JEFF KENDALL CAPTURES NORTH AMERICAN CUP
75, WISCONSIN DELLS, WI. (July 3, 2002) -- Jeff Kendall of Montello, Wisconsin became the latest driver to add his name to the list of Wisconsin Challenge Series winner when he powered to victory in the North American Cup 75, on a balmy evening at Dells Motor Speedway. Kendall would sweep past race leader Kevin Brescia on lap 41 of the 75 lap contest and survive a couple caution periods to secure the win. The event was the fifth of a seven race season for the Wisconsin Challenge Series and the first of the year to be held at Dells Motor Speedway. Local racers managed to sweep the top three positions as Brescia was able to hang onto second after a fine showing where he paced over the first half of the contest. Jeff Richards another regular at Dells Motor Speedway would come home in third.
Weather, which has been the bane of the Wisconsin Challenge Series this season was responsible for a delay in the program of almost and hour. Two showers, the second one lasting almost 30 minutes soaked the track during practice, but track officials were able to dry the surface, and qualifying for the stout field of 40 began in earnest just slightly behind the scheduled time. After all 40 cars had qualified, it was the JW Motorsports entry of Jerry Gille, making his first Wisconsin Challenge Series start of the season, coming home with quick time. Jeff Hammond, a Dells Motor Speedway regular earned second quick qualifying honors, while Ken Reiser currently among the top point earners in the Challenge Series earned third quick qualifying honors. The evening proved to be challenging for several of the Challenge Series front runners. Reiser, who appeared to be having the best run among those near the top of the challenge series standings had his luck go sour on lap 47 of the 75 lap contest when the engine in his car expired. This resulted in a 20th place finish. WCS point leader Gary Back, also didn't fare well on the evening. Back who missed the show in qualifying was running in third in a qualifier, which would be good enough to get him into the main event, however his car ruptured an oil line and he dropped out of the race, not making the show. Jeremy Lepak, who lied third in the standings also missed the show in qualifying, but was able to make the main event by winning his qualifying race. He then managed to finish 12th in the feature race. The result was good enough to allow him to take over the point lead by a 532 to 524 point margin in the standings. Back, who has had unfortunate circumstances now for the past two event lies in third with 489. A field of 23 cars took the green flag, with rookie Travis Dassow and Brescia holding down the front row. Kevin Brescia, driving for his father Dick Brescia, was piloting a car which Kirby Kurth had driven to the track championship at Dells last season. Further, the machine had chalked up two Wisconsin Challenge Series victories with Kurth at the wheel last season. Brescia it seems was looking to put the car in victory lane again in a WCS event. It was Brescia and Dassow went wheel to wheel for the initial lead. Brescia was able to power ahead on the challenging outside line to grab the initial lead, while Dassow fell back on the inside. By the end of the second lap Dassow found himself falling back in the field, as Richards successfully executed and outside pass on lap two, and Dassow was able to get back in line in the third spot. Kyle Kinder and Frank Kreyer were locked in a battle for fourth, with Kendall, who made some quick moved in the opening five circuits, charging into sixth. Out front Brescia was running a flawless race, pulling comfortably away from Richards by lap ten. Richards also made a cushion on the field behind which was locked in a torrid battle. At the head of that battle was Kinder, who ducked under Dassow for third on lap six. Kendall was next to drop Dassow back a position, as he swept past on the outside to run fourth at lap 12. The race was slowed on lap 15, when Kreyer spun in turn two forcing the first caution. A few cars made contact behind him while trying to scatter around his errant mount. When racing resumed it was Brescia, Richards, Kinder, Kendall in the top four. NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series regular Paul Menard had climbed into the fifth spot, with front-running ASA competitor Chris Wimmer, making his second consecutive Wisconsin Challenge Series start running sixth. Brescia and Richards again pulled away from the field as Kendall and Kinder went at it for the third spot. Kendall, running the outside line, managed on a couple occasions to draw even with Kinder, but he was unable to complete the pass. Kendall received some unlikely assistance on lap 28, when he used a lapped car as a pick to motor by into third. Kinder, temporarily trapped in the inner groove also gave up the fourth spot to Menard before he managed to maneuver around the lapped car to run fifth. Kendall, setting a blistering pace erased the distance between himself and second running Richards in a matter of a few laps. On lap 32 Kendall was able to dive to the bottom of the track to grab second from Richards and then began his pursuit of Brescia who held the lead. It took six more laps to erase the 10 car length lead Brescia had built, before Kendall was able to close up on his rear bumper. Kendall looked to the inside briefly before switching to the outside line. He managed to come along side Brescia on lap 39 as the pair ran side by side for the top spot. Kendall was able to nose ahead on lap 41 for the top spot. The blistering pace was slowed on lap 47 when Reiser, who was running inside the top ten expired and engine, spewing oil on the track. Several cars spun in the fluid behind, including Dassow, who slid in the oil and hit Reiser who was up against the wall