Hammerle and Wofford pick up wins, Worley goes triple crown

FREDERICKTOWN — Mike Hammerle picked up where he left off at the end of the 2002 racing season by winning the UMP Late Model feature at the Fredericktown Raceway. Hammerle, the 2002 Fredericktown and Missouri State champion, traveled the entire 25 laps in the lead from his pole position with Kenny “Let’s Get Ready To” Rumble right on his heels.

Gary Phillips finished in third place with John Bohn fourth and Ronnie Jarrells fifth. They were followed by John Pitts, Bryan Stephens, Rodney Pense, Brad Long and Ron McQuerry.

Bohn won the first heat with Jarrells second and Phillips third. Rumble won the second heat with Hammerle second and Stephens third. Hammerle won the dash with Rumble second and Jarrells third.

In the IMCA style Modified class that was making it’s debut at the track, it turned out to be a triple crown night (winning feature, dash and heat race) for Tommy Worley Sr. of Farmington. Worley won the first heat race with Leo Kiefer second and Pete Koenig third. Joe Giesler won the second heat with Jeff Canterberry second and Doug Brewster third. Worley then won the dash with Kiefer second and Giesler third.

The veteran Worley then capped off his triple crown night by picking up a big win in the feature with Kiefer once again chasing him across the finish line. Gary Johnson finished third with Scott Carron fourth and Dr. Chris Sloan fifth. They were followed by Canterberry, Giesler, Brewster, Koenig and Lynn Edgar.

In the RAMS Mini Stock class, the night belonged to Dave “Wolf” Wofford of Farmington who drove his Pinto to a triple crown night.

In the feature, Wofford held off the challenge of Rick Ruch of Perryville for the victory with Bill Nickelson (who’s truck had caught fire and burned in the warm-ups before the race) taking and impressive third, Wes Kintz was fourth and Phil Hannah was fifth. They were followed by Shannon Burch, Jason Harper, Jeff Gibson and Rusty Voyles.

Wofford won the first heat race with Ruch second and Gibson third. Marty “Don’t Call Me Martin” Boyer of Potosi was the winner of the second heat with Kintz second and Burch third. Wofford won the dash with Ruch second.

The night didn’t end exactly the way Gary Weekly wanted, especially after he had just picked up his first-ever feature win the Pure Street class. During post-race inspections, Weekly’s car did not pull the proper vacuum and he was disqualified. The win then went to Theran Pearl of Bismarck with Brad Thurston taking second, Derek DeSpain third, Stan Keasling fourth and Shawnda Bader fifth. They were followed by Wes McDowell, Josh DeSpain, Russell Mathews, Rusty Golightly and DeWayne Tilk.

Derek Despain won the first heat with Keasling second and McDowell third. Pearl won the second heat with Thurston second. Pearl won the dash with Derek DeSpain second.

Racing action will continue at the Fredericktown Raceway this Friday night. Gates open at 5 with racing at 7 p.m. For more information go to www.fredericktownraceway.com or phone (573) 760-1319.