Oshkosh, August 19 – A steady all morning rain combined with a very hot, humid, still night, and a hard working track crew, provided a very racey 1/3 mile oval for racing to resume Friday night at the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway, following 2 weeks off.
A field of 118 cars checked in for the activities that produced 2 repeat and 4 first time feature winners this season.
The Nolte’s Auto Repair and Towing IMCA Sport Mods were up first with 24 cars taking the green flag. Brekken Kleinschmidt took the early lead with the cars from mid pack quickly moving forward and bunching up behind. Point leader, Tom Schneider, made the move to the lead after a lone caution on lap 5, and opened a lead as the field sorted out behind for the next couple laps. On lap 9, Jeff Steenbergen and Wyatt Block broke into the top three and set out after Schneider. Kleinschmidt, Jeff Schmuhl, Colten Van Hierden and Scott Besaw were bunched behind. By lap 12, Schneider was joined at the front and the leaders were running through lapped traffic. Steenbergen was able to slip between cars and took the lead on lap 16 and was chased over the final 4 laps to claim his first SpeedZone feature win of the season. Schneider took runner up hnors with Schmuhl, Van Hierden, Block and Ryan Besaw rounding out the top six.
Nick Goemann led the opening circuit of the Gold Star Racing Product Grand National main with Tim Reichenberger taking over on lap 2. Tim Doehling, Larry Richards, Chase Solomon, Brian Gilles and Jeff Richards ran behind when the lone caution of the race flew on lap 6 for a 2 car crash in turn 1 & 2. Reichenberger continued to set the pace with Larry Richards moving to the outside to challenge. As the mid point passed, Richards pulled off the pass for the lead and set out to hide from the pack behind. Jeff Richards, Doehlng, Gilles and Brian Vinney Jr were right behind Reichenberger. Jeff Richards moved into the runner up spot on lap 14 and set out after dad, Larry, and quickly moved behind. It was a Richards show to the finish with several laps running side by side for the lead. Jeff finally inched ahead with 3 laps left and drove on to claim his second straight and third feature wins of the season. Doehling made the podium finish in third with Gilles, Vinney and Reichenberger rounding out the top six.
The Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modifieds also put a full 24 car field on the grid. Kevin Feck grabbed the top spot on the start and led through several cautions over the first 8 laps. After the lap 8 restart, Feck was till in command with Steve Schneider taking over second from Tim Robbins. Point leader, Marcus Yarie moved from mid pack into fourth. Mike Wedelstadt and Ed Lemay were right behind. Feck set a furious pace and held a couple length lead through the mid point of the race on Schneider. The cars behind were running in a tight pack. Feck was still holding the lead margin when a red flag for a rollover appeared on lap 16. The driver was OK and this bunched the entire field for the final 4 lap dash.
Feck was able to with stand the pressure from Schneider and Yarie and drove to collect his first career feature victory. Kenny Richards made an impressable first time showing in the top division, coming in to finish 4th. Chad Bartel made another strong run from the back of the field to take fifth and Robbins was able to round out the top six spots.
The Outlaw Chassis Street Stock feature was a fast and furious event from start to finish.
Adam Crapser started outside pole and settled right into a groove running mid track. Jeff Wicinsky took up second and was running the inside of the track and Alex Crapser pulled right up behind in third. The trio opened a lead on the field over the first half of the race with Adam running his line to perfection. Jesse Krahn, point leader, Steve Gawaresky, Frank Knaus and Jeff Jungwirth were in a battle of their own a bit behind the leaders.
After half way, the pressure was on up front as Wicinsky was starting to pressure the leader hard on the inside, and they were catching the slower cars at the rear of the pack. The second group of cars were also starting to close in on the lead pack. On lap 15, Wicinsky was getting to the inside of the leader, when lapped cars got in the mix. On the following lap, out of turn 4, Adam had his momentum altered when he ran up behind a lapped car which allowed Wicinsky to get his best run at the lead, only to have a spin bring out the first caution of the race and put Crapser back at the point. Another caution on the restart kept the leaders the same, although Wicinsky was looking to move to the point as soon as he could. On the final restart on lap18, Wicinsky was able to move to the point, but on the next lap, in turn one, Adam again pulled even on the outside and brother, Alex, pulled even on the inside, making a three wide run out of the turn for the lead. Wicinsky was able to outrun the pair into turn three and collect the white flag. Over the final lap, Adam kept the pressure on the outside but Wicinsky was up to the final run and took his first feature win of the season with Adam Crapser finishing the strong run taking second. Alex Crapser took third with Krahn, Knaus and Jungwirth rounding out the top six.
