As reported Sunday, September 7, 2003 In the Daily Southtown
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/073sd9.htm
SCHERERVILLE, Ind. — The points chase was done and Dave Weltmeyer already was the 2003 late-model champion at Illiana Speedway.
But it was evident Saturday night that the "Dyer Flyer" isn't ready to rest on his laurels.
Weltmeyer and his No. 16 were as dominant as they've been all season long. Weltmeyer picked his way through the pack, reeled in runaway early-race leader Brian Schwartz and pulled away from nemesis Eddie Hoffman down the stretch.
The win was Weltmeyer's eighth of the season at Illiana.
"Last week was discouraging," said Weltmeyer, who on that occasion settled for a fourth-place finish while trying to protect his points lead and clinch the title. "Now we're getting pumped up for the Bettenhausen (next Saturday). The Ruolo boys (racing team) came out to help us tonight. And we've got the Joe Rhyne motor, so you know we've got the ponies."
Saturday's non-points feature was an interesting one, as Rob Czerwinski then Joe Rossiter then Schwartz had turns in the lead. Schwartz was able to pull away from the pack, which had difficulty negotiating past Grundy County Speedway visitor Pat McCabe.
Mike White finally led a parade of cars past McCabe, but by then Schwartz had pulled out to a pretty large advantage. Weltmeyer took second place away from White on lap 16, and on lap 23 was able to get underneath and pass Schwartz.
Hoffman gave Weltmeyer a couple of tough laps before all was said and done, but was more concerned at the finish with holding off White for second. Fourth went to John Nutley, followed by Schwartz and Boris Jurkovic.
Weltmeyer warms up for Bettenhausen with win
BY STAN KALWASINSKI
Times Correspondent
As reported Monday, September 8, 2003 In THE TIMES
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/09/08/sports/region_sports/02e8c848d447c64686256d9a0078c7ef.txt
Local Auto Racing Roundup
Warming up for next weekend's 42nd annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100-lap
event, Dave Weltmeyer captured the 30-lap late model stock car main event at
Illiana Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
Weltmeyer, this year's Illiana late model track champion, wheeled his 2003
Monte Carlo to his eighth feature win of the campaign at the Schererville
half-mile paved speed plant. The veteran driver from Dyer took the lead from
Brian Schwartz on lap 23 and went on to take the checkered flag with about a
seven-car length lead over his rival Eddie Hoffman, winner of last Saturday's
50-lap Season Championship race. Finishing behind the leading duo were
three-time Illiana champion Mike White, John Nutley, Schwartz and 2002 track
champion Boris Jurkovic.
"We're dialed in for the Bettenhausen (race) next week," Weltmeyer said. "We
made some right moves. The car was probably the best it was all year. Hopefully,
we can bring it to the track next week and do some good."
The night's late model racing marked the return of seven-time late model
champion Ed Hoffman to the track. Father of front-running Eddie Hoffman, the
elder Hoffman, who now lives in California, finished eighth in the 30-lapper.