Bishofberger Opens with Spring Sizzler 50 Victory!

By Larry Starr

Jefferson, Wis., May 4, 2002 — It was worth the wait! A large crowd watched over 127 cars compete in the
“Towel City – Spring Sizzler 50,” kicking off the 51st season at Wisconsin’s Action Track. Scheduled last week, weather delayed the event.

Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson motored from a 6th place start to claim victory in the, 50 lap, Late Model feature. The first caution came after one lap, when the early leaders, Fort Atkinson drivers Randy Cusick and Ken Olson, tangled coming out of turn 4, spinning to the infield. Jefferson’s Gene Olson Jr. led the restart with Bishofberger working on Steve Dobbratz of Rio for the 2nd spot.

Claiming 2nd, on lap 5, Bishofberger closed with Olson as Andy Wendt of Watertown moved past Dobbratz for 3rd. Bishofberger claimed the point on lap 18, guiding the way to the checkered flag. Caution flew, on lap 22, for a 2 car incident between turns 1 and 2.

Bishofberger led Wendt on the restart, with defending track champion, Dan Chesmore moving up from 4th. Chesmore closed with Wendt by lap 29, battling for 2nd as Bishofberger extended his lead. A final caution, on lap 43, for a turn 1 crash, closed the field for a restart. Bishofberger led the charge to the stripe, followed by Wendt, Chesmore, Jefferson’s Roger Behlke and Dobbratz.

Chesmore turned in the fast qualifying time, with a 14.851 second orbit of the quarter mile.

Scott Nottestad of Stoughton won the 8 lap Fast Dash while Waterloo’s Scottie Hatton, Tim Noble of Janesville, Ken Olson of Fort Atkinson and Bishofberger were victorious, in 10 lap heats.

Hatton and Milton’s Ken Piotrowski transferred from the 12 lap Consolation race, to the Last Chance. Tim Noble of Janesville, Marshall’s Rick Coppernoll, Waterloo’s Greg Bowers and Janesville’s Beau Sanden moved to the Feature Lineup, from the 20 lap Last Chance race.

In International action, Janesville’s Mark English won the 20 lap main event. Starting from the 5th row, English headed to the front, as Charles Dixon of Waukesha took the early lead.

Bobby Moore of Edgerton led Mike Drays of Milton and Aaron Rude of Cambridge past Dixon on lap 8. Claiming 3rd, by lap 17, English was looking to the outside of Moore, on lap 18, with Rude close behind on the inside. Moore’s night ended, suddenly, with a spun into the outside wall.

Surviving his brush with disaster, English led the restart, showing the way to the checkered, followed by Rude, Drays, Scott Dolphin of Marshall and Jefferson’s Mike Bingham.

Brent Nottestad set the fast qualifying pace, with a 15.893 second tour of the quarter mile. Ten lap heat race victories went to Dixon and Drays.

In Sportsman division action, Watertown’s Bret Schmidt drove, from an 8th place start, to a 1st place finish, in the 25 lap feature. James Helmer of Fox Lake led the first 20 laps, as Schmidt worked his way to the 3rd spot, behind Oregon’s Jimmie Pankow.

Schmidt claimed 2nd, before a crash between the 1st and 2nd turn brought a caution, on lap 20. After the restart, Helmer took a wild ride, starting with a slide in turn 2.

He avoided a crash but slipped far back, leaving Schmidt at the point. Schmidt showed the way to the checkered flag, followed by Pankow, Chad Reimer of Oconomowoc, Jay Kalbus of Oconomowoc and Jefferson’s Jason Thoma.

Bobby Stough of Waunakee led the field in qualifying, with a 15.844 second loop of the quarter mile. Ten lap heat race victories went to Marshall’s R.C. Coppernoll, Carey Hensel of Stoughton, Helmer and Waunakee’s Scott Riedner.

Coppernoll and Jeremy Hayton of Lake Geneva transferred from the 15 lap Consolation race, to the Last Chance. Hensel, Kyle Jarlsberg of Cambridge, Belleville’s Tony Schuchardt and Nick Berge of Janesville transferred, from the Last Chance, to the feature.

In Hobby Stock action, Dousman’s Chad Lurvey started 6th, in the 20 lap feature, claimed the lead, from Watertown’s Chris Matz, on lap 7, leading from there to the finish. Behind Lurvey, at the stripe, were Matz, Rio’s Ken Scott, Jeremy Hartwig of Cottage Grove and Jefferson’s Bill Bush.

Scott set the pace, in qualifying, with a 16.829 second lap. Jenny Weir of Cottage Grove, Janesville’s Lonny Wilson and Juneau’s Gerald Chapman won 8 lap Heats.

Jefferson’s Bill Emmons and Waterloo’s Jason Deppe transferred from the Consolation race, to the Last Chance. Wilson, Russell Nicholson of Stoughton, Dennis Schmidt of Johnson Creek and Weir moved to the feature, from the Last Chance.
The Bandits finished the night, with Janesville’s Tim Seitz moving from a 3rd place start to a 1st place finish in the 15 lap feature.

