Loves Park, IL, May 23 – Mark Fogel of West Bend, WI, collected his second Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series win of the season in as many tries during the running of the "Artie’s Towing 330" enduro held at the Rockford Speedway. Fogel took the lead at the 85-lap marker and remained in the top position for the rest of the 330-lap grueling affair in the sunny 90 degree heat.

Fogel was the overall winner and first in the "A" Class over Don Lunsford. First in the "B" Class was Louis Chatroop over Bob Kelly.

Defending Small Car Series champion Mark Johler collected his first overall win of the season but second in the Small Series division during the running of the “Artie’s Towing 170” enduro. Dan Chapman finished in the runner up position. Al Cottrell collected his first ever win in the V-6 division over Adam Cashmore.


SMALL CAR & V-6 SERIES

The "Arties Towing 170" Midwest Enduro Small Car & V-6 Series event had the 2009 Midwest Enduro Small Car Series “rookie of the year” Dan Chapman jump out front early with Mike McKay and Jasper Drengler close behind the leader. McKay grabbed the lead from Chapman at lap 9 and began to put some distance on second running Chapman as Drengler was losing ground. Mike Jucius got by Chapman at lap 18 and started top close on McKay as McKay’s mount was steadily slowing with head gasket problems and billowed smoke throughout the event. Jucius caught McKay at lap 42 with Johler right in his rear view mirror to make it a three-car battle for the lead. Johler took command at lap 48 and pulled away from the rest of the field. McKay fell out at lap 64 and Jucius was through for the day at lap 83 with clutch problems, just as the yellow flew for the mandatory refueling pit stop at lap 84. At the halfway point, it was Johler one lap ahead of Jucius, Chapman, Scott Dixon and Jason Jarvis.

The real race was for second as Johler took off once again with nobody in his mirror. Despite the low car count, a major wreck happened on lap 124 between the cars of Al Bartels, Jasper Drengler, Brad Nelson and a host of others. Drengler and Nelson’s cars were destroyed in the melee as the red flag flew because of the large corner tires that were moved in to the middle of the track. Johler cruised for the remainder of the event nearly lapping second place finisher Chapman by three circuits. At the line, Johler crossed first followed by Chapman, Jarvis, Dixon and current “rookie of the year” point leader Matt Skarzynski.

STOCK CAR SERIES

Race sponsor Art Speciale quickly set the early pace as the field was let go for the running of the "Artie’s Towing 330" Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series main event. The field was slowed on lap 18 for Matt Arvia as he experienced drive train problems and was stopped along the turn three wall. With the heat situation, extra caution was taking place with drivers. Speciale held a thirteen-second lead over second place running Erich Iversen at the 25-lap mark of the 330 lap scheduled event. Right behind Speciale was Lunsford, Jim Plautz and Matt Schlick. Lunsford went by Iversen at lap 30 and had his eyes set on catching Speciale. At lap 50, the deficit was ten seconds and by lap 75, the difference was only three seconds. As the field was nearing the first of two mandatory refueling pit stops on lap 83, Speciale’s motor let go on lap 81. Lunsford took the field to the pit stop followed by Fogel, Schlick, Iversen and Plautz.

Fogel beat Lunsford back to the starting grid to assume the lead after the break. Iversen moved back in to second with Lunsford running a close third. Lunsford went by Iversen at lap 96 for second. By lap 150, Lunsford was only one second behind the leader Fogel. As the field moved to the second pit stop at lap 165 the top five were Fogel, Lunsford, Iversen, Plautz and Mike Watson. Fogel and Lunsford were the only two cars on the lead lap at the mid way point of the event.

With the assumed race coming down between Fogel and Lunsford, it was going to be exciting to see if Lunsford could pick up his first career win. Fogel was up to the match and once again pulled out in front. Lunsford’s efforts would come in streaks as he would get as close as two seconds off the pace to about five seconds off of the rear bumper of Fogel’s Caprice. At lap 233, a big wreck involving Bob Kelly and Bob Palermo slowed the field as Kelly’s car sustained heavy damage and Palermo had to make repairs to return. Going in to the final segment of the event it was Fogel followed by Lunsford, Plautz, Jay Bozart and Watson. Plautz was seven laps behind Fogel and Lunsford.

