Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 8

PAGE AS Vict ASBURY PARK PRESS SUNDAY, MARCH 31,2002 ims guardian fli ff3 BET ET1 iWH IV w' MICHAEL J. TREOLAStafT Photographer Welder Linus Johnson (above left), of Freehold, works on a roll cage before racing began yesterday at Wall Township Speedway. The pit area (above right) was paved as part of ongoing renovations initiated by the speedway's new owners. By RODNEY POINT-DU-JOUR STAKF WRITER MIDDLETOWN Four years ago, after Christine Yoos was savagely beaten and robbed, her. sister gave her a guardian angel to ensure the protection of her home.

But Friday morning, Yoos, 79, of Acker Drive, discovered the lawn ornament that was intented to protect her from evil was stolen from her property on the fourth anniversary of one of the most horrific events of her life. Middletown police are now hoping that the thief who stole the angel, which is described as a pink plaster statue approximately 2 feet tall, will return the keepsake to authorities, tive Gerald Weimer said. Weimer, who investigated the case and now considers himself Yoos' friend, said the burglary came at a difficult time of year. "It happened close to the same hour and on the same day she was robbed four years ago," Weimer said. "She is terribly upset, and it couldn't have happened at a worse time." At approximately 6 a.m.

on March 29, 1998, Yoos was awakened by Richard McDonald now 32, in the bedroom of her New Monmouth home. After she asked McDonald and Rose Ramey, now 39, what they wanted, she was tied down with a telephone cord, had a blanket thrown over her head and was beaten and kicked. Yoos suffered multiple injuries, including bruises and cuts after jewelry was ripped from her fingers, wrists and ear lobes. While Yoos lay still on the floor pretending she was dead McDonald and Ramey then ransacked the home to steal jewelry, $1,000 cash, a videocassette recorder and two cameras. The money and goods were used to buy heroin.

McDonald and Ramey were convicted two years ago and are now serving 24- and 20-year prison sentences. The latest theft of her property has affected Yoos' sense of security as well. "It was given to me to protect my house, and now it's not here," she said. "It was very special to me. It was almost as if they took it away to show me 1 had no protection.

Now, I really don't have any protection." Weimer said he hopes the burglar who stole the lawn ornament "would have enough heart to return the angel statue." Anyone with information regarding the theft can call Middletown police at (732) 615-2100. Speedway From Page Al to stay." i The new owners said yesterday that they expect to display plans Saturday for the redesign of the track to a half-mile hopeful to attract such weekly NASCAR touring divisions as Busch North and Featherlite series. A three-to-five-year master plan is expected to include corporate boxes, new concession stands, permanent parking lot lights and a children's entertainment center, Shinn said. "That's just for starters," Shinn said. "There's more to come, possibly more bleachers, especially in the pit area.

This favorite modified driver, Jimmy Blewett. Yesterday morning, Shinn personally delivered the furniture the new owners purchased from Trish Argent at Opdyke Furniture Point Pleasant Beach, for the speedway's first media platform. "He was on a 'mission' this morning," said his wife. Only Nancy Reitano, who has been the track handicapper for the last 18 years, didn't appreciate the new structure and furniture: "It blocks my view of the racing," she lamented from her perch in the pit office. Yesterday also marked the debut of pit steward Terry Branson, 41, Bordentown, who replaced Tom O'Rorke, who held the position for over 30 years.

O'Rorke was at the track yesterday displaying a Bandolero car, which has been approved by the State Police Racing Unit for 13- to 17-year-olds to race at Wall Township Speedway. David Reinhardt, 15, Ocean Township, gave the fans a demonstration of the Bandolero. "They said I had it up to 71 (mph)," Reinhardt said. The Bandolero program bridges the long-existing gap between quarter midget racing, for youngsters ages 5 to 16, and Wall Township Speedway, where you must be 18 to race in either a modified, pro stock, street stock, truck, Legend or three-quarter midget. Shinn, speaking on behalf of his longtime friends Sanzari, Creamer and Mauser said, "We're very proud, very appreciative of the opportunity the Nicol family has afforded us." is all down the road, of course." To get open in time for racing this season, the new owners paved the pit area, paved a 50-foot inner safety ring on the track, improved concessions and restrooms, remodeled the track office, installed a 100-foot flagpole and new fencing, landscaped the front entrance, installed temporary parking lot lighting and improved the sound system.

One thing the new owners didn't have in place yesterday, "the most important thing at Wall Stadium," Nicol teased Mauser, the operations manager, "and you don't have it." "What's that?" asked Mauser. "A ticket booth," Nicol said. Nasty weather the past two weeks forced the construction crews to re-evaluate their work list, and the concession stands and ticket booth were being worked on yesterday as sundrenched fans enjoyed feature races involving modifieds, pro stocks, street stocks, tmcks and Legends. Shinn said the renovations planned for this season, costing "hundreds of thousands of dollars" over and above the reported $4.6 million sale price, were 85 percent complete as of yesterday. Wall Stadium has been a Jersey Shore landmark that has sent several competitors on to NASCAR Winston Cup, the premier national racing circuit.

The most prominent is former track champion Ray Evernham, who was Jeff Gordon's crew chief before forming his own Dodge racing teams last year. "This is excellent, excellent," said veteran driver Tim Aire, Toms River, who finished sixth in the 30-lap modified feature won by Frank Polimedia of Fort Lee. Polimedia earned $1,500 for the victory, his first since leaving a three-quarter midget. "They are doing a nice job," Aire said. "They did what they had to do to get going." The entire pit area is paved for the first time, a vast improvement, drivers said.

"It's amazing that they were able to do this much in such a short time," said street-stock driver Bernie Bailey, Sayre-ville. "Remember, they are not done yet," said John Blewett who ran his first Wall Stadium race in 1971 and now builds motors from his Flow Tech Racing Engines shop in Howell. "It will be nice when they are done with it," said Blewett, also amazed at what the new owners were able to accomplish in such a short time. "With the weather and everything, it's surprising what they got done." "I was really upset when I heard (the former owners) were going to sell it," said Carol Bennett, Neptune City, but she was pleased to see the renovations. "It's different," said Bennett, who has been attending races at the track for the past three years with her husband, Richard All in all, most everything ran pretty smoothly.

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