Oshkosh, August 25- A perfect night for one of the biggest races of the season at the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway, greeted fans and drivers to the 9th annual Corn Belt Clash/ George Scheffler Memorial Late Model series event Friday night.. A field of 35 late Models were on hand for the 50 lap main event, along with a stellar group of 33 IMCA Modifieds to complete their King of the Ring series for 2017. The largest field of Grand Nationals of several seasons, 27 cars and 20 Street Stocks rounded out the field.
Jordan Ross set the opening lap pace in the Nolte’s Auto Repair and Towing Street Stock feature with Chase Solomon taking over on lap 2 and opened a lead on the field before a caution on lap 5 bunched the pack. Adam Crapser pulled into the runner up spot after the restart and ran the outside line to challenge for the lead. By the mid point, Solomon had again opened a lead with Adam Crapser still holding second with brother, Alex, now in third, Jeff Wicinsky, Jordan Ross and Brandon Ross behind.
Over the next three laps, the Crapser duo pressured Solomon for the top spot. Out of turn 2 on lap 14, Solomon parked his car in the infield which left the brothers to fight it out for the win. They ran side by side for a couple laps before Alex was able to secure the lead and drove off to his first feature win of the season. A final lap caution ended the contest one lap early but Adam Crapser took the runner up finish with Brandon Ross working his way into the third spot. Brady Baldry also used the final few laps to secure fourth. Wicinsky and Jeff Jungwirth rounded out the top six finishers.
With a strong field of Gold Star Racing Products Grand Nationals on had a full field of 20 cars took the green with Jonathon Otte settling the pace for the opening lap before the lone caution of the race appeared on lap 2. One the restart, Brian Vinney, Jr powered into the lead and started to pull away from the pack. By the mid point, Vinney was holding a slight lead over Kenny Richards, Roger Lee, Jeff Richards and Tim Reichenberger. Kenny Richards worked to the inside of Vinney, Jr and after a couple laps of side by side racing, moved ahead to the top spot on lap 12. Once in the lead, Richards pulled away from the field to collect his first division feature of the season. Vinney, Jr took the runner up finish with Lee holding off Jeff Richards for third place. Reichenberger and Rich Garb filled in the top six spots.
The Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modifieds lined up for their KIng of the Ring 30 lap series finale and Dan Roedl set the pace for the opening lap before series point leader, Marcus Yarie, pulled alongside to take the lead on lap 2, and stated to put distance on the field. Johnny Whitman moved into the runner up spot on lap 5 and set out to close in on the leader. Lapped traffic held Whitman close the gap and by lap 10 was only a couple lengths behind Yarie. Roedl, Benji LaCrosse, Brian and Mike Mullen were right behind. Just after halfway a pair od cautions regrouped the field on laps 16 and 17. This left Yarie an open track after the restart, and he again pulled to a lead. LaCrosse was using the outside line and took the runner up spot away from Whitman with Brian Mullen moving into fourth with Mike Mashl coming from deep in the field to fifth with Roedl and Justin Ritchie in the top six. Yarie was able to hold his lead over the final laps to collect not only his 4th feature win of the season but also secure the King of the Ring overall title. Whitman chased Yarie to the finish with Ritchie working his way up the take the third place finish. Mashl completed the strong run taking fourth with LaCrosse and Roedl rounding out the top six.
Scott James grabbed the lead at the start of the Corn Belt Clash/ George Scheffler Memorial Late Model 50 lap headliner at the start with Billy Drake, Paul Parker, and Chris Simpson dropping in right behind. James took off to open an early lear, but once the leaders caught the pack to start lapping cars, the next three were able to close the gap on the leader. Once James broke free of the lapped cars, he was again able to pull away. The lst caution appeared on lap 37 for a spin and another a couple laps later kept the field bunched. But each time, James was able to open a lead and drove off to collect the Scheffler Memorial trophy and the $9,000 first place prize. Drake, Parker and Simpson rand the top 4 the entire race the Chad Simpson and Jimmy Mars completing the top six at the finish.
The SpeedZone will complete their regular season next Friday night with Championship night in all six divisions. Racing starts at 7 PM every Friday night.
The season will end with the Fall Classic on September 22 and 23, with practice on the Friday night and all of the racing actionon Saturday.
SUMMARY
CORN BELT CLASH/ GOERGE SCHEFFLER MEMORIAL LASTE MODELS
50 Lap Feature l. Scott James 2. Billy Drake 3, Paul Parker 4. Chris Simpson 5, Chad Simpson 6, Jimmy Mars 7. Mitch McGrath 8. Taylor Scheffler 9. Justin Hirt 10. Nick Anvelink
12 Lap Consy First l. A.J Diemel
Second l. Jim Schmidt
10 Lap Heats First l. Parker
Second l. James
Third l. Drake
Fourth l. Mike Mullen
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY COMPANY IMCA MODIFIEDS
30 Lap Feature l. Marcus Yarie 2. Johnny Whitman 3. Justin Ritchie 4. Mike Mashl 5. Benji LaCrosse 6. Dan Roedl
10 Lap Consy First l. John Schultz 2. R.J. Gerber 3. Chase Parker
Second l. Jason Zdroik 2. Mike Klenz 3. Mike Knurr
8 Lap Heats First l. Whitman 2. T.J. Smith
Second l. Mike Mullen 2. Ed Lemay
Third l. Ritchie 2. Mashl
Fourth l. Yarie 2. LaCrosse
NOLTES AUTO REPAIR AND TOWING STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l. Alex Crapser 2. Adam Crapser 3. Brandon Ross 4. Brady Baldry 5. Jeff Wicinsky 6. Jeff Jungwirth
8 Lap Heats First l. Ross 2. Adam Crapser
Second l. Alex Crapser 2. Wicinsky
Third l. Chase Solomon 2. Jesse Krahn
GOLD STAR RACING PRODUCTS GAND NATIONALS
20 Lap Feature l. Kenny Richards 2. Brain Vinney, Jr 3. Roger Lee 4. Jeff Richards 5. Tim Reichenberger 6. Rich Garb
10 Lap Consy l. Garb 2. James Pagel 3. Dustin Douglas Weiss
8 Lap Heats First l. Jesse Cullen 2. Dan Schumacher
Second l. Vinney, Jr 2. Nicholas Strobbe
Thhrd l. Kenny Richards 2. Lee