BIRCH RUN, MI -- The ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series made its first of four trips in 2005 to Dixie Motor Speedway Friday night. Besting a strong field of 19 trucks, Keith Wioncek drove his Dodge Ram to the victory. The Wioncek win snapped the two-race win streak of second place finisher and 2004 Series Champion, Joey Shuryan. Justin Chlaugherty put in his best drive of the year to claim third position, the Hard Charger bonus, and the Zander Radio Systems Rookie of the Race. A familiar tune played out in qualifying as Joey Shuryan put his Ford on the pole claiming the Turbo Blue Racing Gasolines fast qualifier award. Keith Wioncek qualified second quick with Chlaugherty third. All three drivers broke the previous track record established in 2003 by Cary Cole. Heat race action saw two first time winners in the ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series. The first heat was action packed with John WIcks jumping our to an early lead over Doug Vander Vliet. In midpack sparks flew as Chlaugherty spun entering one collecting Bob Fruit and Wioncek. All three trucks required major repairs to start the main event. At the checkers it was Wicks over Shuryan and Rod Morrison in third. The second heat race saw a great duel between Zander Radio Systems rookie drivers Natascha Thompson and Mike Putnam. Thompson broke free and sailed to the win with Putnam in second and fellow rookie Kelly Doyle in third. Thompson's win marked her first for in the series as she became the first female ever to win a ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series heat race. The large Dixie crowd greeted the trucks warmly for the feature event and watched as Kenny Clark stormed to the lead early. Rod Morrison had his sights set on the top spot and put the heat on Clark inturn three. With Clark and Morrison side-by-side for several laps, Bob Fruit and Joey Shuryan waited, somewhat patiently, for their chance. As Morrison made the pass on Clark, Shuryan seized the opportunity and passed Fruit on the inside then immediately jumped to the outside of Clark. Morrison lead handily as the fight for second place lasted for several more laps. Once Shuryan cleared for second he quickly caught Morrison and skated by for the lead. Fruit was third with Wioncek prowling in fourth. Encountering heavy lap traffic, Shuryan attempted an outside move to pass the lapped truck of Gerard Ramos. The two made contact entering turn one with Ramos spinning into the path of second place Morrison. The first caution flag of the night flew and left both Morrison and Ramos unable to continue. Shuryan sustained minor cosmetic damage and continued at the point. However, the hottest battle of the night was yet unfold. On the restart, Wioncek jumped Fruit and moved quickly to second behind Shuryan. Several laps of hard driving later and Wioncek was sliding inside Shuryan in a bid for the lead. After full broadside contact in turn one, both trucks went sliding in concert as neither driver was willing to lift. For four laps the the two went at it with Wioncek sounding the chrome horn on several occasions. The final pass for the lead came as Wioncek went low entering turn three and made the pass stick exiting turn four. At the checkers it was Wioncek followed by Shuryan in second. Justin Chlaugherty put in a stellar performance to pass Fruit for third. In the process, Chlaugherty earned the hard charger bonus points for passing the most drivers after starting in the eighteenth spot. Fifth went to Paul Schaffer followed by Wicks, Vander Vliet, Dan Lenters, Doyle, and Bill Niedziewicki in tenth. The trucks travel next to Calhoun County Speedway in Springport, MI on June 11th. For more details on the fastest growing truck series in the Midwest be sure to visit the website at www.ShortTrackTrucks.com.
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