Ratajczyk racks up first win at I-55!
PEVELY, MO (June 2, 2001) Tim Ratajczyk held off challenges from five different drivers to pick up his first victory of the season in the UMP Late Model division. Ed Dixon, Kevin Gundaker and Ratajczyk battled two and three wide in the first few laps for the lead, when Dixon jumped the cushion and slapped the wall bringing out the first caution on lap three. On the restart, Gundaker and Ratajczyk continued their battle for the next seven laps, but Gundaker had a right rear tire go flat. That allowed Mark Oller and Steve Shive to move up and challenge Ratajczyk for the lead. Shive’s bad luck continued, as he had mechanical problems a few laps later. Billy Faust also moved up to challenge Ratajczyk and suffered mechanical problems. Ratajczyk was able to hold off Oller and pick up the victory. Jason Frankel, Mike Hammerle and Danny Haynes rounded out the top five.

The UMP Modified division continues to provide great side-by-side racing. Jim Shereck led the first eighteen laps but drifted high in turn one with two laps to go which allowed Ray Wagner to take the lead. Attempting to retake the lead on the last lap, Shereck spun in turn four, which caused a mad scramble to the finish line. Wagner had taken the checkered flag for the win, but the caution light came on for Shereck and others involved in the spin. Since the checkered flag had been given to Wagner the race was ruled completed and everyone else was scored from the previous lap. Brent Mullins was second, John Seets third, with Dean Hoffman and Scott Weber fourth and fifth respectively.

Troy Naeger claimed his third victory of the season in the Sportsman division. Naeger led all fifteen laps and held off points leader Paul Belken. Following Belken across the line were Mark Blanke, Brian Worley and Scott Stuppy.

UMP LATE MODELS (26 Cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 51 Steve Shive
3. 67 Mark Oller
4. 117 Matt Taylor

HEAT 2:
1. 70 Marc McClintock
2. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. 28 Don Klein
4. 16 Mike Hammerle

HEAT 3:
1. 11 Kevin Gundaker
2. 77 Clay Baumann
3. 19 Billy Faust
4. 33 Jason Frankel

DASH:
1. 50 Ed Dixon
2. 11 Kevin Gundaker
3. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
4. 51 Steve Shive

SEMI:
1. 2J Dave Jumper
2. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
3. 1A Justin Allgaier
4. 7 Rick Bayer
5. 4Q Scott Geashel
6. 36 Danny Green
DNS. 12 Wayne Downing
DNS. 37 Brian Wolfmeier

FEATURE:
1. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
2. 67 Mark Oller
3. 33 Jason Frankel
4. 16 Mike Hammerle
5. 47 Danny Haynes
6. 28 Don Klein
7. 77 Clay Baumann
8. 7 Rick Bayer
9. 32M Danny Maguire
10. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
11. 4Q Scott Geashel
12. 11 Kevin Gundaker
13. B1 Bob Brown
14. 36 David Green
15. 50 Ed Dixon
16. 70 Marc McClintock
17. 19 Billy Faust
18. 9B Chuck Baird
19. 51 Steve Shive
20. 117 Matt Taylor
21. 12 Mark Schaefer
22. 2J Dave Jumper
23. 1A Justin Allgaier
DQ. 177 Rick Stevenson (Light)

UMP MODIFIEDS (36 cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 16 Rusty Griffaw
2. 6 Ray Wagner
3. 377 Casey Pearson
4. 41 Larry Hull

HEAT 2:
1. 14 Leroy Haney
2. 56 Kevin Epperson
3. 29C John Campbell
4. X1 Dave Sandage

HEAT 3:
1. 18 Brent Thompson
2. 360 John Seets
3. 7 Keith Grider
4. 41 Steve Maisel

HEAT 4:
1. 17 Jim Shereck
2. 95 Jerry Grither
3. 1D Dean Hoffman
4. 99 Brian Wolfmeier

DASH:
1. 14 Leroy Haney
2. 17 Jim Shereck
3. 16 Rusty Griffaw
4. 360 John Seets

SEMI #1:
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 12 Tom Ratajczyk
3. 18R Shawn Rayfield
4. 59 Rich Whaley
5. 11Z Brian Collins
6. 15 Jeffery Masson
DNS. 11 Kyle Steffens
DNS. 62 Troy Medley

SEMI #2:
1. 3S Dan Schlup
2. C4 Chris Soutiea
3. 8 Kirk Murphy
4. 81 Mike Barbeau
5. 95 Jim Beisher
6. 45 Eric Franklin
7. 12 Jesse Snyder
8. 90 Tim Meara

FEATURE:
1. 6 Ray Wagner
2. 4m Brent Mullins
3. 360 John Seets
4. 1D Dean Hoffman
5. 4J Scott Weber
6. 14 Leroy Haney
7. 95 Jerry Grither
8. 18T Brent Thompson
9. 377 Casey Pearson
10. 99 Brian Wolfmeier
11. 29C John Campbell
12. 16 Rusty Griffaw
13. 56 Kevin Epperson
14. 7 Keith Grider
15. C4 Chris Soutiea
16. 41M Steve Maisel
17. 3S Dan Schlup
18. 24 Mike Crader
19. 51 Timmy Hill
20. X1 Dave Sandage
21. 17 Jim Shereck
22. 41 Larry Hull
23. 12 Jesse Snyder
24. 314 Jeff Masson

AARA SPORTSMAN (35 cars)
HEAT 1:
1. 12 Troy Naeger
2. 8 Ed Lowry
3. 75 Ron Imm
4. 64 Jim Smith

HEAT 2:
1. 01 Steve Borgetti
2. 48 Mike Harvey
3. 20 Gary McKinnon
4. 126 Gary Wilson

HEAT 3:
1. 38D Mark Blanke
2. 00 Scott Stuppy
3. 44 Nick Werner
4. 24 Paul Bauman

HEAT 4:
1. 46 Paul Belken
2. 166 Brian Worley
3. 36 Bob Schmidt
4. 19 Brad Grantham

DASH:
1. 12 Troy Naeger
2. 46 Paul Belken
3. 38D Mark Blanke
4. 166 Brian Worley

SEMI:
1. 500 Dan Dixon
2. 49 Matt Hancock
3. 9 Doug Wood
4. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
5. 4 Ricky Horton
6. 61 Mike Whitter
7. 42 Nathan Walsh
8. 93 Jeff Honea
9. 45 Mike Seymour
DNS. D5 Dave Jenkins
DNS. 16F Frank Melton
DNS. 51 John Hoffman
DNS. 26 Rob Inman
DNS. 21 Brad McKinnon
DNS. 40 Ed DeMille
DNS. 111 Zac Parks

FEATURE:
1. 12 Troy Naeger
2. 46 Paul Belken
3. 38D Mark Blanke
4. 166 Brian Worley
5. 00 Scott Stuppy
6. 9 Doug Wood
7. 20 Gary McKinnon
8. 64 Jim Smith
9. 81 Billy Ames
10. 500 Dan Dixon
11. 24 Paul Bauman
12. 36 Bob Schmidt
13. 18 Daryl Dodge
14. 23 Mark Schnurbusch
15. 61 Mike Whitter
16. 44 Nick Werner
17. 4 Ricky Horton
18. 42 Nathan Walsh
19. 10 Todd McGraw
20. 01 Steve Borgetti
21. 49 Matt Hancock
22. 75 Ron Imm
23. 19 Brad Grantham