1/8/2003
Chili Bowl Nationals
Boorse Blasts to Bud Shootout Qualifying Victory
Lonnie Wheatley – TULSA, Okla. (January 8, 2003) – Dan Boorse kicked off the 17th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals by slipping underneath race-long leader Jimmy Sills exiting turn four on the 15th round en route to winning Wednesday night’s Bud Shootout Qualifying 25-lap feature at Tulsa Expo Raceway.
“It was fairly difficult to pass tonight, so I knew the best chance to get around him would be on a restart” stated Boorse in the post-race press conference. “Fortunately he hooked the cushion and I just happened to be in the right place.”
Sills, who displayed why he’s the “professor” of a dirt track driving school, explained, “The car was getting tighter and tighter as the race went on, and I finally caught the ledge in turn four and Dan was there to take advantage.”
Jerry Coons, Jr., who earned the pole position for the feature by charging from sixth starting position to win the third of nine qualifying heat races, led the 22-car field to the green flag with Sills alongside. Coons got loose exiting turn two on the opening round and fell to mid-pack as Sills assumed command.
Sills paced the early rounds with Boorse and Troy Rutherford in pursuit, while Jason Meyers passed Chad DeSelle for fourth on the fifth lap. Sills held a narrow four car-length advantage over Boorse and Rutherford until lapped traffic came into play on the 11th circuit.
With Sills blocked behind a dueling pair of backmarkers, Boorse and Rutherford quickly closed the gap, with Rutherford getting around Boorse for second on the 12th lap. With Sills on the high side, Rutherford made a bid for the lead entering the third turn on the 13th round, momentarily nosing ahead of Sills before hitting the berm and spinning, bringing out the race’s first caution.
With Rutherford relegated to the rear, Sills held off Boorse on the ensuing restart, only to have the caution fly two rounds later for a John Wolfe spin in turn two. Sills set sail on the restart in Murray Erickson’s Budweiser Gaerte-powered TCR, however when he hooked the turn four cushion, Boorse ducked underneath into a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
Boorse’s charge to the checkered flag was briefly interrupted by a three-car tangle in turn two after 18 laps. The 1999 Chili Bowl champion had the field covered over the final seven circuits as he charged to the checkered flag unchallenged aboard his Weiland Race Enterprise Gaerte Ford-powered Stealth to secure the Bud Shootout Qualifying triumph.
Sills held second to the line, while Meyers made a strong Midget racing debut aboard Dallen McKenney’s Gowens-powered TCR, posting a solid third place finish. Danny Lasoski passed Teddy Beach for fourth on the lap 15 restart and held the fourth and final Chili Bowl Nationals main event transfer position to the line.
2001 Chili Bowl winner Jay Drake came from 10th to round out the top five, with Matt Westfall charging from 18th to claim sixth. Jeff Flesher crossed the stripe in seventh, with Nick Lundgreen, DeSelle and Bobby East completing the top ten.
Sixty-five cars signed in for Wednesday night’s Bud Shootout Qualifying action, with Rutherford, Beach, Coons, Flesher, Meyers, Lasoski, Justin Allgaier, Aaron Fiscus and Mathew Neely topping heat race action. Lundgreen and East topped the twin 15-lap B Features, with Dino Tomassi and Billy Wease winning the 12-lap C Mains.
John Wolfe, who led the first half of his heat race before mechanical problems sent him pitside, came from 7th to finish second in the first C Feature, then charged from 16th to second in the first B Main, earning a transfer to the main event.
There were four flip victims during the evening’s racing action, with Jimmy Kite’s turn four endo in the second B Feature the most spectacular. Kite walked away unscathed. Other flip victims included Alex Coonan in heat race action, with A.J. Fike and Shane Cottle each turning over during B Main action.
Wednesday’s Bud Shootout Qualifying Results:
First Heat (10 Laps): 1. #7r Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 2. #8 Jimmy Sills, Marysville, CA; 3. #4e Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 4. #8s Bobby Smith, Camby, IN; 5. #7w Korey Weyant, Springfield, IL; 6. #30 Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove, CA; 7. #15k Donnie Kratzberg, Fort Smith, AR; 8. #99d Shon Deskins, Phoenix, AZ.
Second Heat (10 Laps): 1. #25b Teddy Beach, Donnelsville, OH; 2. #71 Jay Drake, Val Verde, CA; 3. #44 Chad Branson, Sherman, IL; 4. #27a Amy Maris, Gilbert, AZ; 5. #36 Brad Paris, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #13 Matt Walton, Tulsa, OK; 7. #76 Garrett Hanson, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. DNS: #7m David Langford, Blue Springs, MO.
Third Heat (10 Laps): 1. #11c Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, AZ; 2. #40L Nick Lundgreen, Indianapolis, IN; 3. #59 Jim Sawyer, Trenton, OH; 4. #30x Jimmy Kite, Stockbridge, GA; 5. #2h Robert Harr, Arvada, CO; 6. #19n Nick O’Neal, Wagoner, OK; 7. #44c Al Cole, McFarland, WI; 8. #94 Alex Coonan, Ransom, IL.
Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #72 Jeff Flesher, Lexington, IL; 2. #14 Tony Rossi, Arvada, CO; 3. #87x Cameron Dodson, Greenfield, IN; 4. #78d Jeff Heaton, Ventura, CA; 5. #15m Chris Morway, Glastonbury, CT; 6. #95x Rik Forbes, Omaha, NE.
Fifth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #88m Jason Meyers, Fresno, CA; 2. #25 Mike Farmer, Colorado Springs, CO; 3. #51f Chris DeShon, Littleton, CO; 4. #35 Brandon Petty, Alexandria, IN; 5. #76c James Chesson, Far Hills, NJ; 6. #12 Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 7. #17 Doug McCune, Colleyville, TX.
