CARLSON WINS PIKES PEAK


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Dec 2, 2008

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE CORPORATION MIDWEST SERIES

Date: 07/26/2003

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Steve Carlson won the rain shortened NASCAR Elite Division,

Scheduled for 150 laps, the race was called after nearly

Jon Lemke finished second with Justin Diercks third. Local

�Yesterday in early practice we had a good car, but it

Bud Pole fast qualifier, Joey Miller led early as Hoffman,

Hoppe�s bid for victory ended early as a left rear tire

Hoppe kept his machine off the wall and made it to pit lane

Once back to green, Miller was under immediate pressure

�I felt as though we had a dominating car, we were just

Miller�s hopes for a win effectively ended on lap 49 when

While all eyes were focused on the Carelli and Carlson battle

Aided in part by three cautions in the events first 75 laps,

�This second car was race ready, but it wasn�t speedway

Four cautions, all for minor spins, over the final 40 laps

�The car got better the longer we ran,� said Diercks.

The rains came quickly and heavily forcing the field under red at lap 120.

The win was Carlson�s 61st career triumph.

In addition to Hoppe, Ron Breese, Jr took a hit in the chase

Defending race champion, Schendel had a consistent run all

Josh Vadnais finished eighth while rookie Clint Bowyer placed

The NASCAR Midwest Series next travels to Wisconsin International

Fountain, Col - Unofficial race results for the NASCAR Elite

1 (12) Steve Carlson West Salem, WI Chevrolet 120 $10,350 2 (10) Jon Lemke Greenfield, MN Chevrolet 120 $7,800 3 (8) Justin Diercks Davenport, IA Chevrolet 120 $6,700 4 (7) Rick Carelli Arvada, CO Chevrolet 120 $4,500 5 (2) Eddie Hoffman Wheaton, IL Chevrolet 120 $4,200 6 (5) Tim Schendel Sparta, WI Chevrolet 120 $2,700 7 (1) Joey Miller Lakeville, MN Chevrolet 120 $1,925 8 (11) Josh Vadnais White Bear Lake, MN Chevrolet 120 $1,500 9 (13) Clint Bowyer* Emporia, KS Chevrolet 120 $1,900 10 (19) Jeremy Lepak* Wausau, WI Chevrolet 120 $1,900 11 (6) Nathan Haseleu Marshall, WI Ford 120 $1,780 12 (15) Bryan Roach Becker, MN Chevrolet 120 $1,770 13 (16) Travis Geisler Cranberry Township, PA Chevrolet 14 (17) Ryan Hanson Beloit, WI Ford 120 $1,830 15 (25) Roger Avants Littleton, CO Chevrolet 120 $1,200 16 (22) Danny Mientka Colorado Springs, CO Chevrolet 120 $1,150 17 (3) Greg Fowler Longmont, CO Chevrolet 120 $1,120 18 (14) A.J. Rhoads* Hastings, MN Chevrolet 119 $1,610 19 (18) Ed Belec Lakewood, CO Chevrolet 119 $1,100 20 (4) Brian Hoppe Madison, WI Chevrolet 119 $1,750 21 (20) Ron Breese, Jr Dekalb, IL Chevrolet 119 $1,930 22 (29) Ken Walter Littleton, CO Pontiac 119 $1,000 23 (30) Jeff Way Burlington, WI Chevrolet 119 $1,480 24 (26) Les Ferris Northfield, MN Chevrolet 119 $1,470 25 (27) Dave Finney Sycamore, IL Chevrolet 119 $1,460 26 (33) Pete Moore McFarland, WI Chevrolet 119 $1,450 27 (28) Bruce Yackey Greeley, CO Chevrolet 119 $940 28 (32) Michael Gallegos Wheatridge, CO Chevrolet 118 $930 29 (31) Erik Darnell Beach Park, IL Chevrolet 118 $920 30 (36) Dan Savage Aurora, CO Ford 117 $910 running 31 (40) Robert Richardson McKinney, TX Chevrolet 116 $900 32 (39) J.C. Umscheid Austin, TX Chevrolet 116 $875 running 33 (34) Dave Finley Brighton, CO Chevrolet 116 $850 34 (37) Mark Voigt* Marine, IL Chevrolet 116 $1,325 running 35 (9) Eric Fransen* West Bend, WI Chevrolet 116 $1,400 36 (35) Dave Bean* Westby, WI Chevrolet 112 $1,300 37 (38) Ronnie White Spring Hill, KS Chevrolet 109 $800 38 (23) Scott Wilson Broomfield, CO Chevrolet 105 $800 39 (24) Ray Skillman Greenwood, IN Ford 98 $800 accident 40 (21) Kevin Clark Colorado Springs, CO Chevrolet 34 $800

