Ft. Wayne, IN (August 12, 2004) – The huge crowd gathered at Baer Field Speedway this past Thursday night for the 7^th Annual International Truck & Engine Gold Cup 100 were treated to a night of spectacular racing and fireworks both above the track during the awesome International Truck & Engine Fireworks Display and on the track during the running of the Sunoco Super Series non-points sanctioned event.

The excitement started in Corteco Qualifying when local fan favorite Scott Hantz broke Eddie Hoffman’s track record that was set at this event last year, only to have Hoffman recapture the record shortly after in a great qualifying run.

Local Ft. Wayne native Bud Adams grabbed the early lead from his outside front row starting position slipping ahead of pole setter JR Roahrig. Adams would lead the first seven laps before Roahrig got by on the inside to take over the lead with Hoffman and Hantz in tow. Hoffman and Hantz looked like they were ready to continue last years memorable battle when Hantz got into the back of Hoffman causing him to spin, the resulting yellow flag sent both drivers to the tail setting up an evening of great racing around a night full of spins and crashes. Fans got their monies worth as not only Hoffman and Hantz, but also Junior Hanley and Fred Campbell raced there way from the back of the field to the front after going to the back twice after being involved in yellow flag incidents.

The most spectacular crash of the evening came when veteran series racer Dave Jackson tried to go inside of Hanley going into turn number three. The two make contact, then the right front tire on Jackson’s car climbed over the left rear on Hanley’s sending Jackson over the top of the Hanley car, off the track into the grass off turn three, with the car doing a series of flips and end over end turns in what series officials said was the one of the most spectacular crashes in series history. When Jackson’s car finally came to rest, not a single body panel was left on the car, but all the safety equipment did it’s job, Jackson climbed from the car by himself and only complained of some soreness in his shoulders. It took two rollback trucks to remove the car and the twisted debris from the wreck.

Racing resumed with Hoffman charging to the front followed closely by Hantz. Hoffman caught Roahrig, but Roahrig would not give up the lead easily, the two battled for several laps before Hoffman took the lead for good on a great outside pass on lap 91 of the 100 lap event. The Wheaton, Illinois native would pull away for an unchallenged victory, but the battle continued for second and was not settled until Hantz made a great outside move around Roahrig coming out of turn four at the checkers to grab second place ahead of third place finishing Roahrig. Scott Baker finished fourth followed by Bud Adams in fifth, his best ever finish with the Sunoco Super Series.

Bobby Sibila Jr. was the Lane Automotive/ISKY Racing Cams Hardcharger Award Winner, gaining ten positions to finish eighth, his first top ten finish with the Sunoco Super Series. Sibila Jr. and Eddie Hoffman won Goodyear Performance Awards. Bruce Carlson, crew chief for race winner Eddie Hoffman, was the Gladiator GarageWorks Crew Chief Of The Race Award winner. Hoffman’s pass of Roahrig for the win earned him the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet Move Of The Race Award. Roahrig won the Freeburn Track Repair Halfway Leader Bonus.

Official Results

Scott Hantz set a new track record breaking the Eddie Hoffman record one by nearly .030 of a second.  Hoffman was not to be outdone and broke Hantz's record by .009 of a second with a time of 17.263 for an average speed of 104.269 mph.

Qualifying Results

Gold Cup 100 Lineup