Oshkosh, June 30- A beautiful night and smooth fast track gave the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway the perfect way to open up a major holiday weekend in Northeastern Wisconsin. A fast paced racing program produced three first time winners this season, and three multi winners, topped by a great Fireworks display Friday night.
Justin Jacobsen took control of the Outlaw Chassis IMCA Stock Car feature from the green and set the pace through the lone caution on lap 9. Just before the restart, Jacobsen suddenly pulled off the track, turning the lead over to 2 time defending champion, Travis Van Straten. Jeremy Christians, Brandon Czarapata, Cory Wegner, Karley Stadler and Kevin Hebbe were lined up behind. The top three opened a lead on the restart and for the rest of the race ran together at the front with Van Straten able to hold off the heavy pressure to claim his first feature win of the season. Christians was scored as the runner up with Jeff Schmuhl working into third. Czarapata was holding fourth until the final turn on the final lap when his car coasted across the line in 7th. His mis fortune gae Wegner the fourth place finish with Jerry Winkler coming from the back of the field after an opening lap mishap, to finish fifth. Hebbe rounded out the top six.
Bernie Miller led the opening circuit of the Don Herman Auto Repair IMCA Sport Mod main before Briana Ambroziak took control for the next six laps. Kevin Bethke then took lap stint as the leader before Jeff Steenbergen moved to the point on lap 8. Over the next 5 laps, a series of cautions kept the field bunched. When the pace picked up again, Steenbergen again took the lead with Tim Warner, Colten Van Hierden and Lucas Lamberies grouped tight behind. The lead was heavily contested with a caution after the white flag, ending the battle with Steeenbergen claiming his first feature win of the season. Warner was the runner up with Van Hierden taking third followed by Lamberies. Tom Schneider started the race dead last and came through to finish fifth with Bethke rounding out the top six.
Mike Klenz burst from the second row to pace the first three laps of the Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modified main event. Rob Kroll was hooked on the outside and was scored as the leader for 2 laps before Kenny Richards used the inside line to moved into the top spot on lap 5. Once in the lead, Richards eased into a steady pace to open a lead on the field. By the mid point, the leaders had strung out a bit with plenty of swapping behind as cars tried to make their way to the front. T.J. Smith, Steve Schneider and Brian Drexler fought their way forward with Smith and Schneider breaking into the top six on lap 15. Over the final laps, Smith gained on the 2nd and 3rd duo of Klenz and Krull and took the runner up spot on lap 18. As the field was entering the final corner, a spin caused the caution to end the race with Richards well ahead to claim his first career division feature win. Smith ended the run in second with Krull, and Mike Klenz in the top four. Matt Klenze finished fifth with Drexler claiming the sixth place finish.
Tim Reichenberger led the opening 2 laps as the Gold Star Racing Products Grand National main before Larry Richards powered into the lead and opened a lead.
Reichenberger was running the very outside line with Jesse Cullen, Rich Garb and Tim Simon giving chase on the inside. Several cautions over the final ½ of the race bunched the field, with Larry Richards able to hold the lead after each restart, The competition for the next few spots was tight. Jeff Richards moved into the runner up spot on lap 15 and pressured dad to the finish. Larry claimed his third feature win of the season with Jeff taking second. Simon won the battle for third with Reichenberger settling for fourth Brian Vinney, Jr and Cullen rounded out the top six.
The Nolte’s Auto Repair and Towing Street Stock feature was headed by Lexii Ashcraft for the opening four laps with Jeff Jungwirth, Jeff Richards, Brady Baldry, Chase Solomon and Frank Knaus behind. Jungwirth used the inside line out of turn 2 to take charge on lap 5 with Baldry and Richards moving up by lap 10. Richards was running the far outside line and slowly pulled alongside Jungwith and finally took the lead on lap 15. Jeff Wicinsky was now in third and closing on the leaders. Jungwirth was now charging alongside the leader on the inside with Wicinsky outside, looking for an opening between the pair in front. For the final four laps, the trio was three wide running for the lead. As the white flew, Wicinsky was scored as the leader over Jungwirth as they approached lapped traffic. Richards was still in the mix in third. Through the final turn the pair was side by side and the lapped traffic was outside in front of Wicinsky. At the line, Wicinsky took the checkered for his third feature win of the season, just ahead of Jungwirth with Richards flashing by in third. Ashcraft completed her best run of the season in fourth with Knaus and Baldry rounding out the top six.
Cody Booth took the lead at the start of the Lynn’s Service Center IMCA Sport Compact Dirt Devil feature and pulled away from the field early. Cody Pankow moved into the runner up spot on lap 8 and started to close in on the leader. Pankow caught up to Booth on lap 14 and on the next lap took charge and drove off for his second straight division feature win. Chris Maas worked into the runner up spot with 2 laps left but could not catch Pankow to mount a challenge. Seth Hickman was third with Mitchel Lee Fairbank, Jordan Klemmer and Cole Thomas rounding out the top six.
There will be no racing at the SpeedZone next Friday night because of the Lifefest event on the fairgrounds. Racing will return on Thursday night, July 13, with first ever appearance of the USMTS Modified touring show along with the IMCA Stock Cars and Cowbell Street Stock Tour event. The Friday night schedule returns on July 21,
SUMMARY
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY COMPANY IMCA MODIFIEDS
20 Lap Feature l. Kenny Richards 2. T.J. Smith 3. Rob Krull 4. Mike Klenz 5. Matt Klenz 6. Brian Drexler
8 Lap Heats First l. Mike Klenz 2. John Schultz
Second 1. Richards 2. Matt Klenz
OUTLAW CHASSIS IMCA STOCK CARS
20 Lap Feature l. Travis Van Straten 2. Jeremy Christians 3. Jeff Schmuhl 4. Cory Wegner 5. Jerry Winkler 6. Kevin Hebbe
8 Lap Heats First l. Aaron Stolp 2. Justin Jacobsen
Second l. Christians 2. Winkler
DON HERMAN AUTO REPAIR IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lap Feature l. Jeff Steenbergen 2. Tim Warner 3. Colten Van Hierden 4. Lucas Lamberies 5. Tom Schneider 6. Kevin Bethke
8 Lap Heats First l. Jeff Schmuhl 2. Bernie Miller
Second l. Wayne Morgan 2. Tim Warner
Third l. Steenbergen 2, Briana Ambroziak
NOLTE’S AUTO REAPIR AND TOWING STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l Jeff Wicinsky 2, Jeff Jungwirth 3. Jeff Richards 4. Lexii Ashcraft 5. Frank Knaus 6. Brad Baldry
8 Lap Heats First l. Brandon Ross 2. Baldry
Second l. Wicinsky 2. Chase Solomon
Third l. Jungwirth 2. Knaus
GOLD STAR RACING PRODUCTS GRAND NATIONALS
20 Lap Feature 1. Larry Richards 2. Jeff Richards 3. Tim Simon 4. Tim Reichenberger 5. Brian Vinney, Jr 6. Fesse Cullen
8 Lap Heats First l. Larry Richards 2. Reichenberger
Second l. Vinney, Jr 2. Jeff Richards
LYNN’S SERVICE CENTER IMCA SPORT COMPACT DIRT DEVILS
20 Lap Feature l. Cody Pankow 2. Chris Maas 3. Seth Hickman 4. Mitchel Lee Fairbank 5.Jordan Klemmer 6. Cole Thomas