I-500 racing partners accused of fighting over a woman

Two drivers who finished sixth and eleventh in this week's I-500 time trials were arrested today after a couple of early-morning altercations in the Michigan Soo over a woman.

Sixth-rated Paul Vanderploeg, 39, of Morley, Michigan and eleventh-fastest William Wilkes, 37, of Wasilla, Alaska were taken to the Chippewa County Jail around 5 a.m. this morning.

The two are racing partners, both driving Yamahas with the Eichenberg Racing team, but they found themselves in a disagreement over Vanderploeg's girlfriend, Monique McKiness.

Police were first called to Room 207 of the Days Inn around 4 a.m. today, where they found Wilkes and Vanderploeg nursing cuts and scrapes from a fight.

Hugged, told police they were going to bed

The two are believed to have been drinking.

They told police that they were actually very good friends.

They shook hands, hugged, and agreed to call it a night and go to bed.

Ms. McKiness then repaired to Room 117, and police warned the I-500 drivers that if they were called back, both men would be going to jail on disorderly charges.

However, the truce was short-lived.

Screaming and shouting

At 4:55 a.m., police were advised that there was screaming and shouting coming from Room 207.

When officers returned to the scene, they found Vanderploeg in the hallway, breathing heavily.

When asked what was going on, Vanderploeg allegedly told police he and Wilkes had started arguing again.

Wilkes was found sitting on the bed in Room 207 and both men were handcuffed and arrested for disturbing the peace.

Third driver jailed

Meanwhile, another I-500 driver also spent the night in the Chippewa County jail.

Michael Trombley, 45, a former Michigan Sooite now living in Alanson in trhe Petosky area, had his licence suspended after he was stopped at 1:45 a.m. and charged with operating under influence of alcohol and driving while suspended, the Soo Evening News reports.

The image accompanying this article shows the Ontario Sault's George Wilson, who posted the fourth-fastest time during this week's time trials. The I-500 gets underway this Saturday with a parade lap at 9 a.m. and the green flag dropping at 10 a.m.

Here's the line-up for Saturday's big race after last night's time trails, showing positions and times:

******************** I-500 Time Trials Top 50

1 93.25 Sled #42 GRANT VERMEERSCH UNIONVILLE MI

2 93.19 Sled #11 JOHN BOSEK GARFIELD MN

3 91.68 Sled #19 WILLIAM LONG FARWELL MI

4 91.20 Sled #77 GEORGE WILSON SAULT STE MARIE ON

5 90.56 Sled #02 JOEL DIAMOND LAPEER MI

6 89.20 Sled #85B PAUL VANDERPLOUG MORLEY MI

7 89.19 Sled #21A TROY DEWALD AUBRES MI

8 89.15 Sled #19A JOE BURCH ROSEBUSH MI

9 89.12 Sled #46 ROBERT WALKER HEMLOCK MI

10 88.92 Sled #77A SHAWN RITCHIE SAULT STE MARIE ONT

11 88.90 Sled #85 BILL WILKES WASILLA AK

12 88.70 Sled #67 JOHN HOOS OSSINEKE MI

13 88.65 Sled #85A JAMIE VINCENT JORDAN MI

14 88.38 Sled #60 TODD KRIKKE HUDSONVILLE MI

15 88.27 Sled #67C CORY FURKEY SAULT STE MARIE ONT

16 88.17 Sled #20 TYLER NICKELS KALKASKA MI

17 88.11 Sled #02A ADAM MEIHLS STERLING MI

18 87.75 Sled #16 GABE BUNKE MOORHEAD MN

19 87.68 Sled #10 DOUG KAMMERAAD SHELBYVILLE MI

20 87.60 Sled #67A CHRIS FURKEY SAULT STE MARIE ONT

21 87.14 Sled #8 JIM KIRTS FLINT MI

22 87.12 Sled #9 ANTHONY MAYER RUDYARD MI

23 87.10 Sled #16A JOSH DAVIS BAGLEY MN

24 87.03 Sled #63 JUSTIN WINTER ELK RIVER MN

25 86.92 Sled #60A CHAD GUECO WASILLA AK

26 86.57 Sled #66 JEFF KIPFMILLER MIDLAND MI

27 86.12 Sled #3 COREY DAVIDSON HOLT MN

28 85.60 Sled #18A BILLY SKEA TRAVERSE CITY MI

29 85.34 Sled #7A JERAMIE PIIPPO RUDYARD MI

30 85.32 Sled #02B CRAIG HOUSE BRANT LAKE NY

31 85.15 Sled #31A BRENT VERMEERSCH UNIONVILLE MI

32 85.10 Sled #67B MATT HOOS SPRUCE MI

33 85.06 Sled #7 JOHN LYNCH MORRIS MI

34 85.02 Sled #14B MIKE GENTZ MARQUETTE MI

35 84.95 Sled #18 ANTERO TARVUDD ECHO BAY ONT

36 84.84 Sled #31 DAVE NELSON BLANCHARD MI

37 84.36 Sled #14 BRADY DRYDAHL SHEVUN MN

38 84.34 Sled #1 KRAIG KARALASH SAULT STE MARIE MI

39 84.32 Sled #63A THIEF RIVER FALLS MN

40 84.05 Sled #17A DAN ROGERS MUIR MI

41 83.46 Sled #1A TERRY WRIGHT SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT

42 83.40 Sled #20B GAGETOWN MI

43 83.16 Sled #14A DAN FENHAUS WAUSAU WI

44 82.56 Sled #29 CHRIS RYAN CARSON CITY MI

45 82.56 Sled #29A ISAAC WOLFGANG MIDLAND MI

46 82.08 Sled #27A ROBERT MITCHELL CARSON CITY MI

47 82.04 Sled #135 JASON KOMARNIZKI SAULT STE MARIE MI

48 81.76 Sled #26B MICHAEL HAYNES MT PLEASANT MI

49 81.42 Sled #8A MIKE BABCOCK RUDYARD MI

50 81.41 Sled #21 JEFF LEUENBERGER FREELAND MI

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