June 27, 2008; Columbus, WI. - Beaver Dam's Jeff Falbe won an intense battle with defending champion Dean Schultz to take the victory in the 35 lap Late Model feature at Columbus 151 Speedway last Friday. Starting inside Zeke Bishofberger at the drop of the green flag, Falbe grabbed the early lead with Schultz rocketing into second. Schultz immediately began the race long battle for the lead by moving to the high side and pulling even with Falbe on lap four.

Photo Highlights

Jeff Falbe is joined by his wife and his crew to celebrate his first Late Model Feature win this season. #=#95 Jeff Falbe crosses the finish line 1/2 of a car ahead of #34 Dean Schultz to win his first Late Model feature this season. Ed Jackson is joined by wife Bambi and his crew to celebrate his Sportsman Feature win. #87 Ed Jackson won the Sportsman Feature by a narrow margin over #26 Chico Riedner.. Lincoln Keeser won the Hobby Stock Feature. Mike Clapper won the Bandit Feature. Jug Her won the Back-Up Feature.

The duo began to separate themselves from the rest of the field as they fought for the top spot. Schultz stayed in the outside lane, gaining momentum each lap until he held the slight advantage at the line. The first of three cautions flew on lap 23, and Falbe crossed the line just ahead of Schultz to restart out front.

But Schultz returned to the outside as the green flew again. Back to back cautions on lap 31 slowed the pack again with Falbe in the lead. Once again, Schultz tried to make it work in the high groove on the restart, but Falbe managed to hold him off and take the checkers for his first feature win of the season. Schultz grabbed second with Zeke Bishofberger, Bobbi Bishofberger and Jerry Eckhart rounding out the top five. Ron Bishofberger set the pace in qualifying with a lap of
13.473 while heat winners included Al Weishoff and Justin Schultz.

Ed Jackson of Madison lead flag to flag to take the win in the 30 lap Sportsman feature event. Jackson took control on the opening lap as Brandon Riedner followed into second. Caution flew on lap three, and as the green returned, Phil Denikas charged to the outside of Jackson. The two raced side by side until lap ten when Jackson regained sole possession of the lead. Meanwhile, Scott Riedner was slicing his way through the field and into the top five. Riedner picked his way to the second spot by lap 17 and began putting pressure on Jackson for the lead. Riedner tried the high side and low side looking for a way around Jackson. With ten laps to go, Riedner managed to pull alongside Jackson, but Jackson never relinquished to top spot, crossing the stripe in front for the win. Scott Riedner, Brandon Riedner, Jake Wasserburger and Al Syvrud completed the top five. Kevin Anderson was fastest in time trials with a lap of 14.146 seconds. Heat winners included Jackson and Syvrud.

In Hobby Stock action, Johnson Creek's Lincoln Keeser claimed top honors in the 12 lap feature event. Keeser and Kyle Riedner made up row one at the drop of the green as the two fought for the advantage. Keeser finally took control on lap four as Riedner fell into the pack. Larry Moen pulled into second and up to the rear bumper of Keeser to launch his bid for the lead. Moen studied Keeser looking for the best way around. With three laps to go, Moen went to the outside. Moen
pulled even as they crossed under the while flag, but lost grip through turns one and two allowing Keeser to pull out to the win. Andy Raley motored by for second as Moen slipped to third. Dustin Ward and Gary Pashley rounded out the top five. Dustin Ward was quickest in qualifying with a lap of15.128 while Keeser took the heat race win.

Dane's Michael Clapper won a great three way battle to take the win in the 18 lap Bandit feature race. Josh Steckel grabbed the early lead while the battle for second raged behind him. Keaton Hubred moved to second and by Steckel for the lead on lap three. David Schmidt followed him into second as Kyle Watters and Clapper moved into the top five as well. The only caution of the event flew on lap eight allowing Schmidt, Watters and Clapper to line up behind Hubred
for the restart. Schmidt got the inside of Hubred on lap 12 and cleared for the lead a lap later with Clapper in tow for second. With two laps to go, Clapper got under Schmidt and two made contact in turn three. This slowed them down enough for Watters to join the fight. A three wide battle ensued with Clapper the benefactor as he took the win with Watters second and Schmidt in third. Jimmy Junget and Brandon Condroski finished fourth and fifth respectively. Watters
owned fast time with a 16.081 second tour of the quarter mile. Heat winners included Clapper and Jeff LeFave.

Waunakee's Jug Her claimed top honors in the wild and crazy 8 lap back up feature. Her grabbed the lead at the drop of the green as he immediately pulled out to a big lead. George Wachuta and Andy Ward battled for second with Wachuta taking control of the position on lap three. Wachuta began to run down Her, finally catching him on the final lap. But Her managed to maintain his advantage as he saw the checkers first. Wachuta was second with Ryan Oetzel third.

Joining the festivities this evening was the Midwest Stock Car Classics Series. Pat Heaney shot into the lead as the green flag flew with Shane Heaney moving into second. Shane spent the remaining 11 laps looking to get by for the lead. But Pat proved too strong as the crossed the stripe in first with Shane right behind in second and Lon Meagher in third.

Next Friday, July 4 is a full program in all divisions highlighted by the Cherry Bomb 50 lap Late Model feature. Time trials begin at 6:30 with racing at 8 pm. For more information, please visit www.racingonline.com/columbus151.

For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here