2003 Chili Bowl -
Friday, January 10
Kruser
Tops Cherokee Casino Qualifying Showdown
 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.
 
Photos: Top-Cory Kruseman in victory lane;
Bottom Left-The Kruser leads the way
aboard Andy Bondio's lightning-quick,
light-weight midget; Bottom Right - Aaron
Fike (95k) and Kruseman lead the field to
Friday night's green flag.
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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