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 Twenty-two
cars started the 250-lap RE/MAX season finale on the tight
.29167-mile oval of Rockford Speedway. Brian Hoppe started on the
pole, a position he secured back in April. Hoppe led the first 75 laps
before giving way to Eddie Hoffman. Hoffman looked to be on his way to
victory until lap 239, when Hoppe moved back into the lead with just
11 laps left. Hoppe took the checkered flag by .886 seconds over
Hoffman. Tenth starting Steve Carlson rounded out the top three, and
as a result, locked up his eighth RE/MAX Series championship. Carlson
ended the season just 19 points ahead of Brian Hoppe, who was the last
driver in the past five years to claim the series championship not
named Steve Carlson.
Brian Hoppe collected $5,550 for the win, his fifth of
the season and tops in the series. Eddie Hoffman pocketed $3,425 for
his runner-up finish, while Steve Carlson collected $2,625 for third.
Ron Breese, Jr. and Ryan Hanson rounded out the top five. For Hanson,
it was a his best finish of the year.
Steve Carlson claims the 2002 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge
Series title winning four events and finishing in the top ten in 13 of
the 14 races contested. Carlson ended the season with 2272
points followed by Brian Hoppe with 2253 points with Eddie
Hoffman (2138), Jon Lemke (2044), and Justin Diercks (1993) rounding
out the top five in the final series point standings.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. congratulates Steve Carlson
on his record-setting title and salutes Brian Hoppe and all the other
RE/MAX competitors for their efforts that made the 2002 season such a
memorable one.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. was proud to be the
exclusive tire provider for the NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series during
the 2002 season.
Special thanks go out again this year to Steve Benesh
for providing the awesome RE/MAX Series winner's circle photos for use
on hoosiertire.com this season.
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ROCKFORD,
IL (October 19) -- Brian Hoppe did all he could Saturday afternoon to
de-thrown defending NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series champion Steve
Carlson from winning a record-setting eighth series title. Hoppe won
the Insight Digital 250, but when Carlson finished in third place, it
was enough to propell the Wisconsin driver to his third consecutive
NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series championship and eighth overall in the
series. He now surpasses fellow Wisconsin driver Dick Trickle who has
seven championships in the RE/MAX Series. The event was originally to
have opened the RE/MAX season back in April, but rain forced its
postponement (twice) before being successfully completed as the
season-ender. Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. was proud to be the exclusive
tire supplier to the NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series during the
exciting 2002 season. 