Patnode and Getchell win first career features
at Lake Geneva Raceway!

By Dale R. Erdmann

July 12, 1997; Lake Geneva, WI.

Just when you think things are not going to go well you may be pleasantly surprised. Saturday Night at Lake Geneva Raceway was an excellent night of racing. The track had been covered with dust at 5:00 P.M. after the SODA Summer National Off-Road Races, held here in the afternoon.

However by 6:30 P.M. thanks to 25 of the Herb's Street Stock drivers and track officials, the show as ready to go on.

Terry Patnode of Oak Creek, WI, won his first career Super Late Model feature victory at Lake Geneva Raceway. Patnode has been racing at Lake Geneva for six years.

Terry Patnode started racing at Lake Geneva Raceway six years ago, the Oak Creek, WI driver had led the feature until the second last lap a few times, but until tonight, fast time was his greatest fete at Lake Geneva Raceway. The former Sportsman dirt track driver drove a flawless race to win the Satellite Technology Systems 30 lap Super Late Model feature race.

Bert Getchell, a second year Street Stock driver from Cary, IL won his first career 20 lap Street Stock feature. Other winners were Rolf Tillman of Woodstock, IL who won his eighth main event of the season in the XLC 102.3 Sport Truck division, and joining the program for the first time in two years The Formula Indy Racing Association appeared with wins going to Brian Helmintoler of Itasca, IL in the Pro Division and Dick Heath of Milwaukee took the ProAm class.

Brian Ulrich used the high upper groove to lead the 19 car starting field of the Super Late Model feature. Slinger Speedway, Midwest Modified point leader Jeff Holtz was second, with Dennis Vito, and Patnode right on his tail. Within five laps Patnode was right alongside the leader, with Holtz all over the top two in third. On the sixth lap Patnode climbed to the front, with Holtz inching ahead of Ulrich for second.

Holtz was to immediately challenge for the lead and a lengthy battle began. On lap 11, however Jim Kjellander, Vito and Billy Skinner Jr. got together bringing out the first caution.

Patnode was out front just two more laps before Gil Neuhaus spun off turn one and couldn't get restarted causing another caution. This gave current point leader Al Schill his golden opportunity. As drivers chose their land for the restart Schill was up to third. Schill slipped around Holtz for second on the restart and then moved in on the leader on lap 14. Two laps later Schill spun out in turn two.

The next restart saw second place Holtz all over Patnode for the lead but the leader never bobbled and moved out to a small advantage with 10 laps to go. The on lap 22, Lloyd Wilkinson spun, bringing out the final slow down. With this 8 lap dash setting up the stage for a real close contest.

On the restart Patnode again took the lead with Skinner who returned from his earlier incident challenging Holtz for the runner-up slot. He managed to slip under Holtz but Holtz came right back.

Going into turn one with just 4 laps left, Skinner came in a little too hard handing second back to Holtz who then moved in on the leader, Patnode.

At the wire Patnode was the winner, with Holtz second which was his best performance so far this season for the rookie driver. Skinner held onto third, with Schill, Kent Burkoth and Denny Hiffman rounding out the top six.

Patnode credited his crew for all the work. "The only thing we did wrong was qualifying, I hope we finally found the combination", stated the winner.

Todd Peterson jumped in front of the Street Stock main event, with Getchell taking over the top spot one lap later. The race was far from over however at Lyle Messinger began to pressure Getchell for the lead. However Messinger got the black flag for leaking fluid, it took until lap eight however before he realized his trouble when his radiator spilled all over turn one causing a yellow.

This set up a duel for the lead, Scott Kuxhouse would assume command for a few laps then Getchell would charge back out front from time to time. The top two would continue this flawless battle until Bob Kiodahl running in mid pack would slow the action for spilling liquid all over the track with only five laps to go.

Burt Getchell sows off the view his competition got for the evening in the Herb's Street Stock division. Getchell a second year Street Stock driver earned his first career feature victory.

The win was anything but easy as he held off Scott Kuxhouse by a bumper length to win the event.

This set up an awesome five lap dash for the win. Getchell led with Kuxhouse trying to overhaul the leader, right behind these two a whole new battle was shaping up. When the checkered flag was shown, Getchell was the winner with Kuxhouse along side, only a nosepiece separated the winner from second. Zac Deeringer, Landry Potter and quick timer Denny Norton Jr. rounded out the top five. Sixth place finisher Tommy Nevoso failed post race inspection and was dropped to last giving sixth to Adam Regnier.

