Oller Streaks From 19th to Edge Dixon By Inches
Story by Rick Stoff

Pevely, Mo. (April 15) — Defending champion Ed Dixon took the lead of Saturday's UMP Late Model feature from Steve Shive on lap four at I-55 Raceway. Dixon cruised comfortably at the front of the field for the next 20 laps. Mark Oller, meanwhile, was fighting through the field from his 19th starting position.

Oller pulled alongside Dixon with two laps to go, but Dixon held him off until the white flag lap. On the last circuit Dixon went to the cushion at the top of the track while Oller searched for traction in the moist dirt at the bottom of the turns.

Oller put a slide job on Dixon going into the last turn, bringing the crowd to its feet. As Oller slid in front of Dixon, Ed cranked the steering wheel left and pulled to the inside of Oller. The two cars took the checkered flag inches apart. Both drivers stopped on the front straight to wait for the checkered flag, which the scorers determined should go to Oller.

Dixon backed up to give a wave to the winner before leaving the track. Oller is now two for two on the season at I-55.

Jason Frankel won his heat and the late model dash before finishing third in the feature. Shive ended up fourth. Darrell Hoffman also won a late model heat but suffered a flat tire in the feature.

The UMP Modified feature was equally exciting, with the outcome undecided until the lead pack of four cars hit the final straight. John Seets led most of the race, briefly yielding the lead to Jeff LeBaube. Seets, LeBaube, Scott Weber and Dean Hoffman diced throughout the race, sometimes running three wide in the turn. With two laps to go, Weber once dove from second to first then fell to third within one turn. Seets ended up winning by less than a car length with Weber, Hoffman and LeBaube following.

Seets, Hoffman, Matt Mevert and Ray Walsh won the modified heats. Walsh won the dash and Paul Belken Jr. won the semi.

Scott Stuppy, the track's 1999 sportsman champion, took the lead at the start of his feature. He was passed by 1998 champ Belken five laps into the race, but Belken's car broke on the same lap and turned the lead back over the Stuppy. A few laps later Doug Wood took the lead and held on for the victory. Bob Schmidt was second and Tory Ernst was third.

Mark Schurbusch, Dennis Wernle and Danny Dixon won heat races. Stuppy won the other heat and the dash.

105 Total Cars

UMP Late Models
21 Late Models
Heat 1:
1. 33 Jason Frankel
2. 29 Al Atkison
3. 24 Matt Taylor
4. 5 Brent Sievert

Heat 2:
1. 2 Darrell Hoffman
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 51 Steve Shive
4. 95 Jeff Johns

Dash:
1. 33 Jason Frankel
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 2 Darrell Hoffman
4. 51 Steve Shive

Feature:
1. 67 Mark Oller
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 33 Jason Frankel
4. 51 Steve Shive
5. 5 Brent Sievert
6. 78 Chad Zobrist
7. 6 Jim Zdroik
8. 95 Jeff Johns
9. Z Joe Harlan
10. 87 Ken Rumble
11. 37 Brian Wolfmeier
12. 125 Scott Ford
13. 2J Dave Jumper
14. 6Q Pat Ryan
15. 29 Al Atkison
16. 28 Don Klein
17. 01 T.J. Dolhun
18. 2H Darrell Hoffman
19. 24 Matt Taylor
20. 6 John Hobson
21. 3D Jim Durbin

UMP Modifieds
37 Modifieds
Heat 1:
1. 22 Matt Mevert
2. 29 Jeff LeBaube
3. 16 Rust Griffaw
4. 11 Kyle Steffens

Heat 2:
1. 1W Ray Walsh
2. 28K Jason Keith
3. 68 Andy Anderson
4. 21 Dennis Richards

Heat 3:
1. 360 John Seets
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 89 Bob Bittle
4. 95 Jerry Grither

Heat 4:
1. 1D Dean Hoffman
2. 82 Brad Haas
3. 18R Shawn Rayfield
4. 9S Tom Seets

Dash:
1. 1W Ray Walsh
2. 360 John Seets
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 29 Jeff LeBaube