The Jim’s Auto Repair IMCA Stock Cars were up to do battle with Corey Wegner leading the opening circuit before Kevin Hebbe moved to the point for 2 laps. Aaron Stolp hooked up on the outside from mid pack and took over the lead on lap 5. David Hoerning pulled into the runner up spot on the next lap with point leader, Travis Van Straten, making his way to the front from mid pack, using the inside line along with Jerry Winkler. Stolp and Hoerning swapped the lead for a couple laps with Stolp again settling into the top spot on lap 9 with Van Straten taking over second. One lap later, Van Straten secured the top spot and 2 laps later, Winkler passed Stolp to take the runner up spot and pull up on the leader.
For the final 7 laps, Winkler tried several times to pull alongside, but could not pull it off. Van Straten was up to challenge and drove off to secure his 7th feature win of the season. Winkler took second with Stolp ending up in third. Hebbe completed his strongest runoff the summer, putting his car into the top 4. Jerry Kope ran with the leaders over the final half of the race and took fifth with Wegner rounding out the top six.
Jordan Klemmer settled into the lead at the start of the Ellington Mutual Insurance Dirt Devil night cap. By lap 5, Chris Maas, Kasey Gross and Cody Pankow were grouped behind. Maas worked on the leader and finally pulled into the lead on lap 11. Pankow pulled off the pass on Gross and for four laps, the leaders ran side by side for the top spot with Pankow finally taking over the lead with 5 laps left. Taylor Becher was making a late race run the leaders, but had his race cut short when his car erupted in flames on lap l8, bringing out the red flag, the only slow down of the race. He was OK but car was toasted pretty well. Pankow restarted and drove off to collect his first feature win of the year here while the battle for second came down to the finish line with Gross taking the advantage over Maas. Wes Langwitz, Klemmer and Seth Hickman rounded out the top six.
Next Friday night, the SpeedZone will play host to the 8th Annual George Scheffler Memorial race which will feature the Corn Belt Clash Late Models. The big night will also feature the final round of the IMCA Modified King of the Ring series. The Grand Nationals will also be part of the program. Racing will start at 7 PM.
SUMMARY
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY COMPANY IMCA MODIFIEDS
20 Lap Feature l. Kevin Feck 2. Steve Schneider 3. Marcus Yarie 4. Kenny Richards 5. Chad Bartel 6. Tim Robbins
8 Lap Heats First l. Brian Crapser 2. Matt Klenz
Second l. Yarie 2. Mike Klenz
Third l. Feck 2. Robbins
JIM’S AUTO REPAIR IMCA STOCK CARS
20 Lap Feature l. Travis Van Straten 2. Jewrry Winkler 3. Aaron Stolp 4. Kevin Hebbe 5. Jerry Kope 6Cory Wegner
8 Lap Heats First l. Stolp 2. Van Straten
Second l. Winkler 2. David Hoerning
NOLTE’S AUTO REPAIR AND TOWING IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lap Feature l. Jeff Steenbergen 2. Tom Schneider 3. Jeff Schmuhl 4. Colten Van Hierden 56. Wyatt Block 6. Ryan Besaw
8 Lap Heats First l. Scott Besaw 2. Schneider
Second l. Brock Saunders 2. Schmuhl
Third l. Steenbergen 2. Dennis Schultz
OUTLAW CHASSIS STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l. Jeff Wicinsky 2. Adam Crapser 3. Alex Crapser 4. Jesse Krahn 5. Frank Knaus 6. Jeff Jungwirth
8 Lap Heats First l. Franks Knaus 2. Jungwirth
Second l. Adam Crapser 2. Alex Crapser
Third l. Wicinsky 2. Krahn
GOLD STAR RACINF PRODUCTS GRAND NATIONALS
20 Lap Feature l Jeff Richards 2. Larry Richards 3. Tim Doehling 4. Brian Gilles 5. Brian Vinney, Jr 6. Tim Reichenberger
8 Lap Heats First l. Larry Richards 2. Doehling
Second 1. Jeff Richards 2. Vinney, Jr
ELLINGTON MUTUALK INSURANCE DIRT DEVILS
20 Lap Feature 1. Cody Pankow 2. Kasey Gross 3, Chris Maas 4. Wes Lungwitz 5. Jordan Klemmer 6. Seth Hickman
8 Lap Heats First l. Maas 2. Klemmer
Second Gross 2. Pankow