Rodgers closes in points chase with win, Kooi takes career first Super Stock victory in LGR action!!

By Dale R. Erdmann

September 12, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - It was Fan Appreciation Night at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night, as Kossow Trucking and Ron's Service  sponsored the 5 division race
program. Randy Rodgers of Lake Geneva won his fifth 30 lap super late model feature of the season, gaining 425 points on point leader Al Schill who dropped out on the first lap of the feature race with problems. The feature win rounded out a clean sweep for Rodgers.

Mike Kooi of Island Lake, Illinois won his first career 20 lap Herb's super stock feature. Landry Potter of Genoa City driving double duty, competing in both the Late Models and the Wisconsin Allison Legacy feature took the 15 lap Legacy series feature. Dan Erikson of nearby Lyons won his second 20 lap Performance Unlimited feature of the season and the first team cruiser feature went to Tim and Lori Anderson of Salem.

Rookie Ed Schneidwent moved out front of the super late model feature,  with the caution out before the leader got to turn two. Al Schill spun into turn one, collecting Chuck Duncan, Jim Taylor and Brian Ulrich who received the most damage from that incident. After finally getting Ulrich's mount onto the infield and into the pits, the green reappeared with Schneidwent still the leader.

Mike Simon, Landry Potter, Mark Simonsen, Joe Fischer, Mark Hartline and Terry Patnode were all over each other for second and the rest of the field was side by side as Potter moved into second, after a lengthy battle with Simon on lap seven. Two laps later there was a new leader as Potter took command. Hartline and Fischer got by Simon on lap ten, with Denny Hiffman up to sixth, in this very tight cluster.

Potter didn't have alot of time to gain any pavement on his fellow competitors, as Hartline moved in for a challenge for the lead on lap thirteen, Fischer was just waiting for a mistake from the two leaders, as Rodgers raced along side Hiffman for fourth place. On lap nineteen, Rodgers got by Hiffman and Fischer. Hartline could feel the pressure of Rodgers with a tight field ensuing. Entering lap twenty one, the first car was lapped, as Rodgers and Fischer got by Hartline. At this point Potter was nearly twelve lengths in front. Behind the top three, it was too close to call, with Jamie Wallace, Larry Los and Kent Burkoth breathing down the top eight.

The last thing Potter wanted to see would be a caution flag. On lap 28, Wallace got under Hartline
Just as his trailing arm broke. His mount flew high in the air, spinning around, in front of the field. The race came to a halt and Wallace's night was over. With the cone out, the drivers picked their lanes for the restart as Potter took the outside and Rodgers lined up behind him, inside.

As the green came out the lead changed just like that as Rodgers took the lead. Potter came back, in turn three, but Rodgers wasn't going to be denied. Potter's hopes for a double feature win were over, as Rodgers crossed the line in front, Potter held back Fischer for second, with Burkoth, Hartline, Hiffman, Los and Dennis Vito rounding out the top eight.

A late season win for rookie driver Jason Bader kept his season heading in the right direction.  Bader took this win in the first Herb's Super Stock heat race.

Willie Schumacher charged out front of the super stock feature, with Mike Kooi, Greg Janutka, Marty Robb and Greg Peterson working on the leader. This race would eventually go non stop and the torrid pace continued well beyond expectations, as Schumacher and Kooi dueled for that top spot, until the lead changed on lap nine with Kooi out front.

The only movement through the tight field was Dennis Carlton , who started eight row inside, by lap fifteen, the hard charger was up to fourth. Zac Deeringer and Doug Peterson got hooked together giving the field a scare, this finally broke up pack, but the race continued. Kooi went on to win this event with Carlton nipping Schumacher for second. Point leader John Janssen was fourth, with Don Radke, Greg Peterson, Tommy Nevoso and John Maki under a blanket behind him.

Dan Erickson survived a late race caution which set up a three lap dash to the checkered and challenges from Joe Francisco to win his second sportsman feature of the season.

The sportsman feature got off to a rocky start as Rick Tackman Jr. grabbed the lead from Willy Peterson on lap opening go round. Mike DeKeuster moved into second just before the race came to a halt on lap six. Jack Kossow spun in front of the field , collecting visiting Jesse Wilcox, point leader Joel Clossey, Peterson and Joe Francisco. DeKeuster held the lead until lap eleven, retiring to the pits with an oil leak. Dan Erikson quickly got under Tackman, before the next caution came out on lap sixteen, when Tommy Goff stalled.

One lap later Tim Schmitt, quick timer Jeff Holtz, Tackman and Clossey were involved in a racing incident. This gave Mike Lange and Francisco the opportunity they needed as Erikson remained in front.

The three lap dash to the checkered was very good, as Erikson held back numerous challenges from Francisco and Lange. At the checkered Erikson crossed the line in first, with Francisco along side for second. Chris Wangrow nipped Lange for third, with Clossey fifth and Brad Troxel sixth.

The Wisconsin Allison Legacy series feature just couldn't get off the ground as the green came out cars scattered everywhere. A complete restart didn't make much difference, as the Joe Beyer led the event just three laps before another caution appeared for the get together of Tom Bauer, Eric Roberts and Jeff Conn.

Whoops!  The Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series cars were on hand as part of tonight's big four division show.  Several drivers from others classes were giving the cars a try including Mid-American Stock Car Series point leader Jeff Storm (#19) who after winning the dash got in this tangle in the feature event.

Three more laps were in the books before Jeff Storm, Jay Whyte and Monty Coffman tangle, stopped the race again. This was all Landry Potter needed flying out front and easily winning the contest over Beyer, Ken Wills, Jeff Carr, and Tom Wiley.

This coming Saturday night will mark the beginning of the championship races. The super stocks and sportsman will have their special features. One-on-one challenge races are on the bill, along with the super late models and sport trucks.

^{Time trials for 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.}

Racing continues through October 10th when the annual Run What Ya' Brung special concludes the season!  For all the latest visit our Website at WWW.RACINGONLINE.COM/LGR or call 414-248-8566.

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Ulrich; 2.) Taylor; 3.) Duncan
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Hiffma; 2.) Simon; 3.) Terry Patnode

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Erickson; 2.) Vaughn Gerke; 3.) Willy Peterson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Jack Kossow; 2.) Mike DeKeuster; 3.) Kevin Rybuck

First 10 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Scott Eggbrecht; 2.) Norm Paulson; 3.) Todd Peterson
Second 10 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) James Swan; 2.) Tom Fay; 3.) Terry Hilgendorf
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Jason Bader; 2.) Fay; 3.) T. Peterson
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Nevoso; 2.) Shawn Donnelly; 3.) Hilgendorf
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schumacher; 2.) G. Peterson; 3.) Maki

Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series

15 Lap Feature: 1.) Landry Potter; 2.) Joe Beyer; 3.) Ken Wills; 4.) Jeff Conn; 5.) Tom Wiley; 6.) Randy Coates; 7.) Doug Riechley; 8.) Jay White
10 Lap Heat: 1.) Eric Roberts; 2.) Beyer; 3.) Conn
6 Lap Dash: 1.) Storm; 2.) Potter; 3.) Bay Darnell
Fast Qualifier:  #77 Landry Potter, Genoa City, WI,........19.015 Seconds