*Denotes Victory Circle Chassis Rookie of the Year Contender

Failed to Qualify: (1) Richard Niemann 7 Cautions for 33 Laps:

(16-19 #51 flat tire and spin; 47-53 #6 spin; 70-74 #20 5 Lead Changes Among 4 Drivers: (Joey Miller 1-20, Rick Carelli 21-26, Steve Carlson 27-36, Time of Race: 1 hour 14 minutes 36 seconds Average Speed: 96.515 mph.

Margin of Victory: .524 seconds Bud Pole Winner: Joey Miller, Great Clips/Country Joe Homes POWERade Power Move of the Race Award: Steve Carlson, Wilson Oil Chevrolet Victory Circle Chassis Rookie of the Race: Clint Bowyer, Next Race: Wisconsin International Raceway, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series, The Wright Group Event Services 150, Saturday afternoon at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado.

a 90 minute rain delay cut the distance to 120 laps.

hero Rick Carelli capped off an action packed day with a fourth place run. Carelli also competed in the NASCAR Busch Series race prior to the Midwest Series event. Eddie Hoffman rounded out the top five.

wasn�t a great car,� said Carlson. �We qualified 12th, but in the afternoon practice we found some stuff and the car was just a rocket today.�

Brian Hoppe, Tim Schendel and Carelli all gave chase.

problem sent the 1999 series champion free-falling through the pack almost immediately. Hoppe struggled to stay on the lead lap while waiting for a caution. Hoppe got the caution he was hoping for on lap 16, unfortunately, his spinning mount on the back straight was the reason for the slow down.

as the tire rapidly disintegrated. He lost a lap to the leaders in the process, effectively ending his bid for victory. With just three races remaining on the 2003 campaign, his point title hopes also took a huge hit after he was credited with a 20th place finish.

from Carelli and the hard charging Carlson. Carelli got around Miller to lead lap 21 and Carlson followed. Carlson and Carelli then swapped the lead on a pair of occasions over the next 48 laps before Carlson took command for good.

out running laps faster than heck,� said Carelli. �We were waiting for this rain to come earlier and see if they would call it, but it didn�t come.�

he pitted, along with most of the other lead lap cars. Miller advanced several positions on the pit access road, pulling up to pit, and was held one-lap for the infraction.

for the lead, Lemke was charging through the field. Lemke qualified 10th but the car developed a bad vibration in Friday�s final practice session. He and his crew thought they had the problem diagnosed, but rather than take that chance, the team decided to roll out their back-up car. With the car change, Lemke had to drop to the tail of the field prior to the green flag and begin his bid for a third career win from the 40th spot.

Lemke was able to roar through the field and was challenging Hoffman for the third spot by the events half-way mark.

race ready,� said Lemke. �But this K.C. Colors team is just awesome. We had a lot of work to do and had to move some stuff around on the car, but they did it. And without any practice time went and put a great car under me.�

didn�t allow any driver a chance to get in a rhythm and make a serious bid for Carlson�s lead.

�That�s what was really hurting us, there were so many caution flags that we couldn�t get a real long run.�

Series officials waited nearly 90 minutes to see if the rains would let up, but to no avail.

for the championship. Breese came into Pikes Peak second in the point battle. Breese qualified 20th, got a lap down to the leaders early and struggled to a 21st place finish.

day and came to the checkers sixth. Eighteen-year-old Miller, making just his fourth series start, got by Carlson on a restart and when another yellow flew shortly thereafter, Miller found himself back on the lead lap. He charged back to a seventh place finish.

ninth, the highest finishing Victory Circle Chassis Rookie of the Year competitor. Fellow rookie Jeremy Lepak rounded out the top ten.

Raceway in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Tuesday, August 5, for the running of the Oneida Bingo and Casino 300.

Division, Int'l Truck and Engine Midwest Series, Saturday afternoon, July 26, at Pikes Peak International Raceway with start position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car make, laps completed, money won and status:

running

120 $1,250 running

running