Garrett Fait scores fist career LGR Super Late Model win!
By Dale R. Erdmann

September 4, 1999; Lake Geneva, WI. -  The twenty first night of weekly stock car racing at Lake Geneva Raceway, was an exciting night, as Garrett Fait, a 24 year old rookie driver from Burlington, led all but one lap of the super late model feature. It was his first career victory here at Lake Geneva Raceway. Adam Regnier of McHenry, Illinois, won his fifth super stock feature, after an up and down season. Landry Potter of Delavan broke the one lap qualifying record for the Wisconsin Allison Legacy series cars, with a time of 18.999 seconds, on the one third mile track and flew to victory, in the 15 lap feature race and R.J. Ross of Northbrook, IL. won his first 15 lap sport truck feature of the season.

9499a.jpg (19649 bytes) Garrett Fait (#38) scored his first career Super Late Model victory here at Lake Geneva Raceway.  Fait, a rookie this season, held off defending track champion Al Schill Sr., to score the win.

Joe Fisher jumped out front of his pole starting position with Garrett Fait, Kent Burkoth, Brad Durbin and Russ Blakley battling for second. Fait choose the outside groove, quickly closing in on the leader, taking that top spot from Fisher, as this twosome crossed the line for lap number two. Burkoth followed the new lead, as they looked glued together. Terry Patnode dropped out on lap six, just after Randy Rodgers got around third place Fisher. Lap eleven, Durbin who looked like he was having control problems, went onto the infield, with flames under his car. Quickly the fire was put out and only one more lap got in and Rodgers went to the pits, with problems, as the caution came out one more time.

Action near the front of this evening's Super Late Model main event was fast and furious.  Here Kent Burkoth (#19), Randy Rodgers (#14) and Landry Potter (#22) battle for position. Potter would fare best of this group with a third place finish. 9499d.jpg (13719 bytes)

Rodgers came out, just as the race restarted, not losing any laps while the leader Fait, held back challenges from Burkoth and then Landry Potter, who picked the right spot to be on the restart. These two fought for the top spot for over ten laps, with Fait looking flawless. Al Schill now joined this three some, as the crowd went wild. On lap twenty one, Denny Hiffman spun, stopping the intense pace. As the next green appeared, Fait looked impressive, as he looked like he was on a rail, with Potter, Burkoth, Schill and now Jamie Wallace all over each other for the next spot up.

9499b.jpg (15002 bytes) Ed Schneidewendt (#15) had been absent from competition most of this year after a strong run in his rookie season last year.   Tonight, Schneidewendt made his first trip to the winner's circle in 1999 taking a win in the Super Late Model semi-feature.

The last thing Fait wanted to see, was another caution, but with just two laps to go, the action came to another halt. Burkoth flew off turn three, after something broke ending his quest for a win.

As the cars lined up, Potter was inside and Schill outside second row, while Fait was in the high groove all alone out front. Schill dove down in front of Potter moving within inches of the leader. Fait quickly crept away from Schill, now the white flag was out, as Schill, Potter and a recovered Rodgers tried to sweep under the leader.

It didn't happen, as Fait drove across the line just ahead of Schill, Potter, Rodgers, Wallace, Danny Darnell, Fisher and Blakley. After Fait got out of his car, in victory lane, the crowd came to their feet, with an ovation for this drivers first feature win.

9499f.jpg (16786 bytes) In a season that has had it's ups and downs, Adam Regnier (#73) has remained a front runner in the Super Stock division.  Tonight he recorded his fifth feature triumph of 1999.

The super stock feature got off to a rough start, as someone brake checked and the field responded. John Maki was sent to the pits for rough driving, after Scott Eggebrecht went flying onto the infield, causing a caution on lap one. On the restart, Jeff Lorenz quickly dove in the pits, as Mike Kooi took the lead. Rick Koidahl, Greg Janutka, Adam Regnier, Troy Weber and Jeremy Tess were the cluster behind the leader. Side by side the field raced, as Kooi took a strange line, with stern warnings, from starter Dave Rex Jr.while Regnier and Koidahl diced for the second spot, as Kooi , raced mid lanes.

9499g.jpg (9562 bytes) Super Stock racing provides fans with plenty of wheel to wheel action, as many new faces have taken to the track the past couple seasons.   Here Craig Mertes (#42), Dan Huber (#44) and Brian Pluess (#47) do battle on the third mile paved oval.

On lap nine, Kooi received the black flag , ending his hopes of a win. Regnier darted away from the pack, with Jerry Cowan getting around Koidahl on lap eleven for second. Right behind them, fast timer, Shane Bishop was moving through the field, running fourth on lap twelve, then third one lap later and second by lap fifteen. It was nip and tuck for those final five laps, with Regnier just in front of Bishop, Cowan, John Janssen, Weber, Koidahl, Marty Robb who was plagued with transmission problems, started dead last and managed a seventh, Janutka held onto eighth.

