FORMER SERIES CHAMP ESWEIN MASTERS MARSHFIELD FOR FIRST CAREER SERIES VICTORY!

MARSHFIELD, WI. (August 9, 2003) --  In one of the wildest events in Wisconsin Challenge Series history, Mark Eswein of Wisconsin Rapids drove a smooth race and scored his first career Wisconsin Challenge Series victory.  In a battle of former series champions Eswein, the 2001 WCS champion managed to fend off Gary Back, of Vesper, the 2002 title holder to take the win by just over a car length.  Veteran racer Joe Krzykowski of nearby Junction City, made the three car race to the checkered an exciting one as the lead trio were nose to tail at the finish.

Photo Highlights
	Former Series Champion Mark Eswein (#71) scored his first career Wisconsin Challenge Series checkered flag after fending off a late race charge by Gary Back. The top three finishers in the Marshfield 75.  are Mark Eswein  the event winner (center), Gary Back the race runner-up (left) and Joe Krzykowski who finished in third place (right). Getting ready to roll..drivers get strapped in after introductions.  From the left are Erik Darnell (#7), Dean Lapointe (#15) and Kyle Kinder (#60).e It was a short race for Jeff Watters (#17) who got collected in an opening lap accident. The lead was brief for Jeff Kendall (#23) who paced the opening laps with Adam Royle (#89) in pursuit. Hard chargers, Adam Royle (#89) and Chris Weinkauf (#75) had different outcomes today.  Royle would go on to earn his best showing in WCS competition taking fourth, while Weinkauf was collected in a late race accident. Staying out front! Current WCS point leader Erik Darnell (#7) was able to fend off Mark Eswein (#71) for the lead until mechanical problems developed late in the race. Gary Back (#26) has been running a limited WCS schedule this season, and turned in his best showing of the year finishing a close second.  He's shown passing Dean Lapointe (#15) during the mid-portion of the race. Hot battles! The lead pack at the end of the race included Judd Brandl (#27), Adam Royle (outside) and Kevin Brescia (#8). Using the outside line Joe Krzykowski (#77) grabs the third spot in the closing laps of the main event. A late race accident hindered the efforts of M.G. Gajewski (#22) and Pete Kempf (#97). Gary Back (#26) turned in the fastest qualifying effort of the day.  He later would charge to a second place finish. Even the qualifying race had some hot action, as Todd Stapleman (#2) works the outside past M.G. Gajewski (#22). Todd Stapleman (#2) earned a trip to victory lane after topping the qualifying race.  He later would record a top ten showing in the feature event.

Eswein's victory in the 75 lap feature contest came after some heady driving.  In the closing stages of the race, Eswein found himself running second to current WCS point leader Erik Darnell of Beach Park, IL.  Darnell's car however had been running extremely rough in the later stages of the race as a result of carb problems, rather than abuse his equipment to battle for the lead, Eswein waited patiently in second place.  Darnell would lose power and stall on the raceway with 16 laps remaining in the race, giving the lead to Eswein who then paced the remaining distance to take the victory.

Run under near perfect weather conditions one of the largest paid event crowds of the season at Marshfield Speedway were on hand to witness the event.  The race would prove problematic to numerous drivers, including several of those near the top of the point standings.

Jeff Kendall of Montello, came into the race second in the series standings, would start the 75 lap main event outside the front row next to Adam Royle of Farmington, MN.  Kendall would surge ahead into the opening lead, but would only pace the first lap of the contest before his engine backfired and lost power.     Kendall was unable to make his way back to the pit area coming to a stop in turn four.  As the yellow flag flew on lap two for Kendall's slowing car, the cars of Jeff Watters and Jeff Weinfurter made contact sliding off the track in turn three.   Watters would retire from the event, while Weinfurter would take a few more laps before calling it a day.  Kendall was also done for the day, with a broken rocker arm.

Prior to the caution flag, Kyle Kinder of McFarland had worked past Royle for the top spot, with Darnell, who won the most recent race at 141 Speedway already showing in the third spot.  Royle found himself under fire the second the green flag flew and Darnell would work past for the second position before the start of lap four.  Royle would lose several more spots over the next few laps.

Kinder now found himself next on Darnell's list as the lead pair diced for the top position.  The pair ran wheel to wheel for several laps before Darnell, using the outside line, pulled ahead on lap eight.  By this time, Eswein had already been moving forward and had reached the fifth position.  Eswein advanced another spot on lap 13, when he sliced to the inside of former track champion Judd Brandl for the fourth position. 

Eswein now closed in on Dean LaPointe who was running a strong race in the third position.  LaPointe who had rebuilt his car from an accident two weeks prior had his machine running well near the front of the pack, but Eswein was able to close up on his rear deck and begin to challenge for the spot.

Out front Darnell appeared to be running comfortably pulling away from the field, however on lap 19 his car began to backfire and run rough, though his pace didn't slow.  The second caution of the race appeared on lap 20 when Jason Weinkauf looped his machine in turn four.

When the race resume Darnell again set the pace with Kinder remaining close on the restart.  Eswein immediately went to work on LaPointe and squirt past into third brining Brandl with him on the next lap.

Darnell's pace didn't appear to be affected by change in engine tone continuing to lead.  On lap 30, Eswein worked the low groove to pass Kinder for the runner-up spot.  By this time however Darnell had built up a dozen car length lead.

Darnell's advantage was wiped out when Pete Kempf and Adam Royle locked horns caution the third caution to appear on lap 33.  The leader board showed Darnell, Eswein, Kinder, Brandl, Krzykowski and Back on the top six positions.

