Ratajczak Sweeps Thunder Hill IMCA Mod Action!
By Joe Verdegan

July 12, 2003; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - Frog Station's Dan Ratajczak took the lead from Jeremy Jacobs on lap eight and survived a pair of caution periods to win the 20 lap IMCA modified feature at Thunder Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay Saturday night. Ratajczak also won his heat race, scoring a clean sweep for the evening.

113 cars were on hand, including 28 IMCA modifieds, 25 IMCA stock cars, 16 IMCA hobby stocks, 26 street stocks and eight sport fours.

Jacobs outraced polesitter Kevin Sternard into the lead of the race with Eric Van Iten jumping into second on the opening round. Van Iten's position was short lived when he spun in turn three, scattering the field and drawing a yellow. On the restart Ratajczak moved into second and began challenging Jacobs for the top spot. The "Frog Station Flash" squared up with Jacobs in turn four and took the lead down the fronstretch on lap eight.

Jacobs kept busy fighting off third placed Jared Siefert, while Julie McDermid threw her hat into the ring, taking third away from Siefert on lap 12. A lap 13 yellow for debris tightened the field once more. When racing resumed Siefert reclaimed the second spot. With three laps remaining McDermid repassed Siefert while Ratajczak enjoyed a healthy five car length lead. Ratajczak cruised to his first victory of the season. McDermid posted her best finish of the year in second. Siefert suffered a mechanical failure on the final lap, giving third to Benji LaCrosse, who charged through the pack from 17th after winning a semi feature. Mike Cole and Todd Dart placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Algoma's "Chargin Charlie" Kroll took the lead on a lap nine restart and won his second straight 18 lap IMCA stock car feature.

Rookie BJ Soquet took the lead at the drop of the green of the contest, with Kroll and Brett Wenzel applying the pressure in the early laps. Soquet caught a breather on lap nine when a Joe Lebotte spin halted the action. On the restart Kroll slipped underneath Soquet and kept all challengers at bay until a lap 14 yellow for Matt Junio's stalled racer set up a four lap dash to the checkers. Kroll maintained his edge to collect the win, followed by Shawn Kilgore, who mounted a late race charge to nip Bernie Reinhardt at the line for second. Soquet took fourth with Dave Bouche rounding out the top five finishers.

Green Bay's Troy Muench passed Kevin Jandrin for the lead on lap seven and dodged a mid-race caution to capture his fifth 15 lap street stock feature of the season. Von Enchenson, Jandrin, Darren Otto and David Baenen rounded out the top five.

Evan Madden of Algoma emerged triumphant in a race long duel with Gregg Aregoni to claim his second 15 lap IMCA hobby stock feature of the season. The contest went caution free. Aregoni settled for second place money, followed by last week's winner Dave Lane, Ryan LeMieux and Joe Hegnet.

Kewaunee's Dan Gregorich won his second straight 4 cylinder feature. Powder Puff race wins went to Sheila Duquaine of Sturgeon Bay and Angeline Gregorich of Kewaunee.

Next Saturday night Coca Cola will sponsor big wheel races for the kids at intermission. A full program featuring IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, IMCA hobby stocks, street stocks and sport fours will get underway at 6 p.m. For more information call 920 743 7052. The track's website is www.racethunderhill.com.

THUNDER HILL RACEWAY RACE RESULTS 7-12-03

IMCA Modified
20 lap feature - Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; Julie McDermid, Oconto Falls; Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg; Mike Cole, Baileys Harbor; Todd Dart, Algoma; Eugene Gregorich, Kewaunee
10 lap semi-feature - LaCrosse; Gregorich; George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; Jay Matthias, Luxemburg
10 lap heats 1) Ratajczak; Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg 2) Eric Van Iten, Green Bay; Randy Back, Green Bay 3) Tom Stark, Egg Harbor; Jerry Wenzel, Two Rivers

IMCA Stock Car
20 lap feature - Charlie Kroll, Algoma; Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee; Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; BJ Soquet, Luxemburg; Dave Bouche, Algoma; Jeff Vlies, Brussels
10 lap semi feature - Shawn Olson, Algoma; Vlies; Greg Gretz, Kewaunee; Craig Paque, Algoma
10 lap heats 1) Mark Derenne, Luxemburg; Brett Wenzel, Two Rivers 2) Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay; Soquet 3) Tracey Koontz, Brussels; Kroll

Street Stock
15 lap feature -Troy Muench, Green Bay; Von Eychenson, Forestville; Kevin Jandrin, Forestville; Darren Otto, Pulaski; David Baenen, New Franken; Dennis Weidner, Sturgeon Bay
10 lap semi feature - Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor; James Anderson, Sturgeon Bay; Tom Therrien, Green Bay; Troy Wilson, Sobieski
10 lap heats 1) James Tebon, Algoma; Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay 2) Muench; Otto 3) Etchenson; Rick Sternard, Sturgeon Bay

IMCA Hobby Stock
15 lap feature -Evan Madden, Algoma; Gregg Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay; Dave Lane, Green Bay; Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Marcus Moede, Casco
10 lap heats 1) LeMieux; Moede 2) Madden; Aregoni

4 cylinder
10 lap feature - Dan Gregorich, Kewaunee; Mike Hansen, Sturgeon Bay; Tony Everard, Green Bay; Chad Williams, Sturgeon Bay; Charlie Gross, Gleason; Bob Skippon, Sturgeon Bay
8 lap heat - Kenny Malcore, Algoma; Johnson

6 lap Power Puff races - 1st) Sheila Duquaine, Sturgeon Bay 2nd) Angeline Gregorich, Kewaunee