ROYLE WCS KING FOR A DAY AT 141 SPEEDWAY!

FRANCIS CREEK, WI. (July 25, 2004) -- Adam Royle of Farmington, MN, found himself making the long haul to 141 Speedway at the end of a weekend which saw the Farmington, MN native compete in three races in three days.

He saved the best for last, winning The Creek Classic 100, at the 141 Speedway.  His win on the tight semi-banked quarter-mile oval was his second straight in Wisconsin Challenge Series competition.  Doing so was no easy fete after surviving three early race cautions, and a fast closing Charlie Menard, during the final 70 lap green flag stretch in the contest.

Interestingly, like last year when Erik Darnell won the contest, neither Royle nor Darnell had ever seen the racetrack until unloading their car for competition.  And like last year, when Greg Haese was involved in an early accident and charged through the field, so too did Menard who was dead last after an encounter with M.G. Gajewski early in the contest.

Run under ideal weather conditions, a all-time record for Super Late Models at the facility checked in with 35 cars taking to the track for qualifying with Menard establishing the days fastest time.

Photo Highlights
	Adam Royle (#89) (center) won his second straight WCS victory by taking top honors at the 141 Speedway.  Charlie Menard (left) would finish second, and local hotshoe Terry Van Roy (right) scored a career high WCS finish of third. The starting grid begins to line up on the raceway during intermission. An early race tangle sent the pack scattering, as several drivers, Jeff Storm (#25), Mark Eswein (#71) and Rod Wheeler (#5) go low to avoid contact. M.G. Gajewski (damaged red car) had the most severe damage.   He had to pit, only to return to the race many laps down. Dean Lapointe (#15) outran Ken Reiser (#2) for the initial lead.   This race was the 25th in WCS history, and Reiser has qualified for every feature. Running him down! Dean Lapointe (#15) led over half of the feature contest, before Adam Royle (#89) made his way to the lead. A comeback charge! After being involved in an early race tangle, Charlie Menard (#17) raced back through the field to finish second.  He he chases down Don "Thunder" Turner (#7) after passing Kirby Kurth (#85). Kirby Kurth (#85) get headed the wrong direction as Mark Schroeder (#7) and John Zimmermann (#44) go by.. Jeff Weinfurter (#3) had a strong showing.  Here he passes Brent Strelka (#52) for the lead in a qualifier.  Weinfurter would win the qualifier and then come from deep in the field to finish fifth in the feature race. Stevie Campbell (#51) a native of northern Illinois, made his first career WCS start, and won one of the qualifying races. Making their debut, both Stevie Campbell (#51) and Brandon Blashe (outside), did battle for the top spot in a qualifier. Charlie Menard set fast time during the program.  A all-time track record 35 Super Late Models showed up to compete in the Wisconsin Challenge Series event.

Waukon, IA native Ken Reiser, a 2-time Dells Motor Speedway champion kept his streak of starting every WCS feature as he qualified for the pole of the 100 lap contest.  His start in the race continued his streak of 26 consecutive Wisconsin Challenge Series feature starts.  To his outside, Dean Lapointe, who is currently in a tight battle for the Marshfield Speedway title this season, would square off at the drop of the green flag.

Reiser would lead the first circuit, but Lapointe's tenacity in the tricky outside lane would allow him to motor ahead of the field on lap two.  On the fourth lap, 10-time Wisconsin International Raceway title holder, Terry Baldry slipped past Reiser and into the runner-up spot.

Local racer Eugene Gregorich Jr., of Kewaunee, raced during much of his early career in various classes at 141 Speedway annexed the third from Reiser shortly thereafter, holding the spot briefly before his car developed handling problems.   This allowed Royle who had started in the seventh spot to slip into the third position prior to the first caution on lap eight.

A multi-car tangle involved Gajewski, Menard and Mark Schroeder forcing all three drivers to the pits for repair work.  Menard and Schroeder would rejoin the field before the green flag, and Gajewski would return later, though many laps down.

Under the caution Baldry would retire to the pits with a broken water pump, ending his hopes of winning the contest.  This elevated Royle into second, Gregorich third, and Terry Van Roy, another driver with a good deal of experience at the 141 Speedway oval, advanced into the fourth spot.  Before the green flag returned defending race and series champion Erik Darnell pulled into the pit area ending his bid for a repeat victory.

Action resumed briefly with Lapointe again setting the pace with Royle giving chase.  Terry Van Roy was about to climb into the third spot by lap 20 and pursue the lead duo. Jeff Storm and Brian Johnson Jr., got tangled heading for turn one necessitating a second slowdown. By now Jeff Kendall and Rod Wheeler, who had previously won a Super Late Model race at 141 Speedway had joined the lead group running fourth and fifth respectively.  By now Menard has charged back through the pack to a 10th place position.

Lapointe lead a freight train of a dozen cars around the track turning laps below the 12 second mark.  A spin by Kirby Kurth necessitated another slowdown, the third and final of the event with nearly 2/3's of the race to go.

The next 60 laps however would quickly pass with no incidents to slow the pace.  Lapointe was back to the lead with Royle in tow, and Van Roy holding third.

