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January 14, 2007 at
12:42:26 AM
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Flagman Stan M dropped the green flag on the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest, as action got underway in the modified and super stock divisions on Sunday January 14. Actually the crowd was anxious to get the event going, so Stan M looked up into the tower at the mythical MDTR Speedway, nodded his head, and unfurled the green flag shortly before the midnight starting time. The mods and supers will run until next midnight, Saturday January 20. Then it will be time for the late models and sprint cars to take over.
Contest can be found at www.gotomn.com
Good luck to all contestants during this first week of action and enjoy the contest.
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January 14, 2007 at
02:20:06 PM
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Since contest promoter GRP has received a few inquiries regarding Question #10 in the Modified Division, a clarification will be posted here.
I am looking for the winner of the championship or title feature race on the second night of the event, not the prelim or qualifying feature winner the first night. There will be only one correct answer accepted.
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January 14, 2007 at
11:28:11 PM
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The opening day in the contest some times sees a few entries received and some times not. As we bring to a close day #1 in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest at the mythical MDTR Speedway, we did see one entry received from a rookie competitor in both the modified and super stock divisions.
Turning his first laps on what can be a tricky MDTR Speedway track surface, Adam Stockhausen wheeled his fine-looking #59 modified entry trackside for his maiden trip around the high-banked 3/8 miler on Sunday. Negotiating the tough turn #2 area, Adam kept his mod in the low groove and soon began to get the car dialed in. As he completed his run, he posted a score of 14 points in his first effort in the contest. Promoter GRP remarked afterwards that he was surprised that Adam had correctly identified a mod photo that GRP thought would be troublesome for many contestants. Not so for this fine rookie competitor today at MDTR. Time will tell if some of the veteran competitors struggle with this photo or not.
No sooner than he had completed the run with his mod entry, Adam began preparing his identical looking #59 super stock for what would also be his first contest run at MDTR in that division. With the experience of his mod run fresh in his mind, the fans could see that Adam felt more comfortable in the super. Each division in the contest has its own "fast line" around the track. Running at real race tracks like Deer Creek and Fox Ridge in years past, Adam was at home with the super stock. The crowd cheered their approval as he turned in a real nice effort of 19 points in his first contest appearance in the competitive super stock class. One small bobble in tricky turn #2 kept him from the 50% mark of 20 points.
Adam has the distinction of being the first contestant to submit an entry in each of the divisions in week #1 this year, so for the time being he is the current leader in both the modified and super stock divisions. He would also lead in the Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year standings. Contest action typically is light on the first day, as numerous competitors test-n-tune their entries in an attempt to dial-in a top score. We shall see how things progress on day #2. There are several perennial powerhouse runners working on their entries right now. There is also a rookie in the modified division who has really been turning some heads with his hot lap speeds. It looks like he could be one of the top runners in that class.
By the way, ALMDXUP reports that the concession stands are well-stocked with nachos and cheese in anticipation of the HoosiersUp assault on them this week and next. We might even get Terry L up in the booth to call the contest action one day at the mythical MDTR Speedway. As flagman Stan M posted in another thread, his son Les M will be assisting him with flagging duties this year. Les has already learned where the beer stand is, so he's doing well by Stan's estimation anyways. :)
Modified Point Standings - January 14 (Day #1):
- Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
Super Stock Point Standings - January 14 (Day #1):
- Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 16, 2007 at
01:10:19 AM
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This message was edited on
January 16, 2007 at
01:11:30 AM by grp
On the second day of the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest, action heated up in the super stock division with three entries turned in. A couple of perennial contest top runners were on hand at the MDTR Speedway in an attempt to post an early score in hopes of tie-breaker advantage. The modified division also saw one entry received.
The first contestant to appear trackside on day #2 was making his return after a one year absence. Ray Beste in his In-Fisherman #51 super stock quickly caught the attention of the large crowd on hand when he put the pedal to the metal and never lifted on his opening laps. After slipping a bit during the mid part of his run, "Walter" Ray put together a nice string of strong laps as he bowled over his competition enroute to a 32 point tally. Ray had blown away his score from two years ago and sat atop the leader board early in the day. That would change though.
