Mike
Melius won the 10th annual Wally Jors Classic at Hales Corner Speedway. Andrea
Jerstad, representing Wisconsin Fans for Auto Racing, makes the trophy
presentation. – Weber Brothers Photo
Franklin, Wis. (Jun 7, 1986) – Mike Melius of Adell scored his first win in the 10th annual Wally Jors Classic late model feature and his first main event win of the season Saturday night at Hales Corner Speedway.
The 50-laap classic is named for the late Wally Jors, who died of a heart attack after competing in an event, then named the Milwaukee Classic in 1976.
“I raced modifieds with Wally at Plymouth, so it was nice to win this race named in his memory,” Melius said from victory lane. “I’ve always run into bad luck in this event in past years.”
Front row starter Jack Aschenbrenner led the early laps of the race with Ted Dolhun in hot pursuit. Dolhun led briefly on lap 7 but Aschenbrenner came right back to pace lap 8.
Dolhun got the top spot back on lap 9 but Aschenbrenner never let up the pressure. Whitey Harris, the defending and two-time winner of the event, ran third.
Meanwhile, back in traffic, Melius, after starting 18th, was rapidly advancing to the front of the field. He took fourth on lap 18 and was there on lap 20 when a caution flag flew.
Dolhun chose to start on the outside of the front row and Aschenbrenner took the lead back on the restart. Melius took second from Dolhun on lap 23, only to lose it back to him on the next lap.
Using the outside, Dolhun surged back into the lead on lap 25, with Melius and Aschenbrenner close behind. On lap 31, Dolhun’s engine soured and Melius inherited the lead, which he never gave up.
“I could hear him (Dolhun) missing as I went by,” Melius said. “He would’ve been tough if it weren’t for that.”
LeRoy Schneiderman caught Dolhun for second on lap 48. Dolhun, Aschenbrenner and Harris followed at the completion of 50 laps.
Results –
1. Mike Melius, Adell
2. LeRoy Schneiderman, Woodstock, Ill.
3. Ted Dolhun, Menomonie Falls
4. Jack Aschenbrenner, Hales Corner
5. Whitey Harris, Lake Villa, Ill.
6. Frank Smith, Milwaukee
7. Geroge Scheffler, Pewaukee
8. Gregg Carlson, South Milwaukee
9. Larry Richards, Montello
10.Tom Hayburn, Milwaukee
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