Bartoszak's run at the money and record was the tricky crosswind that has become synonymous with the race and proven a virtual unbeatable foe.

"I think without the wind, maybe I might have done better and come closer to the record,'' speculated Bartoszak, and for the early movements of the race it appeared not even Mother Nature would deny him.

The reed-thin runner set out as if shot from a cannon. Such was his pace that he was running even with `race rabbit' Steve Burgess by the quarter-mile mark.

His split at that point was 59 seconds.

MICHAEL BARTOSZAK -- Romped to a comfortable victory in four minutes, 5.1 seconds, exciting the Front Street crowd.