Prestay Wins Country Ford/WSLD Feature Race!

By Dale R. Erdmann

May 17, Lake Geneva, WI.

It was a bone chilling night Saturday at Lake Geneva Raceway, as the large crowd braved temperatures in the low 40's, to witness the Race Against Drugs program, sponsored by Country Ford in Delavan, WI and WSLD 104.5 FM Country Radio.

Fran Prestay of Silver Lake, the 1996 Track Champion, finally won a feature race and became the fourth different driver to win a 30 lap Super Late Model main. The Herb's Street Stock feature was called due to the curfew. As Rick Corso of McHenry, IL won his second Performance Unlimited Mid-American/Sportsman feature of the season. Dan Ross of Gurnee, IL, snapped Rolf Tillman's winning streak in the 102.3 XLC Sport Truck feature. For the third week, Jamie Wallace of Pell Lake, WI., broke his own track qualifying mark, turning in a time of 16.201 seconds in the Super Late Model division.

The Super Late Model feature was just two laps old, when Dennis Vito spun in turn four, with Bill Schultz out front, bringing out the first caution. Mike Simon tired to overhaul Schultz, but it wasn't going to happen, while Ron Malec in his first visit of the season began to pressure Simon. Brad Durbin, Mark Hartline and Joe Fischer were next in line.

Durbin came along Simon from time to time and inched in front of him to claim second behind Schultz. Right behind them were Prestay and Hartline. On lap 10, the next caution came out for a cluster of cars in turn one. As the cars lined up again, Wallace made the right decision, charging up on Schultz at the restart. Wallace and the leader touched but everyone remained on track.

The came lap 12, Wallace ran too hard into turn four, this caused Schultz to spin around as did Wallace. The field was bearing down on them and scattered everywhere to miss them.

Al Schill Jr. in his first appearance of the season, got the worst of the deal from that incident, having had contact and being forced to restart in the back after running fifth.

Hartline was now the leader, with Prestay, Kent Burkoth, Durbin and Al Schill Sr. right behind him. Hartline looked like a winner, but on lap 22, the slightest bobble, gave Prestay what he needed to take the lead. Prestay went on to win the event over Hartline, Burkoth, Durbin, a recovering Wallace and Schill Sr.

In the Mid-American/Sportsman event Dan Robers in his first appearance of the year inched in front of Dave Lohse, just before the first mix-up in turn three, with Rick Tackman Jr. and Randy Holmes, bringing the race to a halt.

Lohse grabbed the lead on lap two, with Brian Baker putting on the pressure. Shane Bishop quickly challenged Baker for the next eight laps. Contact was made on lap 12, with Baker spinning around. Donny Kachelmeier inherited the lead at this point, as Baker and Bishop were sent to the rear for the restart.

Underway the tight field set a grueling pace, with point leader Rick Corso putting the challenge on the leader. With just three laps to go, Corso moved in front, taking the win over, Kachelmeier, fast timer Bobby Gutknecht, Jeff Storm, last weeks feature winner Paul Loppnow and a recovering Baker.

Joel "The Tinman" Filtz led the first four laps of the truck feature, before Ross moved in front for the eventual win. Filtz held back a hard charging Rolf Tillman, Butch Edwards Jr., Chad Ross and Bill Swinford.

Next weekend, the oval track comes alive on both Friday and Saturday Nights. Friday will include Super Late Models and three other divisions. Saturday night, the Performance Unlimited Sportsman will have a $500 to win, 30 lap feature plus three more divisions of action.

Time trials both nights are at 6:00 p.m., first race each evening will take place at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

On Saturday and Sunday at 12 NOON rain or shine, Chevrolet will present the 27th annual off road races, as seen on ESPN.

Monday will be the Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series event at 1:00 p.m., which will be run 299 laps. Pro Motocross racing is also running, with an event Friday night at 8:00 p.m., over 320 riders were on hand last Friday night, with a record spectator crowd. For more information on any of these events call (414) 248-8566.

