Rodgers nets second Late Model win of season, Maki and Darnell score first career feature wins at Lake Geneva Raceway!
By Dale R. Erdmann

July 24, 1999; Lake Geneva, WI. -  With temperatures at nearly 100 degrees, the fans came just at race time for the Saturday night program at Lake Geneva Raceway. Before many of them got there, Ryan Matthews in his second week of racing super late models, had his throttle stick, during qualifying, causing his race car to smash into the turn two wall, flipping over as it came to rest. Matthews escaped injury, but his race car was extensively damaged.

John Maki of Antioch, Illinois in his second year of racing super stocks, won his first career 20-lap feature. 16 year old, Zion / Benton High School junior, Erik Darnell from Beach Park, IL. also won his first career,Wisconsin Allison Legacy series, 15-lap feature race. Randy Rodgers of Lake Geneva won his second 30 lap feature of the season and Bob Koidahl of Cary,IL. ran away with the 15 lap sport truck feature.

72499a.jpg (18800 bytes) Randy Rodgers (#14) appears to be on a roll as he's won the last two Late Model features including this evening, held at Lake Geneva Raceway.  The victories put him back into the thick of the points chase which remains very close.

In the 22 car super late model feature, Billy Baumeister slipped out front, at the drop of the double greens. Jeff Storm and Paul Loppnow fought for the second spot  with Garrett Fait, Joe Fisher and Denny Hiffman all over each other. Storm dove inside Loppnow on lap three, with the leader only inches in front. On lap five, Russ Blakley collected Mike Simon Jr. during his spin, stopping the action for the first of only two cautions.

Baumeister again took the top spot, as Randy Rodgers picked the right spot on the restart, moving into second at the drop of the green. Four laps later there was a new leader as Rodgers took the point.  Fast timer, Danny Darnell was now on Storms bumper, battling for third, with A1 Schill right behind fifth place Fisher. On lap ten, Darnell moved into third, with Schill along side Storm. It took Darnell until lap fourteen, to get around Baumeister, as the field tightened up.

Quickly Schill grabbed third, with Rodgers only two lengths in front. Landry Potter entered the top five, on lap twenty one, after an intense fight with Storm. Baumeister was still with Schill and Darnell on lap twenty five, with positions too close to call.

The caution came out on lap twenty eight, when Loppnow spun. Rodgers held his line, with Darnell and Schill putting on a show for second. The two lap dash, wasn't going to change anything. Rodgers crossed the line with room to spare, while Darnell nipped Schill for second. Baumeister held onto fourth, with Storm just in front of Potter, Kent Burkoth who during qualifying broke his drive shaft and with the help of his crew and Ryan Matthews mount, parts were used to get the car back for the heat and seventh in this event, after many thought his night was over. Hiffman rounded out the top eight.

Jim Hughes scooted out front of the 23 car super stock feature, with Tim Wilson, Tom Fay, Brian Pluess and Bob Koidahl on his back side. Jeremy Tess got around Koidahl on lap two, with Fay working on Wilson. Quickly John Maki moved from seventh to fourth within three laps. Fay moved into second on lap six, with Wilson feeling Maki's presence before long. Hughes now had Fay challenging for the lead on lap nine, with Maki slipping under Wilson for third.

Maki pulled off a good move on lap eleven, moving up the middle on Hughes and Fay, into the lead, just before Todd Peterson blew his radiator all over turn two. This brought out the first and only caution of the event. On the restart Hughes held onto second three more laps, before Fay got by. Jerry Cowan in his first night back in two weeks, was right behind Hughes at that point. Quickly Cowan and Adam Regnier moved inside Hughes, with Fay working on the leader.

The last five laps were furious, Regnier got under Cowan on lap sixteen, while point leader Zac Deeringer starting to make his move, after getting around Hughes on lap sixteen. Fay got too wide on lap eighteen, letting Regnier and a fast moving Deeringer get by. Maki was in sure command of that top spot, winning the race, ahead of Regnier, Deeringer, as Cowan nipped Fay for fourth. John Janssen was sixth, followed by Marty Robb and Hughes, completing the top eight.

Third generation driver Erik Darnell (#7) scored his first career Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series feature win at Lake Geneva Raceway this evening. 72499d.jpg (14812 bytes)

Ken Wills diced for the lead, with Doug Reichley in the Wisconsin Allison Legacy feature. Before long Erik Darnell was challenging for second, with a close field behind him. On lap five, Darnell pulled in front, with point leader and fast timer, Gary Krueger along side Wills. The event would go non stop, as Darnell won the race, ahead of Wills, Jeff Goodwin, who put on a good show with Reichley who finished next, Krueger faded to fifth , followed by Jeff Conn, Randy Coates, Scott Nicoson, Casey Darnell and Keith Tolf.

