Eldora

ROSSBURG, OH (Sept. 5) -- Jerry Bowersock’s misfortune turned into Kris Patterson’s fortune Sunday night at Eldora Speedway, as the Michigan speedster roared to a $2,000 victory in the Sunoco sponsored American Late Model Series (ALMS) main event. In the companion action on the one-half mile clay oval, Scott Orr drove to a United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) feature win, while Barney Craig captured the Stock Car nightcapper.

With 170 race cars cramming the pit area, including 73 Late Models, 24 preliminary events were necessary to trim the field down to the three 22-car feature events.

Bowersock jumped from his pole position to take the early lead in the ALMS 25-lap affair and instantly opened a sizeable margin over Patterson, while Jeff Kohn and Hillard Miller were doing their own battle for third and fourth. But that action came to an abrupt halt as the front runners were entering lap two.

Justin Paxton got sideways and in the process, collected the cars of Rody Schroyer, Troy VanderVeen, Jerry Rice and Man Miller. Of the group, only Paxton and Rice were able to continue, but Rice dropped out four laps later.

As the action resumed, Bowersock again shot off like a rocket, but this time, the cagey Patterson kept him well within his sights, and was waiting for the slightest miscue to make his move.

Bart Hartman was starting a charge from near mid-field and was up to fourth spot by lap 11, overtaking Miller, as the fast paced race looked like it was going to go the distance without another caution. Those thoughts were erased on lap 16 as Bowersock looped it among lapped traffic between turns three and four.

That gave Patterson the lead he was to hold uncontested to the finish. Team mate Kohn came home runner-up, with Hartman third, a quickly advancing Brian Stinson in fourth and Joe Rice in fifth.

Going into the night’s action, the Modified points race revealed a tie between Scoff Or and Ron Perrine and with 52 cars in the their pit area, both knew they had their hands full. Or easily advanced through his heat, but Perrine’ s story was different.

The defending champion was racing in a truck race 45 miles away with hopes that Sammie Halcomb would qualify his car into the main event. Perrine got back to Eldora in time for the Modified feature only to find that his car didn’t advance through either the heat or consy. In a twist of fate, Or offered his team car that was qualified into the feature by Randy Woodling to Perrine to drive.

Or started up front while Perrine had to start at the tail, and starting Scoff Orr up front only means disaster for the rest of the field, as he drove to a convincing win. Jim Haager, also in a borrowed car, turned in his best Eldora performance to come home second, while Bowersock, doing double duty, came home third. Mike Brecht crossed the line in fourth spot, with Billy Vaughan taking down fifth spot.

Just like the Modifieds, the Stock Car points baffle revealed a tie for first place going into Sunday’s action. And gathering the front two positions for the main event were the two cars tied - Craig and Scoff Bowersock.

Bowersock took the initial lead, and held on to the top spot for five circuits, before Craig was able to take command through the finish - despite repeated attempts by Bowersock. In the closing laps, Mark Kowarsch mounted a strong challenge for the lead, first disposing of Rob Trent and then setting his sights on the front two. Time was against him; however, as he settled for third, with Trent dropping to fourth and Ernie Woodard was fifth.

Late Model Heat Winners:

Shane Yoder, Hillard Miller, Bart Hartman, Joe Rice, Scotty Earl, Brian Stinson Late Model Consy Winners:

Mark Skelton, Matt Miller, Rody Schroyer, Jery Rice

Late Model Feature:

1)Kris Patterson 2)Jeff Kohn, 3)Bart Hartman 4)Brian Stinson 5)Joe Rice 6)Brian Asbuty 7)Rick DeLong 8)Scotly Earl 9)Shane Yoder 10)Troy Green 1 1)Hillard Miller 12)Jery Bowersock 13)Justin Paxton 14)Todd Schroyer 15)Randy Woodling 16)Brian Ruhlman 17)Mark Skelton 18)Butch Boggs 19)Jery Rice 20)Troy VanderVeen 21)Rody Schroyer 22)Matt Miller

Jeff Harris, Roger Williams, Scoff Or, Jim Haager, Jerry Bowersock, Shaun Smith Modified Consy Winners:

1)Scott Or 2)Jim Haager 3)Jerry Bowersock 4)Mike Brecht 5)Billy Vaughan 6)Jeff Harris 7)Gary Richards 8)Shaun Smith 9)Glenn Bradley 1O)Roger Williams 1 1)Ron Perrine 12)Mark VanHouten 13)Eric Shepard 14)David Mills 15)Ron Johnson 16)Wes Steidinger 17)Ed Hounshell 18)Joe Carle 19)Steve Miller 20)Jerry Lawson 21)Jerrod Alma 22)Rob Williams

1)Barney Craig 2)Scott Bowersock 3)Mark Kowarsch 4)Rob Trent 5)Ernie Woodard 6)Kevin Gossard 7)Mike Dirksen 8)Jerry Butler 9)Dan Wooten 1O)David Smith 1 1)Doug Hohlheide 12)John Phlipot 13)Todd Sanders 14)Chuck Self, Jr. 15)Steve Williams 16)Randy Roseman 17)Joe Mauller 18)Glenn Knick 19)Brian Foster 20)Ron Moore 21)Jim Rinderle 22)Russ Wagner, Jr.