July 16, 2005; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - For many stock car racers, a ninth row starting spot in a 20 lap feature is a pretty good reason to take it easy and hope for a top ten finish at best.   As fans of racing in Northeastern Wisconsin have learned the last few years, Benji LaCrosse isn't like many other racers.

LaCrosse passed nearly everyone on the track en route to his second IMCA Modified feature win of the season Saturday night at the Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay.  Joining the Luxemburg hot shoe in victory lane on the night were Shawn Kilgore in the IMCA Stock Cars, Von Eytcheson in the Street Stocks, Dave DeGrave in the IMCA Hobby Stocks and Tyler Smith in the Sport 4s.

A threat to win from nearly the first week he took up the sport, fans and competitors have learned that LaCrosse needs to be accounted for no matter where he begins a particular race.  Saturday night's feature saw mired back in the ninth row after qualifying for the main through the semi-feature.  He had pretty good company back in the cheap seats as the
green flew, as multi-time track champ Todd Dart and Sean Jerovetz, third in the season standings, also had to transfer in the last chance event.

Three drivers, Tony Herbst, Billy LeMieux and Chris Derenne, shuffled the lead between them until a Paul Parker spin brought out the event's loan caution on the eighth lap.   The restart gave Jay Matthias the opportunity to take command, using a nifty inside move on Derenne and LeMieux to grab the lead on the 10th lap, advancing from third to first on a single pass.

With half the race in the books, Matthias began to work on what appeared to a comfortable cushion over the pack.  Despite starting just ahead of LaCrosse, Dart managed to pass 14 cars and claim second by the 13th lap.  Right behind him came the charging LaCrosse.  With five to go he passed Dart and set sail for Matthias.

As the white flag flew, he closed to within a car length of the leader.  Both were running the same line entering the first corner, a script similar to last week when LaCrosse chased down Jeremy Jacobs but couldn't pass him.  This time he abandoned the line and shot to the bottom as the two exited the second turn.  Basically, he had one shot to pull off the pass and take the win, and he hit the marks perfectly.

Sweeping down the backstretch and returning to the top line in the process, LaCrosse took command of the track and gave Matthias no chance for a rebuttal pass.   Matthias settled for a close second, with Dart a solid third.  Jacobs remained within striking distance of the Dart and the point lead by finishing fourth.  Randy LeMieux, Jr registered one of
his best runs since winning earlier in the season by placing fifth just ahead of Jared Siefert.

Three-wide passes were as common as white bread for Kilgore as he pulled off two of them marching to the win in the Stock Cars.  The first came on the fifth lap as he took the measure of both Troy Jerovetz and Mark Derenne in one move. 

The second came eight laps later on a restart.  Rookie Cory Cochart had the lead, but B.J. Soquet shot inside with Kilgore popping outside as racing resumed.  Kilgore's run to the outside again allowed him to pick up two spots in a single pass.  From there on, he pulled away to the easy win.

Charlie Kroll pulled off a three-wide maneuver of his own, moving from fourth to second around Soquet and Troy Muench late in the event, but he had no time left to catch Kilgore,    Soquet, Muench, Dave Bouche and Bernie Reinhardt completed the top six.

The win, Kilgore's fourth of the season, vaulted him back into the lead in the series standings.

Eytcheson made quick work of the Street Stock field, vaulting from the sixth row to second by the second lap.  Leader Jordan Whipple could only hold him back for a lap.   After that Eytcheson was never headed.

A couple cautions bunched the filed and gave Mike Pierrard a chance at the leader from the inside, but he could never pull even with the point leader.  He did finish second, ahead of Scott Reinhardt.  Also completing solid runs were Jimmy Anderson, Faron Bielke and Dennis Weidner as they finished out the top six.

DeGrave had to fend off Dave Lane to win his first feature of the season.  A bad break for Roger LaViolette on the sixth lap, a blown engine, led to good news for DeGrave.   The restart after the caution period to clean things up allowed him to grab the outside line from leader Dave Serrahn.

He built up just enough of an advantage to withstand the late charge from Lane.   Behind the lead duo were the drivers that had captured most of the season's checkers.  Keith Kickbusch was third, Tom Brumlic fourth and Eddie Anschutz fifth.   Jeff Lautenbach rounded out the top six.

Thunderhill and Wisconsin state IMCA Hobby Stock point leader Tony Schlei dropped from the event just before the mid-point with an electrical problem.

Smith won his fifth of the season in the Sport 4s, but only after a race-long duel with Scott Zuegler.  Smith used the inside line on a restart on the fifth lap to gain the edge.  Zuegler stayed closed for the duration, but could never get back around the point leader.

Saturday night, Budweiser and Flanigan Distributing will host the show, with racing getting under way at the John Miles Fair Park at 6:00PM.  For more information, visit the track's website at www.racethunderhill.com

Thunderhill Speedway Results 7/16/05

IMCA MODIFIED 20 LAP FEATURE - Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg - Jay Matthias, DePere - Todd Dart, Algoma -
Jeremy Jacobs, Algoma - Randy LeMieux, Jr, Sturgeon Bay - Jared Siefert, Green Bay

Semi-Feature:  Dart - LaCrosse - Sean Jerovetz, Little Suamico - Mike Cole, Baileys Harbor

Heat 1:  Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay - Kevin Sternard, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 2:  Chris Derenne, Luxemburg - Brian Drexler, Oshkosh
Heat 3:  Scott Derenne, Luxemburg - Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay

IMCA STOCK CAR 18 LAP FEATURE - Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee - Charlie Kroll, Forestville - B.J. Soquet,
Luxemburg - Troy Muench, Green Bay - Dave Bouche, Algoma - Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay

Heat 1:  Cory Cochart, Kewaunee - Jamie Suchocki, Kewaunee
Heat 2:  Muench - Kilgore
Heat 3:  Soquet - Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay

STREET STOCK 15 LAP FEATURE - Von Eytcheson, Forestville - Mike Pierrard, Green Bay - Scott Reinhardt,
Baileys Harbor - Jimmy Anderson, Sturgeon Bay - Faron Bielke, Oneida - Dennis Weidner, Forestville

Heat 1:  John Sternard, Sturgeon Bay - Reinhardt
Heat 2:  Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay - Pierrard

IMCA HOBBY STOCK 15 LAP FEATURE - Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg - Dave Lane, Green Bay - Keith Kichbusch, Kewaunee - Tom Brumlic, Denmark - Eddie Anschutz, Algoma - Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay

Heat 1:  DeGrave - Dwayne Mertens, Luxemburg
Heat 2:  Kevin Laughlin, Sturgeon Bay - Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay

SPORT 4 10 LAP FEATURE -Tyler Smith, Luxemburg - Scott Zuegler, Sturgeon Bay - Kip Burlo, Sturgeon Bay - Tom Zastrow, Sturgeon Bay - Jeremy DuBois, Algoma - Butch Beyers, Green Bay

Heat:  Smith - Zuegler