72499c.jpg (15419 bytes) Bob Koidahl (#89) dominated the Sport Truck action this evening winning the feature event and the heat race.  He was prevented from a sweep when he timed second quick by a mere .03 seconds behind Chad Phillips.   The performance this evening put Koidahl back atop the standings in the class.

It took Bob Koidahl just three laps to move in front of the sport truck field and run away with the victory. Jim Olson finished a distant second, with Chad Phillips, Lance Ross, Vic Merry and R.J. Ross next.

Friday night July 30th. if the weather cooperates, Moto cross racing returns, after last weeks rain out. The stadium dirt course, hosts some 300 plus riders at 8 pm. weekly. On the paved oval Saturday night July 31st. will bring in four divisions of action, as D & D Masonry sponsors the program. The sportsman and Legend cars will join the super late models and super stocks. WSLD 104.5 FM will do a live remote. Time trials are at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp.

Lake Geneva Raceway is located on Bloomfield Road just one and a half mile southeast of downtown Lake Geneva. The track surface is a paved one third mile banked oval.

For a complete schedule of the 1999 events, send one large self addressed stamped envelope to: Lake Geneva Raceway 1015 N. Bloomfield Road , Lake Geneva, WI. 53147. If you wish to contact the track the phone number is  (414) 248-8566.

RESULTS

Late Model Division

30 Lap Feature Event

Time Trials
1. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI 1. #85 Danny Darnell 16.357 Seconds
2. #85 Danny Darnell Beach Park, IL 2. #14 Randy Rodgers 16.376 Seconds
3. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI 3. #22 Landry Potter 16.543 Seconds
4. #12 Billy Baumeister  Janesville, WI

7 Lap Dash

5.

#25 Jeff Storm

Waterford, WI

1. #22 Landry Potter Delavan, EI
6. #22 Landry Potter Delavan, WI 2. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL
7. #19 Kent Burkoth Pell Lake, WI 3. #56 Mike Simon Jr. Elgin, IL
8. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL
9. #74 Bob Moeller Johnsburg, IL
10. #2F Joe Fisher McHenry, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schill; 2.) Brad Durbin; 3.) Moeller
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Baumeister; 2.) Burkoth; 3.) Storm

McHenry Limo Super Stock Division

20 Lap Feature

Time Trials
1. #28 John Maki Antioch, IL 1. #02 Zac Deeringer 19.462 Seconds
2. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL 2. # 2 Marty Robb 19.483 Seconds
3. #02 Zac Deeringer Wonder Lake, IL 3. #73 Adam Regnier 19.487 Seconds
4. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI

6 Lap Dash
5. #92 Tom Fay Delavan, WI 1. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI
6. #43 John Janssen Genoa Vity, WI 2. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI
7. # 2 Marty Robb Lake Zurich, IL 3. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI
8. #50 Jim Hughes Waconda, IL
9. #63 Greg Peterson Paddock Lake, WI
10. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Todd Peterson; 2.) Dan Huber; 3.) Norm Paulson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Fay; 2.) Bob Koidahl; 3.) Doug Peterson

Sport Trucks

15 Lap Feature

Time Trials
1. #89 Bob Koidahl Pell Lake, WI 1. #14 Chad Phillips 19.836 Seconds
2. #24 James Olson Woodstock, IL 2. #89 Bob Koidahl 19.867 Seconds
3. #14 Chad Phillips Woodstock, IL 3. #24 James Olson 20.007 Seconds
4. # 4 Lance Ross Kenosha, WI

10 Lap Heat
5. #55 Vincent Merry Wadsworth, IL 1. #89 Bob Koidahl    Pell Lake, WI
6. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL 2. # 3 Chad Ross Grayslake, IL
7. #00 Curt Mason Libertyville, IL 3. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL
8. # 5 Todd Ross Grayslake, IL

Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series

20 Lap Feature:  1.) Erik Darnell; 2.) Ken Wills; 3.) Jeff Goodwin; 4.) Doug Reichley; 5.) Gary Krueger; 6.) Jeff Conn; 7.) Randy Coates; 8.) Scott Nicoson; 9.) Casey Darnell; 10.) Keith Tolf.