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Lonnie Wheatley – TULSA, Okla. (January
10, 2003) – Cory Kruseman became the third past Chili Bowl champion in as many
nights to grace Tulsa Expo Raceway’s victory lane, as he led Tony Stewart to
the checkered flag in Friday night’s 25-lap Cherokee Casino Chili Bowl
Nationals Qualifying Showdown main event.
Kruseman fought off National Midget Driver of the Year Aaron Fike in the early
going, then survived a pair of late cautions to secure the victory in the third
and final night of qualifying action at the 17th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals.
Fike earned the pole position for Friday’s feature by coming from seventh to
win the fifth heat. Kruseman nearly matched Fike’s feat by coming from sixth to
win the ninth heat, good enough for a front row outside start.
As the green flag flew, Fike and Kruseman battled side-by-side into the first
corner, with Kruseman using the high side to motor Andy Bondio’s Barnes-powered
machine into the lead exiting the second turn on the opening round. Fike kept
the pressure on Kruseman in the opening rounds, as the pair gradually built an
advantage over Mike Hess, fifth-starter Stewart and Don Droud, Jr., who
advanced from his eighth starting slot into fifth by the fifth circuit.
As Fike shadowed Kruseman’s every move, Droud pulled off a well-executed pass
of Stewart for fourth on the ninth round, only to have Stewart return the favor
to regain the position a half lap later. Stewart quickly improved to third when
Fike jumped the turn two cushion on the 10th round, then moved around Hess for
second a lap later as Fike’s near-contact with the turn two wall relegated him
to sixth.
Lapped traffic came into play on the 15th round, with Kruseman holding more
than a half straightaway advantage over Stewart. Kruseman worked his way
through traffic masterfully until action was interrupted for a lap 18 flip down
the frontstretch by Donnie Lehmann. Lehmann was uninjured.
Kruseman survived one more brief stoppage three rounds later, then rode the rim
to perfection over the final five rounds to notch the victory by a half
straightaway over Stewart’s Stanton Race Engines Mopar-powered Kunz. Making his
Chili Bowl debut, Droud moved into third on the 20th round when Hess bobbled
and held the show position in the Lincoln Auto Auction/Durst Motors Ed
Pink-powered Beast at the line. Fike battled back in the Wis-Co Racing Stanton
Mopar-powered Stealth to claim the fourth and final transfer position to
Saturday night’s Chili Bowl Nationals finale.
After winning the first B Feature, Robby Flock battled from his 15th starting
slot to a fifth place finish, nearly slipping around Fike for fourth on the
final round. Dave Darland charged from 19th to claim sixth, with Hess, Brian
Gerster, Dallen McKenney and Clay Klepper completing the top ten.
In the post-race draw to determine Saturday night’s feature starting positions,
Kruseman drew the number two pill, giving him the outside front row starting
slot. Wednesday night winner Dan Boorse drew the pole, with Thursday winner
Scott Hatton drawing the three pill for a second row inside starting position.
Hatton will be joined in the second row of Saturday night’s feature by Stewart,
who drew the number four pill, with other qualifying action runner-ups Randy
Koch and Jimmy Sills in the third row.
Gerster, Hess, Mike Leslie, Lehmann, Fike, Gary Wright, Darland, Stewart and
Kruseman each topped heat race action for the 72-car field on the
well-manicured quarter-mile oval. Flock and Wright claimed the 12-lap B Feature
victories, with Paul McMahan and Tony Elliot winning the 12-lap C Mains.
Including Lehmann, there were eight flip victims during the evening’s action.
Tyce Carlson, Paul Perkins, Jackie Burke, Wayne Chinn and Mark Lightfoot all
took heat race tumbles, with Boyd Calvert and Tom Hessert each flipping in the
second B Main. There were no injuries.
In the 15-lap Ford Focus Midget event, featuring a fully inverted start from
Thursday’s feature, Darren Hagen took command at the drop of the green flag and
paced the field wire-to-wire to claim the win. Hagen won by several
car-lengths, with Chad DeSelle topping a multi-car battle to claim second in
front of Garrett Hansen, Thursday’s winner Josh Lakatos and Bobby McGowan.
Lakatos’ fourth place showing, along with Thursday’s win, netted him the best
average finish over both features, earning an invitation to the First Annual
Cherokee Casino Ford Focus Midget Race of Champions presented by Ford of Tulsa,
to be held on Saturday night.
