KINDER CAPTURES WISCONSIN CHALLENGE
CHAMPIONSHIP 100, WISCONSIN DELLS, WI. (September 2, 2002) -- It was a day of celebrating at Dells Motor Speedway as the track hosted the Wisconsin Challenge Championship 100, the season completing event of the Wisconsin Challenge Series. Though once again the WCS Series event was halted briefly for a rain shower, the 100 lap feature contest played out on a fine afternoon at the third-mile semi-banked paved oval.
After pacing the event the entire distance it was Kyle Kinder of McFarland, Wisconsin who stood victorious. The win, perhaps the biggest of Kinder's career did not come without it's challenges as at various points during the event he had to fend off Nathan Haseleu who pressured for the lead near the mid-portion of the race, and Tony Strupp who was in position to win in the closing laps. Kinder was able to withstand those challenges by setting a blistering pace and became the only driver in WCS history to lead wire to wire. The afternoon also saw the crowning of a new champion for the WCS series. Heading into the day, four drivers had a legitimate shot at the title. They included Jeremy Lepak, who lead the points into the show, Ken Reiser a former two time Dells Motor Speedway champion, Gary Back who had claimed a WCS victory at Marshfield this season and Allen Check who had the highest point average of any WCS competitor. As the events of the day played out, Lepak found himself unable to make the main event ending his title hopes, and Check, though he qualified for the show was unable to make much headway and finished 15th in the feature. That left the title to be decided between Reiser and Back. For much of contest Reiser had the upper hand running in the top five until late in the feature, while Back had missed the show in qualifying and was able to make the event by winning his qualifying race. Once in the show however Back's fortunes began to improve. He patiently picked off cars while staying on the lead lap. He was saved by the first caution by the mid-point of the race, which kept him from going a lap down while running 15th. Even at that point it was Reiser with the edge as he was running in the top five. However during the final 50 laps of the event, Reiser began losing positions with a difficult handling racecar and he would ultimately finish ninth. Back on the other hand improved a couple more positions to finish twelfth. Using the series best 6 of 7 finishes, it was Back who would stand as the new champion at the end of the day, by a 679 to 672 point margin. Basically the title was decided by two positions on the racetrack. While the championship chase provided it's drama, the chase for the checkered was intriguing as well. Kinder who had qualified 10th, started on the pole courtesy of a dice roll by fast qualifier Erik Darnell which determined the inversion. Chris Weinkauf who already has a second place WCS finished under his belt was outside the front row at the drop of the green. The second the green flag fell, Kinder powered into the lead, while Weinkauf found himself trying to reign in an ill-handling racecar. Before the completion of the first round Weinkauf found himself falling back as Tony Strupp shot to his inside and completed a pass for second before the completion of the first round. Nathan Haseleu, who has won several major events this season around Wisconsin also took advantage of Weinkauf's condition and slipped by on the inside for third before then end of lap two. Weinkauf would continue to fall back in the field and ultimately would finish 14th. Reiser, in the thick of the championship chase soon found himself in fourth pursued by Jeff Kendall, who had won the North American Cup 75, the Wisconsin Challenge Series race held at Dells Motor Speedway back in July. Brad Mueller making his first ever WCS start ran sixth and Todd Stapleman, who had been stuck in the outside groove ran seventh as the top group of cars separated themselves from the pack behind. A potential yellow flag was avoided on lap 18, when Eldon Zacek Jr., of St. Louis, Missouri began smoking. He retired to the pits to become the first car out of the race but a caution was not needed. At lap 20 the lead trio of Kinder, Strupp and Haseleu had separated themselves from the group of Reiser, Kendall, Mueller and Stapleman. Haseleu was able to dive to the inside of Strupp on lap 24 and completed an inside pass for the runner-up spot. Kinder's relentless pace brought him up to the tail of the field at lap 32 and the leaders began to work lapped traffic. Kendall who had been running in the fifth position got caught up in the lapped cars and lost several positions giving Mueller fifth and Stapleman sixth on lap 35. Weinkauf and Frank Kreyer spun in turn four and were skillfully avoided by the pack bearing down on them from behind, but the incident