SCOTT WIMMER DEFENDS DETJENS MEMORIAL VICTORY AS WISCONSIN CHALLENGE SERIES VISITS STATE PARK SPEEDWAY!! WAUSAU, WI. (June 27, 2002) -- Scott Wimmer, nephew of the late Larry Detjens, played tribute to the former short track legend as he captured the victory in the 22nd Annual Larry Detjens Memorial race. Before a standing room only crowd, Wimmer was able to sneak past Wayne Cottrell in the early portions of the 75 lap feature contest and go on to a convincing win in front of his hometown fans. Wimmer, who is a top ten runner on the NASCAR Busch tour, who grew up in Wausau Wisconsin, the location of the historical State Park Speedway where he turned many laps in competition in his youth. He received thundering applause after taking the checkered some 12 car lengths in front of Cottrell in front of his hometown crowd. The event marked the first time the Wisconsin Challenge Series had run as a part of the Detjens Memorial bringing a solid field of 38 cars to the quarter-mile paved oval.
Run under ideal weather conditions, the jammed pits and stands were on hand to honor Detjens, who lost his life in a racing accident at another facility in 1981. For the occasions both Scott and his younger brother Chris Wimmer were on hand for the event. Both nephews of Larry, the two have a lot of family pride at stake was Chris who sat on the pole after the random inversion as 22 cars raced toward the opening green flag. Todd Stapleman sat outside the front row when the green flag dropped. Chris Wimmer was able to get the initial jump for the lead going down the backstretch, while Wayne Cottrell using the low line moved up to challenge Stapleman for the runner-up spot. Cottrell, whose car was able to hug the bottom of the tight quarter-mile oval, maneuvered past Stapleman while Chris Wimmer set the pace. On the third circuit Chris Wimmer slipped up the track, opening up the low line which gave Cottrell the opportunity to challenge for the top spot. Cottrell making his first Wisconsin Challenge Series start was quick to prove he had a good car for the event, leading at the strip on lap three. Cottrell was able to clear Chris Wimmer for the position. Scott Wimmer meanwhile had started further back in the field, but was making some swift moves toward the front. After displacing Stapleman, Scott Wimmer was able to wedge under his younger brother and the pair ran side by side around the track. The caution flag flew of the first time on lpa five as Clint Sillars spun off turn two. As the caution appeared the spin by Sillars, the cars of Wayne Breitenfeldt and Gary Back, the Wisconsin Challenge Series point leader heading into the event, made contact sending Back spinning into the inside wall off turn two. Back would be unable continue the event. The race restarted with Cottrell, Scott Wimmer, Chris Wimmer, Stapleman and Mark Eswein in the top five positions. Scott Wimmer was quick to apply the pressure to Cottrell but before he was able to make any serious moves a second caution would appear in lap 13 for derbies in turn two. Once underway action would continue until one final caution late in the race setting up a long green flag run. Cottrell, still hugging the inside of the track was running a quick pace put Scott Wimmer was able to use the tricky outside groove to move alongside Cottrell as they ran door to door for the top spot. For three laps the pair ran side by side, but on lap 15, Scott Wimmer pulled ahead and into the lead. It was a lead he would never relinquish. Cottrell stayed close in second as the cars lead cars found themselves having to work lapped traffic by the 30 lap mark. Cottrell was able to close when the pair would encounter traffic but Scott Wimmer would pull away when they would clear. The leaders setting a blistering pace began lapping through the bottom third of the field in rapid succession as the race past the halfway mark, with no change among the top five. The battle for third between Chris Wimmer, Stapleman and Mark Eswein became one of the best shows on the track, as each looked for a way to advance. Further back in the pack, Mark Mackesy who has started deep in the field was working his way forward challenging Eswein for a top five position when the third caution of the race appeared on lap 48 when Jeff Weinfurter made contact with the front wall and came grinding to a halt in turn one. Unhurt in the incident, Weinfurter was too damaged to continue the race. When the green flag unfurled it was Scott Wimmer, Cottrell, Chris Wimmer, Stapleman and Mackesy in the top five. Mackesy was proving he had a quick car, using the outside line to work his way through the field. With 18 laps to go he powered past Stapleman for the fourth spot, and was closing on Chris Wimmer when the event's final caution flew with 13 laps left to contest. Donnie Woller, who had just gone a lap down was racing just ahead of Chris Wimmer, Mackesy, Stapleman and Eswein lost control heading into turn one. Woller spun and slide up the track into the past of Stapleman and Eswein who then made contact and slid into the wall. The contact with the concrete ended a fine run by both drivers, knocking them from the event. Woller was able to restart the race from the tail of the field. Underway again, Scott Wimmer quickly