CHRIS WEINKAUF CAPTURES 23rd ANNUAL LARRY DETJENS MEMORIAL RACE! WAUSAU, WI. (June 26, 2003) -- Scoring the biggest win of his career, Chris Weinkauf of nearby Merrill, survived several late race caution periods to capture the victory in the 23rd Annual Larry Detjens Memorial event at State Park Speedway in Wausau. Weinkauf was able to work past Frank Kreyer of Cottage Grove on lap 28 of the 100 lap main event to earn his first career victory in Wisconsin Challenge Series competition. Weinkauf previously has finished runner-up in a WCS event in May of 2002 at Golden Sands Speedway, missing the win on that day be three feet to Nathan Haseleu. In doing so, Weinkauf became the fifth different winner in the five WCS events contested so far this season. He also became the 13th different winner in series history. The win was also the first for Weinkauf in the Detjens Memorial race, which dates back to the 1981 season when the event was created by officials at State Park Speedway to honor the late driver after he lost his life in a racing accident at another raceway. For the past two seasons the Wisconsin Challenge Series has participated in the Detjens Memorial races brining huge fields of cars to raceway.
The day proved to be a blustery one as 35 cars checked in for qualifying on a cool blustery evening. Each hoping to earn a position in the prestigious event. After time trials and post qualifying tech inspections, Erik Darnell of Beach Park, IL sat atop the leader board turning in a lap of 14.190 seconds. Weinkauf would turn the second quickest laps with a tour of 14.218 seconds, while Jeff Kendall of Montello snared third quick with a lap of 14.223 seconds. Interestingly enough, this represented the top three in the standings heading into the race, setting up a showdown for the feature contest. A large crowd had gathered to witness the drop of the green flag for the 100 lap contest. Regular State Park Speedway competitor Kurt Guralski, sat on the pole for the event, with former Detjens Memorial event winner Mark Mackesy lined up to his outside. Guralski making just his fifth start in Super Late Model competition raced with the poise of a veteran as he dueled with Mackesy for the top spot. The pair ran dead even for the first two rounds before Mackesy was able to make the high line work to his advantage surging into the lead. Frank Kreyer would secure the third position and began to close on the leaders. Further back Weinkauf found the outside groove to his liking as he began to pick off cars reaching sixth by the tenth circuit. Out front Mackesy began to build a small lead, as Kreyer and Guralski contested the second spot. Kreyer would find room on the bottom of the track to take the second spot on lap 11. Kreyer then began to reel in Mackesy, closing with each passing lap. Kreyer was able to get to Mackey's inside on lap 15, when Mackesy slid up the track a bit in turn two. The two leaders raced side by side for the next several laps before Kreyer secured the lead position. Mackesy settled into the runner-up slot but found himself again challenged for position by Guralski. Behind them Weinkauf continued his charge reaching the fourth spot lap 18. The first caution of the day flew when Guralski and former Golden Sands Speedway champion Burton Brown made contact, as a result Guralski spun in turn four. Both drivers would restart the event from the tail of the field. As Kreyer, Mackesy, Weinkauf and defending Marshfield Speedway champion Rory Melbinger brought the field back to the green flag holding the top four spots. As soon as the green flag returned Weinkauf slipped to the inside of Mackesy pulling off the pass to claim the second spot. Kreyer soon found himself having to defend the lead as Weinkauf reached his rear bumper on lap 26. Kreyer hugged the low line around the track, but Weinkauf's car was working to perfection in the high groove and the pair would reach the line in a dead heat on lap 28. Weinkauf would surge ahead on the next lap to secure the top spot and Kreyer fell in behind him. On lap 32, Melbinger drove past Mackesy for the third position. As the field sorted out both Kendall and Darnell were charging from deep in the pack. Kendall had reached the top five by lap 35 and worked past Mackesy for fourth. The second caution of the day flew on lap 45 when Rocky Breezer and Joe Krzykowski spun in turn two. As a result Weinkauf's lead of a full straightaway on Kreyer was erased. The field reset for the green with Weinkauf, Kreyer, Melbinger, Kendall, Mackesy and series point leader Darnell holding the top six spots. Darnell reached the top five at the halfway point of the race at Mackesy's expense. Out front Weinkauf motored away from the field until a caution appeared on lap 59 as Jeff Watters spun and tagged the inside wall in turn two. Watters would be able to continue from the tail of the field. Underway again Weinkauf assumed command and pulled away from Kreyer. The battle for third meanwhile proved to be an exciting one as Melbinger, Darnell and Kendall contested the spot. Darnell would gain the upper hand in that battle using the outside line to his advantage on lap 64. He would continue his charge on the outside moving next to Kreyer and taking the runner-up spot on lap 69. On lap 70, the pace of the race was slowed for a third time as Rocky Breezer got crossed up and belted the outside wall down the frontstretch. Jeff Weinfurter managed to spin avoiding Breezer's ride, while John Zimmerman, the winner of the most recent WCS event also hit the wall while making evasive maneuvers. After the cleanup racing resumed with Weinkauf setting the pace, as Darnell, Keyer, Kendall and Melbinger gave chase. Weinkauf was able to maintain the pace keeping Darnell at bay. The battle for third proved to be the hottest in the field as Kendall worked high and low seeking a way past Kreyer. The race slowed for a fourth time as M.G. Gajewski and Ken Reiser locked horns in turn four with 18 laps remaining. Only one additional lap went in the books before a quick spin by Watters. As with the previous restarts Weinkauf was able to pull away from Darnell and hold the lead. Just behind them Kendall was making a late race charge, using the outside line to motor past Kreyer on lap 87. The sixth and final caution of the day appeared for