Al Schill tops caution plagued
Mid-Season Championship Late Model Win!!

By Dale R. Erdmann

June 20 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. -Picture this, perfect weather, a full grandstand, a great sponsor, mid season races, extra money for the drivers, how could anything go wrong? Well it did, Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway, as numerous caution flags plagued the running of the 50 lap super late model feature, won by Al Schill of Franklin. The Herb's super stock feature, usually runs non stop, also saw some caution periods, as John Janssen won the 30 lap event. Jack Kossow of Union Grove, won the dash and the 15 lap Wisconsin Allison Legacy cars feature.

Plus Rolf Tillman of Woodstock, Illinois, Just missed a clean sweep of sport truck competition. Tonight's events were sponsored by Bennett Enterprises and Total Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning of Round Lake,IL.

lgr9812a.jpg (15946 bytes) Current Super Late Model point leader Al Schill Sr., scored the win in the 50 lap Mid-Season Championship feature.  He was joined in victory lane by representatives of Bennett Enterprises and Total Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning.   The  win by Schill helped extend his point lead over nearest rival Randy Rodgers who was involved in an accident and failed to finish among the front runners.

The 20 car super late model feature was just 5 laps old, when Mark Simonsen and fast time Brian Ulrich tangled sending Ulrich into the wall, then violently rolling rolling onto his roof, just entering turn three. Urlich wasn't injured, but his car received extensive damage. Joe Fischer who led the first laps before this mishap again moved out front. Brad Durbin did a solo loop just as the green flag reappeared, causing the first false start.

On the next restart, Paul Loppnow lost power, causing the old according affect on the whole field. Landry Potter and Randy Rodgers got the worse of that melee. When racing resumed, Fischer easily bolted out front, with Danny Darnell and Al Schill tussling for second. Last week's feature winner Kent Burkoth got by Schill, as the field stayed close.

Simon and Jim Kjellander battled side by side for fifth, as Fischer looked impressive out front. Burkoth moved into second on lap 15, with Schill and Darnell going back and fourth in the third position. Burkoth had just secured second as Schill started to move in again, first getting past Darnell and then Burkoth by lap 20. One lap later, Schill was the new leader. On lap 23, Burkoth started to overheat, bringing out another caution for liquid on the track.

During those last 10 laps, visiting John Brolick, the late model point leader at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, IL, was slowing moving through the field, surviving all those mishaps and now up to fifth. Brolick had taken second in the semi, to earn a spot in the feature. As starter, Dave Rex Jr. waved the next green, Schill jumped into the lead once again. Darnell and Fischer had Brolick, John Simon and Mike Simon all over them, with some great three deep racing.

Schill finally built up a three car length advantage by lap 30, when Mike Simon Jr. and Loppnow tangled.  This stopped the action and wiped out the leaders margin over Darnell. Upon the restart , Schill had Darnell under him for the lead. Schill would fight back to retake the spot but then someone dumped liquid again, bringing the race to another halt.  Darnell was asked to go to the pits by the inspectors.  A lengthy wait, produced a start in the back of the pack for the second place runner, due to an oil leak.  This gave Brolick the opportunity he needed as the cone came out, as he became the new second place runner behind Schill with Fischer now sitting third.

Sometimes the racing gets a little too close.   As demonstrated here by Steve Bond (#34) and an unidentified driver.  In addition to close competition, Lake Geneva Raceway itself provides a unique challenge to drivers with it's progressive banking.  The higher the groove, the more banking to work with!! lgr9812b.jpg (5936 bytes)

Green flag racing saw Schill just in front, with Brolick on his inside. The challenge expected didn't last long, as lapped traffic kept everyone just staying out of trouble without any hard racing. Schill was the master of the oval for the final 18 laps, easily staying out front and out of trouble.   Brolick was second, with John Simon taking third. Brad Durbin crossed the finish line fourth. Fischer in his best run of the year was fifth and Mike Simon sixth.

lgr9812c.jpg (15328 bytes) John Janssen had some early season bad luck in the Herb's Super Stock feature races, but as seen here that's all behind him now.   Janssen who has been on a roll the past couple weeks, pulled off another feature win and padded his recently acquired point lead.

The super stock main event saw Mike Kooi dart out front with rookie Marty Robb, Willie Schumacher and Katie Taylor next.  By lap five Doug Peterson and Schumacher were knocking on Kooi's door for the lead.  Schumacher would take command of the race for two laps before Peterson worked his way into the lead on lap seven.  Zac Deeringer then worked his way up to battle for the top spot. Deeringer and Schumacher went back and forth in second for several laps.

By lap 14, Peterson could feel the pressure of Deeringer and by the 16th circuit Deeringer had worked his way out front.   Right  behind the lead pair were Adam Regnier who was on a quest to regain the point lead, while John Janssen, Bob Koidahl and fast timer Tommy Nevoso were all in pursuit.

Everyone stayed event until an incident on lap 22 brought out the yellow.  Coming off turn four, Peterson's axle broke causing him to spin, Regnier had no where to go, tangling with him.  Regnier was able to rejoin the race but Peterson's best run of the season was over having been credited with an 18th place finish.

