Kouba takes home the win at Fox Ridge Speedway
ARCADIA, Wis. (Aug. 3, 2002) - The Kouba Racing team headed a little light weight (due to some crew-members time off) out to Arcadia WI for the 2nd of 2 shows scheduled at that track this year. Since the first show rained out, last time the Kouba 'clan' was at Fox Ridge, was the season finisher for 2001. Joe ended the '01 season with a win at this track, so we all knew that we had the potential for a very good night. The question was: �Could Joe make it 2 for 2?� It would turn out to be a great night for the Kouba 'clan'.
Joe started 2nd row inside of his heat, and was making his way towards the front. Joe had 2nd place fairly quick and held on to it for the remainder of the fairly uneventful heat race. However, the 2nd place would put Joe in the Dash for the night.
It was going to be a night filled with excitement. In Jimmy's heat, on the very first lap coming out of turn 2, the #82 car slid up underneath the #29W of Gary Walton. They touched, and Walton's #29w machine was sent flying thru the air. The red flag was of course pulled out, and it was such a long red that all the other sprints where pushed back to their pits to check air-pressure before restarting the heat race. After a little help from the 'jaws-of-life', Walton climbed out of his sprinter and into the ambulance. Rumors have it he broke his shoulder, as he was taken to the hospital in Rochester for further tests and observation. Our prayers go out to Gary for a speedy recovery.
The Dash came, and Joe started outside row 2. Joe would hang on to 3rd place. Jimmy ended up in 5th and good friend Jerry Richert Jr. ('Sonny') of the #62 sprinter took home the win in the Dash!
The feature came, and Joe was slated to start from the outside 2nd row. With a good start, we found Jimmy Kouba (#2K) in the lead, with Joe close by in 2nd. Jimmy checked out from the rest of the field early on, and seemed to be un-catchable. Joe was fast, and holding the distance to Jimmy as teh yellow #6K tried to get by Joe several times. Lap 5 came along, and Jimmy was running into lap traffic. Something that did help a bit, as Joe was able to gain some ground on Jimmy in the lead. A few laps later, we found son Joseph (#74) to be running good in the 7th spot! With 12 laps complete, the yellow flag flew due to a spin out. We where still running with Jimmy Kouba (#2K) in the lead, with Joe's White/Blue #55 thundering right behind.
The restart came, and 1 lap later Joe had taken away the lead from
brother Jimmy. It was turning into a nail-biter! Joe quickly put some distance between himself and the rest of the field. Jimmy in 2nd,
followed by the yellow #6k, Roger Rager (#6) and then Joseph Kouba (#74) held the 5th spot!! Did I mention that the Kouba's where dominating the feature?! Lap 17 came, and another yellow was called. The yellow's where taking a long time friday night, and many a crewmember watching where starting to be concerned about the fuel remaining in the cars.
However, the restart came, and Joe held on to his lead. The white flag flew. But as Joe powered his way through turns 1 & 2, the yellow flag was waving. Joe kept his cool, and led the field on the restart. The yellow #6 was giving everything he had to get by Joe. But Joe was very fast and took home the checkered! The yellow #6 tried so hard that he spun off the track in turn 1/2 coming around after the checkered flag. Brother Jimmy Kouba (#2K) ended up in 3rd, and son Joseph Kouba (#74) had a great race too finishing 5th! It's a VERY good night when all 3 Kouba's finish in the top 5. And nothing is sweeter then seeing Joe take home the win!