Wenzel King of the Clay....At
Sturgeon Bay!
By Joe Verdegan
August 16, 2003; Sturgeon Bay, WI.
- Few drivers in Wisconsin can match the racing resume of Two Rivers' Jerry
Wenzel. The longtime veteran has won on everything from quarter mile dirt ovals to the
Milwaukee Mile. Saturday night he added yet another trophy to the collection capturing his
first IMCA modified victory of the season at the Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay.
Wenzel proved to be the only first time winner on the night, as he
was joined in victory lane by Matt Junio in the IMCA stock cars, Troy Muench in the street
stocks, Joe Hegnet in the IMCA stock cars and Chad Williams in the 4 cylinder class.
While Wenzel controlled the bulk of the modified headliner, his path to victory was
anything but easy. He used a high line pass to circle Tim McCormick and Kevin Sternard on
lap six, advancing from third to first. Twice he pulled away to what appeared to be
comfortable margins, but each time cautions wiped them away. The final amber flew with
just three laps to go. A couple of heavy hitters were lined up in the second row to
challenge for the final restart. Defending champ Jared Siefert held the inside and another
cagey veteran, Dave Zeitler, was slotted outside the second row.
Wenzel's "diamond" move on the restart through one and two, gave him enough
momentum to grab the preferred line from either contender. Zeitler had chased Siefert for
six laps prior to the final sprint. He took control of second on the last lap, but had
little time to mount a serious challenge on Wenzel, finishing two car lengths short. Randy
LeMieux ran with the lead pack for the duration, and finished a solid fourth followed by
Jay Matthias. Rookie Kevin Sternard posted an impressive sixth.
Trophy number four on the season found its way into Junio's possession as he posted a
walk-away win in the IMCA stock cars. Junio was plenty fast as he cruised to the win, but
he received a little assistance from a wild scramble for second behind him.
Close racing up front early saw Don Aregoni, Travis Annoye and Mark Derenne all jockey for
the lead. Junio took command on the 9th circuit after two laps of side by side racing with
Derenne. He raced away to relative safety as Derenne, Craig Paque, Tim VanDeHei and Annoye
battled for second. With two to go, Paque and VanDeHei briefly locked bumpers, causing a
logjam. Derenne snuck through to retake second, but the incident took away any remaining
pressure on Junio.
Paque was able to right himself to salvage fourth, good enough to move him back into the
series lead by a single point over Shawn Kilgore who rebounded from early trouble to take
8th.
The street stock feature was cut nearly in half due to the time limit, but it still was
enough time for Muench to advance from the sixth row for the win.
Early leader Thom Terrien spun from the point on the sixth lap. Darren Otto inherited the
lead, with a series of delays setting up a final green-white-checker time limit situation
for the win. Dodging wrecks and mechanical situations, Muench was able to make a quick
forward advance, putting him into a challenging position for the final restart.
At the green, he wasted little time taking the lead, and eventually the win. The victory
proved to be a giant step toward a possible track title for Muench, as second place point
driver James Tebon was caught up in a mid-race incident, ending his night on the hook.
The Hobby Stock feature evolved into a contest between title contenders Hegnet and Eddie
Anschutz. A wild first two laps included early leader Bobby Patza spinning from first, and
Hegnet passing Marcus Moede to take command. Hegnet and Anschutz pulled away to settle
affairs between themselves, while third place turned into a four car match-up between
Maynard Hegnet, Tony Schlei, Evan Madden and Moede.
While Anschutz was able to stay within a car length or two, he could never pull even with
Hegnet, who held the line en route to his second win of the season. The win was worth
another point for Hegnet in the championship chase, as he now leads Anschutz by three with
two point nights remaining.
Williams held off Joe Schaefer in the 4 cylinder feature by a car length to score a clean
sweep in that division. It was his second win of the year.
Saturday night, T. Simon Jewelers will host the five division show. Racing gets underway
at 6 p.m. For more information call 920 743 7052. The track's website is
www.racethunderhill.com.
IMCA MODIFIED
20 LAP FEATURE: Jerry Wenzel, Two Rivers - Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg - Jared Siefert, Green
Bay - Randy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay - Jay Matthias, Green Bay - Kevin Sternard, Sturgeon Bay
SEMI-FEATURE 1: Eric VanIten, Green Bay - Scott Derenne, Luxemburg - Matt McDermid, Oconto
Falls - Michael Wankowski, Oak Creek
SEMI-FEATURE 2: Rob Waechter, Ellisville - Brian Pancz - Mark Berglund - Jule McDermid,
Oconto Falls
HEAT 1: Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay - Todd Dart, Algoma
hEAT 2: Darrell Massart, Brussels - Tom Stark, Egg Harbor
HEAT 3: Art Siefert, Green Bay - Tim McCormick, Sturgeon Bay
IMCA STOCK CAR
18 LAP FEATURE: Matt Junio, Casco - Mark Derenne, Kewaunee - Travis Annoye, Casco - Craig
Paque, Algoma - Tracy Koontz, Brussels - Brett Wenzel, Two Rivers
SEMI-FEATURE: Josh Massart, Brussels - Tim VanDeHei, Green Bay - Rick Mahlberg, Denmark -
Dave Davister, Luxemburg
HEAT 1: Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay - Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay
HEAT 2: Tracy Koontz, Brussels - Annoye
HEAT 3: B.J. Soquet, Luxemburg - Derenne
HEAT 4: Mike Wietor, Green Bay - Joe LeBotte, Kewaunee
STREET STOCK
15 LAP FEATURE: Troy Muench, Green Bay - Darren Otto, Pulaski - Kevin Jandrin, Forestville
- Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay - James Iverson, Dykesville - Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor
HEAT 1: Rick Sternard, Sturgeon Bay - Otto
HEAT 2: James Tebon, Algoma - Iverson
HEAT 3: Muench - Reinhardt
IMCA HOBBY STOCK
15 LAP FEATURE: Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay - Ed Anschutz, Algoma - Maynard Hegnet, Sturgeon
Bay - Evan Madden, Algoma - Tony Schlei, Zion, IL - Marcus Moede, Casco
HEAT 1: Madden - Anschutz
HEAT 2: Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay - Maynard Hegnet
4 CYLINDER
FEATURE: Chad Williams, Brussels - Joe Schaefer, Denmark - Charlie Gross - Les Lemmens
HEAT: Williams - Schaefer |