Fresh off his super stock run, Ray Beste strapped himself into his modified. Some of his crew thought they should spend a little more time on setup, but Ray indicated he just did not have the time necessary to devote to the mod this year. With a borrowed powerplant from Jake Wildman, Ray cranked up the WISSOTAFAN51 modified and entered the track. A strong start soon gave way to some handling problems in the middle of his run. Ray recovered to post some quick laps, but the pesky push that had developed just would not go away. Drawing on his expert bowling philosophy, Ray changed lines in an effort to try and correct the problem as he moved inside and then outside. It helped some, but in the end he just could not get his mod to handle the way he had hoped it would. The crew was right, a little more time on setup would have been helpful. However, his 27 point score put him into the lead in the early stages of the contest. It was also a nice improvement over his first contest run at MDTR a couple of years ago.
With two third place finishes in the previous two contests in the super stock division, Kevin Mudrak wheeled his SuperStock1 entry trackside. Kevin is no stranger to the MDTR Speedway, as he consistently places amongst the top runners each year. This time, Kevin made a slight mistake on the setup and missed his mark entering turn 1 on lap #7. The veteran contestant recovered nicely though. With mud flinging through the air, Kevin bypassed Ray Beste and took over the lead with a 34 point score equalling his total from last year. Upon returning pitside, Kevin was disgusted with himself on that slight misjudgement on lap 7. He knew his score could have been one point higher. He hoped he had that kind of mistake out of his system, as it would now be time to turn his attention to his modified entry.
Another very strong contender made a late run in the waning moments on the second day of contest action. Rob Palmer and his RobP51 Motorsports team towed through the back gate with his stacker trailer housing both his super stock and modified entries. Rob only had time to get the super stock on the MDTR dirt today, so the mod will have to wait. With a couple of top ten finishes in his first two super stock contest runs, Rob knows how to tame the high-banks. As the South Dakota fans cheered, Rob raced past all competitors in his South Dakota Ethanol sponsored super to take the lead with a 35 point score just before Stan M threw the checkers to end the action on day #2.
Concession stand manager Keith Mix arrived at the MDTR Speedway today with news of a new "smokin" hot chili. Those who were brave enough to give it a try soon learned that Keith was not mixed up at all, it was indeed a fire-breathing dragon of a chili. Racehead (Wes F) remarked that there was no way he was going to give it a try. Even HoosiersUp (Terry L) was hesitant. Bubba sampled it and immediately emptied his cooler of beer in an attempt to combat the effects. Beers sales were up today. Good job Keith!
Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 15):
1. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
2. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34
3. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32
4. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
Modified Division Point Standings (January 15):
1. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27
2. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 17, 2007 at
02:26:43 AM
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This message was edited on
January 17, 2007 at
06:33:43 PM by grp
With the earliest entry tie-breaker looming in their minds, some heavy hitters came trackside today at the MDTR Speedway during contest action in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest. Five super stock entries and three modified entries posted scores on day #3. We'll begin with super stock activity.
Making his contest debut, Shane Oberg unloaded a superb looking Justice Brothers/Starbucks Coffee #0 super stock entry that immediately caught the attention of the large crowd on hand. Numerous competitors strolled past his pits in hopes of learning a thing or two about this contest newcomer. With only a few practice laps under his belt, Shane was set to make his first competitive laps on the MDTR dirt. Fans soon knew this rookie was going to be a contender. The Starbuck, MN contestant put up a very fine 30 point score to take the lead in the Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year standings. Heads were turned today for sure.
No sooner had Shane completed his run, a powerhouse contestant and two-time super stock division champion Chris Stepan brought his FYE Motorsports CLSracer super under Stan M's green flag to begin his assault on the #1 spot. Drawing from vast experience and resources, this at-the-moment Phoenix, AZ competitor knows how to navigate all areas of MDTR Speedway during contest action. Many fans figured he would be the leader very soon, they just did not know by how much. He did not disappoint them, as Chris posted an extremely strong 38 point score. He immediately turned his attention to the mod entry, as he had a plane to catch later in the day taking him back to sunny and warm Arizona.
Another first-time contestant made his way to the MDTR Speedway today to give a try in the super stock division. Matt Rothwell was the track champion at the Bowlus Speedbowl in his hometown the past two seasons, and he felt it was time to try his hand at contest action on the MDTR high-banks. Running his Dirt71x super, Matt found the high line to his liking enroute to a 21 point tally. He stayed a long time in the pits handing out cards and signing autographs much to the fan's delight. A good learning experience for sure.