With the cone out , Janssen to the inside line behind Deeringer and with just one lap under green flag racing, Janssen took over the top spot.Novoso, Koidahl, Don Radke were right behind.  When the checkered flag fell Janssen chalked up the win, with Deeringer holding onto second, Nevoso third followed by Koidahl, Radke and Jerry Cowan in the top six spots.and

Ouch!! The Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series cars normally have avoided any serious accidents until tonight, when Erik Darnell and Jeff Conn tangled off turn four and sailed into the frontstretch protection barrier.   Neither driver was injured in the incident proving the crashworthiness of these 3/4 scale race cars. lgr9812e.jpg (8249 bytes)

The Wisconsin Allison Legacy cars had a bad crash on lap 4 of their feature. 15 year old Erik Darnell got together with Jeff Conn, both went into the infield protection wall, causing lots of damage to both cars, but the drivers were uninjured. Erik's grandfather Bay Darnell led the event until lap five, before Jack Kossow got by. A lap 13 caution came out as Dennis Patretti and Tom Wiley got together in turn four. Kossow was able to hold off a determined Bobby Giers on the restart and go on to post the win.  Giers who had earlier set a new track record for the class with a lap of 19.345 seconds was right on Kossow's tail at the finish.   Joe Beyer took third, with Jeff Goodwin and Bay Darnell next.

lgr9812d.jpg (11931 bytes) Another point leader wins! This evening brought out the best in the point leaders in the respective divisions.  Here Sport Truck defending champion and current point leader Rolf Tillman stands in victory lane after his win in the feature event.

Dan Ross who had trouble qualifying his truck shot out front of the sport truck pack,  with Butch Edwards Jr. and Dave Shine in the top three slots.  Within 6 laps Rolf Tillman had worked his way through the field and into the lead of the event.  He led the remaining distance to pick up the win with Edwards in second, Dan Ross, Chad Ross, Dave Shine and Jim Olson following.

This coming Saturday night, the Parts Place in Elkhorn will sponsor the program, and there will be a roll over contest held at Lake Geneva Raceway for the first time in the tracks history. For more information call the track office at (414) 248-8566.

Time trials are at 6 pm. races at 7:30 pm sharp, on the progressively banked, one-third mile asphalt oval.  The racetrack is located three miles south of downtown Lake Geneva on Bloomfield Road.

Late Model Division
50 Lap "Mid-Season"  Feature Trophy Dash
1. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI 1. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL
2. #55 John Brolick New Lenox, IL 2. #85 Danny Darnell Beach Park, IL
3. # 4 John Simon McHenry, IL 3. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI
4. #57 Brad Durbin Burlington, WI Time Trials
5. #2F Joe Fischer Grayslake, IL 1. #23 Brian Ulrich 16.322 Seconds
6. #48 Mike Simon Lake Villa, IL 2. #14 Randy Rodgers 16.386 Seconds
7. #30 Mark Hartline  Gilberts, IL 3. #14 Al Schill Sr. 16.396 Seconds
8. # 9 Larry Los Darien, WI
9. #56 Mike Simon Jr. Elgin, IL
10. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL

First 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Hartline; 2.) Bill Kloster; 3.) Steve Hoch
Second 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Simon Jr; 2.) Brolick; 3.) Bob Moeller
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Simon Jr; 2.) Jim Bennett; 3.) Kloster
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Ed Hancel; 2.) Moeller; 3.) Dennis Vito
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Landry Potter; 2.) Mike Simon; 3.) John Simon

Herbs Super Stock Division
20 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI 1. #84 Tommy Nevoso 19.432 Seconds
2. #02 Zac Deeringer McHenry, IL 2. #02 Zac Deeringer 19.522 Seconds
3. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI 3. #73 Adam Regnier 19.537 Seconds
4. #89 Bob Koidahl Cary, IL 6 Lap Trophy Dash
5. #20 Don Radke Ingleside, IL 1. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI
6. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI 2. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL
7. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL 3. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI
8. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI 10 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #09 Rob Braun Wales, WI 1. #40 Tim White Pell Lake, WI
10. #76 Mike Kooi Island Lake, IL 2. #64 John Maki Antioch, IL
3. #78 Lyle Bottlemy Pell Lake, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Maki; 2.) Todd Peterson; 3.) Bottlemy
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Doug Peterson; 2.) Weber; 3.) Radke

102.3 XLC Sport Trucks
15 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL 1. #14 Rolf Tillman 19.672 Seconds
2. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI 2. # 3 Chad Ross 19.710 Seconds
3. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL 3. # 4 Dave Shine 19.820 Seconds
4. # 3 Chad Ross Spring Grove, IL 4 Lap Dash
5. # 4 Dave Shine Crystal Lake, IL 1. # 3 Chad Ross Spring Grove, IL
6. #24 Jim Olson Wonder Lake, IL 2. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL
7. #87 Mike Martinelli Hainesville, IL 3. #87 Mike Martinelli Hanesville, IL
8. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL
9. #43 Dean Schwechel Lake Geneva, WI
10. # 2 Kurt Ross Zion, IL

10 Lap Heat: 1.) Edwards Jr; 2.) Dan Ross; 3.) Schwechel

WISCONSIN ALLISON LEGACY CARS

15 Lap Feature: 1.) Jack Kossow, Union Grove; 2.) Bobby Giers, Ingleside, IL; 3.) Joe Beyer, Northbrook, IL; 4.) Jeff Goodwin, Zion, IL; 5.) Bay Darnell, Waukegan, IL
10 Lap Heat: 1.) Goodwin; 2.) B. Darnell; 3.) Randy Coates
4 Lap Dash: 1.) Kossow; 2.) Beyer; 3.) Giers
Fast Qualifier:  #50 Bobby Giers, Ingleside, IL,.....19.349 Seconds  *RECORD*