Nutley snares second Super Late win of 1998 season
at Lake Geneva Raceway!

By Dale R. Erdmann

August 8, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - After a week of heavy rain, just like clock work, 3 p.m. came, the sun came out and it turned into a perfect weather night of weekly stock car racing at Lake Geneva Raceway. John Nutley of Crestwood , Illinois was up for the big NASCAR show on
Sunday and won the 30-lap super late model feature.

John Nutley was tuning up for tomorrow evening's big NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series event, and wound up winning tonight's Super Late Model feature.  This was the second time this year Nutley has taken home first place money in the feature event.

Tommy Nevoso of Trevor won the Herb's super stock 20 lap feature and took over the point lead. Bobby Giers of Ingleside,IL. continues to dominate the Wisconsin Allison Legacy series, easily running away with win in the 20 lap feature. In the Select Performance Legend cars, Curt Gnatzig of Menomonee Falls took a clean sweep, by taking fast time, the dash and 20 lap feature.

In what was billed as the greatest grudge race of the decade, Kenosha County District Attorney Robert Jambois, a regular competitor in the Legend cars, easily defeated, crowd favorite, Attorney Alan Eisenberg of of Milwaukee, a former drag racer.

A moment of silence was taken for the "First Lady of Auto Racing" Pat Bebee, editor of Marc Times, who passed away on Wednesday August 5th.

Visiting Billy Skinner Jr. charged out front of the 20 car super late model main event. Landry Potter, Joe Fischer , Kent Burkoth and Billy Baumeister were close behind. On lap five , Potter and Skinner spun with the whole field missing them, as everyone scattered in turn two. On the restart, Nutley and Burkoth raced side by side for two laps, before Nutley inched ahead. Visiting John Brolick dropped out, while running eighth with ignition problems.

Second place Burkoth, didn't have anytime to relax, as fast timer Randy Rodgers was at his side by lap nine and along side and into second one lap later. The caution flew on lap eleven, as turn two became the scene of another tangle. Baumeister and Mark Hartline, got together , as Al Schill Sr. stopped to avoid the spin. As officials lined up the involved cars, Schill felt he wasn't one of them , stopping to talk to an official . All three started in back, because of the incident. With green out again  Nutley couldn't get away with any lead, as Rodgers, Al Schill Jr., Burkoth, Larry Los and Pat Echlin were all over the leader.

Echlin unexpectedly dropped out one lap later. Schill Jr. was on the move, getting along side Rodgers on lap eighteen. Right behind these two, Fran Prestay, Los and Burkoth were quite the show for fourth place. Entering those final ten laps, Nutley was about two cars lengths ahead of the field, as Rodgers and Schill Jr. fought for second. By lap twenty two, Prestay secured fourth, with Schill Sr. back up to eighth. The crowd had a big scare on lap twenty six, coming off turn four Schill Jr. was on the inside and Rodgers, the outside. Contact was made in a racing incident. Rodgers lost the momentum, as Schill Jr. secured second. The last three laps went off without any problems, as Nutley picked up his second win of the season. Schill Jr. was second, with Rodgers, Prestay, Burkoth and Los rounding out the top six.

Tommy Nevoso's win this evening was real important as the victory was enough to elevate him back into the point lead in the Super Stock division.  Nevoso has had a season long battle with John Janssen for the top point spot.  As the season gets closer to the end every point will be important.

Willie Schumacher, who rolled over in his heat, jumped in front of the twenty car super stock feature field. Tim Muller, Katie Taylor, Doug Peterson, in his first week back after his bad crash, one month ago, was now fourth and James Swan next. On lap two Taylor made contact with Muller, causing the first caution. Everyone actually missed those up front runners, but starter Dave Rex Jr. said he thought there would be a big mess, that's why the caution came out.

It wasn't the end!  Willie Schumacher got upside down in his heat race but was able to return in the feature event event leading much of the race.	Here is why they are popular!!  The Super Stocks put on some awesome shows for the fans, often going three wide and running wheel to wheel.

Schumacher wanted that win, as he darted back in front, with Swan, Bob Kiodahl and Burt Getchell next. By lap eight, Zac Deeringer joined the tussle for a top spot. Getchell dropped out for some unknown reason, with Deeringer advancing quickly to second,by lap ten. Adam Regnier was also on the move, running fourth, on lap ten, he then moved next to Deeringer one lap later, and into second on lap twelve.

It looked like something broke on Schumacher's car, as Regnier and the leader got together on lap thirteen, causing a slowdown. Both cars were out of competition for the remainder of the event, dashing Schumacher's hopes of his first feature victory, after that rollover tonight.

The next caution came for Koidahl's wheel breaking, on lap fifteen. Then everyone had another scare, as Denny Norton Jr. sub driver for point leader John Janssen, came into turn one, on the restart. Norton had no brakes, flying high off the corner , then hitting the dirt and rolling two times, before coming to rest on it's wheels. Norton escaped injury, but there was alot of damage to the
car. Nevoso became the leader and never looked back, chasing him to the wire was Dennis Carlton, who won the semi, after having problems in timing tonight. Don Radke who usually runs the feature, had problems and never timed, but finished second to Carlton in the semi was third. Fast timer Jerry Cowan was along for fourth with Deeringer and rookie John Maki next.

	Turn four!!  Most of the evening's "special effects" took place in the fourth turn.  Here Super Late Model racer Ed Schniedwent creates a smoke screen as he stands on the gas to slow a spinout!
Not to be outdone, Bob Koidahl lost a wheel in the same turn.  Though he didn't create the smoke, the sparks were equally impressive, not to mention his three wheeled balancing act!!

Curt Gnatzig took twelve laps to get to the front of the 20 lap Legends feature, finishing just in front of fast timer Bryan Cataldi , with Matt Kocourek , Milt Kemp, Rick Mattie and Jereme Schroeder completing the top six.

Bobby Giers led just eight laps of the Legacy series feature to win this event, Jeff Conn was second , and Erik Darnell third .

Next Saturday night, Crest Chevrolet of Delavan presents a pit crew contest, along with the super late models, super stocks and sportsman cars.

^{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}

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Simon Jr; 2.) Surletta; 3.) Tim Lynn Jr.
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Bob Moeller; 2.) Dennis Vito; 3.) Mike Simon
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Landry Potter; 2.) Burkoth; 3.) Pat Echlin

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Shawn Donnelly; 2.) White; 3.) Tom Fay
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Carlton; 2.) Muller; 3.) Todd Peterson
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Radke; 2.) Taylor; 3.) Bob Koidahl