A very familiar contest competitor was up next. Noted for his expert modified abilities, three-time contest modified champion John Lackmann (aka Modchaser) brought his WWE Survivor Series #00 super stock entry trackside. John is a steady runner in the super division each year, but he readily admits they are not his strongpoint. John struggled to get the super entry sorted out in the middle stages of his run, but he came on real strong in the end to earn a 29 point score. This matched his score from last year when he placed fifth. He will not be in the money this year in the super stock class, but contest fans know his modified entry will be a real threat for the #1 spot in that division. John turned his attention to the mod soon after completing his super run. He's not ready just yet though.
The final super stock entry today came from a contestant who was making his second appearance at the MDTR Speedway. Shane Patrin wheeled his #007 Super Star Chassis entry through the middle line, searching for some traction. The Ramsey Rocket bettered his previous year's run by 6 points with a 22 point effort. The James Bond 007 paint scheme on his entry was a real fan favorite. I believe Zimmy may have snapped some pics of that one.
Turning our attention to modified action on the third day of the contest, the first contestant set the tone for the day. Although he has given Modchaser a run for the top spot each of the past three years and Jonesfan2 a tough battle four years ago, Chris Stepan has four straight second place finishes in the modified division to his credit. He is still searching for that elusive first place title. Wheeling his FYE Motorsports CLSracer mod high, low and in several grooves in between, this famous street stock announcer and sprint car fan (lol, j/k) was out to make a serious and very determined bid for the contest win this year. Chris posted his best modified division contest score (on a percentage basis) ever, as he roared under Les M's checkered flag with a 38 point score. Yes fans, Les M had taken over flagging duties from his dad. Stan had made the mistake of sampling some of the new ALMXDUP chili in the concession stand and was feeling the effects. Back to Chris's run though, will it be good enough to withstand the challenges yet to come this week? We shall see.
Our second modified entry today came from a rookie in the division, but he is certainly not a rookie to the contest. Rocket Rob Fogle, a top ten finisher in the late model division the past two years, had just completed his new Daktronics #18 mod in time for contest action. Unlike his fellow South Dakota native Rob Palmer, Rocket Rob pulled into the MDTR Speedway on an open trailer. He indicated that the big enclosed hauler wasn't quite ready yet, but it should be in time to haul his late model entry over next week. It did not take The Rocket long to figure out the handle on his mod. Although lap 13 was unlucky for him in both corners, Les M did not have to throw the yellow flag. Rob recovered well and put up a strong score of 32 points on the leader board. It was definitely good enough to propel him into the lead in the Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year battle. He would end the day sitting in third place over all.
After a somewhat frustrating day 2 at MDTR, Kevin Mudrak was back again with his Mod1 entry today. The Lens Auto Body mod looked sharp and ran sharp too. Kevin worked the bottom groove often times thrilling the crowd by lifting the left front off the ground. He closed in on leader Stepan after working past Fogle, but Kevin just did not have the extra horsepower needed to overtake the FYE entry. Racing under Les M's checkered flags, Kevin completed the action for day #3 with a 36 point effort.
A potential "tech issue" has arisen during contest action. There is some confusion over a date in one of the modified questions. An ad by the track clearly shows one date for the special event but results from that night indicate no such special took place. On another night later in the season, the track reporter writes up the results for the night and includes a nice description of the activities that took place during the special event that night. Nearly all competitors have relied upon the original advertised date, although it certainly appears that night was moved back to a later date. Contest promoter GRP will wait to see if the issue has an outcome on the point standings in the money spots or ends up being moot. GRP is leaning towards sticking with the results from the ACTUAL night the special event was run, since that was the intent of the question in the first place. He may relent and allow two answers based on possible misleading information, not in the original question, but rather that led contestants to rely upon a different date during their research. More later on this subject, as GRP needs to do some additional research of his own. Always a headache or two for promoters it seems.
Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 16):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
3. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34
4. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32
5. Shane Oberg, Starbuck MN = 30 ROY
6. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 29
7. Shane Patrin, Ramsey MN = 22
8. Matt Rothwell, Bowlus MN = 21 ROY
9. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
Modified Division Point Standings (January 16):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 36
3. Rob Fogle, Brookings SD = 32 ROY
4. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27
5. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 17, 2007 at
05:13:38 PM
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Thanks for posting GRP. I was wondering how the contest was going. It sounds like the heavy hitters sat back and watched the track to see what it was going to do.
Stan Meissner
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January 17, 2007 at
06:35:14 PM
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There are still some heavy hitters yet to weigh in Stan. There may also be a surprise entry or two looming. You never know for sure.
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January 18, 2007 at
12:09:15 AM
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This message was edited on
January 18, 2007 at
12:13:41 AM by grp
As contest flagman Stan M held the crossed flags high in the air, it signalled the midpoint of week #1 in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest for the modified and super stock divisions. After a flurry of activity yesterday, many contestants were content to test-n-tune their entries today in hopes of hitting the perfect setup for a winning score. The super stock division continues to outpace the modified division in number of entries by about a 2 to 1 ratio. Hopefully mod activity will pick up during the last half of the contest. I would hate to have to drop mods in favor of adding the streets instead. There were two super stock entries and one mod entry today, so let us review the action at the mythical MDTR Speedway.
The first super stock entry today came from a contest rookie. Damon Boje unloaded his sharp looking Bo-Master #37 super early in the morning in order to take several practice laps around the high banks of MDTR. Once under Stan M's green flag, Damon found the bottom line to his liking. As has been the case this year, the middle stages of his run where plenty tricky as far as trying to get his entry dialed in. The crowd applauded his fine effort when he took the checkers with a 21 point score. Many fellow competitors stopped by to check out the new Demon Chassis that his dad was working on, but it was for display and promotional purposes only. No entry is expected until they can get some serious testing done with it. The pits at MDTR are usually plenty busy with many contestants keeping tabs on each other.
Making his second contest appearance, Roger Koth made the long haul in from Pierre, SD with a stacker trailer housing two entries. The first mount to hit the track was his East Pierre #36k super stock. Roger had learned a thing or two about the sometimes moody MDTR 3/8 miler last season. He put that knowledge to use and raced to a 21 point score in his super. This was an improvement of 7 points over his score last year. He immediately went to work on his modified entry after completing his super run. Once Roger had tuned up his West Pierre #36k modified, he was ready to complete a run in that division. As it turned out, he would be the only mod contestant to post a score today.
Unlike his super which felt comfortable on the bottom line, Roger's mod worked up in the top groove near the concrete wall. Nearly doubling his mod score from last year, Roger thrilled the fans with his daring tactics. Sometimes a shower of sparks flew from a brush with the wall. In the end, he tallied up a 23 point score with his mod. Keith Mix reports from the concession stand that he caught a glimpse of Zimmy (aka Earl) standing in line for some of that "smokin" hot chili. As the vapors from the chili began to warp the Monster Zoom, Zimmy quickly headed back to the infield to try and revive the auto flash unit. Luckily some of Vinster's VMAX all-girl pit crew were able to assist Zimmy with his problem.
Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 17):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38 2. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35 3. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34 4. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32 5. Shane Oberg, Starbuck MN = 30 ROY 6. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 29 7. Shane Patrin, Ramsey MN = 22 8. Matt Rothwell, Bowlus MN = 21 ROY 9. Damon Boje, Ramsey MN = 21 ROY 10. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 21 11. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
Modified Division Point Standings (January 17): 1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38 2. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 36 3. Rob Fogle, Brookings SD = 32 ROY 4. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27 5. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 23 6. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 19, 2007 at
01:05:52 AM
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The top five positions in the modified standings changed around a bit on the fifth day of the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest. With four mod entries received today plus one super stock entry, the modified division narrowed the gap on total number of entries received so far. Fans at the mythical MDTR Speedway also saw the Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year battle in the modified division change hands. Time to review the activity from today beginning with the mods.
