Joel Clossey tops Sportsman special,
Burkoth claims second Super Late win of 1998 season!

By Dale R. Erdmann

July 25, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - Joel Clossey of Beloit won the special 30 lap sportsman feature sponsored by Performance Unlimited of McHenry, IL. Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway, packing up an extra $100 for his efforts. Kent Burkoth of Pell Lake finished second in the 30 lap super late model feature, but picked up his second feature win of the season when the first car acrossed the line was disqualified for a rules violation, and Zac Deeringer of McHenry,IL. won his first 20 lap Herb's super stock feature of the year.


Joel Clossey had plenty to celebrate this evening as he took the win in the special Performance Unlimited 30.  In the left photo he is interviewed by announcer Dale Erdmann, while in the right he is shown passing Brian Baker for the lead.


Rick Rowlett jumped out front of the 18 car sportsman feature with Mike Lange, Dan Robers and Brad Troxel right on his bumper. On lap two Troxel spun in front of a full throttle field, but everyone missed him, as the caution came on, just as Lange took over the lead. On the line up, going back one lap, Rowlett was again the leader, with Robers, Brian Baker and a hard charging Rick Corso behind him. Lange dropped out at that time.

On lap five Corso somehow managed to move through the middle and take over the lead. Bob Ropke running near the back of the pack, spun on lap eight, stopping the race again. On the restart Baker moved into second with Robers feeling the pressure of Clossey who started in the rear of the field, now fourth. Jack Kossow and Mark Pluer, who was making his first visit of the season were following Clossey's every move.

By lap ten, Clossey was second, with Corso afew car lengths ahead. Two caution periods on lap fourteen for Robers loop in turn two and three laps later for Dan Erikson's solo spin, really tightened up the field. Baker wasn't content was third, challenging Clossey every turn, but with Corso just inches ahead on lap twenty, there this was a real tough course to hoe. Pluer running fourth was waiting for any mistakes ahead of him, but Tim Schmitt was giving him pressure too.

On lap twenty one, Clossey was working on Corso's top spot. Corso using that wide line, Clossey couldn't get around the leader. Then coming into turn three just before lap twenty three would begin, Corso spun at the edge on turn four. The field missed the fallen leader, as the caution flew.

Clossey was the new leader and the eight lap dash wasn't easy for the eventual winner, as first Pluer, then Baker and Kevin Rybuck gave the fans a real show. At the checkered, the crowd was on their feet for an excellent conclusion to the event, as Clossey crossed the line first, Baker was just afew feet behind, with Rybuck along side in third,with Pluer, Schmitt and a recovering Erikson rounding out the top six.

Landry Potter moved out front of the 18 car super late model main event, with Mark Simonsen, Mark Hartline, Kent Burkoth and the two number 55's, visiting John Brolick and Jim Kjellander next. Eddie May joined the cluster up front, with Brolick on the move, by lap four. On lap seven, Hartline made contact with Simonsen, causing a slowdown, one lap later, quick timer Denny Hiffman did a solo spin, with another caution. Each time, drivers would have that opportunity of where to go, with the cone out allowing them to choose the inside out outside lane.

Brolick picked the right lane, lining up in side second row of Potter. Brolick worked on Potter as the green flew, with May next. This tight field, had Burkoth next, with Ronnie Darnell, Randy Rodgers and Hiffman. Entering lap eleven, Brolick got under Potter, after racing close for those last three laps there was a new leader, but with an extremely close group behind him.

Potter wasn't going to give up, as two laps later Potter was back in front. However, Brolick charged in front again, one lap later. A seesaw battle for the top nine positions gave the fans something to cheer about, as May inched in front of Potter on lap sixteen. Then Burkoth slipped under Potter one lap later. But Potter came right back on lap 19. The first of numerous cautions came on lap twenty as Rodgers and Al Schill got together in turn three. Then Ronnie Darnell spun on the next circuit. On lap twenty three, May scared everyone veering right towards the wall, as his axle broke, causing another slowdown. Everyone got by, but May's great run was over.

The final caution came on the restart, Danny Darnell and Potter got hooked , with Potter riding the wall, then going off the track briefly in turn one, causing his oil pan to rip open. This caused a long delay as officials did not want to cause more damage to the car, as it stalled in the pit entrance.

Finally underway, Brolick could hardly wait for this race to end. The six lap dash, saw a close second through eighth. Brolick won his first feature here, as the Grundy point leader came across the line first, Burkoth nipped a recovering Schill for second, Simonsen was fourth, with Mike Simon and ASA super star Tom Jones next. A post race car inspection however, dropped Brolick from the finish, because of the wrong weight percentages. This gave Burkoth the win and Hartline moved to sixth.

