6th Annual Weidner Chevrolet Stock Car Festival Closes 2003 Season

The 6th Annual Wiedner Chevrolet Stock Car Festival capped off the 2003 racing season at the Anderson Speedway over the weekend with 236 cars and trucks on hand to thrill the fans in 10 exciting divisions, which saw some of the closest point championship races in the track's storied history.

In the Phillippe Eco water Systems Super Trucks a 50-lap feature saw four lead changes. Mike Davis took the point to start with Josh Burton taking over on lap 15 with Derrick Layne hounding him. Layne was able to make the exciting pass in traffic on lap 42 and come home for his first career Super Truck feature win.

Trailing were Burton, 2003 point champion Bret Miles, Mike Mendenhall and Rob Hazelbaker. Layne also took the fast heat win while Jason Corlette took his first career checker in heat No. 2. Jack Dossey Jr. was fast qualifier at 13.795 seconds.

Legend racing saw James Robertson lead the 30-lap main flag to flag with T.J. Sneva glued to his bumper. Scott McGinley, 2003 point champion Eric Black and Mark Sullivan were third through fifth. Daniel Russell copped the first heat while Ron Tiller took heat No. 2 honors. Sneva was fast timer at 14.107 seconds.

In the Ed Martin Automotive Group Modifieds, the point race was between defending champ Mark Harrison and 2000 track champion Jeff Weston. Weston had a 50 point lead going into the feature.
Harrison took the lead at the get-go with Weston in hot pursuit.

Weston was able to get around on lap 25 when Harrison and Bruce Cooper locked bumpers momentarily. Harrison got unhooked and caught Weston on lap 31.

All of a sudden, Weston's mount began to fail and he started fading through the pack. Harrison went on to the win the 40 lapper over a quick closing Don Skaggs, RJ Norton, Jr; Jim Jordan, Jr and Ryan Cawley. Weston finished seventh which let Harrison defend his points title by a mere two points.

Scott Neal won the fast heat while Chip Dowell took the second heat race victory. Harrison was fastest at 12.818 seconds.

The Limited Late Models saw Mike Riddle Jr. led all 40 laps of the headliner winning by two-car lengths over Todd Marsh, Jon Conklin, Jason Fullen and Randy Anderson.

William Mefford took the first heat checker while Scott Hinshaw captured heat No. 2. Marsh was fast timer at 13.271 seconds. Mike Riddle Jr. was named 2003-point champion.

Open Street Stock racing saw Bruce McFall lead the first 10 circuits of the 40-lap event before Curtis Chapman took over only to see his tranny go bye-bye on lap 24.

Jim Jordan Jr. took over and went to the checker with Darwin Blankenship in his trunk. Rounding out the top five were 2003 point champ Rich Boyer, Danny Acrey II and Rod Phipps.

Mike Frederick took the first heat win while Chris Hanna was heat No. 2 victor and Roy Grissom Sr. was heat No. 3 checker claimer. Boyer was fastest qualifier at 14.230 seconds.

In the USAC McCrocklin Ford Focus Midgets, Brandon Hartsell passed 2003 point champ Robbie Ray with 10 laps to go in the 30 lapper to take the victory. Following were Robbie Parrish, John Randall and Trenton Darland. Darland and Derek Crasi were heat winners.

The final ThunderCar Figure 8 of the year was for double points and maybe the best race of the year. Tremendous crossover action saw the leaders zigging and zagging to avoid disaster.  Point leader Josh Tharp lead the first 10 circuits of the 15 lapper before his mount developed a left front tire with two laps to go.

James Peterson, who was fourth in the points, took over and went on to the win over Mike Peters, Tim Brown, Ranny Hinton and Joe Stanley. Tharp was sixth. Josh Tharp held on to become the 2003 Point Champion by just 15 points.

In the Figure 8 division, Rod Phipps jumped to the lead in the 50 lap affair and never looked back. But, it was a race that was filled with happenings.

On lap 28, Ronnie Rose punctured the tire of Curtis Chapman. Mike Peters then drove over Chapman and sent him sailing. William Coffman, with no place to go, smashed into Peters.

When the smoke had cleared, Rose and Peters were out for unsportsmanlike like driving and a total of four cars were out of the race. Trailing Rod Phipps at the end were Joe Hart Jr., Ronnie Phipps, Shawn Cullen and Mike Phipps.

Rod Phipps and Mike Peters were prelim winners. Rod Phipps was fastest qualifer at 20. 445 seconds.

In the ThunderCar Oval, it was Brandon Phillips leading all but three laps in feature No. 1 defeating Joe Stanley, William Coffman, Brandon Leisure and Tim Nickerson.

Bill Lawson led the first seven laps and the last six to cop the coins in feature No. 2 defeating John Stephens, Bret Clark, Bub Beachboard and Jeremy Stephens.

Sunday's 36 car, 20 lap main saw 2003 point champion Joe Walters lead the distance defeating Jack Taylor, Ranny Hinton, Tim Brown and Eric Evans.

Finally in the Chappy's Rent To Own Front Wheel Drives, it was Andy Jennings going the distance defeating David Baker, Chris Teepe, Randy Owen and George Baker, Jr.

Chris Jennings who finished second was disqualified for an illegal engine. Jamie Sites and Gary Williams also were disqualified for illegal engines in feature No. 2 after finishing first and second..

Rodney McKinzey took the win over Gordan Guffey, Kevin Harmon, Kreigh Leever and Danny Dunn.

David Baker captured the first feature on Sunday leading all the way over 2003 point champion Larry Thomas Jr., Kevin Rhodus, George Baker, Jr and Patrick Spillis. Kreigh Leever took his first career win in feature No. 2, defeating Kevin Harmon, Mike Riddle Sr., Eric Scott Sr., and Danny Dunn.

For additional information contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.