Brandon Riedner set the fast qualifying pace with a 15.684 loop of the short track. Janesville’s Troy Olson and Edgerton’s Peter Shelly won 8 lap heats.

Next week it’s UPN 57 Night at the Races, along with Autograph/Picture day and the Best Appearing Car contest. To allow time for fan events, the schedule of events will be: Gates open at 2:30, qualifying at 4:30 and racing at 7:00.

Late Model Feature Finish:

Laps:

50

1.

76 Ron Bishofberger (Fort Atkinson)

10.

71 John Ovadal (Johnson Creek)

2.

18 Andy Wendt (Watertown)

11.

37 Gene Olson Jr. (Jefferson)

3.

27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville)

12.

11 Beau Sanden (Janesville)

4.

44 Roger Behlke (Jefferson)

13.

71 Tim Noble (Janesville)

5.

1 Jason Erickson (Cambridge)

14.

25 Randy Cusick (Fort Atkinson)

6.

52 Steve Dobbratz (Rio)

15.

2 Tom Dorn (Fort Atkinson)

7.

75 Rick Coppernoll (Marshall)

16.

12 Greg Bowers (Waterloo)

8.

97 Jim Jarlsberg (Cambridge)

17.

22 Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)

9.

14 Scott Nottestad (Stoughton)

18.

68 Ken Olson (Fort Atkinson)

FAST QUALIFIER: #27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville): 14.851 seconds

FAST DASH: 8 Lap – 14 Scott Nottestad (Cambridge)

CONSI: 12 lap – 0 Scottie Hatton (Waterloo), 6 Ken Piotrowski (Milton)

LAST CHANCE: 20 Lap – 71 Tim Noble (Janesville), 75 Rick Coppernoll (Marshall), 12 Greg Bowers (Waterloo), 11 Beau Sanden (Janesville)

Heats: 10 lap: 1) 0 Scottie Hatton (Waterloo) 2) 71 Tim Noble (Janesville)
3) 68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson) 4) 76 Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)

International Feature:

Laps:

1.

57 Mark English (Janesville)

4.

0 Scott Dolphin (Marshall)

2.

9 Aaron Rude (Cambridge)

5.

17 Mike Bingham (Jefferson)

3.

49 Mike Drays (Milton)

6.

16 Dennis Clapp (Madison)

FAST QUALIFIER – 25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge): 15.893 seconds

Heats: 10 lap: 1) 71 Charles Dixon (Waukesha) 2) 48 Mike Drays (Milton)
Sportsman Feature:

Laps:

25

1.

20 Bret Schmidt (Watertown)

4.

27 Jay Kalbus (Oconomowoc)

2.

23 Jimmy Pankow (Oregon)

5.

95 Jason Thoma (Jefferson)

3.

19 Chad Reimer (Oconomowoc)

6.

26 Scott “Chico” Riedner (Waunakee)

FAST QUALIFIER: #27 Bobby Stough (Stoughton): 15.844 seconds.

CONSI: 10 lap – 36 R.C. Coppernoll (Marshall), 81 Jeremy Hayton (Lake Geneva)

LAST CHANCE: 15 lap – 55 Carey Hensel (Stoughton), 87 Kyle Jarlsberg (Cambridge), 2 Tony Schuchardt (Belleville), 37 Nick Berge (Janesville)

Heats: 10 lap: 1) 36 R.C. Coppernoll (Marshall) 2) 55 Carey Hensel (Stoughton)
3) 7 James Helmer (Fox Lake) 4) 26 Scott “Chico” Riedner (Waunakee)

Hobby Stock Feature:

Laps:

20

1.

74 Chad Lurvey (Dousman)

4.

6 Jeremy Hartwig (Cottage Grove)

2.

72 Chris Matz (Watertown)

5.

17 Bill Bush (Jefferson)

3.

39 Ken Scott (Rio)

6.

55 Terry Wangsness (Delavan)

FAST QUALIFIER – 39 Ken Scott (Rio): 16.829 seconds.

CONSI: 8 lap – 9 Bill Emmons (Jefferson), 71 Jason Deppe (Waterloo)

LAST CHANCE: 12 lap – 40 Lonny Wilson (Janesville), 67 Russ Nicholson (Stoughton), 19 Dennis Schmidt (Johnson Creek), 68 Jenny Weir (Cottage Grove)

Heats: 8 lap: 1) 68 Jenny Weir (Cottage Grove) 2) 40 Lonny Wilson (Janesville) 3) 7 Gerald Chapman (Juneau)

Bandit Feature:

Laps:

15

1.

57 Tim Seitz (Edgerton)

4.

6 Eric Rucks (Cambridge)

2.

18 David Jurczyk (Jefferson)

5.

38 Bill Reynolds (Watertown)

3.

5 Peter Shelley (Edgerton)

6.

12 Allen Petrie (Sun Prairie)

FAST QUALIFIER: #4D Brandon Riedner (Waunakee): 15.684 Seconds

Heats: 8 lap: 1) 11 Troy Olson (Janesville) 2) 5 Peter Shelley (Edgerton)