Baker and Janssen top feature races at LGR!!
By Dale R. Erdmann

May 29, 1999; Lake Geneva, WI. - The weather was perfect and one of the largest regular Saturday night crowds came out to Lake Geneva Raceaay Saturday night. Brian Baker of nearby Springfield won the 25 lap Performance Unlimited sportsman feature, after taking fast time. John Janssen of Genoa City won the 20 lap McHenry Limo super stock feature. Gary Krueger of Milton, a late model pilot here in the 70's, won the close 20 lap Wisconsin Allison Legacy series feature race. The first ever trailer race, saw Glen Vancek of Rochester take the win, to the delight of the croad. Chris Fink won the one on one competition over Willie Schumacher.

Local racer Brian Baker (#32) won the special 25 lap Mid-American Sportsmen feature race and in doing so closed the point gap on current standings leader Scott Poritz.  Baker just edged out Portiz in the closing laps of the race to win the event.  Poritz was a close second.

Jerry Freeman shot off his pole starting position, with Denny Norton Jr. Brad Troxel and Danny Church in hot pursuit. Quick timer, Brian Baker spun going into turn two, bringing the event to it's first halt. This gave Troxel the momentum to get along side Freeman, taking over the lead on lap eight. Scotty Poritz climbed along side Troxel before the end of that lap and moved out front, quickly.

Once out front Poritz was long gone, with Troxel feeling secure in second. No one moved forward, but a lap sixteen tangle between Church and Freeman, stopped the event again. The next green saw Norton and a recovered Baker dicing for third. Out of nowhere, Eric Roberts moved into second. But a tangle with Monty Cauffman brought his quest to challenge the leader to a halt as the caution flew again.

Sometimes they don't go the right way!   Jerry Freeman (#61) spins off turn one while a pack of cars headed up by Dan Church (#98) motor by. Of this group Patrick Marcott (#1) would fare best claiming fourth in the feature race.

Baker wasted little time, moving into second on lap eightteen. On lap twenty, Poritz advantage was gone and quickly the led changed hands. It looked like Baker made a mistake to move to that outer groove, as Poritz shot under the new leader and nearly back out front, before Baker realized the situation.

Brian Baker (#32) heads toward the front of the Mid-American Sportsman feature race, while Eric Roberts (#99) gives chase.  Baker would win the event, while Roberts would drop back to tenth.

Now with just three laps to go, Mike Lange moved up and there was a three way battle for the top spot. One lap later Patrick Marcott joined this cluster. The large crowd got a real show, with the last lap finish, as Baker came across the line in first, Poritz held onto second, while Lange, Marcott, Troxel, Dan Erikson, Norton Jr. and Church rounding out the top eight, in a great feature event.

Katie Taylor moved in front of the 20 car field of super stocks, with Norm Paulsen, Mike Kooi and Jerry Cornelison working on the leader. Kooi slipped under Paulsen on lap six and on lap seven, Adam Regnier looked like something broke, nearly smashing into the wall. Tim Wilson and Bob Koidahl were collected in the ruckus.

The lady leads the way!  Katie Taylor (#26) holds a lead over John Janssen (#43) in the closing laps of the Super Stock feature.   Taylor would give up the lead on the final lap to Janssen.  She would finish second, her best feature run to date.

On the restart Kooi shot into the pits, with Taylor looking like she would score her first feature win. But on the last lap, Janssen who looked like he'd be only able to settle for second, nipped Taylor coming for the wire. Norton Jr. was third, with John Maki fourth, Marry Robb fifth, followed by Zac Deeringer, a recovered Koidahl and Jeff Lorenz .

John Janssen (#43), the defending Super Stock champion, made a last lap pass in the feature race and came away with a victory.   Janssen currently lies a close second in the season standings to Zac Deeringer who won the feature race last evening.

It took Gary Krueger sixteen laps to move out front of the Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series feature. There were two other leaders, as Casey Darnell a fourth generation driver held the top spot for seven laps, before Doug Reichley moved out front. Only two caution flags stopped the action, one with the leaders, Reichley and Erik Darnell.

This gave Krueger all he needed, crossing the line, ahead of Bobby Giers, Jeff Goodwin and Randy Coates, in an exciting finish.

This coming Saturday night, the super lates and super stocks will have the open wheel Rascal Outlaw sprints make their first of two appearances on regular nights this season. Plus a big wheels race for children 12 years and younger. The older youngsters can bring a bike and helmet, if they want to race it. Lakes Area Rentals will sponsor the program.

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

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Troxel; 2.) Nick Schumacher; 3.) Roberts

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Tess; 2.) Mertes; 3.) Dan Huber
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Taylor; 2.) Maki; 3.) Greg Janutka

Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series

Feature Race: 1.) Gary Kreuger; 2.) Bobby Giers; 3.) Jeff Goodwin; 4.) Randy Coates