Non-Stop Super Late Model feature to Mike Arnold!

By Dale R. Erdmann

August 1, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - The 18th. weekly Saturday night race program at Lake Geneva Raceway saw three new winners, as Mike Arnold of Rochester won his first super late model 30 lap non stop feature, in his first night out for the 1998 season. This was Arnold's first feature win,since the 1992 season. Rookie driver Marty Robb from Lake Zurich, Illinois won his first career 20 lap Herb's super stock feature and Tim Schmitt of Muskego survived the numerous caution flags, to win his first career 20 lap Performance Unlimited sportsman main event. Schmitt started racing 12 years ago at Slinger Speedway, took fast time, on Avoco Oil/Turbo Blue night . Randy Rodgers from Lake Geneva, broke the super late model qualifying mark for one lap, with a time of 16.126 seconds.

Special junior fan big wheels races took place as Shane Potter, 5 years old of Genoa City, Tyler Peterson, 6 years old of Lake Geneva and Nicole Kooi, 8 years old of Island Lake, IL. were the big wheels winners. Jessica May, 11 years old from Wonder Lake won the bicycle race.

Bob Moeller jumped out front of the 18 car super late model feature, with John Simon, Mike Arnold, Brian Ulrich, Larry Surletta and Paul Loppnow behind him. Moeller started to move away from the tight pack, with visiting Fran Prestay, nipping at Surletta's bumper by lap three. Arnold tried the outside of Simon, but that wasn't the way around the second place runner. On lap five, Arnold got under Simon, with Prestay, Loppnow and now Joe Fischer next.

Mark Hartline entered the top eight on lap six, then advanced to six on lap eight. One lap later, Moeller knew Arnold was right along side him. Racing side by side for two laps, Arnold inched in front on lap eleven. Prestay was third by lap twelve, with Hartline up to fifth. Prestay worked on Moetler for the next few lap , but wasn't able to grab second. Slipping into third, Prestay now could feel the pressure from Hartline, two more laps Hartline was now third and looking at Moeller's second position next.

Some great side by side racing ensued, as Hartline finally got Moeller on lap 18. With ten laps to go, Arnold was about four lengths in front , with Hartline second, Prestay and Moeller side by side for the next two spots, Simon next and Denny Hiffman working on that spot. Right behind this tight second through sixth, Fischer, Al Schill and Landry Potter had quite the race for seventh.

On lap twenty two, Hartline moved in on the leader. By then the top ten was very close, with first Hiffman, then Schill dropping Simon two positions. On lap twenty six, the top two of Arnold and Hiffman were along side each other, with a great race developing. Coming off turn four, Hartline and Arnold made contact, with the field bearing down . Hartline knew there were still 3 big laps to go and then could be another challenge. The next three laps were brutal, with every position to close to call. Arnold nipped Hartline for the win, with Prestay, Moeller, Hiffman and Schill under a blanket.

Only five laps were completed in the super stock feature, as Zac Deeringer tried to do a 360, after
spinning out. Lyle Bottlemy got the worst of that racing incident, as Greg Peterson and Jim Hughs also got involved . Bottlemy's mount received alot of damage and EMT's checked over the driver who complained of back pain.

Just like the first five go rounds Marty Robb was holding back numerous challenges from Willie Schumacher. But on lap seven, Schumacher got under the leader and moved out front. Robb didn't give up and two laps later, the first year driver was back in front. Behind these two, it was another exciting even, as Burt Getchell worked on Jay Potter, with Don Radke just waiting for an opportunity to move by. Sorting things out, the dicing for positions changed a couple of times per lap. With just five laps to go, it was a Robb and Schumacher show for the top spot, right behind them, Radke, Getchell and now John Maki were working their way forward.

Somehow Radke managed to slip into second with just three laps to go. This would be a climax to another great feature, coming for that final turn, Robb held his own, as Radke came inside, but finishing second. Getchell nipped Schumacher for third, as rookie Maki was fourth. Adam Regnier was fifth and Dennis Carlton was sixth.

The sportsman feature just couldn't get off the ground, as Rick Tackman Jr. paced the field each restart. Finally under way, Tackman had Bob Ropke, Mike Lange and Joe Francisco all over him. Visiting driver Mike Monroe, Jack Kossow, point leader Joel Clossey, Francisco and Ropke all were involved in a lap four incident, that caused another slowdown.

