Ratajczak Scores Second Thunder Hill
IMCA Mod Feature Win!
By Joe Verdegan
August 2, 2003; Sturgeon Bay, WI. -
Frog Station's Dan Ratajczak fought off a hard charging Benji LaCrosse and dodged
six caution periods to win the crash-marred 16 lap IMCA modified feature at Thunder Hill
Raceway Saturday night. The race was shortened due to a time limit. The win was
Ratajczak's second of the season.
The event was run under threatening skies and with a thick fog that
covered the grounds during the feature races. A total of 103 cars took part in the
program, including 29 IMCA modifieds, 24 IMCA stock cars, 25 street stocks, 14 IMCA hobby
stocks and 11 4 bangers.
Sturgeon Bay's Billy LeMieux paced the opening three circuits of the IMCA modified feature
until his machine caught fire and stalled on the track, drawing an amber. Gills Rock's
Rick Johnson inherited the lead on the restart and held it through the next three laps and
a pair of aborted restarts. Johnson's lead was wiped out when he spun on lap six, drawing
a yellow.
Sturgeon Bay's Tony Herbst was handed the lead on the restart, and kept the top spot until
he was overtaken by Jeremy Jacobs, who spun on lap 10. Ratajczak was handed the lead on
the restart. With 10 laps remaining Benji LaCrosse and Dave Zeitler hounded Ratajczak for
the top spot. Ratajczak kept the lead through two more restarts. When time expired under
the green, LaCrosse made a late race surge but came up one-half car length short, as
Ratajczak scored his second win of the year. LaCrosse settled for second, followed by
Zeitler, George Henkel and Todd Dart. Green Bay's Art Siefert battled his way into the
main through the semi-feature to score a sixth place finish.
Kewaunee's Mark Derenne survived a torrid, race long duel with Pat Davister and went on to
win his first 18 lap IMCA stock car feature, which went green-to-checkered without a
caution.
Derenne jumped out from his front row starting spot and quickly assumed a comfortable lead
over the field. Davister, who started sixth, marched into third by lap three and slipped
past BJ Soquet for second on lap four. Davister went to work chopping away at Derenne's
margin, catching up with Derenne by lap nine. The pair squared off, crossing the line in a
dead heat no less than three times in the next several laps. Despite Davister's best
efforts Derenne fought him off the for the victory. Davister settled for second, followed
by Brett Wenzel, Soquet and Shawn Kilgore.
Green Bay's Jeremy Wittala sprinted past James Brunette on a lap seven restart and built
up a full straightaway lead en route to his first 15 lap street stock feature of the
season.
Wittala, who started ninth, worked his way up to fourth by lap six, when a caution flew
for a James Tebon spin. On the restart Wittala snatched the lead away from Brunette, who
started the contest on the outside front row. The former bomber champion made it look easy
in capturing his first feature flag of the season. Trailing Wittala at the checkers were
James Iverson, Brunette, Von Eychenson and points leader Troy Muench, both of whom
qualified through the feature through the semi-feature. Muench borrowed Jon Sternard's car
for the feature after suffering mechanical problems with him own mount.
In his first appearance of the season hometown driver Maynard Hegnet passed Evan Madden on
the final lap to capture his first 15 lap IMCA hobby stock feature win of the season. Ed
Anschutz also nipped Madden at the line for second, followed by Brandon Peterson and Joe
Hegnet.
Denmark's Todd Welsing scored a clean sweep in 4 cylinder action, winning both his heat
and feature.
Late model drivers TJ White, Ralph Aschenbrenner and Greg "Hollywood" Haney, all
of Green Bay, were also on hand, hot lapping their machines on the third-mile, clay oval.
There will be no racing next Saturday night, August 9 due to the Kewaunee County Fair.
Regular Saturday night racing will resume on August 16 for Engine Rebuilders night. On
Wednesday night, August 6 the first appearance of dirt late models in more than twenty
years will take place for the Forest County Potawatomi Dirt Late Model shootout. A $2,000
payout to the winner is on tap, along with $1,500 in lap leader money for late models. Lap
leader money will also be available in the other two divisions competing that night, the
IMCA modifieds and street stocks. For more information call 920 743 7052. The track's
website is www.racethunderhill.com.
RACE SUMMARY
IMCA Modified
16 lap feature - Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg; Dave Zeitler,
Luxemburg; George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; Todd Dart, Algoma; Art Siefert, Green Bay
12 lap semi feature - Jay Matthias, Luxemburg; Scott Derenne, Luxemburg; Siefert; Jerry
Wenzel, Two Rivers
10 lap heats 1) Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay; Chris Derenne, Luxemburg 2) Dart; Eugene
Gregorich, Kewaunee 3) Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Jared Siefert, Green Bay
IMCA Stock Car
18 Lap feature - Mark Derenne, Kewaunee; Pat Davister, Luxemburg; Brett Wenzel, Two
Rivers; BJ Soquet, Luxemburg; Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee; Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay
10 lap heats 1) Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; Van De Hei 2) Charlie Kroll, Algoma;
Kilgore 3) Joe Lebotte, Kewaunee; Derenne
Street Stock
15 Lap feature - Jeremy Wittala, Green Bay; James Iverson, Sturgeon Bay; James Brunette,
Sturgeon Bay; Von Eychenson, Forestville; Troy Muench, Green Bay; Tom Frea, Sturgeon Bay
10 lap semi-feature - Brian Ambrosius, Pulaski; Muench; Eychenson; Thom Terrien, Green Bay
10 lap heats 1) Iverson; Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay 2) Frea; James Tebon, Algoma 3) Todd
Wagner, Sturgeon Bay; Kevin Jandrin, Forestville
IMCA Hobby Stock
15 Lap feature - Maynard Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Ed Anschutz, Algoma; Evan Madden, Algoma;
Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay; Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Marcus Moede, Sturgeon Bay
8 lap heats 1) Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay; Peterson 2) Anschutz; Duane Mertens, Casco
4 Banger
10 Lap feature -Todd Welsing, Denmark; Kenny Malcore, Algoma; Chad Williams, Sturgeon Bay;
Tim Smits, Green Bay; Dan Gregorich, Kewaunee
8 lap heat 1) Welsing; Gregorich |
