May 10, Plymouth, WI.
After taking a year off from full-time racing competition in 1996, Gary Laack of Glenbeulah returned to the Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car Winged Super Modified division in grand fashion Saturday night by capturing a victory in the 30 lap season opening feature event at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth.
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Gary Laack returned to his winning ways when he got back behind the wheel. Laack who is a nine time EWSC Limited Late Model Champion and a 3 year veteran of the Winged Super Modified Division took the season off last year. The victory in the season opening Winged Super Modified Feature was an excellent way to return to racing. |
The race got off to a wild start as Greg Otte of Sheboygan Falls, Barry Mass of Cascade, Grafton's Dennis Klumb, Ken Jay Fiedler of Sheboygan Falls, and two time EWSC Winged Super Modified champion Pete Ostrowski of Milwaukee tangled in turn two. Ostrowski's car flipped during the accident, but all five drivers were able to restart the race.
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Pete Ostrowski take the American flag for a ride after setting the fast qualifying mark in the Winged Super Modified division. Ostrowski's night went downhill a bit from there as he suffered a flip during the feature race. He was able to get the car repaired and managed to salvage a seventh place finish in the main. That determined effort is what wins track titles and Ostrowski is a two time Champion in the Winged Super Modified division. |
Outside front row started Craig Schueffner of Sheboygan Falls outdueled polesitter Kevin Schnell of Kiel to grab the top spot when the green flag returned to restart the race. Laack, who is a nine-time Limited Late Model champion and a third year Winged Super Modified competitor, used the outside groove to challenge for the lead from his tenth starting spot beginning on lap two.
On the next lap, Laack powered around Schueffner in turn three to assume command of the race. Laack moved out to a 10 car length advantage over Schueffner in the early stages of the race until Kewaskum's Danny Cain flipped in turn three on lap 10.
Following the restart, Laack maintained the top position as Schueffner and 13th starting Randy Butler of Juneau battled for the runner-up spot. The third and final red flag flew on lap 24 when Ken Jay Fiedler and Ken Schultz of Plymouth made contact along the frontstretch.
Laack held off a late challenge from Schueffner over the final six circuits to earn his third career Winged Super Modified triumph.
"The car felt great except at the very end of the race when it started to run hot and leak a little bit of oil," Laack said. "It feels good to be back. I am a little out of shape, but I should get back into the groove after a couple of nights."
Schueffner was second, second row started Eddie Staehler of Kewaskum finished third, Kiel's Billy Kreutz charged up from his eighth row starting spot to take fourth and Butler wound up fifth.
| Second year driver Roy Dahmer earned his second career Limited Late Model feature event during opening night in his Pontiac Grand Prix bodied racer. |  |
Second year driver Roy Dahmer of Sheboygan collected his second career feature victory in the 25 lap Limited Late Model feature race.
Polesitter Tim Carman of Sheboygan took the lead on the opening lap before the red flag appeared for a three car incident in turn three involving Plymouth's Darrell Wright, Jeff Fechter of West Bend and defending Limited Late Model champion Steve Hoffmann of Plymouth. All three drivers were able to rejoin the race. After a complete restart, Dahmer bolted into the top position on the drop of the green flag from his outside front row starting perch. Dahmer quickly built up a half lap lead over runner up Keith Borth who started in the fifth position, by lap five. Borth slowly chipped away at the lead margin over the next 10 circuits as Dahmer began to encounter heavy lapped traffic.
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Limited Late Model rookie (#69) Tim Thompson if a former co-champion in the Super Stock division. Thompson adapted well to the additional speed of a Limted Late Model earning a victory in the first heat. |
On lap 16, Borth moved in to mount a challenge for the lead using the high line. Dahmer held off Borth's persistent efforts before opening up a five car length cushion as the leaders cleared slower traffic over the final five laps. The former Super Stock and Mini-Sprint driver crossed the finish line seven car lengths ahead of runner-up Borth.
"I was very happy with the way the car ran," Dahmer said. "We had some shock problems in qualifying and in the heat race, but we replaced them for the feature and the car ran beautifully. Toward the end of the race I saw Keith Borth out of the corner of my eye and then I saw his number on the scoreboard. After that I decided I better get moving!"
Former Limited Late Model champion Randy Markwardt of Sheboygan came up from his ninth starting spot to place third, Dick Hed of Plymouth was fourth after starting 7th, and 14th starting Steve Hoffmann recovered from his first lap accident to place fifth.
Third year Super Stock drive Dale Damrow posted his first career feature victory in the 20 lap main event.
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It's not painted yet but it's fast! Dale Damrow a third year Super Stock driver ran his new car on Saturday Night and made the trip to victory lane twice during the evening both a heat race and the feature event. |
Damrow jumped into the lead from the pole position as the green flag fell. He then proceeded to open up a comfortable half-straightaway lead during the opening five laps. The lone red flag of the race came out on lap seven for the stalled car of Greenleaf's Dave Horneck.
Damrow continued to hold down the top spot following the restart while 1995 Super Stock co-champion Tim Thompson of Campbellsport sliced his way up from his sixth row starting spot to take second place on lap 16.
The Sheboygan driver held on during the final four laps to record the victory over the hard charging Thompson by a two car length margin. Second row started John Dirks of Elkhart Lake was third. Sheboygan's Mike Anderson finished fourth and Jim Bailey of Oostburg came up from the eighth starting position to round out the top five finishers.
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Chuck Melis took his first checkered of the season claiming the fast heat in the Winged Super Modified division. He is shown with track trophy queen Laurie Klumb. |
Randy Butler won the 15 lap Winged Super Modified "B- Semi-feature". Mark Zimmermann of Kohler posted the victory in the 15 Limited Late Model semi-feature event while Cliff Annis of Glenbeulah was victorious in the 15 lap Super Stock semi-feature.
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Mark Zimmermann was a two time winner on opening night, winning both the third heat and the semi-feature in the Limted Late Model division. |
Winged Super Modifieds
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FAST QUALIFIER: # 7 Pete Ostrowski, Milwaukee ....13.101 Seconds.
Limited Late Models
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FAST QUALIFIER: #51 Dave Jessen, Fredonia.... 15.396 Seconds
Super Stocks
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FAST QUALIFIER: Jeremy Walvoord....Oostburg