September 4, 2004; Sturgeon
Bay, WI. - Forestville's Von Eytcheson took home the biggest
paycheck of his racing career on Saturday night from Thunderhill Raceway. Eytcheson’s
share of the Street Stock Slam purse came to a whopping $1200 including lap bonus money.
Eytcheson, the 2004 Luxemburg Speedway Street Stock Champion, swept the night with a heat
win and dominance of the 22-car field in the 30-lap feature event. It did take some luck
with the draw and redraw lineups, but Eytcheson, the winner of only two features at the
“Hill” in 2004, did so quietly, the May first opening night and the last in
Saturday’s big payoff of the Street Stock Slam.
Photo Highlights |
Forestville's Von Eytcheson took home
the biggest paycheck of his racing career on Saturday night from Thunderhill Raceway.
Eytcheson’s share of the Street Stock Slam
purse came to a whopping $1200 including lap bonus money.
Some of the night’s best battles
included local hot shoes Sturgeon Bay’s #11 Von Eytcheson, #98 Dave Baenen, New
Franken, along with #34 Tom Daubner of
Sturgeon Bay.
In the Street Stock feature, #3P Todd
Polster, Baileys Harbor, moved into second
place with only eight laps to go. But race leader Von Eytcheson was too much
for Polster. Eytcheson went on for the $600 first place money and $600 bonus money as
well. Polster would earn the Hard Charger Award from his 16th place start. #11R Scott
Reinhardt settled for third place while Hiles and Baenen rounded out the top five.
Race favorite 2004 Thunderhill Raceway
Street Stock Champion #95 Aaron “the Hammer” Thornton had mechanical problems,
but was able to compete early on in the feature race against #91F Luxemburg’s Freddy
“Andretti” Davister.
#3L Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay, won the 12-lap IMCA Mod main event over Algoma’s
James Tebon and Brussels’ Darrell Massart.
Billy LeMieux (#3L) fended off the
challenges of his rovals on the way to victory in the Modified main event this evening.
At the checkers, Rick Mahlberg took home
his first feature of the season, taking home a sweep of the night. Mahlberg had some
pretty tough competition with four of the top five drivers in points in the event.
#6 Rick Mahlberg took home a decisive
win in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Mahlberg
powered by Sturgeon Bay’s #11 Bernie Reinhardt on the opening lap and never looked
back.
2004 IMCA Hobby Stock Track Champion Ed
Anschutz pulled in late for the Saturday evening show, but when it was most important not
to be late, pulled into victory lane to collect first place money in the IMCA Hobby Stock
feature event.
Not only did Denmark’s Ryan Johnson take home his first feature win in the
Sport 4 division, but he swept the night with a victory in both his heat and feature
races.
Sport 4 Gene Sternard, New Franken, had the early lead but #6 Ryan Johnson was too
much for Sternard and passed for the lead and the win.
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Denmark’s Rick Mahlberg prevailed in the the 20-lap IMCA Stock
Car feature on the tacky clay surface. In the IMCA Hobby Stock division, 2004 Track
Champion Ed Anschutz of Algoma showed his stuff with a 15-lap feature event win. Billy
“the Kid” LeMieux of Sturgeon Bay won the 12-lap IMCA Mod main event and
Denmark’s Ryan Johnson took home his first feature win in the Sport 4 division.
Von Eytcheson put on a clinic Saturday night with a dominating sweep in the Street Stock
division. After winning his heat race, Eytcheson drew the pole for the 30-lap feature and
the night was his. He led every lap of the heat race, but had to hold off some pretty
stiff competition including local hot shoes Dave Baenen, New Franken and Tom Daubner of
Sturgeon Bay. Green Bay’s Thom Terrien was an early race threat but slipped to fourth
for much of the early going with Sturgeon Bay’s Scott Reinhardt in tow.
On lap 10, Manitowoc’s Kevin Damrow parked his mount against the frontstretch wall
and brought out an early race caution, putting him to the back. On the restart, Eytcheson
and Baenen pulled ahead again, but with Reinhardt and
Appleton’s Phil Hiles right behind.
Todd Polster, Baileys Harbor, grabbed fourth place in the heated action just past midrace
and put pressure on Reinhardt and Baenen. With the move, Polster moved into second place
with only eight laps to go. But Eytcheson was too much for Polster at the end and
Eytcheson went on for the $600 first place money and $600 bonus money as well. Polster
would earn the Hard Charger Award from his 16th place start. Reinhardt settled for third
place while Hiles and Baenen rounded out the top five.
Street Stock heat wins went to Reinhardt, Eytcheson, Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay and Aaron
Thornton, Maplewood.
Rick Mahlberg took home a decisive win in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Mahlberg powered by
Sturgeon Bay’s Bernie Reinhardt on the opening lap and never looked back. Reinhardt
swapped second place with Shawn Havel of Brussels one time about midrace while being
pressured by Dave Bouche of Algoma.