The first entrant in modified contest action today hails from IMCA-land over in Bonduel, Wisconsin. Brad Luepke made his contest debut a couple of years ago in the late model ranks, but he was back at the MDTR Speedway this year with a brilliant Bloomer #0 modified. Brad wasn't sure he would fare too well in the mods, but he wanted to give it try. Before heading trackside, Brad was seen visiting with some Superior fans in hopes of receiving some tips on how to improve his bowling game. Too bad "Walter" Ray Beste was no longer at MDTR, as Ray could certainly have been helpful along those lines. At last, Brad was ready to attack the track. The Bonduel Bullett nearly ran over Zimmy in turn two on his opening lap, as he needed to get things sorted out. Recovering nicely, Brad soon got the hang of his mod. With guest announcer HoosiersUp calling the action, Brad zoomed under Stan M's checkered flag with a very decent 25 point score. He was pleased with his first mod effort. We soon saw him heading for the campground area to get an early start on the partying, and probably to get some more tips from the Superior fans.
Our second entrant in the modified division was another rookie contender. He is not a stranger to contest competition though, as he was last year's VFC Rookie of the Year in the late model division. Yes race fans, Mark Schreiner was back in action this year with his fabulous red Tireguy17 modified. After providing some setup advice in previous years, Mark decided to strap in the mod this year in an attempt to not only shoot for ROY honors but to also put up a top score. He did not disappoint his fans. Tireguy knew which lines worked and which ones did not on the tricky MDTR track. As he closed in on the leader's score, the crowd cheered him on and guest announcer HoosiersUp whipped them into a frenzy with his call of the action. Mark could now see the potent CLSracer just a very short distance in front of him. Would he be able to overtake him? He gave it a tremendous effort, but Tireguy came up one point short of a tie and two points short of taking the lead. Nonetheless, a very strong performance propelled him into second place in the current point standings with a 37 point score.
The crowd was still buzzing from Mark's performance when another top runner in the modified ranks made his bid for the lead. Rob Palmer had his RobP51 South Dakota Ethanol mod humming, and he soon was moving forward toward the leaders. A couple of ruts slowed his momentum only slightly. With the leaders in sight, Palmer moved past his fellow Rob (Fogle) from South Dakota and set his mark on the lead trio. By this time, guest annoucer HoosiersUp was practically hoarse from calling the action. Terry L needed a juice pouch, so Stan M threw the yellow and allowed our announcer to remove his hairnet (I mean headset) and head for the concession stand. Rob wondered what the yellow was for as he circled the track under caution. Soon Terry was back in the tower with a juice box (and some nachos w/cheese too). The green waved again, but Rob's momentum had been broken. He would have to settle for fourth place in the current standings, as the P51 mod entry rolled under the checkers with a 35 point score. Chris Stepan had withstood the on-slaught from two very strong contenders, but Modchaser still loomed on the horizon.
Speaking of Modchaser, the three-time and defending modified champion pulled through the back gate late today and unloaded his USMTS sponsored, SkyRocket Chassis #00 mod. John Lackmann was in the house! HoosiersUp really picked a fine day to guest announce, as some heavy hitters were on hand before the largest crowd of the contest so far. Modchaser doesn't need any practice laps, so John immediately headed trackside. He blew through the first half of the race like nothing could stand in his way. In the latter stages of his run, the fans soon noticed that the was losing just a little bit of HP. As he moved past the three Rs (Ray, Rob and Rob), he closed in on the Mod1 entry of Mudrak. Soon the fleet #00 was past Kevin and looking to overtake Tireguy. Mark proved to be an extremely tough competitor, as John tried every move in the book to get past. Suddenly, the white flag waved. As the #00 and #17 mod entries vied for position, a slight stream of white smoke appear to come from the #00. Could this have been an old oil-dripper trick? Modchaser had posted a very strong 37 point score, but it would not be enough to overtake CLSracer on top. The tie-breaker, by virtue of earliest entry received, went to Tireguy. Thus, John found himself sitting in the #3 spot in the current standings. Stepan had withstood a tremendous attempt by his competitors to gain the upper hand. Is there another contender out there who can make the winning pass? Only two days left before we will know that answer.
The lone super stock entry today came from another rookie contestant in that division. Al Schmidt from Watertown wheeled his Smitty's Motorsports & Graphics #12 super trackside. Zimmy was excited to finally have a competitive super stock to take a photo of today. In his first contest appearance, Al needed some laps to get his super entry sorted out. Once he got going, he was able to equal the score of two other rookie contenders in that division with a fine 21 point performance. Current Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year leader Shane Oberg watched intently, knowing full well that any rookie could possibly hit the right setup and move forward in the standings. Smitty's Graphics had done an outstanding job on the #12, so many fans headed pitside to get a driver picture card of this superb-looking super!
