Oshkosh, September 25/26- The Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway officially closed their 2015 campaign with their annual Fall Classic event. Both days action was run under perfect fall conditions with clear skies and temps in the 70’s. A field of 147 teams filled the pit area in the six competing divisions.
When the final checker dropped, there were five first time feature winners at the Zone crowned Fall Classic Champions and the final picked up his 5th win of the season. The top three drivers in each feature received trophies courtesy of the Kim Parson Memorial Trophy Tour to promote organ and tissue donation.
Feature fields were set after Friday nights events and the Grand National division was the first on track Saturday afternoon for the feature portion of the big program.
A multi car crash on the front stretch on the initial start took 4 cars out of the lineup. 2015 division champion, Kenny Richards beat pole sitter, Terry Van Roy to the lead on the start. Richards set a quick, but cautious pace and built a lead over the field for the first 14 laps before a stalled car brought out the first amber of the contest. This erased Richards huge lead and put brother, Jeff, Rich Garb, Van Roy, and Brian Vinney,Jr right behind. Two laps later, the final caution bunched the field again in the same order. Richards fended off Jeff over the final 3 laps to add the Fall Classic title to his 2015 track championship and run his feature total to 5 for the season. Van Roy took the third spot with Jeff Nowak, making only his second run on dirt, taking fourth place. Garb and Derek Schrauth rounded out the top 6.
Dylan Heilmann slipped into the lead of the IMCA Stock Car feature and set the pace for 2 laps before Brandon Czarapata eased by on lap 3. Czarapta slowly put distance on the field leaving the battle for the runner up spot. Heilamnn, Harley Simon, Trent Nolan, Kyle Frederick, 2015 track champion, Travis Van Straten and Justin Jacobsen were in a bunch for most of the race swapping positions back and forth. Czarapata enjoyed the afternoon drive as the race went flag to flag and he claimed his first ever feature win a the SpeedZone to collect his first Fall Classic title. Jacobsen and Van Straten were able to squeeze by Heilmann on the final lap to finish in the podium spots. Simon and Frederick rounded out the top six.
Third year driver, Alex Crapser, took the lead on the start of the Street Stock headliner ahead of Jesse Krahn, Shawn Haydon, Wayne Morgan, Jason Fairbank and Rob Maule. Maule quickly worked the outside line to pull alongside Crapser for the lead and was scored as the leader on laps 7 and 8. Crapser continued to run a smooth line and established the lead again. The pack stayed tight at the front and after lap 12, Crapser was able to open a slight lead as the rest fought for second place. By the time the non stop race took the checker, Crapser was several car lengths ahead and collected his first ever SpeedZone feature win and the second of his career. Haydon was able to secure the runner up spot ahead of Krahn in third. Maule took fourth with Jeff Richards and Jeff Jungwirth rounding out the top six spots.
Jason Vandenberg set the pace at the start of the IMCA Sport Mod main event and led to the first caution on lap 5. On the restart, Kenny Richards, guest driving the Adam Peschek machine, was able to pull into the top spot with Jason Ebert and Eric Arneson both moving up in line. Chris Budzban and Colten Van Hierden worked from mid pack to the lead bunch by mid race when a final caution bunched the field on lap 11. The final 8 lap run to the finish saw a heated battle at the front with Richards holding on to the lead to the finish to collect his first ever division feature win, and his second Fall Classic title for the day. Ebert held off Budzban to take the runner up finish. Van Hierden finished in a close fourth place with Kyle Raddant and Tom Schneider, making late race runs to round out the top six.
A fierce 5 car battle developed at the start of the Dirt Devil feature with Jacob Balk, Calvin Stueck, Kasey Gross, Ralph Liegeois, Jr, and Roger Braun going at it until a first caution on lap 9, kept the lead pack tight and the rest of the field right behind. Gross was able to slip into the top spot on the restart with Balk, Braun and Stueck now joined by Jay Orr and Joe Minks. The leaders were two and three wide for the lead several times until a final caution appeared on lap 17. Braun had taken the lead a couple laps prior to the caution and set the pace for the final 3 laps to win his first ever SpeedZone feature and his first Fall Classic Trophy. Orr battled Gross for the final laps and was able to take the runner up finish with Gross taking the final podium spot. Blak, Minks and 2015 track champion, Shaun Bangart rounded out the top six.