Quick timer Tim Schmitt got by Tackman on lap seven, but one lap later it was Tackman in front again. Schmitt who earlier stated he had never won a feature in all years of racing, probably wouldn't get one this season with all the competition. On lap nine Schmitt inched ahead of Tackman for the final time, Brian Baker who started in the back, was now third. On lap seventeen, Tackman and Monroe got together, just after the caution came out for two lapped cars spun in turn one. Getting those final three laps in were going to be a fete, as first, Clossey made contact with Baker after battling for a position, then spun. Clossey and Baker had to start in the rear.

It would be another green, white and checkered situation, as Schmitt held back Kevin Rybuck who stayed out of trouble to finish second. Steve Strassburg was third, followed by Dan Erikson, Jack Kossow and Mike DeKeuster.

This upcoming weekend will see another complete program of racing on Saturday August 8th, while on Sunday, August 9th, the  Raceway will host it's second ever appearance of the NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series.  A field of nearly 50 super late model drivers will test their skills on the world's fastest one third mile paved banked oval in a 125 lap feature, plus a last chance qualifying race.

Time trials will begin at 12:30 pm. racing at 2 pm. A special weekend spectator admission pass for both Saturday nights program of super late models, super stocks Wisconsin Allison Legacy series and the Legend cars and this REMAX series on Sunday will be just $22 for adults.

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. #64 Mike Arnold Rochester, WI 1. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI
2. #30 Mark Hartline Gilberts, IL 2. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI
3. #99 Fran Prestay Silver Lake, WI 3. #30 Mark Hartline Gilberts, IL
4. #74 Bob Moeller Johnsburg, IL Time Trials
5. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL 1. #14 Randy Rodgers 16.126 Seconds
6. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI 2. #41 Denny Hiffman 16.219 Seconds
7. # 4 John Simon McHenry, IL 3. #14 Al Schill 16.393 Seconds
8. #22 Landry Potter Geona City, WI 10 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI 1. #56 Mike Simon Jr. Elgin, IL
10. #2F Joe Fischer Grayslake, IL 2. # 3 Chuck Duncan Milwaukee, WI
3. #34 Steve Bond Lake Geneva, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Simon Jr.; 2.) John Simon; 3.) Mike Simon
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Prestay; 2.) Brian Ulrich; 3.) Arnold

Performance Unlimited Sportsman
20 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. #69 Tim Schmitt Muskego, WI 1. #69 Tim Schmitt 17.302 Seconds
2. #11 Kevin Rybuck New Berlin, WI 2. #32 Brian Baker 17.323 Seconds
3. #36 Steve Strasburg Roscoe, IL 3. #11 Kevin Rybuck 17.349 Seconds
4. #41 Dan Erickson Lyons, WI 6 Lap Dash
5. # 2 Jack Kossow Sturtevant, WI 1. # 3 Mike Monroe Pell Lake, WI
6. # 6 Mike Dekeuster Racine, WI 2. #11 Kevin Rybuck New Berlin, WI
7. # 1 Joel Clossey Beloit, WI 3. #69 Tim Schmitt Muskego, WI
8. #32 Brian Baker Pell Lake, WI
9. #17 Brad Troxel South Beloit, IL
10. #14 Tommy Goff Lake Geneva, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Joe Fransisco; 2.) Dan Erickson; 3.) Michael Lange

Herbs Super Stock Division
20 Lap Feature Event Time Trials
1. # 2 Marty Robb Lake Zurich, IL 1. #43 John Janssen 19.267 Seconds
2. #20 Don Radke Ingleside, IL 2. #77 Dennis Carlton 19.442 Seconds
3. #68 Burt Getchell Cary, IL 3. #67 Jerry Cowan 19.458 Seconds
4. #12 Willie Schumacher Paddock Lake, WI 6 Lap Trophy Dash
5. #64 John Maki Antioch, IL 1. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL
6. #73 Adam Regnier  McHenry, IL 2. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI
7. #77 Dennis Carlton McHenry, IL 3. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI
8. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI 10 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI 1. #78 Lyle Bottlemy Pell Lake, WI
10. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI 2. #40 Tim White Pell Lake, WI
3. #26 Katie Taylor Chicago, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Greg Janutka; 2.) Todd Peterson; 3.) Scott Peterson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Robb; 2.) Schumacher; 3.) Getchell