proved his superiority on the field pulling comfortably away from Cottrell. While Chris Wimmer, Mackesy, Allen Check and fast qualifier Rocky Breezer followed in the top six. Mackesy again skillfully using the outside line pulled alongside Chris Wimmer for third and took the spot with seven laps remaining. During the final laps Scott Wimmer was able to sail to the checkered without a serious challenge for the lead. Cottrell having perhaps on the of the best runs of his career was able to fend off a final lap challenge from Mackesy who had closed within a car length to finish second. Mackesy would claim third, with Chris Wimmer, Check and Breezer claming the top six spots at the finish. In earlier action, 38 cars attempted qualification runs for the event. Breezer bested the field with a lap of 13.916 seconds. Jeremy Lepak who has set fast time at the season opening show at Columbus 151 speedway was second quick with a lap of 13.966 seconds, while Mackesy had turned third quick time with a 13.977 second orbit of the track. With the top six qualifiers locked in and a spread of just .2 of a second covering them, the qualifying races would be hard fought for the final positions. The top three finishers from each qualifier would make the big show. In the first qualifier, Clint Sillars made a daring outside pass on a restart to go from fourth to first in just a couple laps, taking the lead spot away from Mike Leopold. Sillars would go on to victory in the race, which proved popular with the crowd as he grew up at State Park Speedway having competed in the Street Stock division. Jason Weinkauf made a similar moved later in the race to earn second. A final lap caution appeared while Wayne Lodholz and Eugene Gregorich Jr., locked hors while battling for the final spot. Pete Kempf recieved the biggest benefit from the incident getting the final transfer spot. In the second qualifier Burton Brown lead much of the contest before being surpassed by Woller who would go on to win the race. M.G. Gajewski closed in the final laps but finished second with Brown holding off Jim Carlson for the final transfer spot. The Wisconsin Challenge Series now moves to the Dells Motor Speedway for the running of the North American Cup 75 on Wednesday evening, July 3rd. The North American Cup will start a minimum of 22 cars on the
semi-banked third mile paved oval. The pits will open at Each qualifying event will be 30 laps in distance and the top three finishers from each race will be added to the feature contest. The Wisconsin Sport Trucks, which are snowmobile powered min-truck bodied racers will join the program as the support class for the evening. Should a rain date be needed for the North American Cup events would be contested on Sunday Afternoon, July 14th. Gates would open at 10 a.m., with time trials at 12:30 p.m. and racing at 2:00 p.m. The North American Cup is expected to play a major role in the Wisconsin Challenge Series championship, as the momentum from these two shows will carry over into the final two races on the 2002 season schedule. The Legends of Yesterday 75 will be held Sunday Afternoon, August 11th, at Golden Sands Speedway, and the season will conclude at Dells Motor Speedway with the running of the Wisconsin Challenge 100 on Labor Day, Monday September 2nd. Dells Motor Speedway is located just five minutes from the famous downtown Wisconsin Dells tourist area, three miles West of I-90/94, Exit 85, on Highway 12/16 toward Lyndon Station. You can contact the track by phone at (608) 254-7822 or reach them online at www.racingonline.com/dells Information on the Wisconsin Challenge Series is available online at www.wisconsinchallenge.com For complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here Memorial 75 - Results 75 Lap Feature: 1.) Scott Wimmer, Wausau; 2.) Wayne Cottrell, Mosinee; 3.) Mark Mackesy, Wausau; 4.) Chris Wimmer, Wausau; 5.) Allen Check, Rosholt; 6.) Rocky Breezer, Portage; 7.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 8.) Justin Hirt, Wausau; 9.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 10.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 11.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 12.) Dave Gawronski, Reedsburg; 13.) Pete Kempf, Nekoosa; 14.) Clint Sillars, Schofield; 15.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 16.) Todd Stapleman, Wautoma; 17.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 18.) Donnie Woller, Merrill; 19.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 20.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 21.) Wayne Breitenfeldt, Wausau; 22.) Gary Back, Vesper. First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Sillars; 2.) Jason Weinkauf; 3.) Kempf; 4.) Mike Leopold, Gleason; 5.) Luke Westenberg, Palmyra; 6.) Bruce Havel, Deerfield; 7.) Mark Van, Wautoma; 8.) Wayne Lodholz, Wausau; 9.) Eugene Gregorich Jr., Kewaunee; 10.) Kelly Willman, Friendship Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Woller; 2.) Gajewski; 3.) Brown; 4.) Jim Carlson; LaCrosse; 5.) Frank Nitzke, Berlin; 6.) Scott Volm, Mosinee; 7.) Wayne Mackesy, Wausau; 8.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 9.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 10.) Bob Gereau, Schofield |
|||||||
