by Tom Wagner
(Sturgeon Bay, WI – 5/22/2010) – With a late race pass of former national champ Jared Siefert, Dan The Frog Station Flash Ratajczak scored his first IMCA Modified feature win of the season Saturday night at the Prestige Yacht Coating Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay.
Joining Ratajczak in victory lane were Greg Gretz in the IMCA Stock Cars, Ryan LeMieux in the IMCA Northern Sport Mods, Ed Anschutz in the NEW Super Stocks, Rob Waecther, Jr in the IMCA Hobby Stocks and Jeremy DuBois in the 4 cylinders.
Ratajczak was the beneficiary of a mid-race caution; a theme that was played out in multiple features on the night. Without a pause just past half-way, the nights trophy would certainly have gone home with Siefert.
He had taken the lead on the second lap from Ronnie Plog and had motored away to an insurmountable advantage on the field. Plog, Kevin Sternard, Tim Czarneski and Ratajczak where left behind, battling for what appeared to be a second place finish at best. But a spin by Plog on the 12th lap not only cost him a solid top five run, it also wiped away Sieferts big edge.
With the field now on his bumper, Siefert couldn’t shake free from Sternard or Ratajczak. Ratajczak used the outside line to grab second, then moved low on Siefert to challenge for the lead. With five to go, Todd Dart arrived on the scene, slipping past Sternard for third.
Ratajczak continued to work the inside on Siefert, edging to the lead for good with three laps to go. Siefert managed to hold off Dart for the runner-up spot, marking the second week in a row that he had big leads washed away by cautions. Sternard logged a season high with a strong run for fourth with Czarneski fifth.
Gretz slipped inside of former champ Mike Pierrard to take the lead, then held on through two late restarts to claim his first win of the season. The races first half featured close quarters racing between Pierrard, Rick Mahlberg and Kyle Wanner before Gretz took over.
The late cautions allowed J.J. Heinz and Troy Muench to join the lead pack. On the final restart with three to go, Heinz jumped from the outside of the second row to take second from Pierrard, but couldnt mount a serious challenge to Gretz in the final sprint. Muench would relegate Pierrard to fourth in the final tally, with Shawn Havel advancing from his 9th row starting spot to fifth.
Like the Modifieds, the IMCA Northern Sport Mod picture was changed dramatically by cautions. This time it was Dennis Miesler who opened up a commanding lead and appeared headed for his first ever feature win.
A first caution wiped the big lead away, and then two more yellows – the last for a five car crash with four laps left – prevented him from building it back up.
LeMieux, with Eric Arneson to his outside, settled into the second row for the final restart. Despite constant pressure from LeMieux, it appeared Miesler might still be able to pull off the win. But on the final corner, LeMieux grabbed the inside line and won the drag race down the front stretch to the line by a matter of feet.
Miesler would settle for the bittersweet second, followed by Arneson, Bernie Reinhardt and Jesse Kroll from deep in the field.
Racing again on a part-time basis, Anschutz put down the announcers microphone for the weekend and marched quickly from his fifth row starting spot to notch his first win of the year.
It was a steady drive forward for the former Hobby Stock champ, taking 4th on lap four, 3rd two laps later and 2nd on lap seven. The one man left to beat at that point was Tim Jandrin, who took control at the drop of the green.
Anschutz moved in, then found an open line on the inside to take the point with five to go.
Jandrin would complete his solid night by finishing second ahead of Nick Everard, Brian Weslow and the previous weeks winner, Andy Paluch.
A last lap spin took the drama away from what was shaping up as wild three-car finish between Waechter, Luke Lemmens and Tom Brumlic in the Hobby Stock headliner.
Waechter led the entire race, but was under heavy pressure most of the way, both from Lemmens and Roger LaViolette. Brumlic threw his hat in the ring late, getting around LaViolette for third.