CLSracer still leads in both divisions, but the contest has two full days of activity remaining in the modified and super stock divisions. Can Chris hold the lead or will another shining star emerge for the victory? Stay tuned.
Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 18):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
3. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34
4. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32
5. Shane Oberg, Starbuck MN = 30 ROY
6. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 29
7. Shane Patrin, Ramsey MN = 22
8. Matt Rothwell, Bowlus MN = 21 ROY
9. Damon Boje, Ramsey MN = 21 ROY
10. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 21
11. Al Schmidt, Watertown SD = 21 ROY
12. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
Modified Division Point Standings (January 18):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN = 37 ROY
3. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 37
4. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 36
5. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
6. Rob Fogle, Brookings SD = 32 ROY
7. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27
8. Brad Luepke, Bonduel WI = 25 ROY
9. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 23
10. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 20, 2007 at
01:00:51 AM
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Stan M gave the two to go signal from the flagstand today in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest. With the flurry of action yesterday in the modified division, that class was relatively quiet today. Activity in the super stock class picked up though with three scores posted. A couple of them were the same, but one of them resulted in a change in the Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year standings.
Hot on the heels of his thrilling rookie run in the modified division yesterday, Mark Schreiner borrowed the B37 super stock from Tim Borgeson along with capable crewchief Ambyg24 in order to give this class a try during contest action at the MDTR Speedway today. In an attempt to win two ROY titles to go along with the one last year in the late model ranks, Mark was hoping to post a 30+ point score. It quickly became apparent to the fans that he would present a serious threat to ROY leader Shane Oberg. Mark wheeled the B37 super entry past numerous competitors and soon was looking at the JB/Starbuck's Coffee ride of Shane. A high side pass in turn 4 during the latter stages of his run found Mark emerge as the new leader in the ROY standings with a 34 point score. This was the same as the SuperStock1 entry of Kevin Mudrak. By virtue of earlier entry, Kevin retained the #3 spot in the current standings with Mark a very close 4th. With one day to go, Tireguy is the top contender for awards in both Victory Funding Connection ROY standings.
Making his third super stock contest appearance, Tony Steuck made the long haul in from Watertown, SD today. Tony's #1 SD Race Reports/ATD super has garnered a couple of top ten finishes already in previous contests, so Tony was well-prepared for another fine run. Just like his excellent column and results he does for the All The Dirt racing paper, Tony also does a great job getting ready for contest action. The bright #1 super was quick out of the gates. Once again, like many other contestants, Tony struggled just a bit in the middle stages of his run. Recovering nicely, he closed in on the top five. The third 34 point effort of the contest would see him ride home in 5th place in the current standings with the tie-breaker rule really coming into play for the 3-5 spots. Tony also had his mod along for a run on the final day of the contest.
Just prior to the day #6 deadline, another top ten finisher in each of the first two super stock trivia contests completed his prep work on the Gaber Signs super entry. Kurt Gaber's graphic lettering and sign work is well-known to many 20/20 fans, and his super and modified entries reflect the craftsmanship of his work. Kurt indicated that he completed about 80% of the setup work on both his super and mod this year. Help from several friends including Kevin "Buzzy" Adams, Pat Hoffman, and Kelly Estey provided some strong advice for the extra fine-tuning needed. Kurt's first run was with the super. Kurt admitted he wished he had more time to prep the super, but he needed to get busy and put up a score. As Stan M anxiously awaited the end of the day in order to go grab a few cold ones, Kurt sped under his checkered flag with a 25 point tally. There was no time to waste, so Kurt quickly headed for his mod.
The only modified entry on day #6 of the contest came of course from Kurt Gaber. His immaculate Gaber Signs modified really caught the attention of all fans and contestants alike. It might have been late in the day, but Kurt was ready to haul the mail. Stan M would have to wait a few more minutes before heading to crack open a cold Miller. The fans could tell that Kurt's mod entry was definitely dialed-in better than the super. Kurt has top ten finishes in the modified division the past two years as well, so he certainly knows some of the ins and outs of the MDTR clay. Gunning for a top five finish, Kurt also encountered a few of the ruts that many other contestants have found. An extremely strong start helped boost him to a 30 point score and another potential top ten. Kurt would have to wait another year, or maybe just until next week, for that elusive top five finish.