Semi-feature:
1. 46 Paul Belken Jr.
2. 47 Danny Haynes
3. 4M Brent Mullins
4. 99 Rich Steyh
5. 59 Rich Whaley
6. 88 Joe Puricelli
7. 29C John Campbell
8. 7Z Matt Zimmerly
9. 23 Denny Cagle
10. 21H David Henry
11. 8 Kirk Murphy
12. 36 Danny Green
13. 37 Chad Evans

Feature:
1. 360 John Seets
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 29 Jeff LeBaube
5. 89 Bobby Bittle
6. 1W Ray Walsh
7. 14 Leroy Haney
8. 22 Matt Mevert
9. 18R Shawn Rayfield
10. 16 Rusty Griffaw
11. 21 Dennis Richards
12. 47 Danny Haynes
13. 9 Tom Seets
14. 4M Brent Mullins
15. 67 B.J. Seets
16. 82 Brad Haas
17. 11S Kyle Steffens
18. 11D Brian Diveley
19. 64 Jim Smith
20. 68 Andy Anderson
21. 46 Paul Belkin, Jr.
22. 99 Rich Steyh
23. 95 Jerry Grither
24. 28K Jason Keith

Other Modifieds in Attendance:
45M Eric Mabery
C7 Chuck Rice
6 Ray Wagner
C4 Chris Soutiea

Sportsmen
40 Sportsmen
Heat 1:
1. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
2. 28 Sam Worley
3. 50 Mike McGowan
4. 92 Jim Abshier

Heat 2:
1. 74 Dennis Wernle
2. 81 Billy Ames
3. 175 Peggy Baur
4. 87 Gary Haynes
** 10 Todd McGraw was 2nd but car didn't meet minimum weight!

Heat 3:
1. 00 Scott Stuppy
2. 46 Paul Belkin, Jr.
3. 36 Bob Schmidt
4. 44 Nick Werner

Heat 4:
1. 500 Danny Dixon
2. 9 Doug Wood
3. 127E Tory Ernst
4. 166 Brian Worley

Dash:
1. 00 Scott Stuppy
2. 46 Paul Belkin, Jr.
3. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
4. 74 Dennis Wernle

Semi-Feature 1:
1. 38D Mark Blanke
2. 75 Rob Imm, Jr.
3. 96 Stan Cernik
4. 58 Jeff Barker
5. 53 John Dunshee
6. 10 Todd McGraw

Semi-Feature 2:
1. 13 Brent Kreke
2. 80 Steve Borgetti
3. 84 Jim Ott
4. 79 Travis Tilley
5. 26 Rob Inman
** 350 Robert Dill was 4th but car didn't meet minimum weight!

Feature:
1. 9 Doug Wood
2. 36 Bob Schmidt
3. 127E Tory Ernst
4. 166 Brian Worley
5. 00 Scott Stuppy
6. 38D Mark Blanke
7. 81 Billy Ames
8. 87 Gary Haynes
9. 44 Nick Werner
10. 92 Jim Abshier
11. 15 Jim Troutman
12. 13 Brent Kreke
13. 18 Daryl Dodge
14. 75 Rob Inman
15. 105 Matt Hancock
16. 500 Danny Dixon
17. 80 Steve Borgetti
18. 175 Peggy Baur
19. 46 Paul Belkin, Jr.
20. 74 Dennis Wernle
21. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
**50 Mike McGowan, 28 Sam Worley and 17H Dave Heimos cars didn't meet minimum weight!

Other Sportsmen in Attendance:
30 Rick Hackett
76 Brian Roberts
97 Chris Moyer
111 Zac Parks
19 Brad Grantham
2% Tim Streisel
12 Troy Naeger
61 Mike Whittier

Cruisers
7 Cruisers
Heat: Gary Klein/Phil Bauman
Feature: Billy Klein/Lynn Marshall