A big shakeup occurred when Kendall and Wheeler made contact forcing both cars to slow as the drivers gathered up their rides both would continue both each lost several spots in the process.  This allowed Weinfurter to slice past and into the fourth position bringing Menard with him to fifth.

Out front Royle would maneuver to Lapointe's inside heading into turn three on lap 38, taking over the lead position.  Form that point on Royle would keep his car in the lead.  Lapointe however began to slow his pace with handling difficulties, turning second over to Van Roy and moments later Weinfurter found himself in the third spot, with Menard elevated to fourth.

The lead group set a blistering pace and began to encounter lapped traffic with 20 laps to go.  Royle was quick to slice through the lapped traffic extending his lead over those giving chase.  Menard would be the man on the move over the closing laps.  He worked past both Weinfurter and Van Roy to reach second with just over 10 laps to go in the event.  Royle however had a substantial lead.

In the distance to the checkered Menard was able to close slightly, by Royle would reach the finish with a comfortable five car length advantage.   Van Roy, would earn a career high third place run in WCS competition driving a flawless race.

On the final lap Weinfurter and series point leader Mark Eswein went wheel to wheel heading for the checkered flag with Eswein edging Weinfurter for the spot by a matter of inches for fourth.  Weinfurter would settle for fifth.

Brandon Selle also ran to a career high WCS feature finish nailing down a sixth place run after running in the lead pack all day.  Jeff Storm recovered from his earlier tangle to finish seventh. Kendall nabbed eighth with a rallying Mark Schroeder and point runner-up Don "Thunder" Turner completing the top ten.

At the finish 18 of the 23 starters were still on the track, with the top 14 still on the lead lap.

On Friday evening, July 30th, Golden Sands Speedway will host the next Wisconsin Challenge Series event.

Utilizing the regular starting times for the raceway, with qualifying at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7:45 p.m., fans attending the show will witness a huge field of Super Late Model competitors from around the Upper Midwest.  In addition a full show will be presented in the tracks 4 cylinder class.  Also on the card will be the wild 2-Man Cruisers which will conclude the program, and the Wisconsin Sport Trucks.  The snowmobile engine powered Mini-Trucks have proven to be a fan favorite among the support divisions of the Challenge Series and the division has accompanied the Wisconsin Challenge Series on many occasions.

The focus of the program, a 100 lap contest featuring up to 23 cars for the Wisconsin Challenge Series Super Late Models, should again provide fans with an exciting mix of local favorites and hard charging area hotshoes.  In the most recent event it was visiting driver Charlie Menard, the current point leader at the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, outgunning local standout Mark Eswein for victory in a 100 lap Wisconsin Challenge Series event on Memorial Day.

After the July 30th show at Golden Sands, remaining events on the 2004 WCS schedule include two rain rescheduled races.  These are held at Columbus 151 Speedway on Sunday Afternoon, August 15th, and Saturday evening August 28th at the Dells Motor Speedway.  The 2004 WCS title will be decided at Marshfield Speedway on Saturday Night September 11th.

Golden Sands Speedway is a high-banked third-mile asphalt oval located between Wisconsin Rapids and Plover, Wi. on Highway 54. For additional information on Golden Sands Speedway you can consult the track website at www.goldensandsspeedway.com or call ( 715) 423-4660.

Additional information on the Wisconsin Challenge Series can be found online at www.wisconsinchallenge.com or questions may be answered by calling (920) 731-6804.

The Creek Classic 100 - Results
141 Speedway- July 25, 2004

100 Lap Feature: 1.) Adam Royle, Farmington, MN;  2.) #17 Charlie Menard, Eau Claire; 3.) Terry Van Roy, Darboy; 4.) Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 5.) Jeff Weinfurter, Wisconsin Rapids; 6.) Brandon Selle, Dale; 7.) Jeff Storm, Waterford; 8.) Jeff Kendall, Montello; 9.) Mark Schroeder, Green Bay; 10.) Don Turner, LaCrosse; 11.) Rod Wheeler, Greenville; 12.) Dean Lapointe, Marshfield; 13.) Brian Johnson Jr., Roscoe, IL; 14.) Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 15.) Stevie Campbell, Lisle, IL; 16.) Kirby Kurth, Nekoosa; 17.) Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam; 18.) M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; 19.) John Zimmermann, Markesan; 20.)Eugene Gregorich Jr., Kewaunee; 21.) Ken Reiser, Waukon, IA; 22.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL

First 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Cambell; 2.) Falbe; 3.) Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 4.) Andy Tomlinson, Pardeeville; 5.) Kurt Guralski, Wausau; 6.) Scott Broughton, Stoughton; 7.) Ryan Manthei, Green Bay; 8.) Brandon Blashe, Little Chute; 9.) Travis Dodson, Wausau

Second 30 Lap Qualifier: 1.) Weinfurter; 2.) Kurth; 3.) Brent Strelka, Freedom; 4.) Zimmermann; 5.) Dean Schultz, Beaver Dam; 6.) Bobby McDonald, Combined Locks; 7.) John Totzke Jr., Wisconsin Rapids; 8.) Chad Devine, Appleton; 9.) Elliott Weiler, Marshfield