CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE DRAWS CLOSER IN DIVISION II OF NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES

By Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 7, 2005) – Chris Spieker of Massena, Iowa, has led the point standings in Division II of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series practically all season. As the competition winds down, however, he has seen his lead shrink to just 34 points.

Mike Hansen of Alton Iowa, and Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Neb., are putting the pressure on as they head into the final two weeks before the NASCAR season concludes on Sept. 18.

Spieker has accumulated 1,084 points – competing this year at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, on Saturdays and I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park in Greenwood, Neb., on Sundays. He scored a win at I-80 Speedway over the Labor Day Weekend, along with a fourth-place finish at Adams County Speedway.

Hansen has 1,050 points, after finishing fourth in the NASCAR Modified class at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., on Saturday.

Kosiski is third in the NDWS division II standings, just two markers back with 1,048. He also picked up a win over the weekend at I-80 Speedway, along with finishing seventh at Adams County Speedway.

Retaining the fourth spot in the NDWS Division II point standings this week is Jeff Strunk of Bethel, Pa. He finished fourth at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Penn., on Saturday. Gaining two positions to fifth in the division is Bakersfield, Calif., driver Eric Richardson, who has 888 points after finishing third in Late Model competition at the high-banked half-mile track last week.

A win on his home track of Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway helped Pete Anderson Jr., solidify his hold on sixth in the NDWS Division II standings with 868 points.

For the second consecutive week, drivers scrambled for positions behind him in the NDWS Division II point standings. Scott Bonney of North Chelmsford, Mass., is seventh with 854 points. Robert Barker of Boerne, Texas, gained a spot – moving to eighth with 832 points. Two Canadian drivers were also one the move: Scott Lindsay, from Delaware (Ontario) Speedway, moved up five positions to ninth, with 822 points while Gerry Bergeron, from Autodrome St. Eustache in Quebec, jumped three spots to 10th with 810 points.

Under NASCAR’s new points format for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, a driver’s best 16 finishes are counted towards the divisional title. If a driver races more than 16 times, their poorer finishes are not counted in the NDWS point standings. Four drivers will win a Division championship, which includes a $25,000 bonus and a chance at the $50,000 national championship bonus. One of the divisional champions – the champion with the highest point total overall – wins the national award.

Last Week’s Division II Leaders …
(Driver, Home Track, Points)

1. Chris Spieker, Adams County Speedway, 1,078
2. Mike Hansen, Park Jefferson Speedway, 1,040
3. Joe Kosiski, I-80 Speedway, 1,034
4. Jeff Strunk, Grandview Speedway, 1,010
5. Scott Bonney, Lee USA Speedway, 854
6. Pete Anderson Jr., Stockton 99 Speedway, 838
7. Eric Richardson, Mesa Marin Raceway, 822
8. Stacey Gerken, Lorain Speedway, 800
9. Robert Barker, San Antonio Speedway, 782
10. Travis Sharpe, Concord Motorsport Park, 772
11. Jeremy Lapainis, Edmonton International Raceway, 742
12. Dennis Pelphrey, Watsonville Speedway, 716
13. Gerry Bergeron, Autodrome St. Eustache, 702
14. Scott Lindsay, Delaware Speedway, 688
15. Mark Bliss, Holland International Speedway, 668
16. Greg Hardee, Myrtle Beach Speedway, 658
17. Alan Pyszora, Shasta Raceway Park, 584
18. Bill Hebing Jr., Spencer Speedway, 570

go to www.weeklyracingseries.com for up-to-date standings.