We have now entered the final day of competition in the super stock and modified divisions in the contest. GRP will be gone for part of the day on Saturday, but the promoter will be back in time to check on action later in the day and make the final report from week #1. Can Chris Stepan retain the top spot in both divisions? Can Tireguy double-up for ROY honors? We shall soon know the answers to those questions.
Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 19):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
3. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34
4. Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN = 34 ROY
5. Tony Steuck, Watertown SD = 34
6. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32
7. Shane Oberg, Starbuck MN = 30 ROY
8. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 29
9. Kurt Gaber, Chippewa Falls WI = 25
10. Shane Patrin, Ramsey MN = 22
11. Matt Rothwell, Bowlus MN = 21 ROY
12. Damon Boje, Ramsey MN = 21 ROY
13. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 21
14. Al Schmidt, Watertown SD = 21 ROY
15. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
Modified Division Point Standings (January 19):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN = 37 ROY
3. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 37
4. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 36
5. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
6. Rob Fogle, Brookings SD = 32 ROY
7. Kurt Gaber, Chippewa Falls WI = 30
8. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27
9. Brad Luepke, Bonduel WI = 25 ROY
10. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 23
11. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 21, 2007 at
02:29:42 AM
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Joined:
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12/06/2004
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713
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With contest flagman Stan M waving the double checkereds for the modified and super stock divisions in his hand, the final day of week #1 in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest came to a close at the mythical MDTR Speedway on Saturday evening January 20. A large crowd was on hand to see if Chris Stepan could double up with championships in both classes and also to see if Mark Schreiner could do the same for Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year honors in each. There were four entries received in each division, so let's get right to the action.
Activity picked up on the last day in the modified division. The first entry arrived early from Josh Johnson of Harwood, ND. Josh was last year's rookie of the year in this division, and he was looking to improve upon his score. Improve he did! Josh wheeled his NWAB #84 modified trackside and mashed the throttle. With the K30 and J30 twins cheering him on, Josh moved to the high side and gained momentum. A slight push developed late in his run and he settled for a fine 32 point performance (6 points better than last year).
Al Schmidt returned to the MDTR Speedway today with an immaculate Smitty's Motorsports & Graphics #12 modified. With some set-up advice from Andy Gordon, Al ventured on to the sticky clay surface for his first assault with his mod. As the laps clicked by, Smitty got stronger and stronger. Suddenly a brush with the wall on lap 27 slowed his progress. Al three wheeled under Stan M's checkered flag with a very good 25 point effort in his first attempt. As was the case with his super stock, many fans gathered around the #12 mod looking for a drivers card or photo.
A contest rookie was up next in the modified division. Chris Crapser pulled two entries over from Eau Claire on an open trailer. Fans and fellow competitors checked out this unique car hauler, as Chris brought along both his mod and super stock. Chris put together a fine effort in his 707 mod. He was especially strong in the middle stages of the run. Chris' fans were cheering loudly for him as he wheeled past entry after entry to finish with a very strong 30 point score.
The final modified contestant to unload today was also the last entry to be received in the contest this year. Tony Steuck returned with his finely-prepared #1 South Dakota Race Reports/ATD mod entry. Tony worked hard in an attempt to crack the top five in the final standings, but his determined run came up one spot short of fellow South Dakotan Rob Palmer. Tony would end up fifth in the super stock division though, so all in all a very good combined performance in each.
Three out of the four super stock entries on the final day came from contest rookies. The first entry though was not a rookie. Mark Sinn had made the long move last summer from New York to Warren, MN. After suffering some motor woes in last year's super stock contest, Mark returned with a patched up engine in hopes of making it last. It was soon evident to the fans that Mark was going to struggle to get the beast to the finish. Smoking heavily, Mark slowed going down the back stretch at the halfway mark. A huge puff of white smoke in turn 4 signalled the end of his hopes. Mark coasted into the infield. He would be the first contestant to ride the hook back to the pits this year. Mark always has a positive attitude, and he was not detered by this minor setback. After all, it was time to turn his attention to next week and his favorite division.
