Oshkosh, June 17- A beautiful summer evening, 132 cars entered and a smooth, fast track offered a great night of racing at the Oshkosdh SpeedZone Raceway Friday night. Winnebago Home Builders Association sponsored the fast paced program.
The Jim’s Auto Repair IMCA Stock Cars were first up with Cory Wegner setting the pace for the opening lap and David Hoerning taking over on lap 2. Point leader, Travis Van Straten, pulled outside on the start and quickly moved from 10 to first by lap 4. Jerry Winkler powered into the runner up spot by lap 5 with Travis Springstroh, Ryan Blank and Aaron Stolp following through. A series of mid race cautions kept things bunched, and Van Straten was still in command on the final restart. Winkler chased the defending champ the rest of the way but settled for second. Brandon Czarapata made a strong run from the rear of the field to capture third place. Stolp, Springstroh and Blank rounded out the top six. The win was the third of the season for Van Straten.
Joe Bongiorno set the pace from the beginning of the Nolte’s Auto Repair and Towing IMCA Sport Mod feature with Tim Sheppard, Grant Plonske, Jeff Schmuhl, Scott Besaw, Brock Saunders and Ryan Besaw right behind. The lead pack ran three and four wide while trying to work to the front. Schmuhl worked the outside to perfection and was able to take over the top spot on lap 9. Point leader, Tom Schneider joined the leaders at the same point until a caution on lap 12 slowed the pace. The pack at the front stayed grouped after the restart, with Schmuhl committed to the outside line. Schneider stuck to the inside and was able to ease into the top spot on lap 13. Schmuhl, Ryan Besaw, Scott Besaw and Dennis Schultz chased Schneider the rest of the distance as he won his third feature of the season. Bongiorno rounded out the top six.
Brian Crapser grabbed the lead in the Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modified main and immediately started to pull away from the pack behind. Starting in 14th place, Tim Lemirande caught everyones attention as he hooked up on the outside and stormed by the front half of the feature lineup and ended up in the lead on lap 5. Lemirande continued to build on his lead while the group tried to sort out behind. A lone caution appeared on lap 12, erasing Lemirandes advantage with Matt Klenz, Chad Bartel, Crapser,Mike Wedelstadt and Mike Mueller behind. On the restart, Bartel made a run on Lemirande and wrestled the top spot away and took off and claimed his first feature win of the season. The final laps saw a lot of action behind with point leader, Marcus Yarie taking the runner up spot on the final lap. Wedelstadt took third with Steve Schneider, completing a strong run from the rear of the lineup to capture 4th. Klenz and Lemirande rounded out the top six.
Chase Solomon took charge of the Gold Star Racing Products Grand National feature with Evan Beattie, Brian Henry, Tim Reichenberger and Rich Garb behind. Solomon ran at the front alone until the caution appeared on lap 6. This put Garb, Henry, Reichenberger and Brian Vinney right behind. It was Garb that moved up first into the runner up spot on lap 9. Garb moved outside and the leaders ran side by side until the final caution on lap 12. Solomon was still credited with the top spot for the restart but Garb again took the outside line and finally pulled into the lead. Solomon, Henry and Vinney were tight behind for the rest of the race with Garb able to outlast the pressure to collect his first career Grand Nation feature. His last feature win was in the Street Stock on Aug 7, 2012. Solomon completed a strong run in second with Henry taking third. With Vinney fourth. Jeff Richards and Reichenberger rounded out the top six.
Jeff Wicinsky tok the elad in the Outlaw Chassis Street Stock main on the second lap and opened a lead on the field. Jessi Krahn, Alex Crapser, Jeff Jungwirth and Frank Knaus were in a pack working traffic behind. Krahn and Crapser broke from the pack by lap 6. Crapser moved into the runner up spot and led the charge to close the gap on the leader. By lap 10, the duo had closed to the bumper of Wicinsky and two laps later, Crapser moved inside and took the elad. Krahn followed a lap later. A final caution appeared on lap 15 which bunched the field for the final 5 laps dash. Crapser had Krahn, Wicinsky, Frank Knaus, Steven Gawaresky, Dan Knaus and Jungwirth now right behind, but showed the way to the checker for his first feature win of the season. Frank Knaus took the runner up spot with Jungwirth able to secure third. Gawareky, Wicinsky were next with Steve Seehawer clipping Krahn for the top six finish.
