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Gossard & Bowersock Prevail at Eldora.
ROSSBURG, OH (May 12) -- In one of the most hotly contested Advance Auto Parts Stock Car races ever staged on Eldora Speedway’s famed high-banks, Kevin Gossarrd ruled supreme Saturday night, while Jerry Bowersock filled in for an absent Chad Ruhlman and adapted quite well with a triumph in the UMP (United Midwestern Promoters) main event.
A finely groomed race track greeted the racers for Eldora’s traditional ‘family fun night’ festivities, with one of the raciest surfaces to date - as evidenced in the Stock Car finale.
Four-wide race was commonplace amongst the 22-starters, Tim Rostorfer was the first to jump into the lead, with Eddie Shane and Bob Burch riding hot on his heels. Gossard was running fourth, trying in vain to hold back Doug Matheny and fast qualifier Barney Craig, as the crowd was working themselves into a frenzy.
Gossard wasted little time.
On lap two, he charged through turns one and two and went fourth to first in a blink of an eye. From that point on, it was near clear sailing for the Findlay, Ohio veteran.
Burch tried a similar move and advanced to runner-up honors, but couldn’t muster the power to mount a charge on Gossard.
Deep in the pack, Jeff Babock, who missed a heat race transfer and had to rely on a consolation race finish was inching forward, but time was against him.
Also on the move, while running high on the banking was Earnie Woodard. Although running mid-pack must of the early stages, Woodard found his groove and in the closing laps, was advancing a spot per lap, until he got by Burch on lap 11. Time ran out, and although he was a matter of inches from overtaking Gossard, he was elated with a runner-up finish. Burch, Mike Dirksen and Craig completed the top five.
Attrition was the name of the game for the Modifieds, as it took four re-starts to get the first lap compelted. Once underway, Mike Roediger assumed the lead, with Gary Richard, Scott Orr and Bowersock in pursuit.
Bowersock disposed of Orr on lap two and two laps later relieved Richard of his runner-up spot. But there was no denying Roediger as he had built up a comfortable margin.
Roediger run the middle of the track, while Bowersock was seeking a groove on the low side. He finally found that to his liking, and began to wheel in the leader.
He found his mark with six laps to go and as the flagman displayed the ‘five to go’ signal, Bowersock shot under Roediger to take the lead he was to hold to the finish.
Roediger had his strongest finish to date with runner-up honors, while Orr, Richard and Mark Kowarsch completed the top five.
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ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STOCKS -
Fast Time: Barney Craig 20.299
39 Cars
Dash: Kevin Gossard, Barney Craig, Doug Matheny, David Hollan
Heat 1: Barney Craig, Brad Conover, Ryan Sutter, Earnie Woodard, Jeff Babcock, Glenn Knick, Carl Hill,
Brandy Schultz, Frank Watkins, Kip Lee, Perry Jones
Heat 2: Tim Bowen, Bob Burch, Chad Barr, Gene Smith, Jamie Heiser, John Brooks, Mike Barr, Paul
Smith, David Hollan
Heat 3: Doug Matheny, Shawn Phillippie, Tim Rostorfer, Jim Hatcher, John Phlipot Jr., Jerry Butler, Jason
Kenny, Adam Schaeff, Josh Gerber
Heat 4: Kevin Gossard, Mike Dirksen, Josh Morton, Eddie Shaner, Terry Klopfenstein, Luke Timmerman,
Matt Phlipot, Brad Jessup, Gabe Wombolt, Paul Wagner
B Main 1: David Hollan, Jerry Butler, Jason Kinney, Glenn Knick, Brandy Schultz, Carl Hill, Adam
Schaeff, Frank Watkins, Luke Timmerman
B Main 2: Jeff Babcock, John Brooks, John Phlipot Jr., Brad Jessup, Terry Klopfenstein, Josh Greber,
Jamie Heiser, Mike Barr, Matt Phlipot
A Main: 1) Kevin Gossard 2) Earnie Woodard 3) Bob Burch 4) Mike Dirksen 5) Barney Craig 6) Jeff
Babcock 7) Eddie Shaner 8) Ryan Sutter 9) Shawn Phillippie 10) Doug Matheny 11) John Phlipot
Jr. 12) Josh Morton 13) Jerry Butler 14) Brad Conover 15) Jim Hatcher 16) Tim Rostorfer 17)
Chad Barr 18) Jason Kinney 19) Gene Smith 20) David Hollan 21) John Brooks 22) Tim Bower
UMP MODIFIEDS:
Fast Time: Lenny Guyton 19.427
34 Cars
Dash: Todd Sherman, Mark Kowarsch, Shaun Smith, Lenny Guyton
Heat 1: Kent Robinson, Rob Williams, Bob Burch, Lenny Guyton, Doug Hewitt, Brad McLeod, Steve Brown, John Brooks
Heat 2: Mark Kowarsch, Justin Matson, Gary Richard, Josh Lolmaugh, Tom Treon, Zach Walkup, Mike
Dirksen, Rob Trent
Heat 3: Jerry Bowersock, Scott Orr, Jeremy Grover, Chad Rosenbeck, Todd Sherman, Jack Waldfogel,
Stan Smith, Chad Bergoon
Heat 4: Mike Roediger, Bill Lewis, Mike Chrisman, Tim Richardson, Shane Unger, Warren Shingleton,
Shaun Smith, Steve Shutte
B Main 1: Todd Sherman, Mike Dirksen, Tom Treon, Brad McLeod, Warren Shingleton
B Main 2: Steve Schutte, Shaun Smith, Doug Hewitt, Jack Waldfogel, Steve Brown, Zach Walkup, Shane
Unger
A Main: 1) Jerry Bowersock 2) Mike Roediger 3) Scott Orr 4) Gary Richard 5) Mark Kowarsch 6) Mike
Dirksen 7) Rob Williams 8) Steve Schutte 9) Kent Robinson 10) Justin Matson 11) Lenny Guyton
12) Bill Lewis 13) Mike Chrisman 14) Todd Sherman 15) Bob Burch 16) Chad Rosenbeck 17)
Tim Richardson 18) Jeremy Grover 19) Josh Lolmaugh 20) Shaun Smith 21) Tom Treon 22) Doug Hewitt
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