Photos provided by Dan Lewis Photography (www.danlewisphoto.net)
By Edward Anschutz
(Sturgeon Bay, WI) May 1- Defending Modified Champion Shawn Kilgore used his front row starting position to win the opener at Prestige Yacht Coatings ThunderHill Raceway.
A total of 128 racecars packed the pit area 29 Sport Mods, 27 Stockcars, 23 Modifieds, 18 Hobby Stocks, 16 Street Stocks and 15 4cyl.
Kilgore would jump to a sizable lead over Jeremy Jacobs until a series of cautions would bunch the field. On the restart Todd Dart would take a run at Kilgore’s machine but wasn’t able to gain enough momentum on the top side. Kilgore would again pull away as Dart and Jacobs waged a battle for second. Coming through turns 1 and 2 Dart and Jacobs would make contacting, sending Jacobs spinning and Dart through the infield. As a result the caution would fly and both drivers were charged with the caution, sending them to the rear of the field. Both cars would pull along side each other on the front stretch and express there displeasure. Kilgore would survive a late race charge from Dan Rataczjack and go on to pick up the win. Rataczjack would settle of second followed by Jay Mathias, Billy LeMieux and Kyle Kudick.
Charlie Kroll and John Heinz would wage a fearless battle in settling the IMCA Stockcar feature. Kroll would take the lead from his front row starting spot, with Heinz giving steady pressure. The duo would break away from the pack until a serious of cautions bunched the field. On the restart Dave Bouche, Dave DeGrave and Greg Gretz would wage a 3 car battle for the third spot. Contact with Bouche and the Ford Thunderbird of Gretz would send Gretz to pit lane with a flat tire. On lap 11 Kroll would slip high and Heinz would muscle his car down low and would take the lead. Despite continuing contact and heavy pressure from Kroll, Heinz would go and take the victory. Bouche would nip Kroll at the line for second followed by Troy Muench and Shawn Havel.
Bernie Reinhardt would set the pace in the IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature until lap 8, that’s when Brad Lautenbach would make his move powering underneath Reinhardt taking the lead. With door open Ryan LeMieux would slide into the second spot and began to chase down Lautenbach. Caution would fly on lap 15, setting up a 5 lap dash to the finish. On restart LeMieux’s machine would not fire, he would need a push start and was forced to go to the tail of the field. Eric Arneson and Steve Jorgenson would throw there hat in for ring but it was Lautenbach who would hold on for the win followed by Arneson, Jorgenson, Reinhardt and Jesse Kroll.
In IMCA Hobby Stock Action Luke Lemmens would do battle with Brandon Peterson for the lead, as the duo ran door to door until Peterson was able to complete the pass for the lead. Chad Kaminski would do battle with Lemmens for second. Lemmens would begin to find a little more momentum up top and began to reel in Peterson , Lemmens would pull even with the leader with 3 laps to go, only to make an evasive move to miss a lap car. Sending Lemmens machine into a cloud of dust and costing him a chance at victory. Peterson would go on to win the 15 lap contest followed by Kaminski, Lemmens, Jarred VanLaanen and Tom Brumlic.
Rookie James Bosman who purchased his new racecar from former Street Stock Champion Jeremy Wiitala,
would go on to lead every lap in the caution free Street Stock feature. Finishing a strong second was Gene Sternard, followed by Joe Schwister, David Baenen and Todd Everard.
Jason Cornelius would take the lead away from Kasey Gross on lap 7 and go on the win the 4 cylinder feature. At the line Gross would take second over Jeremy Dubois.
Next week’s races are sponsored by Peil Construction and Maas Floral. Free Mother’s Day Flowers! With a regular racing program of IMCA modifieds, stock cars, hobby stocks, northern sport mods, street stocks and 4 cylinders. Racing gets underway at 6pm. For more information, visit www.racethunderhill.com or call (920) 743-7052
RACE SUMMARY
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE ~ Shawn Kilgore, New Franken; Dan Rataczjack, Frog Station; Jay Mathias, DePere; Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Kyle Kudick, Two Rivers
HEAT 1 Mathias; Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont
HEAT 2 Jared Siefert, Luxemburg; Dean Mauer, Green Bay
HEAT 3 LeMieux; Kilgore
IMCA STOCKCAR FEATURE ~ John Heinz, Green Bay; Dave Bouche, Algoma; Charlie Kroll, Forestville; Troy Muench, Brussels; Shawn Havel, Algoma
CONSI Tony Bouche, Algoma; Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay
HEAT 1 Kroll; D. Bouche
HEAT 2 Heinz; Dave DeGrave
HEAT 3 Eugene Gregorich, Kewaunee; Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor
IMCA SPORT MOD FEATURE ~ Brad Lautenbach, New Franken; Eric Arneson, Oconto Falls; Steve Jorgenson, Sturgeon Bay; Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; Jesse Kroll, Algoma
CONSI Jeff Vlies, Kewaunee; Nick Potts, Green Bay
HEAT 1 Reinhardt; Jorgenson
HEAT 2 Lautenbach; Tom Stark, Baileys Harbor
HEAT 3 Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; JJ Anderson, Pulaski
HEAT 4 Kroll, Eric Mahlik, Green Bay
IMCA HOBBY STOCK FEATURE ~ Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay; Chad Kaminski, Luxemburg; Luke Lemmens, Kewaunee; Jarred VanLaanen, Green Bay; Tom Brumlic, Denmark
HEAT 1 VanLaanen; Lemmens
HEAT 2 Peterson; Kaminski
STREET STOCK FEATURE ~ James Bosman, Sturgeon Bay; Gene Sternard, Sturgeon Bay; Joe Schwister, Black Creek; David Baenen, New Franken; Todd Everard, Green Bay
HEAT 1 Schwister; Tony Everard, Green Bay
HEAT 2 Bosman; Tim Jandrin, Kewaunee
4 CYLINDER FEATURE ~ Jason Cornelius, Oneida; Kasey Gross, Gleason; Jeremy DuBois, Algoma; Mike Sargent, Sturgeon Bay; Brian Johnson, Oconto Falls
HEAT 1 DuBois; Sargent
HEAT 2 Johnson; Cornelius
Posted under Race Reports on May 2nd, 2010
