solid pace and Eswein not wanting to lose ground made swift work of getting past Haase with an inside move in turn two on the seventh circuit. Eswein the closed up on the rear bumper of Kreyer just before the first caution of the contest appeared when Back and Eric Hammond got turned around. When the race resumed Breeze immediately went to work on Haase dropping the youngster back to the fourth spot and Breeze watch the lead duo from the third position. Kreyer and Eswein would hook up setting a blistering pace and pulling away from their rivals, as put a quarter lap advantage on the next three positions of Breezer, Bob Campbell and Don Turner by the 30 lap mark. While the lead pair diced, eyes were focused on Turner who had started thirteenth on the field but had made swift progress through the pack. He had cracked the top five by lap 28, and then motored past Campbell for fourth on lap 46. By the halfway point in the race Kreyer had his hands full, working past lapped traffic while trying to fend off increasing pressure from Eswein who would work over Kreyer on the inside, before darting to the outside for a passing attempt and then attempting to maneuver to the inside. The battle between the lead pair allowed those behind them to close and by the 65 lap mark Kreyer, Eswein, Breezer and Turner were nose to tail. Turner managed to wiggle past Breezer for third before the second caution flag of the day flew for a spin by Terry Schoppenhorst on lap 77. On the restart Eswein was all over Kreyer's back bumper searching for a way past. Action was halted again on lap 86 when Schoppenhorst again lost the handle, this time in turn two. Only a five more laps were completed when the cars of Campbell and Ken Reiser got together in turn 2. Reiser would head to the pits with a flat tire and return and Campbell would rejoin the hunt at the tail of the field. It was during the next several laps that a couple dramatic events would transpire. On lap 93, Kreyer would slow dramatically and Eswein had to do likewise to avoid heavy contact, it was at this point that Breezer had committed to the outside line. Having a run on the pair he swept past for the lead completing the lap. On the very next circuit, with Breezer still in command the final caution of the event would appear when Jason Weinkauf had a rear end brake and the cars of Jeremy Lepak and Matt Kocourek made contact avoiding the crippled machine. During the caution, Kreyer, who was running second, suddenly pulled into the pits with a flat right front tire. This would leave Breezer in the lead for the restart with Eswein on his bumper and Turner, Jim Carlson and Allen Check holding the top five spots. The 5 lap dash to the checkered would prove to be hotly contested. Breezer held fast to the inside line while Eswein sought a way by. Turner had briefly attempted to challenge Eswein for second when the white flag unfurled. Eswein, knowing his only opportunity for the win was to go to the high side motored alongside Breezer entering turn three, but slide up the track. This in turn opened the door for Turner to dive to Eswein's inside off turn four. Breezer sped to the finish line a car length ahead of Turner who edged out Eswein by a half foot for second. Eswein claimed third with Carlson and Check in the top five. Rookie Andrew Morrisey, patiently worked his way to a sixth place finish. Kyle Kinder, Haase, Campbell and Reiser made up the top ten finishers. The Wisconsin Challenge Series will conclude it's inaugural season on Sunday Afternoon, September 9th, with the running of the "Legends of Yesterday 101", at the Golden Sands Speedway. Time trials are set to start at 3:30 p.m., with racing to commence at 5:00 p.m. Over 40 Late Models are expected to vie for the series title. The main event will be a 101 lap feature contest. Twin 30 lap qualifying races will set the balance of the 22 car feature starting field. Super Stocks will participate in the Wisconsin Challenge Series events for the first time, with the running of the Conqueror's Cup 40. The 40 lap feature event is open to all area Super Stock type cars. They will race for $600 to win. The show will conclude with the 2-Man Cruisers. Golden Sands Speedway is located between Wisconsin Rapids, and Plover, Wisconsin on Highway 54. For more information check out www.goldensandsspeedway.com or call (715) 423-4660. For complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here Dick Trickle 99 -
Results 99 Lap Feature: 1.) Rocky Breezer, Portage; 2.) Don Turner, LaCrosse; 3.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 4.) Jim Carlson, LaCrosse; 5.) Allen Check, Shantytown; 6.) Andrew Morrisey, Deforest; 7.) Kyle Kinder, McFarland; 8.) Jesse Haase, Wausau; 9.) Bob Campbell, Lyndon Station; 10.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 11.) Matt Kocourek, Racine; 12.) Frank Kreyer, Cottage Grove; 13.) Eric Hammond, Adams; 14.) Bryan Roach, Becker, MN; 15.) Jeff Way, Burlington; 16.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 17.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 18.) Joe Krzykowski, Junction City; 19.) Terry Schoppenhorst, Berlin; 20.) Gary Back, Vesper; 21.) Kevin Peterson, Big Flats; 22.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Schoppenhorst; 2.) Lepak; 3.) Way; 4.) Clint Sillars, Wausau; 5.) Chad Barker, Caledonia; 6.) Benjamin Brinkman, Oshkosh; 7.) Frank Nitzke, Berlin; 8.) Chris Grimes, Green Bay; 9.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 10.) John Raupp, Reedsburg Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Weinfurter; 2.) Roach; 3.) Peterson; 4.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 5.) Pete Kempf, Nekoosa; 6.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 7.) Jerry Schneider, Kaukauna; 8.) Kevin Baldry, Omro; 9.) Bruce Havel, Deerfield; 10.) Dave Gawronski, Reedsburg |
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