caused the first of two slowdown on lap 37. When the green returned Haseleu immediately began to pressure Kinder for the top spot while Strupp watched from his third position. Reiser meanwhile had slipped out of the low groove and was dropped a couple spots as Mueller clamed fourth and Stapleman grabbed fifth at his expense on lap 40. Bobby Wilberg looped his ride in turn two on lap 44 forcing the second and final caution period of the day. Underway again Kinder had his hands full with Haseleu who tried to nose under him for the lead on several occasions as the race neared the halfway point. Kinder began to pull away from Haseleu and opened up a four car length lead by lap 60. Strupp, who had been waiting in third began to flex some muscle and moved back around Haseleu for the runner-up spot on lap 64. Further back Stapleman was also on the charge powering past Mueller for fourth on lap 68 and then closed on Haseleu. On lap 79, Stapleman managed a tricky maneuver getting to the inside of Haseleu and then clearing a lapped car to gain the third position. Out front Kinder found little breathing room as Strupp had closed with a car length as the leader worked lapped traffic once again. Over the final ten laps Kinder got a bit of a break as Strupp found himself having to ward off the challenges of Stapleman who began to pressure for second position with five laps to go. Kinder was able to beat Strupp to the line by three car lengths. Strupp meanwhile was able to ward off a last lap challenge from Stapleman for second, while Stapleman settled for third. Haseleu finished fourth after a strong run and Kendall rounded out the top five. First time WCS starters Mueller and Erik Darnell, who set fast time finished sixth and seventh while 2001 WCS champion Mark Eswein nabbed eighth. Reiser and Terry Schoppenhorst completed the top ten. Earlier in the day, two 30 lap qualifying races were held to set the starting grid for the main event. In the first qualifier Jason Weinkauf reached the finish line ahead of Bob Campbell and Kelly Bires. Kirby Kurth, finished fourth in the event by about one foot just missing the show. Rich Loch, who lead much of the first half of the event came home in fifth. In the second qualifier it was Back taking the win which would give him a starting spot in the feature which would give him the opportunity to win the title. Frank Kreyer and Wilberg also advanced taking second and third. Jeff Weinfurter, the winner of the most recent WCS race, the Legends of Yesterday 75 which was held three weeks ago at Golden Sands just missed the main today taking fourth, with Jim Carlson rounding out the top five. Wisconsin Challenge Championship 100 completed the seven race 2002 season schedule for the Wisconsin Challenge Series and the top drivers this season will be awarded at upcoming awards banquets to be announced shortly. During the driver's meeting for the race, it was announced that track promoter Bryan Severson of Dells Motor Speedway has invited the series back for two events again in 2003, with races to be contested on July 3rd, and Labor Day. The complete schedule will be announced early this winter. Information on the Wisconsin Challenge Series is available online at www.wisconsinchallenge.com For complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here Wisconsin Challenge
Championship 100 - Results 75 Lap Feature: 1.) Kyle Kinder, McFarland; 2.) Tony Strupp, West Bend; 3.) Todd Stapleman, Wautoma; 4.) Nathan Haseleu, Marshall; 5.) Jeff Kendall, Montello; 6.) Brad Mueller, Random Lake; 7.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL; 8.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 9.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 10.) Terry Schoppenhorst, Berlin; 11.) Rocky Breezer, Poynette; 12.) Gary Back, Vesper; 13.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 14.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 15.) Allen Check, Shantytown; 16.) Frank Kreyer, Waterloo; 17.) Kelly Bires, Mauston; 18.) Don Turner, LaCrosse; 19.) Bobby Wilberg, Orfordville; 20.) Dan Topel, Lake Mills; 21.) Bob Campbell, Lyndon Station; 22.) Eldon Zacek Jr., St. Louis, MO. First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) J. Weinkauf; 2.) Campbell; 3.) K. Bires; 4.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 5.) Rich Loch, Muskego; 6.) Troy Nelson, Appleton; 7.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 8.) Dave Gawronski, Reedsburg; 9.) Luke Westenberg, Palmyra; 10.) Chris Bires, Mauston Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Back; 2.) Kreyer; 3.) Wilberg; 4.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 5.) Jim Carlson, LaCrosse; 6.) Pete Kempf, Nekoosa; 8.) Clint Sillars, Schofield, 9.) Andrew Morrisey, DeForest; 10.) Travis Dassow, West Bend |
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