The final event was the 30 lap IMCA Modified headliner with a field of 24 cars taking the green flag. Brad Lautenbach grabbed the lead at the start with Steve Schneider settling into the runner up spot. Brandon Long, Marcus Yarie, Jerry Wilinski and Mike Joski filed in behind. Johnny Whitman made a run on the outside early but could not make it stick, and dropped back in line. The first caution appeared on lap 13 and Lautenbach continued to set the pace on the restart with Schneider and Yarie maintaining the next 2 spots. Jeremy Christians moved to the lead pack taking over 4th with Joski and Long behind. Chris Engels and Brian Drexler were also working traffic from the middle of the field. A series of cautions on laps 18 and 19 kept the field bunched, and when the green was finally out again, Lautenbach and Schneider were still in control of the top 2 spots.
Christians, Engels, Jay Matthias and Dan Roedl were now up front for the final 10 laps. Schneider became involved with Christians, Engels and Matthias which allowed Lautenbach to open a slight lead over the final laps that he carried to his first ever SpeedZone feature win. Schneider was able to hold off all challengers to take the runner up spot with Engels claiming the third place finish. Eddie Muenster came through to take the fourth lplce finish and Josh Long worked from the back, starting 21st to take fifth with Roedl rounding out the top six places.
The management and staff of the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway would like to THANK all of the drivers, fans, sponsors and any other contributors for the successful 2015 season. The 2016 campaign is already in the planning stages with the first race of the new year scheduled for April 29.
SUMMARY
IMCA MODIFIEDS
30 Lap Feature l. Brad Lautenbach, New Franken 2, Steve Schneider, Chilton 3, Chris Engels, Appleton 4. Eddie Muenster, Green Bay 5. Josh Long, Green Bay 6. Dan Roedl, Beaver Dam
20 Lap Semi l. Kevin Baldry, Omro 2. Mark Weisnicht, 3, Jerry Muenster, Green Bay 4. Kyle Lentz, Green Bay
10 Lap Consy First l. Jeremy Christians 2. Jay Matthias
Second l. Konnor Wilinski, Seymour 2. Roedl
Third l. Tyler Hackett 2. Josh Long
8 Lap Heats First l. Brandon Long
Second l. Johnny Whitman
Third l. Brian Drexler
Fourth l. Marcus Yarie
Round 2
First l. Brian Crapser
Second l. Mike Wedelstadt
Third l. Steve Schneider
Fourth l. Marcus Yarie
IMCA STOCK CARS
20 Lap Feature l. Brandon Czarapata, Kaukauna 2. Justin Jacobson, Green Bay 3. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville 4. Dylan Heilmann, Green Bay 5. Harley Simon, Seymour 6. Kyle Frederick, Oconto Falls
10 Lap Consy Brandon Gagnon, Oconto 2. John Mahlberg, Denmark 3. Chris Lowenhagen, Kaukauna 4. Tom Tiehl
8 Lap Heats First l. Frederick
Second l. Van Straten
Third l. Simon
IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lap Feature l. Kenny Richards, Motello 2. Jason Ebert 3. Chris Budzban, Luxemburg 4. Colten Van Hierden, Beaver Dam 5. Kyle Raddant, Shawano 6. Tom Schneider, Chilton
10 Lap Consy First l. Jordan Barkholtz 2. Tom Stark 3. Jake Solin 4. Brandon Schmitt
8 Lap Heats First l. Van Hierden
Second l. Schneider
Third l. Jeff Schmuhl
STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l. Alex Crapser, Milwaukee 2. Shawn Haydon, Greenville 3. Jesse Krahn, Beaver Dam 4. Rob Maule 5. Jeff Richards, Montello 6, Jeff Jungwirth, Oshkosh
10 Lap Consy l. Kevin Bogdanovic 2. Lexii Ashcraft, Oshkosh 3. Gary Kasperik, Tigerton 4. Patty Winkler, Larson
8 Lap Heats First l. Russ Davison, Beaver Dam
Second l. Brady Baldry, Omro
Third l. Crapser
GRAND NATIONAL
20 Lap Feature l. Kenny Richards, Montello 2, Jeff Richards, Montello 3. Terry Van Roy, Appleton 4. Jeff Nowak 5. Rich Garb, Oshkosh 6. Dereck Schrauth
10 Lap Consy l. Don Schumacher 2, Brian Vinney, Jr 3. Nick Schumacher 4. Alex Beattie
8 Lap Heats First . Jeff Richards
Second l. Terry Van Roy
DIRT DEVILS
20 Lap Feature l. Roger Braun, Kaukauna 2. Jay Orr, Milwaukee 3. Kasey Gross, Gleason 4. Jacob Balk 5. Joe Minks, Menasha 6. Shaun Bangart, Chilton
10 Lap Consy l. Carl King, Clintonville 2. Brad Wedde
Second l. Chris Maas 2. Bangart
8 Lap Heats First l. Braun
Second l. Ralph Liegeios, Jr
Third l. Gross