The Project X Race Cards team of Chris Kolstad made their appearance at the MDTR Speedway. Chris is also a contest rookie in his favorite class, the super stocks. Chris struggled to get the handle on his Grounder Motorsports #99 entry in the middle stages of the run, but he came on real strong in the end putting together 8 perfect laps enroute to a 24 point score. With plenty of fine driver cards to pass out to fans following the races, Chris's trailer was a popular hangout in the pits.
Chris Crapser had no sooner completed his modified run in the contest when he began focusing his efforts towards the super stock. The 707 super was hooked up and flyin' at the MDTR Speedway today. A couple of ruts just past the halfway mark rattled his teeth a bit, but Chris was not detered by a minor little thing like that. He was particularly strong near the end of his run, as he blasted under Stan M's checkered flag with a stout 31 point score. Mark Schreiner breathed a sigh of relief. He knew if Chris hadn't hit those ruts, he might have been able to overtake him for ROY honors. Interestingly enough, Chris would end up finishing in the #7 spot in the final super stock point standings. :)
The final super stock entry in the contest this year came from a contestant who is more well-known during the second week of the competition. Randy Sahlstrom brought his "R.J. at the Speedway" #13 super stock from Pease, MN for his first try in that division. Randy ventured several wild guesses on the setup, not knowing for sure how the super would react on the tough MDTR track. A strong start helped. As many others have expereinced this year, the middle stages were difficult for Randy. With a slight miss in the motor, Randy drove under Les M's checkers (Stan had to go to the can...or was that to go get a can...oh well) with a 20 point score. Not a bad run in his first try in the supers.
Thus ended week #1 in the 8th Annual GRP Racing Trivia Contest for the super stocks and modifieds. Congrats to this year's champion in both the modified and super stock divisions, Chris Stepan. It was Chris' first mod title and third straight super stock title. Hey, somebody has to be able to beat him in the supers right? We'll have to wait for next year to find out. The late model and sprint car divisions have now taken the green flag. Good luck to all.
Final Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 20):
Final Super Stock Division Point Standings (January 20):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
3. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 34
4. Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN = 34 ROY
5. Tony Steuck, Watertown SD = 34
6. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 32
7. Chris Crapser, Eau Claire WI = 31 ROY
8. Shane Oberg, Starbuck MN = 30 ROY
9. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 29
10. Kurt Gaber, Chippewa Falls WI = 25
11. Chris Kolstad, North Branch MN = 24 ROY
12. Shane Patrin, Ramsey MN = 22
13. Matt Rothwell, Bowlus MN = 21 ROY
14. Damon Boje, Ramsey MN = 21 ROY
15. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 21
16. Al Schmidt, Watertown SD = 21 ROY
17. Randy Sahlstrom, Pease MN = 20 ROY
18. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 19 ROY
19. Mark Sinn, Warren MN = 6 DNF (engine expired)
Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year - Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN
Final Modified Division Point Standings (January 20):
1. Chris Stepan, Phoenix AZ = 38
2. Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN = 37 ROY
3. John Lackmann, Long Prairie MN = 37
4. Kevin Mudrak, Superior WI = 36
5. Rob Palmer, Langford SD = 35
6. Tony Steuck, Watertown SD = 33
7. Rob Fogle, Brookings SD = 32 ROY
8. Josh Johnson, Harwood ND = 32
9. Kurt Gaber, Chippewa Falls WI = 30
10. Chris Crapser, Eau Claire WI = 30 ROY
11. Ray Beste, Sauk Centre MN = 27
12. Brad Luepke, Bonduel WI = 25 ROY
13. Al Schmidt, Watertown SD = 25 ROY
14. Roger Koth, Pierre SD = 23
15. Adam Stockhausen, Winona MN = 14 ROY
Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year - Mark Schreiner, Hutchinson MN
*ROY denotes Victory Funding Connection Rookie of the Year contender.
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January 21, 2007 at
09:49:58 AM
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Joined:
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01/01/2005
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14
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hey grp...how many of those contestants got the #44 red mod right? The one that was taken at Jackson Speedway? Just curious? Thanks
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