R.J. Ross (#99) took home the Sport Truck feature win this evening and was joined in the winner's circle with a lucky Junior Fan Club member. 9499c.jpg (15920 bytes)

R.J. Ross started second row outside and grabbed the lead at the off set, holding on for the win. Chad Ross was a close second, with Jim Olson, Vince Merry, Lance Ross and Gary Summer rounding out the top six of the sport truck feature.

9499e.jpg (10163 bytes) Battle of the Ross'!  R.J. Ross (#99) holds a slim lead over Chad Ross (#3) in the closing stages of the Sport Truck main event.   R.J. would take the win, with Chad coming to the checkered in second.  

Jack Kossow led the first six laps of the Allison Legacy series feature, before Landry Potter got by, taking the win over Erik Darnell, who won the last two features here. Kossow held onto third, with Jeff Conn, Jeff Goodwin and Ken Wills in a tight pack at the checkered.

Landry Potter (#88) did some double duty driving tonight, competing in both the Super Late Models and the Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series.  Potter brought his Legacy car to the winners circle after taking a win in their feature race. 9499h.jpg (13495 bytes)

Next Friday night, moto cross racing continues their weekly program at 8 pm. On the oval Saturday night, the open wheel Outlaw Rascals and Sportsman will join the Super Late Models and Super Stocks. Time trials start at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp. The entry forms for 9th Annual O'Doul's October Classic are ready. Call the raceway office at (414) 248-8566

Lake Geneva Raceway is a one-third mile progressively banked asphalt oval located three miles south of downtown Lake Geneva on Bloomfield Road.

RESULTS

Late Model Division

30 Lap Feature Event

Time Trials
1. #38 Garrett Fait Burlington, WI 1. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. 16.132 Seconds
2. #14 Al Schill Sr. Franklin, WI 2. #87 Jamie Wallace  16.143 Seconds
3. #22 Landry Potter Delavan, WI 3. #14 Randy Rodgers  16.184 Seconds
4. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI

7 Lap Dash

5.

#87 Jamie Wallace

Pell Lake, WI

1. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI
6. #85 Danny Darnell Park City, IL 2. #22 Landry Potter Delavan, WI
7. # 2 Joe Fisher McHenry, IL 3. #87 Jamie Wallace Pell Lake, WI
8. #22 Russ Blakley Palmyra, WI 9 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #56 Mike Simon Jr. Elgin, WI 1. #15 Ed Schneidewendt Greenfield, WI
10. #12 Billy Baumeister Janesville, WI 2. #74 Bob Moeller Johnsburg, IL
3. # 3 Chuck Duncan Milwaukee, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Moeller; 2.) Mike Simon; 3.) Duncan
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Blakley; 2.) Fisher; 3.) Kent Burkoth

McHenry Limo Super Stock Division

20 Lap Feature

Time Trials
1. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL 1. #17 Shane Bishop 19.200 Seconds
2. #17 Shane Bishop Pell Lake, WI 2. #25 Jeff Lorenz 19.217 Seconds
3. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI 3. #67 Jerry Cowan 19.221 Seconds
4. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI

6 Lap Dash
5. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI 1. #17 Shane Bishop  Pell Lake, WI
6. #89 Bob Koidahl Cary, IL 2. #36 Greg Peterson  Paddock Lake, WI
7. # 2 Marty Robb Lake Zurich, IL 3. #02 Zac Deeringer Wonder Lake, IL
8. # 3 Greg Janutka Twin Lakes, WI 

13 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #60 Jeremy Tess East Troy, WI 1. #63 Doug Peterson Antioch, IL
10. # 3 Scott Eggebrecht Crystal Lake, IL 2. #39 Aaron Spiniolos Woodstock, IL
3. #16 Todd Peterson Wonder Lake, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) T. Peterson; 2.) Dave Timan; 3.) Brian Pluess
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Spiniolos; 2.) Craig Mertes; 3.) Dan Huber
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) John Maki; 2.) Mike Kooi; 3.) Weber

Sport Trucks

15 Lap Feature

Time Trials
1. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL 1. # 3 Chad Ross 19.642 Seconds
2. # 3 Chad Ross Kenosha, WI 2. #10 Jim Phillips 19.732 Seconds
3. #24 James Olson Woodstock, IL 3. #24 James Olson 19.758 Seconds
4. #55Vincent Merry Wadsworth, IL

4 Lap Dash
5. # 4 Lance Ross Kenosha, WI 1. #00 Curt Mason Libertyville, IL
6. #89 Gary Summer Franksville, IL 2. # 3 Chad Ross Kenosha, WI
7. # 5 Todd Ross Grayslake, IL 3. #24 James Olson Woodstock, IL
8. #00 Curt Mason Libertyville, IL
9. #10 Jim Phillips Darien, WI
10. #50 Ryan Hughes Island Lake, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) R.J. Ross; 2.) T. Ross; 3.) Merry