 WCS GETS ROYLE TREATMENT AT MARSHFIELD!
MARSHFIELD, WI. (June 19, 2004) -- It was just over a year ago at the Dairy Days 75, that Farmington, MN
native Adam Royle, lead his first laps in WCS competition. On that day is brilliant
charge to the lead was negated by a spin while out front of the contest.
This evening, he earned some redemption, as he again bolted ahead
of the pack after snaring the top spot from Jeff Weinfurter. This time, his trip to
the checkered flag was flawless, interrupted by just a single caution period, Royle
dominated the closing laps of the race enroute to his first career Wisconsin Challenge
Series victory. Perhaps the biggest win of his young career.
Held in nearly ideal weather conditions, a field of 23 cars
took the green flag. Polesitter Jeff Weinfurter, who has captured three WCS events during
his career would square off with Jeremy Lepak at the start of the main event which would
be contested at 75 laps.
Weinfurter would surge ahead of the initial lead, with Lepak
settling in behind him at the conclusion of the first lap. Kirby Kurth, making his
first WCS start of the season, showed off his sharp looking machine in third. Royle
meanwhile had started in the sixth position, and had already climbed to fourth by lap two,
running the outside line around the half-mile oval.
On the fifth round Royle would slip past Kurth for the third spot
and begin to set his sights on the lead duo of Weinfurter and Lepak.
Lepak, who has paced several WCS events this season began to
experiment with the outside line in effort to challenge Weinfurter. While Royal
closed the gap. The trio were nose to tail by lap 10.
Just behind them, Elliott Weiler, a former Legends car racer and
a rookie in Super Late Model competition was having a fantastic race. He had moved
up several positions in the early laps and then swept by Kurth to run in the fourth spot.
Weiler looked very impressive running just a few car lengths behind the lead trio.
Current Wisconsin Challenge Series point leader Mark Eswein
placed himself on the scoreboard on lap 15, having reached the fifth position.
On lap 22, Royle would work his way under Lepak, and the two
would engaged in a wheel to wheel battle for the lead over the next several circuits.
Royal would eventually work his way by into the runner-up spot.
At the same time Weiler's solid showing was beginning to come to
an end. He slid up the track on lap 23 allowing Eswein to advance to fourth and
moments later began to slow dramatically as his car refused to turn in the corners.
Out front Weinfurter had his hands full with Royle, who moved to
his outside as the race reached lap 25. Royle would surge ahead on the next lap to
pace his first lap of WCS competition this season.
Meanwhile the lone caution would appear on lap 26 as Weiler's
problem became apparent. A shower of sparks indicated a flat tire and unable to make the
pit lane, forcing a slowdown.
When the green flag flew again Royle bolted back to the lead with
Weinfurter in tow. Behind them Eswein had worked to the inside of Lepak and would
steal away the third position, dropping Lepak to fourth.
Weinfurter would look low on Royal several times over the next
ten laps in an attempt to regain the top spot, but Royal thwarted every effort.
With 30 laps remaining Royal began to get some breathing room,
slowly edging away from Weinfurter and Eswein. Behind this group, the remaining
positions changed often, with Chris Weinkauf settling into fourth. A cluster of cars
including Todd Stapleman, Judd Brandl, Jason Weinkauf, Lepak and Gary Back the 2002 series
champion all swapped the fifth spot back and forth between them.
Royle's effort out front were further favored when Eswein and
Weinfurter began to tussle over the second spot. Eswein, working the outside line,
would power past Weinfurter for the second spot on lap 52.
After the pass however, Royle had extended his lead to a dozen
car lengths as Eswein fought to close the gap. Weinfurter would settle into the
third spot.
The laps quickly passed and Royle would extend his lead to nearly
a full straightaway when he began to encounter lapped traffic with 10 laps remaining.
While it was beginning to be apparent that Royle would win the contest barring some
malfunction or miscue, the action further back was heating up, as several cars had caught
Weinfurter who was still in third.
Royle would reach the checkered with a solid lead intact scoring
his first WCS feature victory. Eswein, would reach the finish in second. The
finish further enhanced his position atop the standings as he seeks to become the first
driver in WCS history to win 2 championships. Eswein's performance was his second
runner-up showing this season, and the third straight time he has finished in the top
three.
The battle for third went down to the final laps as Weinfurter
fought hard to fend off a fast closing Chris Weinkauf and Gary Back.
Weinfurter would reach the stripe in third just ahead of a fast
closing Back the evening's fast qualifier and the 2002 series champion turned in a
dramatic late race charge advance him several positions in the final laps. He would
assumed fourth with only a two laps remaining, but was unable to pressure Weinfurter into
a mistake to have a shot at third. Chris Weinkauf rounded out the top five as a
gaggle of cars reached the stripe, several two wide.
Stapleman would finish sixth, Jason Weinkauf seventh, Don
Turner, who worked his way from deep in the field advanced into eight at the finish.
Lepak, and Keith Bohmsach would round out the top ten runners at the checkered, in
an event where only 4 cars dropped from the contest.
The next event on the WCS schedule is the highly anticipated 11th
Annual North American Cup 100, to be held on Saturday evening, July 4th at Dells Motor
Speedway. The Saturday evening program will feature a 100 lap feature contest with
up to 23 cars.
The show will include twin-qualifying races and a very popular
B-Feature, that made it's debut in WCS competition during a successful program which
opened the season back on April 10th.
Pit gates for the show will open at 11:00 a.m., with an ample
practice session beginning at 2:00 p.m. Time trials will take place at 5:30 p.m.,
with the first green flag falling promptly at 7:00 p.m.
Adult admission for the show is a fan
friendly $12, while Teen and Senior tickets are a mere $8. Children under the age of
13 are admitted for just $2.
The race is one of the biggest in the
Midwest taking place over the Independence Day weekend.
In addition to the Wisconsin Challenge
Series stars, the show will feature a full program of Super Stocks and a return to the
track for the Rascal Outlaws. The winged machines, turn in laps nearly as quickly as
the Super Late Models. They proved especially popular in their first appearance at
the track this season.
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
Additional Wisconsin Challenge Series information can be found by calling (920)
731-6804 or by logging onto the series website at www.wisconsinchallenge.com
For
complete RACESTAT Computer Results Click Here
Thomas Electric
Service / Earth Inc. 75 - Results
Marshfield Speedway - June 19, 2004
100 Lap Feature: 1.)
Adam Royle, Farmington, MN; 2.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 3.) Jeff Weinfurter,
Wisconsin Rapids; 4.) Gary Back, Vesper; 5.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 6.) Todd Stapleman,
Wautoma; 7.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 8.) Don Turner, LaCrosse; 9.) Jeremy Lepak, Wausau;
10.) Keith Bohmsach, Wisconsin Rapids; 11.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 12.) Eugene Gregorich
Jr., Kewaunee; 13.) Judd Brandl, Arpin; 14.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 15.) John Zimmerman,
Markesan; 16.) Brian Johnson Jr., Roscoe, IL; 17.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 18.) Elliott
Weiler, Marshfield; 19.) Scott Broughton, Stoughton; 20.) Dean Lapointe, Marshfield; 21.)
John Frazier, Marshfield; 22.) Terry Van Roy, Darboy; 23.) Rory Melbinger, Marshfield.
30 Lap Qualifier: 1.)
Melbinger; 2.) Broughton; 3.) Lapointe; 4.) Turner; 5.) Bohmsach; 6.) Gajewski; 7.)
Brandon Selle, Dale; 8.) Tony Strupp, Slinger; 9.) Dean Schultz, Juneau; 10.) Andy
Tomlinson, Pardeeville |