Burt Getchell grabbed the lead in the 20 car super stock feature, with Lyle Bottlemy, rookie Jeff Lorenz, Tim Muller and Don Radke all over the leader. The leader received the black flag on lap two because of a fuel leak. Jay Potter spun onto the infield, with Bob Kiodahl and two other drivers stalled in turn four, bringing the only caution of the event.

Bottlemy bolted in front, with Muller next. The battle for the top spot, had the crowd going wild, as Muller pulled along side the leader. Muller lead lap six, with Bottlemy hanging onto second before Zac Deeringer moving up quickly and then into the lead, one lap later.

The race was far from over as Tommy Novoso and Don Radke got around Muller one lap later. Those final ten laps was a seesaw battle for the top spot. Novoso led laps fourteen and fifteen, but at the wire each of the remaining laps, Deeringer was afew inches in front. Finishing third was Radke, with Dennis Carlton along for fourth , fast timer John Janssen was fifth, with Jerry Cowan next.

This coming Saturday night, Avoco Oil Company of Rockford, IL. presents the junior fan night, as children 12 and under can participate in a big wheels race or bicycle race around the oval. The sportsman will join the super late models and super stocks for the 18th. race program of the 1998 season.

For more information call the track office at (414) 248-8566. Time trials are at 6:00 p.m. and the first race get going at 7:30 p.m. sharp.  The raceway is located three miles south of downtown Lake Geneva on Bloomfield Road.  For more information contact the raceway at (414) 248-8566

Late Model Division
30 Lap   Feature Event Trophy Dash
1. #19 Kent Burkoth Pell Lake, WI 1. #58 Ronnie Darnell Gilberts, IL
2. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI 2. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL
3. #17 Mark Simonsen Crystal Lake, IL 3. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI
4. #48 Mike Simon Lake Villa, IL Time Trials
5. # 0 Tom Jones Northbrook, IL 1. #41 Denny Hiffman  16.324 Seconds
6. #30 Mark Hartline Gilberts, IL 2. #14 Randy Rodgers 16.451 Seconds
7. #58 Ronnie Darnell Gilberts, IL 3. #58 Ronnie Darnell 16.453 Seconds
8. #23 Brian Ulrich Racine, WI 15 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #85 Danny Darnell Beach Park, IL 1. #23 Brian Ulrich Racine, WI
10. #28 Paul Laoppnow Burlington, WI 2. #15 Ed Schneidwent Greenfield, WI
3. #55 Larry Surletta Round Lake, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Simon Jr.; 2.) Dennis Vito; 3.) Surletta
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Simon; 2.) Burkoth; 3.) Loppnow

Performance Unlimited Sportsman
30 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. # 1 Joel Clossey Beloit, WI 1. # 1 Joel Clossey 17.282 Seconds
2. #32 Brian Baker Pell Lake, WI 2. #69 Tim Schmitt 17.361 Seconds
3. #11 Kevin Rybuck New Berlin, WI 3. #11 Kevin Rybuck 17.410 Seconds
4. #97 Mark Pluer West Allis, WI 6 Lap Dash
5. #69 Tim Schmitt Muskego, WI 1. #88 Rick Corso McHenry, IL
6. #41 Dan Erickson Lyons, IL 2. # 1 Joel Clossey Beloit, WI
7. #36 Steve Strasburg Roscoe, IL 3. #11 Kevin Rybuck New Berlin, WI
8. # 6 Mike DeKeuster Racine, IL
9. #91 Bob Ropke Pell Lake, WI
10. #17 Brad Troxel South Beloit, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Michael Lange; 2.) Troxel; 3.) Peterson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Baker; 2.) Dekeuster; 3.) Erickson

Herbs Super Stock Division
20 Lap Feature Event Time Trials
1. #02 Zac Deeringer McHenry, IL 1. #43 John Janssen 19.435 Seconds
2. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI 2. #67 Jerry Cown 19.565 Seconds
3. #20 Don Radke Ingleside, IL 3. #02 Zac Deeringer 19.592 Seconds
4. #77 Dennis Carlton McHenry, IL 6 Lap Trophy Dash
5. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI 1. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI
6. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI 2. #43 John Janssen Geona City, WI
7. #34 Tim Muller Beach Park, IL 3. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL
8. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL 15 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #64 John Maki Antioch, IL 1. #33 Jay Potter Sugar Creek, WI
10. #68 Burt Getchell Cary, IL 2. #26 Katie Taylor Chicago, IL
3. # 2 Marty Robb Lake Zurich, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Robb; 2.) Getchell; 3.) Taylor
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Willie Schumacher; 2.) Bob Koidahl; 3.) Potter