As the field was let go for the final 83 laps, Lunsford was tangled up on the restart, which gave Fogel a great cushion. Lunsford went in to the pit area to change a flat at lap 268. Fogel now held an eight-second lead over Plautz with 60 laps remaining. Fogel held that cushion to the end of the 330-lap event to take the win over Plautz, Lunsford, Tom Ruh and Watson. Plautz was later disqualified in post race inspection for having illegal shocks.

The next Series event is scheduled for 3:00 Sunday June 20 at the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway (west Salem, WI). For further information call (262) 895-6682 from 6 - 9 pm. or leave a message. Additional up to date information can be located on the Series website at www.midwestenduro.com

COMPLETE SUMMARY: "ARTIE’S TOWING 330"

OVERALL FINISH

1. Mark Fogel, West Bend, WI, 330 laps completed; 2. Don Lunsford, Oak Creek, WI, 322; 3. Tom Ruh, Elkhart Lake, WI, 319; 4. Mike Watson, Muskego, WI, 319; 5. Darryl Traber, Waterford, WI, 315; 6. Louis Chatroop, Palatine, 314; 7. Bob Palermo, Crown Point, IN, 309; 8. Matt Schlick, Cortland, 306; 9. Jay Bozart, Milton, WI, 303; 10. John Miller, Elgin, 303; 11. Erich Iversen, Bristol, WI, 287; 12. Tom Barnharst, Wind Lake, WI, 279; 13. Ken Childre, New Berlin, WI, 278; 14. Mark Tomasi, Big Bend, WI, 264; 15. Bob Kelly, New Berlin, WI, 211; 16. Mike Herwald, Lake Geneva, WI, 174; 17. Jesse Jollie, Sussex, WI, 91; 18. Brad Jones, Rockton, 88; 19. Les Weidenhoeft, Jackson, WI, 84; 20. Art Speciale, Bartlett, 81; 21. Gerry Galloway, Hanover Park, 62; 22. Gerald Hayes, Monee, 58; 23. Matt Arvia, Griffith, IN, 14; 24. Al Kuphal, Franklin, WI, 3; 25. Jim Plautz, Edgerton, WI, 0
"A" CLASS

1. Fogel; 2. Lunsford; 3. Ruh; 4. Watson; 5. Traber; 6. Palermo; 7. Schlick; 8. Bozart; 9. Miller; 10. Iversen; 11. Barnharst ; 12. Childre; 13. Tomasi; 14.Jollie; 15. Weidenhoeft; 16. Speciale; 17. Galloway; 18. Hayes; 19. Arvia; 20. Kuphal; 21. Plautz

"B" CLASS

1. Chatroop; 2. Kelly; 3. Herwald; 4. Jones

"ARTIE’S TOWING 170" SMALL CAR & V-6

1. Mark Johler, Des Plaines, 170 laps completed; 2. Dan Chapman, Spring Grove, 168; 3. Jason Jarvis, Zion, 166; 4. Scott Dixon, Janesville, WI, 165; 5. Matt Skarzynski, Tigerton, WI, 162; 6. Leo Bujak, Spring Grove, 160;7. Matt Jerry, Pingree Grove, 159; 8. Dylan Helfenstein, Franksville, WI, 154; 9. Al Cottrell, Oshkosh, WI, 139; 10. Al Bartels, Tomah, WI, 137; 11. Joie Dennis, Marengo, 128; 12. Zach Weisbacher, Hanover Park, 122; 13. Jarrod Sutherland, Machesney Park, 87; 14. Mike Jucius, Oak Lawn, 83; 15. Jasper Drengler, Shawano, WI, 76; 16. Adam Cashmore, Lake Villa, 73; 17. Brad Nelson, Shawano, WI, 67; 18. Mike McKay, West Allis, WI, 64; 19. Steve Andres, South Elgin, 57; 20. Steve Bayer, Waterford, WI, 55; 21. Roger Schultz, Rockford, 47; 22. Gerald Hayes jr., Omaha, NE, 31; 23. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe, 22; 24. Lenny Adams, Johnsburg, 22

SMALL CAR

1. Johler; 2. Chapman; 3. Jarvis;4. Dixon; 5. Skarzynski; 6. Bujak; 7. Jerry; 8. Helfenstein; 9. Bartels; 10. Dennis; 11. Weisbacher; 12. Sutherland; 13. Jucius; 14. Drengler; 15. McKay; 16. Andres; 17. Bayer; 18. Schultz; 19. Bekielewski; 20. Adams


“V-6 CLASS

1. Cottrell; 2. Cashmore; 3. Shawano; 4. Gerald Hayes jr.