in turn three. Both cars were done for the evening, though fortunately neither driver was injured and Dassow was actually able to drive back to the pits. The race resumed with Kendall, Brescia, Richards, Kinder, Wimmer and Menard making up the top six runners. For the balance of the event, the top three would pull away. While Kinder, Wimmer and Menard became engaged in a duel for fourth. Wimmer, attempting to run the outside line briefly surged ahead of Kinder for third on lap 58, but Kinder didn't give up and the pair swapped the position every couple laps. On lap 64, Wimmer slipped ever so slightly allowing Kinder to secure fourth and Menard now moved up to challenge Wimmer for fifth. Up front the laps continued to click off with Kendall holding a eight car length lead on Brescia who has a similar margin on Richards as the race rolled past 10 laps to go. Kendall would lead the field to the while flag, which would be the last completed lap under race conditions, as a car did a quick spin off turn two, forcing the caution to fly. Since the field had received the white flag, the race was considered complete and Kendall rolled around to grab the checkered flag after a hard fought win. Brescia, in a solid performance claimed second, with Richards running to the line in third. Kinder, Menard and Wimmer made up the top six finishers. Andrew Morrisey won a duel over the final five laps with Eric Hammond for seventh. Hammond, fast qualifier Gille and Eddie Hoffman, who won a qualifying race finished in the top ten positions. Earlier in the evening, two qualifying racers were held with a dozen cars in each 30 lap event. The top three from each race would join the fastest 16 qualifiers to make up the starting grid for the North American Cup 75. Each would be hard fought contests. Charlie Menard paced much of the first contest. A caution on lap 17 negated any chances of WCS point leader Gary Back from making the show as he spun in fluid his car had dumped on the track and he retired to the pits while running in the third position. When the race resumed Eddie Hoffman pressured Charlie Menard for the top spot. Hoffman would make the pass on lap 21 and survive another caution to earn the win and his way into the main event. Charlie Menard and Rich Schuman Jr. would also make the show, with Jeff Fritz just missing the show finishing fourth. In the second contest, Jeremy Lepak would bolt from his front row starting spot to the initial lead. Lepak would pace the entire distance, but the remaining positions would trade often throughout the contest. Todd Stapleman would move into the runner-up spot by the midway point and he would hold that position to the finish. The third and final position was hotly contested during the closing laps of the event with Jason Weinkauf barely edging Jim Carlson for the final transfer position. Dan Howard of Baraboo, won the Lifeline Entry drawing and became the 23rd starter in the 75 lap main event. The Wisconsin Challenge Series will now be off for one month. The series will resume on August 11th, with the running of the Legends of Yesterday 75, at Golden Sands Speedway. The late afternoon show will see the Pit Gates Open at 1:00 p.m. Time trials for the event will begin at 3:30 P.M., with the first green flag of the evening flying at 5:00 p.m. A field of 40 cars is expected for the show. 22 cars will take the green flag on the high-banked third mile paved oval. In addition to the Wisconsin Challenge Series Super Late Model,s fans will also enjoy the wild three and four wide racing action of the Wisconsin Sport Trucks. The third of four events in the Wisconsin 2-Man Cruiser Championships will also take place to conclude the day. Golden Sands Speedway known as Central Wisconsin's Power Playground is located between Wisconsin Rapids and Plover, Wisconsin on Highway 54. For additional information please call (715) 423-4660 or consult the track website at www.goldensandsspeedway.com The Wisconsin Challenge Series season will conclude at Dells Motor Speedway with the running of the Wisconsin Challenge 100 on Labor Day afternoon, Monday September 2nd. Information on the Wisconsin Challenge Series is available online at www.wisconsinchallenge.com For complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here North American Cup 75
- Results 75 Lap Feature: 1.) Jeff Kendall, Montello; 2.) Kevin Brescia, Baraboo; 3.) Jeff Richards, Montello; 4.) Kyle Kinder, McFarland; 5.) Paul Menard, Eau Claire; 6.) Chris Wimmer, Wausau; 7.) Andrew Morrisey, Deforest; 8.) Eric Hammond, Adams; 9.) Jerry Gille, Loves Park, IL; 10.) Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton, IL; 11.) Todd Stapleman, Wautoma; 12.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 13.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 14.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 15.) Charlie Menard, EauClaire; 16.) Frank Kreyer, Waterloo; 17.) Rich Schuman Jr., Poynette; 18.) Dan Howard, Baraboo; 19.) Travis Dassow, West Bend; 20.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 21.) Dave Gawronski, Reedsburg; 22.) Kelly Bires, Mauston; 23.) Don Turner, LaCrosse. First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Hoffman; 2.) Charlie Menard; 3.) Schuman Jr.; 4.) Jeff Fritz, Friendship; 5.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 6.) Marv Van, Wautoma; 7.) Frank Nitzke, Berlin; 8.) Dan Howard, Baraboo; 9.) Scott Volm, Mosinee; 10.) Jerry Mueller, Hubertus Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Lepak; 2.) Stapleman; 3.) Weinkauf; 4.) Jim Carlson, LaCrosse; 5.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 6.) Justin Hirt, Tigerton; 7.) Chris Bires, Mauston; 8.) Dave Lawrence, Baraboo; 9.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 10.) Scott Bleeker, Jefferson |
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