Sixth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #20 Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO; 2. #81 Chad DeSelle, Sun Prairie, WI; 3. #21k Kurt Mayhew, Demotte, IN; 4. #87 Rich Camfield, Decatur, IL; 5. #29 Dino Tomassi, Fremont, CA; 6. #33a Stephen Arnold, Seymour, IN; 7. #3m, John Wolfe, Winchester, IN.
Seventh Heat (10 Laps): 1. #85a Justin Allgaier, Riverton, IL; 2. #69 A.J. Fike, Galesburg, IL; 3. #11s Matt Westfall, Ludlow, OH; 4. #Q4 Edwin Wilson, Tuttle, OK; 5. #03 Bill Allen, Independence, MO; 6. #51n Mike Nigh, Brownsburg, IN; 7. #3w Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI.
Eighth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #7f Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 2. #55k Steve Knepper, Belleville, IL; 3. #86 Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 4. #45 Aaron Kirk, Conroe, TX; 5. #15 Tim Siner, Waterloo, IL; 6. #19 Chris Wagner, Colorado Springs, CO; 7. #27 Sparky Howard, Santa Rosa, CA.
Ninth Heat (10 Laps): 1. #17n Mathew Neely, Robinson, IL; 2. #88 Dan Boorse, Milwaukee, WI; 3. #12h Rick Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 4. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 5. #00x John Giffin, Mnt. View, CA; 6. #4t Brian Terry, Monona, WI; 7. #4g Ricky Gaunt, Torrance, CA.
First C Feature (12 Laps): 1. #29 Dino Tomassi, Fremont, CA; 2. #3m John Wolfe, Winchester, IN; 3. #19 Chris Wagner, Colorado Springs, CO; 4. #99d Shon Deskins, Phoenix, AZ; 5. #15k Donnie Kratzberg, Fort Smith, AR; 6. #44c Al Cole, McFarland, WI; 7. #30 Johnny Rodriguez; 8. #19n Nick O’Neal, Wagoner, OK; 9. #7m David Langford, Blue Springs, MO; 10. #27 Sparky Howard, Santa Rosa, CA; 11. #00x John Giffin, Mnt. View, CA. DNS: #33a Stephen Arnold, Seymour, IN.
Second C Feature (12 Laps): 1. #12 Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 2. #3w Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI; 3. #95x Rik Forbes, Omaha, NE; 4. #4t Brian Terry, Monona, WI; 5. #76 Garrett Hanson, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; 6. #51n Mike Nigh, Brownsburg, IN; 7. #4g Ricky Gaunt, Torrance, CA; 8. #17 Doug McCune, Colleyville, TX; 9. #03 Bill Allen, Independence, MO; 10. #94 Alex Coonan, Ransom, IL. DNS: #13 Matt Walton, Tulsa, OK.
First B Feature (15 Laps): 1. #40L Nick Lundgreen, Indianapolis, IN; 2. #3m John Wolfe, Winchester, IN; 3. #35 Brandon Petty, Alexandria, IN; 4. #17n Mathew Neely, Robinson, IL; 5. #36 Brad Paris, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #8s Bobby Smith, Camby, IN; 7. #78d Jeff Heaton, Ventura, CA; 8. #87x Cameron Dodson, Greenfield, IN; 9. #45 Aaron Kirk, Conroe, TX; 10. #51f Chris DeShon, Littleton, CO; 11. #29 Dino Tomassi, Fremont, CA; 12. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 13. #7w Korey Weyant, Springfield, IL; 14. #15m Chris Morway, Glastonbury, CT; 15. #55k Steve Knepper, Belleville, IL; 16. #69 A.J. Fike, Galesburg, IL.
Second B Feature (15 Laps): 1. #4e Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 2. #11s Matt Westfall, Ludlow, OH, 3. #25 Mike Farmer, Colorado Springs, CO; 4. #12h Rick Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 5. #87 Rich Camfield, Decatur, IL; 6. #15 Tim Siner, Waterloo, IL; 7. #76c James Chesson, Far Hills, NJ; 8. #12 Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 9. #2h Robert Harr, Arvada, CO; 10. #3w Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI; 11. #21k Kurt Mayhew, Demotte, IN; 12. #44 Chad Branson, Sherman, IL; 13. #Q4 Edwin Wilson, Tuttle, OK; 14. #27a Amy Maris, Phoenix, AZ; 15. #30x Jimmy Kite, Stockbridge, GA; 16. #86 Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN.
Bud Shootout Qualifying A Feature (25 Laps): 1. #88 Dan Boorse, Milwaukee, WI; 2. #8 Jimmy Sills, Marysville, CA; 3. #88m Jason Meyers, Milwaukee, WI; 4. #20 Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO; 5. #71 Jay Drake, Val Verde, CA; 6. #11s Matt Westfall, Ludlow, OH; 7. #72 Jeff Flesher, Lexington, IL; 8. #40L Nick Lundgreen, Indianapolis, IN; 9. #81 Chad DeSelle, Sun Prairie, WI; 10. #4e Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 11. #7f Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 12. #25b Teddy Beach, Donnelsville, OH; 13. #14 Tony Rossi, Arvada, CO; 14. #7r Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 15. #59 Jim Sawyer, Trenton, OH; 16. #3m John Wolfe, Winchester, IN; 17. #12h Rick Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 18. #35 Brandon Petty, Alexandria, IN; 19. #11c Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, AZ; 20. #17n Mathew Neely, Robinson, IL; 21. #25 Mike Farmer, Colorado Springs, CO; 22. #85a Justin Allgaier, Riverton, IL.
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