a spin by Reiser in turn two setting up an 11 lap dash to the finish. Weinkauf got a good start pulling ahead by two car lengths over Darnell who had his hands full with Kendall. Kendall managed to nose under Darnell in turn two, with eight laps remaining to grab the second spot. Kendall then tried to close the gap on Weinkauf. Over the final laps Kendall managed to close within two car lengths, but Weinkauf drove error free to the checkered to pick up the win. Darnell would settle for third but would retain the point lead. Kreyer crossed the line in fourth for his best WCS performance of the season. Krzykowski made a fantastic late race charge to secure fifth in the waning laps of the contest. Allen Check, wheeling a new car drove a solid race to earn sixth. Melbinger turned in his best WCS run of the year finishing seventh. Mackesy, Jason Weinkauf and Brown completed the top ten finishers of the 17 cars still on the track at the checkered. Earlier in the day, two hotly contested qualifying races were held to set the balance of the22 cars sating field. In the first qualifier, multi-time track champion Wayne Breitenfeldt managed to fend off Ken Reiser who started dead last in the field. The pair ran wheel to wheel over the final five laps of the contest with Breitenfeldt winning by a matter of a couple feet. John Zimmerman secured the final transfer spot. Jeremy Lepak came up just short in fourth after tangling with another car earlier in the race and restarting from the tail of the field. In the second qualifier Russ Weiler worked past Bruce Havel in the closing laps of the race top earn the victory. Havel would spin after contact with another car late in the race removing his chances of making a career first WCS feature start. Local competitor Neil Knoblock, came from dead last in the race after he was unable to qualify due to mechanical difficulties to finish second, while the third spot went down to the final lap between Adam Royle and Kevin Brescia. Royle would earn the spot in a grinding finish. Brescia would finish fourth just ahead of Dean LaPointe. In the series standings, with half the season now in the books, Darnell continues to lead the point chase. Weinkauf's victory elevated him to second. Darnell now has a 579 to 558 point margin heading to the next WCS event. Kendall, holds the third spot in the standings just one point back from Weinkauf with 557 markers. Reiser continues to hold fourth in the standings with 420, while Jeff Watters reached the top five in the standings with 409 points. The next event on the Wisconsin Challenge Series schedule will be the 23rd Annual Larry Detjens Memorial race held at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wisconsin. The quarter-mile semi-banked paved oval will host the show on Thursday evening, June 26th. Time trials are set to begin at 6:15 p.m., with racing planned to begin at 7:15 p.m. The highlight of the program will be a 100 lap feature contest featuring the Wisconsin Challenge Series Super Late Models. Twin 30 lap qualifying races will also be on the agenda for the Super Late Models. Mini-Stocks and Street Stocks will be on hand as support classes for the event. One just one week, the Wisconsin Challenge Series is back in action with the 10th Annual North American Cup presented by Miller Beer. The event will be held at Dells Motor Speedway. The program will be held on Thursday evening July 3rd, to start the Independence Day festivities in the greater Dells tourist area. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the North American Cup race. Qualifying will take place at 5:00 p.m., with racing getting underway at 6:30 p.m. The adult admission tick is a fan friendly $12. For competitors pit gates will open at 1:00 p.m. An ample practice session will begin at 3:00 p.m. The 100 lap feature contest for the WCS Super Late Models will pay $2,500 to win and $425 to start. Twin 30 lap qualifying races will again set the balance of the field for the 22 car starting grid for those cars not qualified into the show through their qualifying effort. In addition to the WCS Super Late Models, track will host a special event for the Midwest Modifieds which compete at several tracks throughout the area. The race will pay $500 to win and $125 to start. The distance will be based upon the number of cars participating, but a full field of cars will net a 40 lap feature contest. This will mark the first time the Modifieds have appeared in conjunction with a WCS event. These cars are exceptionally powerful racing machines with open front wheels and should prove to be an excellent complement to the WCS program. 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.dellsmotorspeedway.com For complete Computer Results Click Here 23rd Annual Larry
Detjens Memorial Race - Results 100 Lap Feature: 1.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 2.) Jeff Kendell, Montello; 3.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL; 4.) Frank Kreyer, Cottage Grove; 5.) Joe Krzykowski, Junction City; 6.) Allen Check, Rosholt; 7.) Rory Melbinger, Marshfield; 8.) Mark Mackesy, Wausau; 9.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 10.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 11.) Adam Royle, Farmington, MN; 12.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 13.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 14.) Jeff Watters, Mineral Point; 15.) Russ Weiler, Marshfield; 16.) Wayne Breitenfeldt, Wausau; 17.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 18.) Rocky Breezer, Portage; 19.) John Zimmerman, Markesan; 20.) Scott Broughton, Stoughton; 21.) Neil Knoblock, Schofield; 22.) Kurt Guralski, Wausau First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Breitenfeldt; 2.) Reiser; 3.) Zimmerman; 4.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 5.) Brian Paszek, Madison; 6.) Mike Budleski, Hatley; 7.) Wayne Cottrell, Mosinee; 8.) Pete Kempf, Nekoosa; 9.) Terry Van Roy, Appleton; 10.) Dean Schultz, Juneau. Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Weiler; 2.) Knoblock; 3.) Royle; 4.) Kevin Brescia, Baraboo; 5.) Dean LaPointe, Marshfield; 6.) Wayne Mackesy, Wausau; 7.) Bo Bennish, Wausau; 8.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 9.) Bruce Havel, Deerfield |
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