DARNELL'S DARING MOVES PUTS SPRING FLING 100 TROPHY IN HIS HANDS! COLUMBUS, WI. (May 4, 2003) -- The intensity of 22 of the best Super Late Model pilots in the Midwest taking to a quarter-mile bullring for 100 laps was a crowd pleaser. A chilled group of fans watched Erik Darnell outgun a strong field to capture the Spring Fling 100 at Columbus 151 Speedway and beat the threatening weather at the same time.
Darnell, flexed plenty of muscle early working his way to the front of the race before the halfway point after starting 11th in the grid. He then managed to keep himself ahead of a torrid battle for second in the closing laps between Jeff Kendall of Montello, and John Zimmerman of Markesan. Darnell's victory was his first in Wisconsin Challenge Series competition after some prior impressive runs Dells Motor Speedway. His win continued the streak of no repeat winners in WCS competition for the past 11 races dating back to the 2001 racing season. Under threatening skies the 22 car feature field took to the track for the start of the 100 lap contest. Former track champion at the Columbus 151 Speedway, Mike Langsdorf, bolted ahead of polesitter and defending track champion Gerry Junget. Langsdorf quickly established a solid lead while Junget fell into the clutches of the thunder hoard behind him. Jeremy Lepak, who paced the WCS series standings on several occasions last season was making his first start of 2003 and he placed himself into the third spot before the conclusion of lap three. Langsdorf found himself pulling away from the field early, while Lepak annexed the runner-up position on lap seven from Junget. Lap 13 proved unlucky to fourth place runner Terry Van Roy. Van Roy, a multi-time track champion in Street Stock and Figure Eight racing at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, was making his first Super Late Model appearance of the year. Van Roy, suffered a flat left rear tire forcing him to spin in turn three brining out the caution flag. Though he would return later he was several laps down and he would eventually finish 17th. That left Langsdorf, Lepak, Junget, Kyle Kinder, Jeff Watters and Darnell in the top six slots when the green returned. Just three more laps went in the books before Jason Weinkauf tagged the wall off turn two while avoiding another car, ending his day. The green returned and Langsdorf went back to the point, while Lepak nipped at his rear bumper. Darnell than began his charge toward the front, reaching the top five at Watters expense on lap 19 with and inside pass. Darnell then chose to work the tricky outside groove. The move prove successful as he worked past Kinder and then Junget in succession to place himself in third by lap 26. By lap 30 Darnell reached Lepak's rear bumper. Darnell and Lepak went wheel to wheel for several laps before Darnell surged ahead in the outside lane on lap 35, dropping Lepak to third. Langsdorf still had a dozen car length lead as a cushion, when the caution flew for the third time during the event as fast qualifier Frank Kreyer spun in turn four. This put Darnell on Langsdorf's rear bumper for the restart. Though Langsdorf hugged the bottom of the track, Darnell was able to slip by on lap 36 to reach the front of the field. Meanwhile Lepak found himself locked in a battle with Nathan Haseleu. Haseleu, a standout performer on Wisconsin short tracks began his career at Columbus 151 before working his way up the ranks. At the halfway point Darnell encountered lapped traffic and he weaved his was in and out of those lapped cars, with Langsdorf in tow. Last season's point runner-up in the Wisconsin Challenge Series, Ken Reiser, dropped to the infield while running seventh on lap 60, ending his day. As the race wound toward it's final third, several drivers began to make their presence felt at the front of the pack. First Kinder would assert himself to surge past Haseleu and then surpass Lepak for the third spot on lap 70. Lepak lost two more positions on the next lap as Jeff Kendall and John Zimmermann rolled into fourth and fifth respectively. Kinder, Kendall and Zimmermann swapped positions several times over the next 10 laps with the battle between Kendall and Zimmermann proving especially intense as the trades grooves, position and some paint. The final caution