Beaver Dam, WI, September 23 - Tom Barnharst of Wind Lake, recorded his second career Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series win after nearly a ten year span since his first. The "Buddig / Old Wisconsin Sausage 200" enduro held at the Charter Raceway Park had a day full of scenario's as many of the top point drivers succumbed to various problems throughout the day. The current Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series point leader assumed the victory after original race winner Brian Blenker was disqualified during post race inspection for unapproved shocks.

Barnharst was the overall winner and first in the "A" Class over Don Lunsford. First in the "B" Class was Erich Iversen over Jay LeBrun.

Bill Mueller scored his first career Midwest Enduro Small Car Series win during the running of the "Buddig / Old Wisconsin Sausage100 small car enduro. Mueller was first over current point leader Louis Chatroop.

The top ten in each class received plaque awards plus prize money. The awards were courtesy of Buddig Meats of Homewood, IL and Old Wisconsin Sausage of Sheboygan.

Aaron Stolp, a regular weekly Charter Raceway Park 4-cylinder class driver got a jump on the small field with Steve Bayer in tow for the scheduled 100 lap event. On lap seventeen Stolp hit the front stretch wall hard breaking the rear suspension on his car. Stolp continued on keeping Bayer at bay but with the disabled suspension continuing to worsen the field started to catch Stolp and by lap 37 Steven Mueller took command of the event. Stolp dropped out of the event on lap 47 and Bayer at lap 50 for mechanical problems. At the 50 lap marker it was Steven Mueller followed by his father Bill, Chatroop, Mark Johler and Jason Condrad. Steven Mueller continued to gain on his father for the next 30 circuits around the 1/3 mile clay oval but came up on some lapped traffic at lap 83 and sustained some front end damage and a flat tire in the melee. Bill Mueller took command of the event at this point and never looked back as he held off Chatroop by a ten second margin at the line. The top five at the finish were Bill Mueller, Chatroop, Johler, Condrad and Darwin Niemczyk.

Blenker bolted out in front from his front row starting position as the green flag dropped for the running of the "Buddig / Old Wisconsin Sausage 200" Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series main event. Blenker had Tom Ruh on his back bumper right away with Barnharst close by. At the lap 25 marker the top five included Blenker, Ruh, Matt Born, Scott Riemer and Barnharst. The field was slowed for a red flag on lap 39 for a broken axle of the Tom DeYoung entry. DeYoung did not return. Blenker seemed to turn it up a notch as he put some distance between himself and second running Ruh for the next 25 circuits as the field was slowed for the first of two mandatory refueling pit stops on lap 65.

After the break, Blenker once again stretched the lead over Ruh but a surprising run by first time enduro driver Jason Jensen slipped in to second at the 90 lap marker. Jensen's fame was short lived as he went to the pit area on lap 98 during a red flag situation on the track. Blenker maintained a ten second cushion over Ruh at this point and at the lap 100 half way marker the top five included Blenker, Ruh, Barnharst, Charlie Pinkalla and Darryl Traber. Traber went in the pit area one lap later with a broken axle flange. For the next 35 circuits Blenker continued out front of Ruh and as the last fuel stop approached on lap 135 the two were the only cars on the lead lap as the field slowed for the final 65 circuits of the 200 lap event. The top five were Blenker, Ruh, Barnharst, Gerry Galloway and Pinkalla.

The final 65 circuits were going to be exciting as the track was becoming extremely rough for the stock suspension cars. Ruh got by Blenker at lap 146 but was short lived as the two were back even five laps later and were nose to tail once again two laps after that with Blenker having the slight edge. The two were within two car lengths of each other up to lap 187 when Ruh's right front tire went down ending his chances for his first career win. Blenker was now in complete charge of the event as he had the entire field covered by on lap. Barnharst made a last lap effort to get by Blenker to end the event on the lead lap at the finish. Blenker was later disqualified during post race inspection however, giving Barnharst the victory. At the finish the top five official finish was Barnharst, Lunsford, Iversen, Pinkalla and Ryan Nuti.

The next Series event is scheduled for Saturday afternoon October 27 at the Dells Raceway Park (Wisconsin Dells). This is the final event of the season for the Series. The "Monster sMash 250" main event is just part of a full afternoon of activities planned. For further information call (262) 895-6682 from 6- 9 pm. or leave a message. Additional up to date information can be found on the Series website at www.midwestenduro.com

COMPLETE SUMMARY: "Buddig / Old Wisconsin Sausage 200"

OVERALL FINISH

1. Tom Barnharst, Wind Lake, 200 laps completed; 2. Don Lunsford, Oak Creek, 197; 3. Erich Iversen, Kenosha, 195; 4. Charlie Pinkalla, Racine, 194; 5. Ryan Nuti, Edgerton, 194; 6. Tom Ruh, Elkhart Lake, 191; 7. Jay LeBrun, Antioch, IL, 190; 8. Ken Hocking, Joliet, IL, 189; 9. Tom Arnold, Minooka, IL, 187; 10. Gerry Galloway, Hanover Park, IL, 186; 11. Mike Herwald, Lake Geneva, 184; 12. Jill Balcerowski, Franklin, 178; 13. Julie Hayes, Monee, IL, 166;14. Matt Born, Sheboygan Falls, 163; 15. Dennis Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam, 162; 16. Darryl Traber, Waterford, 138; 17. Jason Jensen, Racine, 119; 18. David Dominguez, Edgerton, 115; 19. Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, 97; 20. Mark Fogel, West Bend, WI, 86; 21. Brad Jones, Rockton, IL, 74; 22. John Krolicki, Milwaukee, 217; 23. Scott Riemer, Brookfield, 39; 24. Tom DeYoung, Lowell, IN, 37; 25. Gerald Hayes, Monee, IL, 26; 26. Brian Blenker, Junction City, 0

"A" CLASS

1. Barnharst; 2. Lunsford; 3. Charlie Pinkalla; 4. Nuti; 5. Ruh; 6. Arnold; 7. Galloway; 8. Born; 9. Born; 10. Traber; 11. Tomasi ; 12. Fogel; 13. Gerald Hayes; 14. Blenker

"B" CLASS

1.Iversen; 2. LeBrun; 3. Hocking; 4. Herwald; 5. Balcerowski; 6. Julie Hayes; 7. Wuesthoff; 8. Jensen; 9. Dominguez; 10. Brad Jones; 11. Krolicki; 12. DeYoung

"Buddig / Old Wisconsin Sausage 100" SMALL CAR

1. Bill Mueller, Racine, 100 laps completed; 2. Louis Chatroop, Palatine, IL, 100; 3. Mark Johler, Des Plaines, IL, 99; 4. Jason Condrad, Burlington, 98; 5. Darwin Niemczyk, Franklin, 98; 6. Roger Schultz, Rockford, IL, 97; 7. Chris Hart, Edgeton, 96; 8. Becky Pinkalla, Racine, 94; 9. Dylan Helfenstein, Racine, 93; 10. Tony Prietzel, Racine, 90; 11. Steven Mueller, Caledonia, 89; 12. Chris Jones, Rockford, IL, 89; 13. Logan Schnake, Arlington Heights, IL, 75; 14. Scott Deising, Oshkosh, 66; 15. Keith Slagg, Racine, 57; 16. Steve Bayer, Burlington, 50; 17. Aaron Stolp, Milwaukee, 47; 18. Dennis Jones, Rockton, IL, 44; 19. Joe Brooke, Beaver Dam, 31; 20. Curt Teunissen, Hingham, 16