2004 Track Champion Craig Paque joined the leaders from his sixth row starting spot but
the cautionless race was over before Paque could advance any further. Mahlberg had some
pretty tough competition with four of the top five drivers in points in the event. At the
checkers, Mahlberg took home his first feature of the season. Reinhardt finished second
with Havel coming across in third. Dave Bouche and Craig Paque finished fourth and fifth
respectively.
Early heat winners were Rick Mahlberg and Dave Bouche.
2004 IMCA Hobby Stock Track Champion Ed Anschutz pulled in late for the Saturday evening
show, but when it was most important not to be late, pulled into victory lane to collect
first place money in the IMCA Hobby Stock feature
event. Anschutz came off the front row to lead the opening laps with Dave DeGrave,
Luxemburg, and Derek Moede, Casco, right on the bumper of Anschutz. But that was all these
two drivers were able to see as Anschutz pulled away for the 15-lap feature win.
Moede and DeGrave got together on the backstretch just past midrace with Moede setting the
altitude record for his high-flying loose wheel. DeGrave had pressure from Sturgeon
Bay’s Maynard Hegnet for the final five laps as the two
drivers traded positions to see who would get a final chance at Anschutz, but that last
chance never came. At the end of the event, Anschutz came across the line in first place.
DeGrave finished in a season-high second place finish,
followed by Hegnet. Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay, and Dave Lane, Green Bay, rounded out
the top five.
Carl Laughlin, Sturgeon Bay, won his Hobby Stock heat race.
Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay, won the 12-lap IMCA Mod main event over Algoma’s James
Tebon and Brussels’ Darrell Massart. LeMieux muscled his way to the lead on the
opening lap and led from green to checkers. Tebon won the earlier
heat race.
Not only did Denmark’s Ryan Johnson take home his first feature win in the Sport 4
division, but he swept the night with a victory in both his heat and feature races. Gene
Sternard, New Franken had the early lead but Johnson was too
much for Sternard and passed for the lead and the win. Sternard finished second with Jon
Beilfuss Jr., Sturgeon Bay and Wendy Welles, Green Bay taking top honors.
Next on the docket for the Thunderhill Raceway is the 2004 awards banquet, set for October
23rd to honor the 2004 drivers, sponsors and track personnel. The Reef Sports Bar &
Grill will be hosting the banquet again this year.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased via Woody’s Signs at 920-743-7052 or via email
at www.woodyssigns.com.
Thunderhill Raceway is located at John Miles Park, the site of the Door County
Fairgrounds, just off Highways 42/57, and west on County Trunk T. For more information
call 920-743-7052 or 920-746-0387, the track phone number. The
track’s website is www.racethunderhill.com.
STREET STOCK SLAM RACE SUMMARY
30 lap Street Stock feature - Von Eytcheson,
Forestville; Todd Polster, Baileys Harbor; Scott Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; Phil Hiles,
Appleton; Dave Baenen, New Franken; Mike Pierrard, Green Bay; Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay;
Joe Hegnet,
Sturgeon Bay; Kevin Damrow, Manitowoc; Brian Koch, Kaukauna.
10 lap semi features 1) Michael King Jr., Little Chute; Don Polcen, Sturgeon Bay; 2) Koch,
Harley Simon, Seymour.
10 lap heats 1) Reinhardt; Damrow; 2) Eytcheson; Baenen; 3) Iverson; Joe Johnson, Seymour;
4) Aaron Thornton, Maplewood; Polster.
20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature - Rick
Mahlberg, Denmark; Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; Shawn Havel, Brussels; Dave Bouche,
Algoma; Craig Paque, Algoma; Jamie Suchocki, Kewaunee; Jeff Vlies, Brussels; Troy DeGrave,
Green Bay; Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay; Tony Bouche, Algoma.
10 lap heats 1) Mahlberg; Tony Bouche; 2) Dave Bouche; Vlies.
15 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature - Ed
Anschutz, Algoma; Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg; Maynard Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Jeff Lautenbach,
Sturgeon Bay; Dave Lane, Green Bay; Roger LaViolette, Sturgeon Bay; Evan Madden, Algoma;
Derek Moede, Casco; Dwayne Mertens, Luxemburg; Carl Laughlin, Sturgeon Bay.
10 lap heat Laughlin; Anschutz.
12 lap IMCA Modified feature - Billy
LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; James Tebon, Algoma; Darrell Massart, Brussels; Kevin Sternard,
Sturgeon Bay; Rick LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; James Rice, Gills Rock; Randy LeMieux Jr.,
Sturgeon Bay; Mike Cole, Baileys Harbor; Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay.
10 lap heat Tebon; Billy LeMieux.
8 lap Sport 4 feature - Ryan Johnson,
Denmark; Gene Sternard, New Franken; Jon Beilfuss Jr., Sturgeon Bay; Wendy Welles, Green
Bay.
8 lap heat Johnson; Beilfuss. |