Joel Filtz paced the Sport Truck feature for 6 laps before getting to wide, letting Tillman inch to the front. Butch Edward Jr., tried to nip away at Tillman's lead. Dave Shine was the next to attempt to pass Tillman nearly taking the lead with three laps to go. At the line it was Tillman, with Shine, Edwards, Chad Ross, Filtz and Ron Ross under a blanket for the top spots at the finish.

Tom George moved in front of the Formula Indy feature for the first three laps, before Helmintoler charged to the front. Once there, the leader didn't let anything get in the way of a victory, finishing nearly a straightaway ahead of Ron Morris, George, Jim Chapley, Jim Bass and Kevin Penn.

Next Saturday Night, on July 19th, 1997; Performance Unlimited will present racing action in the Super Late Model, Street Stocks and the return of the Sportsman cars. Time trials will be set for 6:00 P.M. with the first race at 7:30 P.M. sharp.

RESULTS

Late Model Division
30 Lap Feature Event   Trophy Dash
1. # 5 Terry Patnode Oak Creek, WI   1. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. Pell Lake, WI
2. #20 Jeff Holtz Franklin, WI   2. #2 David Ray Salentine Muskego, WI
3. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. Pell Lake, WI   3. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI
4. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI   Time Trials
5. #19 Kent Burkoth Pell Lake, WI   1. #47 Billy Skinner Jr. 16.819 Seconds
6. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL   2. #30 Mark Hartline 16.910 Seconds
7. #30 Mark Hartline Lake In The Hills, IL   3. # 2 David Ray Salentine 16.937 Seconds
8. # 2 David Ray Salentine Muskego, WI    
9. #55 Jim Kjellander Twin Lakes, WI        
10. #23 Brian Ulrich Racine, WI        
             

HEAT ONE: 1.) Lloyd Wilkinson, 2.) Ulrich, 3.) Dennis Vito
HEAT TWO: 1.) Billy Baumeister, 2.) Holtz, 3.) Patnode
HEAT THREE: 1.) Schill, 2) Burkoth, 3.) Hartline

Herb's Street Stock Division
20 Lap Feature   15 Lap Semi-Feature
1. #68 Burt Getchell Cary, IL   1. # 4 Rick Jacobs East Troy, WI
2. #57 Scott Kuxhouse Antioch, IL   2. #76 Mike Kooi Island Lake, IL
3. #02 Zac Deeringer McHenry, IL   3. #17 Shane Bishop Pell Lake, WI
4. #77 Landry Potter Genoa City, WI   Trophy Dash
5. #96 Denny Norton Jr. McHenry, IL   1. #02 Zac Deeringer McHenry, IL
6. #73 Adam Regnier Richmond, IL   2. #96 Denny Norton Jr. McHenry, IL
7. #20 Don Radke Ingleside, IL   3. #89 Bob Koidahl Cary, IL
8. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, IL   Time Trials
9. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI   1. #96 Denny Norton Jr. 19.500 Seconds
10. #76 Mike Kooi Island Lake, IL   2. #77 Landry Potter 19.861 Seconds
        3. #02 Zac Deeringer 19.930 Seconds

HEAT ONE: 1.) Kooi, 2.) Bishop, 3.) Tim Muller
HEAT TWO: 1.) Al Kuphal, 2.) Todd Peterson, 3.) Getchell
HEAT THREE: 1.) Kuxhouse, 2.) Koidahl, 3.) Regnier

XLC 102.3 Sport Trucks
15 Lap Feature   Time Trials
1. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL   1. # 5 Dave Shine 19.643 Seconds
2. # 5 Dave Shine McHenry, IL   2. #14 Rolf Tillman 19.692 Seconds
3. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI   3. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. 19.914 Seconds
4. # 4 Chad Ross Kenosha, WI   10 Lap Heat
5. # 7 Joel Filtz So. Milwaukee, WI   1. #99 Ron Ross Northbrook, IL
6. #99 Ron Ross Northbrook, IL   2. # 7 Joel Filtz So. Milwaukee, WI
7. #9S Bill Swinford Pell Lake, WI   3. # 5 Dave Shine McHenry, IL
8. #10 Jim Phillips Darien, WI   4 Lap Trophy Dash
9. # 2 Frank Caravetta Kenosha, WI   1. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI
10. #15 Mike Dammen Clinton, WI   2. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL
        3. # 5 Dave Shine McHenry, IL