Taylor Becher set the pace at the start of the Ellington Mutual Insurance Company Dirt Devil finale opening an early lead. Mitchell Fairbank and Wes Lungwitz ran together while chasing Becher over the first half of the race. Lungwitz moved from second into the lead on lap 11 and drove off to collect his first career feature win. Fairbank was able to secure second over Becher. Chris Maas, Kasey Gross and Seth Hickman rounded out the top six.
Next Friday night, the SpeedZone will host the second leg of the Cheesehead Triple Crown IMCA Special. The IMCA Modifieds will be hot off the 10,000 to win Clash at the Creek event at 141 Speedway on Thursday night. The Battle at the Zone will have a hefty $5,000 winners check. The series will conclude on Saturday night where the Fury at the Fairgrounds will have a matching 5,000 payday at the Shawano Speedway.
Racing Friday starts at 7 PM.
SUMMARY
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY COMPANY IMCA MODIFIEDS
20 Lap Feature l. Chad Bartel, Shiocton 2. Marcus Yarie, Wausau 3. Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont 4. Steve Schneider, Chilton 5. Matt Klenz, West Bend 6. Tim Lemirande, Verona
10 Lap Consy 1. Kevin Baldry 2. Mitch Stankowski 3. Dan Roedl 4. Andy Gross
8 Lap Heats First l. Brian Drexler 2. Mike Mueller
Second l. Brian Crapser 2. Trevor Spaulding
Third 1. Bartel 2. Matt Klenz
JIM’S AUTO REPAIR IMCA STOCK CARS
20 Lap Feature l. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville 2. Jerry Winkler, Oshkosh 3. Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski 4. Aaron Stolp 5. Travis Springstroh, Freedom 6. Ryan Blank, Greenville
8 Lap Heats First l. Chris Lowenhagen, Kaukauna 2. Van Straten
Second l. Winkler 2. Blank
NOLTE’S AUTO REPAIR AND TOWING IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lasp Feature l Tom Schneider, Chilton 2. Jeff Schmuhl, Beaver Dam 3. Ryan Besaw, Omro 4. Scott Besaw, Omro 5. Dennis Schultz, Oshkosh 6. Joe Bongiorno
8 Lap Heats First l. Bongiorno 2. Schmuhl
Second l. Brock Saunders, Greenville 2. Ryan Besaw
OUTLAW CHASSIS STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature 1. Alex Crapser, Waukesha 2. Frank Knaus 3. Jeff Jungwirth, Oshkosh 4. Jeff Wicinsky, Winneconne 5. Steven Gawaesky, Oshkosh 6. Steve Seehawer
8 Lap Heats First l. Adan Crapser, Waukesha 2. Gawaresky
Second l. Wicinsky 2. Dan Knaus
Third l. Jungwirth 2. Alex Crapser
GOLD STAR RACING SUPPLIES GRAND NATIONAL
20 Lap Feature 1. Rich Garb 2. Chase Solomon 3. Brian Henry 4. Brian Vinney, Jr 5. Jeff Richards 6. Tim Reichenberger
8 Lap Heats First l. Jeff Richards 2. Henry
Second Larry Richards 2. Derek Schrauth
Third l. Solomon 2. Vinney
ELLINGTON MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY DIRT DEVILS
2 Lap Feature l. Wes Lungwitz, Oshkosh 2. Mitchell Fairbank 3. Taylor Becher 4. Chris Maas 5. Kasey Gross 6. Seth Hickman
5 Lap Heats Firsdt l. Lungwitz 2. Maas
Second l. Becher 2. Gross