of the event appeared on lap 81 for debris on the track, allowing driver to settle in for the sprint to the finish. With 15 laps to go, Haseleu fell off pace while running in the fifth spot, pulling into the infield. Out front Darnell again motored away from the pack. Kendall the outside lane work, as Darnell had earlier, shooting past Kinder and Langsdorf and into the second spot with 16 laps to go. Zimmermann followed and found himself in third as the race reached the final ten laps. Without a caution to slow his pace, Darnell would reach the waving checkered flag first for the win and collecting $1,800 in first place prize money in the process. Kendall was a dozen car lengths behind Darnell at the finish taking second after moving up from the 13th starting spot. Zimmermann would wind up third on Kendall's rear bumper for his best career finish, a third, in just his second run in the series. Zimmermann was also a big mover on the day having advanced from the 11th spot. Kinder would make his way past Langsdorf in the closing laps to claim fourth. Langsdorf, in an impressive performance was the final finish in the top five. Lepak, Scott Broughton, Jeff Watters, M.G. Gajewski and Adam Royle completed the top ten runners. 17 cars were still on track at the finish. In earlier action, twin qualifying races set the balance of the field. In the first qualifying race John Hornby, who had the distinction of pacing the opening laps of the Spring Fling 100 last season, set the pace in the qualifier taking the checkered. He bested the Weinkauf brother Jason and Chris who finished second and third respectively. Don "Thunder" Turner claimed fourth and Frank Nitzke rounded out the top five. Defending series champion Gary Back, completed his car just in time for the event, but with no lap time during the race, he would settle for seventh in a qualifier. In the second qualifying race, M.G. Gajewski make his way past early race leader and defending Spring Fling 100 champion Burton Brown for the victory. Brown would settle for second, while local competitor Dean Schultz would hang on to the final transfer spot with a third place run after a tough battle with Chris Ratajczyk who would finish fourth. Former Mid-American Super Truck champion Jeff Steenbergen would complete the top five finishers. The next event on the Wisconsin Challenge Series event will be the Memorial 100 to be held at Golden Sands Speedway, on Memorial Day Afternoon, Monday May 26th. Pit Gates will open at 10:00 a.m., Qualifying will take place at 12:30 p.m., and racing will begin at 2:00 p.m. Information on the Wisconsin Challenge Series is available online at www.wisconsinchallenge.com For
complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here Spring Fling 100 -
Results 100 Lap Feature: 1.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL; 2.) Jeff Kendall, Montello; 3.) John Zimmerman, Markesan; 4.) Kyle Kinder, McFarland; 5.) Mike Langsdorf, Rio; 6.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 7.) Scott Broughton, Stoughton; 8.) Jeff Watters, Mineral Point; 9.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 10.) Adam Royle, Farmington, MN; 11.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 12.) Scott Patrick, Sullivan; 13.) Gerry Junget, Rio; 14.) Frank Kreyer, Cottage Grove; 15.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 15.) Dean Schultz, Juneau; 17.)Terry Van Roy, Appleton; 18.) Nathan Haseleu, Arlington; 19.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 20.) Rory Melbinger, Marshfield; 21.) John Hornby, Sun Prairie; 22.) Jason Weinkauf, Port Edwards First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Hornby; 2.) J. Weinkauf; 3.) C. Weinkauf; 4.) Don Turner, LaCrosse; 5.) Frank Nitzke, Berlin; 6.) Ed Wolff III, Watertown; 7.) Gary Back, Vesper; 8.) Dan Mills, Menomonee Falls; 9.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 10.) Chad Devine, Mackville Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Gajewski; 2.) Brown; 3.) Schultz; 4.) Chris Ratajczyk, Menomonee Falls; 5.) Jeff Steenbergen, Waupun; 6.) Rod Brewe, Kaukauna; 7.) Rob Retallick, Marshall; 8.) Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam; 9.) Kurt Gurlaski, Wausau; 10.) Bruce Havel, Deerfield |
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