PAIR OF ROOKIES LOOK TO GET RIGHTED SEASON AT HOME TRACK

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 04/28/2003

The NASCAR Midwest Series makes the first of two 2003 visits to Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway, May 10, for the running of the Spring Sizzler 200.

Richards had a host of problems set him back at the series opener. His crew chief quit one day before the opening weekend, putting the team behind the eight ball. Come race day, Richards was the innocent victim of a chain reaction crash just four laps into the main event. That sent him to pit lane for several laps and relegated him to a 20th place finish.

"We were just behind all weekend at the opener," said Richards. "I feel a bunch more confident now having run laps in this type of car and coming to a track that I know very well."

Richards is the 2001 and 2002 Super Stock track champion at Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway.

"I probably only have 10 laps in a late model at the Dells, but I still feel real comfortable there and I know what you have to do to pass people there," said Richards.

Twenty-four drivers are scheduled to take the green flag in the Spring Sizzler 200. The fastest 16 will advance via qualifying while the top four finishers in a 25-lap last chance race will advance to the main event. Four final provisional starters will make up the remainder of the field. Practice will run from 2:30 p.m. (CT) to 5:00 p.m. Qualifying is slated for 5:30 with the green flag scheduled to drop on the main event at 8:30.

For Bires, the trip back home will be a chance for he and his team to shine in front of a large group of partisan backers.

"The first race was tough because we didn't actually get the car until about two weeks before the race," said Bires. "Our goal was to come out of there in one piece, and we did, so now we can work on making the car faster. The Dells will be fun because it'll feel like home and we'll have a bunch of people up in the stands cheering."

A full program of Pure Stock and Super Stock racing is also on tap. 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

• The Spring Sizzler 200 will mark the 45th time the Midwest Series has competed at Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway.

• This year marks the first under the series' new name: International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series. For the past five seasons, the series was known as the RE/MAX Challenge Series. Prior to that it was known throughout the Midwest as the ARTGO Challenge Series.

• In 2002, after a four-year absence, the International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series returned to Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway. An event in May and another in June spiced the series schedule with Brian Hoppe (Gildan Activewear Chevrolet) winning both events.

• Both Steve Carlson (September 3, 1988) and Pete Moore (June 30, 1990) scored their first career series wins at Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway. Active series drivers who have notched wins at the Dells include Steve Holzhausen (3 wins), Carlson (3), Brian Hoppe (2) and Moore (1).

• Title contenders Eddie Hoffman (Lisa Thomas Salon Chevrolet), Jon Lemke (K.C. Colors Chevrolet) and Hoppe all had trouble at the NASCAR Midwest Series opener and are in need of a good run to get their championship hopes back on course. Lemke sits 68 points behind leader Steve Carlson while Hoffman is 74 markers back and Hoppe trailing by 83.

• International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series drivers have been busy racing, and winning, on their off weekends from the series. Clint Bowyer (Sonic Drive In Chevrolet) has won two in a row in the modified division at Lakeside (Kan) Speedway. Fellow Midwest Series rookie Jeremy Lepak (U.S. NAVY Chevrolet) was the late model feature winner last week at Golden Sands (Wis) Speedway while rookie classmate Eric Fransen (Sonya's Rose Chevrolet) won a late model special at Madison (Wis) International Speedway. Kenny Richards was the Super Stock feature winner last Saturday at the Dells Motor Speedway. Eddie Hoffman won the late model feature on Friday night at Grundy County (Ill) Speedway and Sunday afternoon at Illiana (Ind) Motor Speedway.

• POWERade Sports Drink is a welcome addition as a new contingency sponsor with the International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series in 2003. POWERade will put $750 up for grabs at each event to the eligible driver who advances the most positions during the course of the race.

• Hoosier Tire returns as the tire of choice for the International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series in 2003. The Indiana based company will give away over $4200 worth of their rubber at every series event. Other contingency sponsors include Anheuser-Busch, Auto Meter Products, Edelbrock Intake Manifolds, Five Star Stock Car Bodies, Flowmaster, G-Force, Goody's Headache Powder, Holley Carburetors, JE Pistons, Mac Tools, Mobil 1 Oil, Moroso, MSD, Penske Shocks, Quarter Master, Quick Car, Raybestos Brakes, "76" Racing Gasoline, Wix Air Filters and Victory Circle Chassis.

"The first three races on the year are at my kind of places, good old short tracks. The Dells can be a one groove track so you have to be really good and you might have to get a little physical." Eddie Hoffman

August 25, 1979-The NASCAR Midwest Series, then known as the ARTGO Challenge Series, makes its first ever stop at Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway with twin 75-lap features the main attraction. Wisconsin driving legend Dick Trickle claimed both mains. The next afternoon the series traveled south an hour to Capital Super Speedway near Madison. Triple 50-lap features were the order of the day there and, you guessed it, Trickle won all three, capping off an amazing five feature wins in a 24-hour period.

What

Spring Sizzler 200 (NASCAR Elite Division, International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series, Race 2 of 12).

Where

Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway.

When

8:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, May 10.

Track layout

.33-mile banked asphalt oval.

Race length

200 laps, 66.66 miles.

Posted awards

$56,245.

2002 winner

Brian Hoppe.

2002 Bud Pole Fast Qualifier

Josh Vadnais

2002 Spring Sizzler 200

1) Brian Hoppe; 2) Eddie Hoffman; 3) Steve Carlson; 4) Justin Diercks; 5) Jeff Kendall; 6) Jon Lemke; 7) Josh Vadnais; 8) Jeff VanOudenhoven; 9) Paul Menard; 10) Ron Breese, Jr

Points leaders

1) Steve Carlson 180; 2) Ron Breese, Jr 170; 3) Justin Diercks 165; 4) Eric Fransen 160; 5) Tim Schendel 155; 6) Jeff Way 150; 7) Bryan Roach; 8) Josh Vadnais 142; 9) Mark Voigt 138; 10) Doug Klein 134.

Schedule

10:00 am (CT) Haulers Enter; 2:30 pm to 5:00 alternating practice; 5:30 qualifying; 7:30 last chance qual. race; 8:30 Spring Sizzler 200.

Track contact

Bryan Severson, (608) 254-7822.

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