Friday’s Cherokee Casino Chili Bowl
Qualifying Showdown Results: First Heat (10 Laps): 1. #94g Brian Gerster, Noblesville, IN; 2. #88d Dallen
McKenney, Clovis, CA; 3. #17x Greg Nelson, Newcastle, CA; 4. #53 J.D. Turner,
Locust Corner, OH; 5. #11j Todd Jackson, Independence, MO; 6. #1st Mike
Stroehle, Davenport, IA; 7. #79 Greg Schaefer, Fort Lupton, CO; 8. #11x Steve
Newman, Lakewood, CO.
Second Heat (10 Laps): 1. #51h Mike Hess, Petersburg, IL; 2. #18 Floyd Alvis,
San Carlos, CA; 3. #5c Joey Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO; 4. #5 Tom Hessert,
Cherry Hill, NJ; 5. #16c Eric Crocker, Wilbraham, MA; 6. #11t Travis Thompson,
Fairbanks, IN; 7. #94w Josh Wise, Riverside, CA; 8. #81h Jerry Hammock,
Lancaster, TX.
Third Heat (10 Laps): 1. #71L Mike Leslie, Peoria, AZ; 2. #17k Clay Klepper,
Brownsburg, IN; 3. #16 Jimmy Christian, Morgan Hill, CA; 4. #99 Scott Weyant,
Springfield, IL; 5. #25s Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 6. #66 Tony Elliot,
Kokomo, IN; 7. #24c Tyce Carlson, Indianapolis, IN. DNS: #37 Johnny Miller,
Burleson, TX.
Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 2. #1s Robbie
Flock, Murrieta, CA; 3. #10w Michael Lewis, Noblesville, IN; 4. #00 Pete Davis,
Pleasonton, CA; 5. #5t Gary Taylor, Snohomish, WA; 6. #27b Dale Howard,
Byhalia, MS; 7. #4L Doug Lippincott, Reno, NV; 8. #40 Tony Franklin, Edmond,
OK.
Fifth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #95f Aaron Fike, Galesburg, IL; 2. #2m Marc Dailey,
Brownsburg, IN; 3. #3h Brett Hearn, Sussex, NJ; 4. #52 Bryan Stanfill, Bakersfield,
CA; 5. #35s John Sarna, Sedona, AZ; 6. #88x Dick Kaiser, Milwaukee, WI; 7. #10a
Paul McMahan, Memphis, TN; 8. #63p Paul Perkins, Antioch, IL.
Sixth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #11w Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 2. #45h Johnny
Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, PA; 3. #10k Ron Kuhn, Lees Summit, MO; 4. #38 Jackie
Burke, Houston, TX; 5. #27c Jan Howard, Byhalia, MS; 6. #71c Wayne Chinn, Tipp
City, OH; 7. #44h Phillip Heavelow, Buckner, MO; 8. #20x Jeremy Farmer,
Colorado Springs, CO.
Seventh Heat (10 Laps): 1. #29d Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 2. #4x Don Droud,
Jr., Lincoln, NE; 3. #75 Roger Miller, Milan, IL; 4. #54 Ralph Cortez,
Sacramento, CA; 5. #73 Scooter Ellis, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #33 Wally McDuffey,
St. Louis, MO; 7. #5j Jason Johnson, Greenfield, WI; 8. #90 Mark Lightfoot,
Springfield, MO.
Eighth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #71s Tony Stewart, Rushville, IN; 2. #23 Boyd
Calvert, Madison, WI; 3. #1w Paul White, Temple, TX; 4. #2d Doug Day, Winder,
GA; 5. #37f A.J. Felker, Jeffersonville, IN; 6. #19x Terry Holliman, Hamburg,
IN; 7. #93 Lee Beckwith, Joliet, IL; 8. #37m Mathew Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA.
Ninth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #47 Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 2. #20s Tim Shaffer,
Aliquippa, PA; 3. #5r Travis Rilat, Texas City, TX; 4. #10 Andy Pierce,
Plainfield, IN; 5. #31c Bobby Boone, Palmdale, CA; 6. #56 Doug White, Houston,
TX; 7. #51j R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 8. #9e Clint Eckenrodt, St. Louis, MO.
First C Feature (12 Laps): 1. #10a Paul McMahan, Memphis, TN; 2. #27b Dale
Howard, Byhalia, MS; 3. #25s Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA: 4. #71c Wayne
Chinn, Tipp City, OH; 5. #81h Jerry Hammock, Lancaster, TX, 6. #63p Paul
Perkins, Antioch, IL; 7. #51j R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 8. #94w Josh Wise,
Riverside, CA; 9. #79 Greg Schaefer, Fort Lupton, CO; 10. #73 Scooter Ellis,
Brownsburg, IN; 11. #56 Doug White, Houston, TX; 12. #5j Jason Johnson,
Greenfield, WI; 13. #11t Travis Thompson, Fairbanks, IN. DNS: #90 Mark
Lightfoot, Springfield, MO; #9e Clint Eckenrodt, St. Louis, MO.
