Van Iten Wins Thunder Hill IMCA Modified Crashfest!
By Joe Verdegan

June 7, 2003; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - Green Bay's Eric Van Iten took the lead on lap five and survived several crashed and spins to win the time-shortened 13 lap IMCA modified feature at Thunder Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay Saturday night. It was Van Iten's first victory of the season. 

A total of 95 cars participated in the show, including 27 IMCA modifieds, 24 IMCA stock cars, 24 street stocks, 15 IMCA hobby stocks and five 4 cylinders.

No less than six yellows flew during the first four circuits, all of which were led by Chris Derenne, who slipped into the lead from his second row starting spot. On a lap five restart, Van Iten made contact with Derenne in turn one, sending Derenne's car up out of the groove and Van Iten into the lead. A caution flew on lap 11 when time expired, setting up a two lap dash to the finish. Van Iten held on to win, followed by George Henkel, Dave Zeitler who won the semi-feature, Todd Dart and Rick Johnson.

Casco's "Mad Matt" Junio took the lead on lap four and sweated out three caution periods in the early going to win the 20 lap IMCA stock car feature, his first of the year. Junio's heat win also netted him a clean sweep for the night.

Junio took the lead away from Gary Reinhardt on the fourth round and kept Brett Wenzel at bay throughout the contest. Wenzel was able to whittle away at Junio's lead around lap 10, but Junio stretched that margin to a near full straightaway when the checkers flew. Wenzel, Shawn Kilgore, Brandon Mindak and Tim Van De Hei, who charged through the pack from his seventeenth starting spot, rounded out the top five finishers.

Forestville's Von Eychenson dodged three lengthly caution periods and held on to win the time-shortened seven lap street stock feature, his first of the year. Eychenson's heat win also netted him a clean sweep for the night.

The race got off to a rocky start when polesitter William Brunette checked up on the start, sending the field scattering. Points leader Troy Muench had his hopes dashed for a possible fourth feature win when a snapped axle in the melee ended his evening.

Once the contest got underway Eychenson outraced Faron Beilke into the lead and quickly pulled away to a five car length lead. Caution flew on lap four when Todd Wagner's machine snapped an axle, throwing his car into a spin. Dan Davister's car also snapped an axle on the restart, launching his tire into traffic. Time expired and Eychenson wound up hanging onto the lead and eventually winning the time-shortened event. David Baenen, Beilke, Scott Reinhardt and Rick Sternard rounded out the top five finishers.

Hometown driver Shawn Graf crossed the line first in the 15 lap IMCA hobby stock feature but his machine failed post race tech, handing the win to Ed Anschutz, his third of the season. Sturgeon Bay's Chad Williams captured the 4 cylinder feature.

Next Saturday night June 14 racing action will be sponsored by Miller Lite/Triangle Distributing/Lakes Gas. A pit stop contest is scheduled. All five classes will be in action beginning at 6 p.m. For more information call 920 743 7052. The track website is www.racethunderhill.com.

THUNDER HILL RACEWAY RACE RESULTS 6-7-03

IMCA modified
13 lap feature - Eric Van Iten, Green Bay; George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg; Todd Dart, Algoma; Rick Johnson, Gills Rock; Mike Cole, Baileys Harbor
12 lap semi-feature - Zeitler; Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Jerry Wenzel, Two Rivers
10 lap heats 1) Chris Derenne, Luxemburg; Henkel 2) Buck Schmelzer, Casco; Randy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay 3) Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay; Van Iten

IMCA stock car
20 lap feature - Matt Junio, Casco; Brett Wenzel, Two Rivers; Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee; Brandon Mindak, Luxemburg; Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay; Craig Paque, Algoma
12 lap semi-feature - Van De Hei; Tony Bouche, Algoma; Charlie Kroll, Algoma; Josh Massart, Brussels
10 lap heats 1) Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay; Larry Ingebretsen, Luxemburg 2) Junio; Gary Reinhardt, Fish Creek 3) Joe Lebotte, Kewaunee; Travis Annoye, Casco

Street Stock
15 lap feature - Von Eychenson, Forestville; Faron Beilke, Oneida; Scott Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; Rick Sternard, Sturgeon Bay; James Tebon, Algoma
8 lap street stock semi feature -Kevin Jandrin, Forestville; Tom Frea, Sturgeon Bay; Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay; James Brunette, Forestville
10 lap heats 1) Troy Muench, Green Bay; Sternard 2) Tebon; David Baenen, New Franken 3) Eychenson; Beilke

IMCA hobby stock
15 lap feature - Ed Anschutz, Algoma; Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Kevin Laughlin, Sturgeon Bay; Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay; Tony Schlei, Zion, IL;
10 lap heats 1) Anschutz 2) Graf; Evan Madden, Algoma

4 cylinder
10 lap feature -Chad Williams, Sturgeon Bay; Bob Skippon, Sturgeon Bay; Kenny Malcore, Algoma; Ryan Johnson, Sturgeon Bay; Tyler Smith, Sturgeon Bay
8 lap heat - Johnson; Williams