Rodgers out front in Super Late action at Lake Geneva!

By Dale R. Erdmann

August 29, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - Ideal weather came on Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway and the large crowd saw some close racing action, as Randy Rodgers of Lake Geneva won his third 30 lap super late model feature of the season, on Parts Place in Elkhorn night.

Doug Peterson of Antioch ,Illinois won his first career Herb's super stock 20 lap feature. New Berlin resident Kevin Rybuck won the non-stop 20 lap Performance Unlimited sportsman feature and Butch Edwards Jr. of Burlington won his second sport truck feature of the season.

Marty Sans in a Ford Mustang beat Al Hertel in a Corvette, in the best two out of three matches during spectator racing.

Denny Hiffman darted out front of the 18 car super-late model feature, with Jim Kjellander, Terry Patnode and Joe Fischer right behind him. Lap two, Kjellander and Mark Hartline tangled, sending Kjellander off the track in turn three, as all of the sheet metal ripped off the spinning mount. Mark Simonsen spun to avoid, as the caution came out. No one was injured, but Kjellander's night was over, as all his body panels had come off his car.

With the green back out, another rocky start brought the race to a halt, when the leader Hiffman got tagged by Patnode, with Fran Prestay and Fischer getting collected in the ruckus. Ronnie Darnell became the new leader, with quick timer Jamie Wallace, Kent Burkoth, Randy Rodgers and Landry Potter next. Darnell held the lead for the next twenty two laps, driving a smooth race, as Wallace and Rodgers ran side by side for second. Burkoth would come in and challenge for a position, as all three would rotate spots behind the leader to the delight of the crowd. On lap 21, Wallace received the black flag, as his oil sump started to leak, causing lots of smoke.

Action in the Super Late Model semi-features can be just as intense as those in the main events.  Here Mike Simon (#48) does his best to hold off Steve Bond (#34) and Jim Bennett (#33).

Darnell remained in front until lap twenty seven coming into turn one, Darnell spun, as Burkoth, Prestay and Patnode all became involved. After the green returned a single lap was completed before Landry Potter had his right front tire go down, bringing the race to another
halt, as his car stalled in turn two just before the exit to the track.

The three lap dash never turned into anything, as Rodgers easily won the event, the
race for the next nine positions was different, as Al Schill held back a recovered Hartline, Larry Los, Billy Baumeister, Simonsen, Hiffman and rookie Ed Scheidwent.

James Swan moved way out front of the 20 car super stock feature, as Shawn Donnelly, Doug Peterson, Todd Peterson, Greg Janutka and Adam Regnier climbed all over each other for second. Lap three saw Tim Muller, Bob Koidahl and first timer Mike Robertson get together, bringing the race to a stop. It still looking like a parade lap after the next green, only Swan was in a comfortable position.

Current Super Stock point leader Tommy Nevoso (#84) stays just ahead of Norm Paulson (#1) in the feature event.  Nevoso did not have the best of evenings failing to finish among the leaders and watching his point lead over John Janssen shrink.

On lap nine Regnier was moving up on the inside, as Todd Peterson started to spin, making contact, both cars ended up facing traffic and out came another caution. It was all out racing the next eleven laps, with Swan again, not being challenged for the lead. With the white flag displayed, second on back was too close to call. Doug Peterson who patiently waited for any mistake from Donnelly, knew time was running out, as there was four deep excitement behind him. Moving up the middle, with Zac Deeringer along-side, Peterson sprinted into second at the wire.

Swan was a run away with his first win, with Deeringer third, John Janssen snuck past Donnelly who finished fifth, Dennis Carlton sixth, Don Radke and John Maki next. A post race inspection disqualified Swan from the event, as he was caught after market heads. This gave Peterson the win and moved everyone up one spot in the finishing order.

Tommy Goff and Willie Peterson dueled for the top spot of the 20 lap sportsman contest, with Brad Troxel, Mike Combs and Kevin Rybuck right on their tail. Peterson moved in front on lap two, before Combs climbed on top two laps later. The lead changed again on lap six with Rick Tackman Jr. inching past Combs. Rybuck was quick to follow, after a brief tussle with Combs and moved into second behind Tackman.

Joe Francisco was right along side of the top two entering lap eleven, with fast timer Brian Baker next. Rybuck slipped in front before that lap was over, with Tackman, Francisco and Baker in a cluster. Mid American point leader Jeff Storm, took over the wheel of the car normally driven by Jack Kossow for the evening and edged up on this group.

	Brad Troxel (#17) showed off his new paint job the right way by winning a heat race in the Mid-American Sportsman division and taking a trip to victory lane.
Call the insurance man!  Bob Ropke (#91) looks over the damage to his ride after an accident in the Mid-American Sportsman division.

With six laps to go, Baker came under Tackman, as things really heated up out front, Baker then crept under race leader Rybuck, but Rybuck came right back, with the field tightening up. With only
three laps to go, further back, Tim Schmitt was working on Francisco, as point leader Joel Clossey
tried everything to get by both of them. Coming up on lap nineteen, the first and only car to be lapped helped turn the tide for first place.

Time ran out as Rybuck won the contest,with Baker, Storm, Clossey, Schmitt, Tackman, Francisco and Dan Robers under finished under a blanket.

Bill Swinford and Jim Olson fought for the top spot of the sport truck feature, with both leading a lap. Butch Edwards Jr. got all the breaks he needed grabbing that top spot on lap three, as quick timer Chad Ross worked on Olson. This non stop race went fast, as Edwards won the showdown over Roll Tillman, Olson, RJ Ross, Chad Ross and Dan Ross.

Wheel to wheel!  Butch Edwards Jr. (#92) takes the low line to slide under Jim Olson (#24) for the lead in 102.3 XLC Sport Truck action.  Edwards went on to score his second feature triumph of the season, while Olson would finish a solid third.

This coming weekend marks the unofficial end of summer with Labor Day upon us. On the oval Saturday night their will be three divisions of action, as All-Modes Transportation presents the Junior Fan Club coin grab. Then on Sunday during the day, the GEM Pro Karts and mini cups take to the oval at 1 pm. Then at 6 pm. the small car championship series will be here . Monday the Midwest Enduro series event begins at 1 pm. Call the raceway for more information, at (414) 248-8566. Remember racing continues every weekend through October 10th.

^{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.}

Weekly racing continues through October 10th and Our website is located at   WWW.RACINGONLINE.COM/LGR to keep up on the latest developments at Lake Geneva Raceway.

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Baumeister; 2.) Steve Bond; 3.) Schneidwent
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Paul Loppnow; 2.) Surletta; 3.) Landry Potter

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Brad Troxel; 2.) Vaughn Gerke; 3.) Michael Lange
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Combs; 2.) Tackman; 3.) Robers

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Willie Schumacher; 2.) S. Peterson; 3.) Mike Robertson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Bob Koidahl; 2.) Edwards; 3.) Donnelly
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Regnier; 2.) Janutka; 3.) Janssen

10 Lap Heat: 1.) R.J. Ross; 2.) Olson; 3.) Larry Woodward