Second C Feature (12 Laps): 1. #66 Tony Elliot, Kokomo, IN; 2. #19x Terry
Holliman, Hamburg, IA; 3. #4L Doug Lippincott, Reno, NV; 4. #24c Tyce Carlson,
Indianapolis, IN; 5. #88x Dick Kaiser, Milwaukee, WI; 6. #35s John Sarna,
Sedona, AZ; 7. #37m Mathew Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 8. #1st Mike Stroehle,
Davenport, IA; 9. #20x Jeremy Farmer, Colorado Springs, CO; 10. #40 Tony
Franklin, Edmond, OK; 11. #33 Wally McDuffey, St. Louis, MO; 12. #44h Phillip
Heavelow, Buckner, MO; 13. #37 Johnny Miller, Burleson, TX. DNS: #93 Lee
Beckwith, Joliet, IL; #11x Steve Newman, Lakewood, CO.
First B Feature (15 Laps): 1. #1s Robbie Flock, Murietta, CA; 2. #5c Joey
Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO; 3. #29d Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 4. #20s Tim
Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA; 5. #10a Paul McMahan, Memphis, TN; 6. #31c Bobby Boone,
Palmdale, CA; 7. #99 Scott Weyant, Springfield, IL; 8. #54 Ralph Cortez,
Sacramento, CA; 9. #27b Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS; 10. #45h Johnny Heydenreich,
Bloomsburg, PA; 11. #2m Marc Dailey, Brownsburg, IN; 12. #5r Travis Rilat,
Texas City, TX; 13. #11j Todd Jackson, Independence, MO; 14. #27c Jan Howard,
Byhalia, MS; 15. #1w Paul White, Temple, TX; 16. #38 Jackie Burke, Houston, TX.
Second B Feature (15 Laps): 1. #11w Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 2. #52 Bryan
Stanfill, Bakersfield, CA; 3. #10 Andy Pierce, Plainfield, IN; 4. #75 Roger
Miller, Milan, IL; 5. #00 Pete Davis, Pleasonton, CA; 6. #66 Tony Elliot,
Kokomo, IN; 7. #5t Gary Taylor, Snohomish, WA; 8. #3h Brett Hearn, Sussex, NJ;
9. #37f A.J. Felker, Jeffersonville, IN; 10. #23 Boyd Calvert, Madison, WI; 11.
19x Terry Holliman, Hamburg, IA; 12. #53 J.D. Turner, Locust Corner, OH; 13.
#16c Erin Crocker, Wilbraham, MA; 14. #2d Doug Day, Winder, GA; 15. #10w
Michael Lewis, Noblesville, IN; 16. #5 Tom Hessert, Cherry Hill, NJ.
Friday’s Cherokee Casino Qualifying Showdown A Feature (25 Laps): 1. #47 Cory
Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 2. #71s Tony Stewart, Rushville, IN; 3. #4x Don Droud,
Jr;. Lincoln, NE; 4. #95f Aaron Fike, Galesburg, IL; 5. #1s Robby Flock,
Murrieta, CA; 6. #29d Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 7. #51h Mike Hess, Petersburg,
IL; 8. #94g Brian Gerster, Noblesville, IN; 9. #88d Dallen McKenney, Clovis,
CA; 10. #17k Clay Klepper, Brownsburg, IN; 11. #5c Joey Montgomery,
Fredericktown, MO; 12. #11w Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 13. #10 Andy Pierce,
Plainfield, IN; 14. #10k Ron Kuhn, Lees Summit, MO; 15. #20s Tim Shaffer,
Aliquippa, PA, 16. #17x Greg Nelson, Newcastle, CA; 17. #71L Mike Leslie,
Peoria, AZ; 18. #18 Floyd Alvis, San Carlos, CA; 19. #16 Jimmy Christian,
Morgan Hill, CA; 20. #75 Roger Miller, Milan, IL; 21. #52 Bryan Stanfill,
Bakersfield, CA; 22. #31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL.
Ford Focus Midgets (15 Laps): 1. Darren Hagen, 2. Chad DeSelle, 3. Garrett
Hansen, 4. Josh Lakatos, 5. Bobby McGowan, 6. Chris Rahe, 7. Tyler Brown, 8.
Garratt Boyden, 9. Wayne McCormick, 10. Derek Mungor, 11. J.J. Ercse, 12 Todd
Hunsaker.
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