 

 

 

 

RESULTS

Late Model Division
30 Lap Feature Event   Semi-Feature
1. #99 Fran Prestay Silver Lake, WI   1. # 7 Al Schill Jr. Franklin, WI
2. #30 Mike Hartline Lake In The Hills, IL   2. #12 Billy Baumiester Janesville, WI
3. #19 Kent Burkoth Pell Lake, WI   3. #68 Chad Barker South Milwaukee, WI
4. #57 Brad Durbin Burlington, WI   Trophy Dash
5. #87 Jamie Wallace Pell Lake, WI   1. # 9 Larry Loss Darien, WI
6. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI   2. #87 Jamie Wallace Pell Lake, WI
7. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. Pell Lake, WI   3. #99 Fran Prestay Silver Lake, WI
8. #12 Billy Baumeister Janesville, WI   Time Trials
9. # 9 Larry Loss Darien, WI   1. #87 Jamie Wallace 16.201 Secs. (NTR)
10. # 2 David Ray Salentine Muskego, WI   2. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. 16.446 Secs.
        3. #99 Fran Prestay 16.523 Secs.

HEAT ONE: 1.) Lloyd Wilkinson, 2.) Chuck Duncan, 3.) Mike Simon Jr.
HEAT TWO: 1.) Al Schill Jr., 2.) Billy Baumeister, 3.) Brian Ulrich
HEAT THREE: 1.) Brad Durbin, 2.) Jeff Holtz, 3.) Mark Hartline

Performance Unlimited Sportsman Division
20 Lap Feature Event   Time Trials
1. #88 Rick Corso McHenry, IL   1. #10 Bobby Gutknecht 17.246 Secs.
2. #95 Donny Kachelmeier Waukesha, WI   2. #88 Rick Corso 17.329 Secs.
3. #10 Bobby Gutknecht Oak Creek, WI   3. #25 Jeff Storm 17.339 Secs.
4. #25 Jeff Storm Waterford, WI   Trophy Dash
5. #28 Paul Loppnow Burlington, WI   1. #55 Scott Koerner Joliet, IL
6. #32 Brian Baker Pell Lake, WI   2. #25 Jeff Storm Waterford, WI
7. #17 Shane Bishop Pell Lake, WI   3. #10 Bobby Gutknecht Oak Creek, WI
8. #58 Dave Lohse Harvard, IL    
9. # 7 Ed Kubicz Whitewater, WI        
10. #82 David Dubnicka Jackson, WI        
             

HEAT ONE: 1.) Dave Lohse, 2.) Rick Schmidt, 3.) Tommy Goff
HEAT TWO: 1.) Paul Loppnow, 2.) Donny Kachelmeier, 3.) Scott Koerner

Herb's Street Stock Division
Feature Event   Semi-Feature
        1. #20 Don Radke Ingleside, IL
        2. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, IL
        3. #22 Shawn Donnelly Mukwonago, WI
CANCELLED DUE TO CURFEW!     Trophy Dash
        1. #77 Landry Potter Geona City, IL
        2. #18 Dennis Carlton McHenry, IL
        3. #73 Adam Regnier Richmond, IL
        Time Trials
        1. #18 Dennis Carlton 19.470 Secs.
        2. #96 Denny Norton Jr. 19.482 Secs.
        3. #73 Adam Regnier 19.585 Secs.

HEAT ONE: 1.) Lyle Bottelmy, 2.) Tommy Nevoso, 3.) Troy Weber
HEAT TWO: 1.) Mike Kooi, 2.) Doug Peterson, 3.) Terry Hilgendorf
HEAT THREE: 1.) Jerry Cowan, 2.) Denny Norton Jr. 3.(TIE) Dennis Carlton, Adam Regnier

102.3 XLC Sport Truck Division
15 Lap Feature Event   10 Lap Heat
1. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL   1. # 7 Joel Filtz South Milwaukee, WI
2. # 7 Joel Filtz South Milwaukee, WI   2. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI
3. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL   3. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL
4. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI   Trophy Dash
5. # 4 Chad Ross Kenosha, WI   1. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL
6. #9S Bill Swinford Pell Lake, WI   2. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI
7. #38 Stephen W. Kamin Woodstock, IL   3. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL
8. #10 Jim Phillips Darien, WI   Time Trials
9. #99 Ron Ross Northbrook, IL   1. #14 Rolf Tillman 19.557 Secs.
10. # 2 Frank Caravetta     2. # 5 Dan Ross 19.858 Secs.
        3. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. 20.218 Secs.