Erik Darnell captured his first NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series victory of the year by winning the Al Schill Jr. Memorial 150 at Lake Geneva Raceway on Saturday night.
Darnell - who won the Bud Pole Award with a lap of 73.706 in qualifying - had his hands full in a charge to the front, after an invert draw put him 10th on the starting grid.
The Beach Park, Ill., driver spent the first half of the race working his way to the front and the second half setting the pace. In the end, he held off Nathan Haseleu after a late-race caution set up a five-lap dash to the finish.
Following Darnell and Haseleu across the line in third was Eddie Hoffman. Fourth went to Steve Carlson, with Tim Schendel finishing fifth.
Unofficial Results
AL SCHILL JR. MEMORIAL 150
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series
Lake Geneva, Wis. Aug. 6, 2005
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. - Final leaders of Saturday's $52,572 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series stock car race with driver's starting position in parenthesis, hometown, make and model of car, laps completed, winner's average speed, reason out if any and prize money.
1. (10) Erik Darnell, Beach Park Ill., Chevrolet, 150, 54.280 mph, $4,120
2. (2) Nathan Haseleu, Arlington Wis., Ford, 150, $2,620
3. (8) Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton Ill., Chevrolet, 150, $1,970
4. (5) Steve Carlson, West Salem Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,975
5. (15) Tim Schendel, Sparta Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $2,275
6. (4) Andrew Morrissey, Deforest Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,475
7. (6) Jamie Wallace, Pell Lake Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,000
8. (3) Josh Bauer, Random Lake Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,520
9. (7) Mark Kraus, Strattford Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,120
10. (1) Justin Diercks, Davenport Iowa, Chevrolet, 150, $1,675
11. (11) Larry Schuler, Manooka Ill, Ford, 150, $750
12. (13) Dexter Bean, Westby Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,000
13. (14) Nick Joanides, Woodland Hills Calif., Chevrolet, 150, $920
14. (19) Brent Kirchner, LA Crosse Wis., Chevrolet, 150, $1,000
15. (18) David Finney, Sycamore Ill., Chevrolet, 150, $845
16. (9) Nick Schumacher, Hartford Wis., Chevrolet, 149, $575
17. (17) Jeff Way, Burlington Wis., Chevrolet, 149, $770
18. (21) Greg Fowler, Longmont Colo., Chevrolet, 149, $825
19. (20) Russ Blakeley, Whitewater Wis., Ford, 57, Overheating, $825
20. (16) Ronnie Hawley, Winona Minn., Chevrolet, 54, Accident, $770
21. (12) Brian Johnson, Roscoe. Ill, Chevrolet, 2, Overheating, $770
Did not qualify: (0)
Race Statistics
Time of race: 54 minutes 43 seconds
Margin of victory: 1.326 seconds
Caution flags: 8 for 41
Lead changes: 1 among 2 drivers
Lap leaders: Justin Diercks 1-73, Erik Darnell 74-150.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series Championship Standings: 1.
Justin Diercks 1,004, 2. Steve Carlson 1,001, 3. Andrew Morrissey 897, 4 Tim
Schendel 869, 5. Brent Kirchner 863, 6. Eddie Hoffman 810, 7. Dexter Bean
805, 8. Josh Bauer 793, 9. Russ Blakeley 779, 10. Greg Fowler 763.