On the final lap, the trio of leaders were nearly side by side, when a spinner in front of them forced a caution, ending the race. Scored as the leader on the second to last lap, Waechter was awarded the win, with Lemmens second and Brumlic third. Derek Moede passed LaViolette late for fourth.
DuBois took the lead on the first lap and walked away to his second straight win in the four cylinder class. Mike Sargent won a race-long duel with Matt Sargent to grab the runner-up spot.
This Saturday night, Palmer Johnson will host the show, featuring a bike give-away for the kids. 6 bikes will be given away, with the lucky winners choosing their favorite drivers to compete in a race on the bikes around the oval. The winning driver will receive $100 from Thunderhill to present to his or her favorite charity.
Thunderhill is located at the John Miles Fair Park on Sturgeon Bays east side with racing in the six divisions beginning every Saturday night through the summer at 6:00 PM. For more information, visit the tracks website at www.racethunderhill.com.
Thunderhill Raceway Results 5/22/10
IMCA Modified 20 Lap Feature – Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station: Jared Siefert, Green Bay: Todd Dart, Algoma: Kevin Sternard, Sturgeon Bay: Tim Czarneski, Denmark: Evan Madden, Algoma
Semi-Feature – Sean Jerovetz, Sobieski: Brian Joski, Luxemburg: Kyle Kudick, Mishicot: Jay Matthias, DePere
Heat 1 – Czarneski: Ratajczak
Heat 2 – Madden: Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 3 – Ronnie Plog, Green Bay: Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont
IMCA Stock Car 18 Lap Feature – Greg Gretz, Kewaunee: J.J. Heinz, Green Bay: Troy Muench, Brussels: Mike Pierrard, Green Bay: Shawn Havel, Algoma: Kyle Wanner, Suamico
Semi-Feature 1 – Havel: Bret Koehler, Two Rivers: Casey Groessl, Algoma: Kelsy, Hayes, Sturgeon Bay
Semi-Feature 2 – Matt Junio, Casco: Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay: Tyler DeBauche, Suamico: Phil Mott, Two Rivers
Heat 1 – Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor: Wanner
Heat 2 – Gretz: Aaron Thornton, Maplewood
Heat 3 – Muench: Heinz
IMCA Northern Sport Mod 18 Lap Feature – Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay: Dennis Miesler, Luxemburg: Eric Arneson, Oconto Falls: Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay: Jesse Kroll, Algoma: Steve Georgenson, Sturgeon Bay
Semi-feature – Scott Boulanger, Luxemburg: Georgenson: Kelsy Hayes, Sturgeon Bay: Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 1 – Miesler: Reinhardt
Heat 2 – Eric Mahlik, Green Bay: Martin Kelsey, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 3 – Cory Cochart, Kewaunee: Jarred Van Laanen, Green Bay
NEW Super Stock 15 Lap Feature – Ed Anschutz, Kewaunee: Tim Jandrin, Kewaunee: Nick Everard, Green Bay: Brian Weslow, Green Bay: Andy Paluch, Pulaski: Gene Sternard, Luxemburg
Heat 1 – Nick Everard: Tony Everard, Green Bay
Heat 2 – Jandrin: Kipp Burlo, Sturgeon Bay
IMCA Hobby Stock 15 Lap Feature – Rob Waechter, Jr, Ellisville: Luke Lemmens, Kewaunee: Tom Brumlic, Denmark: Derek Moede, Casco: Roger LaViolette, Forestville: Marcus Moede, Luxemburg
Heat 1 – Waechter: Derek Moede
Heat 2 – Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay: Brumlic
4 Cylinder Feature – Jeremy DuBois, Algoma: Mike Sargent, Sturgeon Bay: Matt Sargent, Sturgeon Bay: Mathias Provty, DePere: Adam Goldman, Sturgeon Bay: Brandon Kaye, Green Bay
Heat – Mike Sargent: Matt Sargent
TweetPosted under Race Reports on May 23rd, 2010
