KAUKAUNA, WI -- Defending Yellow Book USA MARS Late Model Series champion Terry Baldry got off to an impressive start as the 2003 season kicked off at the Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna with the Budweiser Spring Classic 100. Baldry, who switched teams to the Schneider Trucking Monte Carlo this year, took the lead on lap 19 when he roared past Ryan Mathews and went on to win the race by ten car lengths ahead of Jeff Van Oudenhoven.

Van Oudenhoven, who inherited Baldry's vacated ride in the Mike Butz Monte Carlo, recovered nicely from an early pit stop to finish second. NASCAR Re/Max Series and Mid-American Series driver Tim Rothe at the finish line. Norway Speedway late model champion Jamie Iverson had one of his best WIR special event performances everm and nailed down fourth. The big shocker of the day came in fifth place finisher Bob Danes. A newcomer to late model racing, Danes brought a former Terry Baldry driven Monte Carlo home in fifth. He drove a steady race, suriviving a numer of caution flag periods. Andrew Morrissey, another new face at WIR. was running in fourth with a lap remaining but dropped out after running a smooth event in his first appearance on the challenging D-shaped half-mile track. Some of Baldry's principal challengers dropped out after the halfway mark. Second place running Jim Duchow tangled with Mark Schroeder on lap 71, putting both drivers to the rear. Duchow came back to finish in sixth, but Schroeder ran out of fuel. Two-time MARS Series champion Lowell Bennett challenged for the lead midway through the race, but went out with rocker arm problems on lap 70. Baldry led the 30-car late model field in time trials with a lap of 19.526. The series returns to WIR Saturday night, June 14 for the annual Red, White and Blue State Championship opener.

Jay Kassera won the 30-lap limited late model feature over a rapidly closing Tom Spierowski. Cory Podolski, Jason Vandenberg, Greg Hauser and Jerry Van Handel
rounded out the top six. The race got off to a rough start as Chris LaRocque spun in front of the granstand and Jeff Zwiers blasted the inside wall trying to avoid
LaRocque. Eleven of the 18 starters were running at the end. The limited lates will also return June 14. Terry Van Roy won the 15-lap figure 8 race ahead of Jess Beshta.

Summary: 100-Lap Feature: 1. Terry Baldry, Omro; 2. Jeff Van Oudehoven, Kimberly; 3. Tim Rothe, Appleton; 4. Jamie Iverson, Escanaba,MI; 5. Bob Danes, New Holstein; 6. Jim Duchow, Appleton; 7. Brian Johnson, South Beloit, IL; 8. Brent Strelka, Freedom; 9. Tommy Pecaro, Janesville; 10. Pete Vandermolen, Oshkosh; 11. Gordie Sannes, De Pere; 12. Tom Hockers, Greenleaf; 13. John Meidam, Appleton; 14. Ryan Mathews, Lake Geneva; 15. Andrew Morrissey, DeForest; 16. Mark Schroeder, Green Bay; 17. Chris Grimes, Green Bay; 18. Lowell Bennett, Neenah; 19. Rod Brewe, Kaukauna; 20. Rod Wheeler, Appleton; 21. Robb VanderLoop, Kaukauna; 22. Chris Weinkauf, Merrill.

15-Lap Last Chance Race: 1. Morrissey; 2. Wheeler; 3. Sannes; 4. Vandermolen; 5. Hockers; 6. Eugene Gregorich, Kewaunee; 7. Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; 8. Lyle Messinger, Milwaukee; 9. Dan Mills, Menomonee Falls; 10. Kyle Wausch, Black Creek.
Fastest qualifier: Baldry, 19.526

Limited Late Model 30-Lap Feature: 1. Jay Kassera, Little Chute; 2. Tom Spierowski, Neenah; 3. Cory Podolski, Little Chute; 4. Jason Vandenberg, Appleton; 5. Greg Hauser, Little Chute; 6. Jerry Van Handel, Appleton; 7. Doug Carpenter, Little Chute; 8. Jack Pankratz, Kaukauna; 9. Kyle Calmes, Freedom; 10. Bobby Bemmels, De Pere.
Fastest Qualifier: Spierowski, 20.624.