Underway again Darnell again set the pace with Eswein in tow.   The lead duo pulled away from the third place battle between Kinder and Brandl as the laps clicked by.  Brandl managed to work under Kinder on the restart bringing Krzykowski and Back with him as Kinder fell from the top five stuck in the outside groove.

With 30 laps to go caution four appeared when Kempf took a wild ride off the backstretch.  Again the lead pair of Darnell and Eswein broke away from the pack as action began.  Back, who had been running fifth began to make his run toward the front of the pack, picking off Krzykowski and Brandl during the next several circuits to run third before caution number five appeared again for a spinning car with 20 laps remaining.

Shortly after this restart Darnell's fortunes would take a turn for the worse.  Though it appeared he had the speed to keep Eswein at bay. Eswein began to apply heavy pressure to Darnell for the lead.  Darnell slowed dramatically with 16 laps to go turning the lead over to Eswein.  Before he could bring his car to the pits Darnell came to a stop on the track and caution flag number six flew.

This setup perhaps the wildest accident of the evening as Chris Weinkauf and Kinder made contact coming off turn four just after the green flag returned.   The resulting melee collected several cars including LaPointe and Gajewski.    Weinkauf, Kinder and LaPointe retired to the pits after the incident while Gajewski returned to the track with all the front end sheet metal missing.  During the extended caution Darnell was able to refire his engine and he returned to the track one lap down when the green flag returned, he would eventually finish 11th.

The final sprint to the checkered would go uninterrupted as Eswein lead Back and Krzykowski in close formation, with Brandl, Kevin Brescia and Royle in tow.  With five laps to go, Back managed to pull alongside Eswein in the outside groove through turns three and four, but Eswein was up to the challenge and pulled ahead.   Behind them the battle for fourth was just as intense as Brandl, Royle and Brescia all fought for position.

Eswein would lead Back to the checkered with Krzykowski in tow.   Royle's late race charge would net him a fourth place finish his best performance in WCS competition.  Brandl would complete the top five runners.  Brescia, had drove a smooth race during the entire event to earn sixth.  Jason Weinkauf recovered from his early race spin to take seventh, and Ken Reiser, the all-time series point leader claimed eighth.

Earlier in the day, Todd Stapleman of Wautoma, made his second series start of the year and he came home with a victory in the 25 lap qualifying race over Allen Check and Weinfurter.  The top six runners which also included Gajewski, Watters and Burton Brown made the main event.   Of the group Brown would finish 9th, the highest of the transfer cars.

Two events remain on the 2003 Wisconsin Challenge Series schedule.  The next event will be held on Sunday Afternoon, August 17th at Lake Geneva Raceway.  The event will mark the first ever appearance of the series at the progressively banked third-mile paved oval located in southern Wisconsin.

The WCS event is part of a triple header weekend as the track hosts events Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The WCS program on Sunday will see the pit gates open at Noon, with a two-hour practice session commencing at 1:00 p.m. Qualifying will take place at 3:00 p.m., with racing set to get underway at 4:00 p.m.

The main event will be a 100 lap feature contest paying $1,800 to win. The field of 22 starters will be set by two very important 30 lap qualifying races.

In addition to the WCS Super Late Models, a full program is scheduled for the tracks own entry level division known as BIC Cars. The strictly stock 4 cylinder cars has been a great proving ground for new drivers.

The Sunday Afternoon WCS contest will bring to an end a Late Model double header weekend. On Saturday evening prior to the WCS show. The track will host the final round of it's "No Bull Challenge Series". That contest will be highlighted by a 50 lap main event paying $1,000 to win. Overall, it would be possible for a driver to earn almost $3,000 in prize money by winning both events.

For those wishing to watch both programs, FREE OVERNIGHT CAMPING, is available on the track grounds.

Lake Geneva Raceway is located three miles southeast of the downtown Lake Geneva tourist area. For additional information call (262) 248-8566. The track website can be found at www.lakegenevaraceway.com Additional Wisconsin Challenge Series information can be found by calling (920) 731-6804 or by logging onto the series website at www.wisconsinchallenge.com

The 2003 Wisconsin Challenge Series will conclude on Friday evening September 5th at the Golden Sands Speedway located between Wisconsin Rapids and Plover, Wisconsin.

For complete Computer Results Click Here

The Marshfield 75 - Results
Marshfield Super Speedway - August 9, 2003

75 Lap Feature: 1.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 2.) Gary Back, Vesper; 3.) Joe Krzykowski, Junction City; 4.) Adam Royle, Farmington, MN; 5.) Judd Brandl, Arpin; 6.) Kevin Brescia, Portage; 7.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 8.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 9.) Burton Brown, Neenah; 10.) Todd Stapleman, Plainfield; 11.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL; 12.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 13.) Frank Kreyer, Cottage Grove; 14.) John Zimmerman, Markesan; 15.) Pete Kempf, Nekoosa; 16.) Dean LaPointe, Marshfield; 17.) Kyle Kinder, McFarland; 18.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 19.) Allen Check, Rosholt; 20.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 21.) Jeff Watters, Mineral Point; 22.) Jeff Kendall, Montello

25 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Stapleman; 2.) Check; 3.) Weinfurter; 4.) Gajewski; 5.) Watters; 6.) Brown; 7.) Rocky Breezer, Portage; 8.) Dan Mills, Menomonee Falls; 9.) Rod Brewe, Appleton; 10.) Russ Weiler, Marshfield