Clossey and Janssen wrap up championships
while Prestay takes Late Model win!

By Dale R. Erdmann

September 19, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - The third largest crowd of the season came out for the 25th. Saturday night of stock car racing at Lake Geneva Raceway. John Janssen of nearby Genoa City won his first Herb's super stock championship that went down to the 30 lap feature race that was won by Adam Regnier of McHenry, Illinois.

1998 Mid-American Sportsman Champion - # 1 Joel Clossey of Beloit, WI
	Joel Clossey started out the season strong and maintained consistent performance throughout the season.  Clossey only needed to start tonight's feature race to wrap up his first career championship.

Joel Clossey of Beloit won the Performance Unlimited Sportsman championship by finishing the 25 lap feature won by Brian Baker of Springfield, who recorded his first win of the season.  R.J. Ross of Northbrook, IL. won the 15 lap sport truck feature and Fran Prestay of Silver Lake won the curfew shortened 22 lap super late model feature. The program was sponsored by Herb's Used Auto and Cycle Parts in Lake Villa, IL.

Rookie driver Jeff Lorenz moved out front of the 24 car field in the super stock feature, with Greg Peterson, Scott Peterson, Shawn Donnelly and Katie Taylor all over the leader. It was a see saw battle behind Lorenz, as Greg Peterson inched away from that cluster. Lorenz would soon feel the pressure, as Peterson moved under the leader. For three laps it was a side by side war, with Peterson taking over that top spot on lap four. Lorenz wasn't satisfied with second diving back under the Peterson, one lap later.

The pass didn't stick and now Lorenz had Donnelly challenging for his second place. The race was one third over and still looked like the opening lap except for Peterson, who was starting to pull away from the field. On lap fifteen 1998 rookie of the year Marty Robb advanced into third, after a lengthy battle with Donnelly. One lap later Adam Regnier got by Bob Koidahl and John Maki, securing fifth. With two more laps in the books and Regnier slipped under Donnelly. By now Peterson was five lengths ahead of second, with third place Robb, just ahead of Regnier.

With starter Dave Rex Jr. giving the five laps to go signal, it looked like Peterson would win his first career feature, as Regnier moved under Lorenz. At the same time Doug Peterson got by Koidahl as  Dennis Carlton quickly followed that move. With the white flag displayed, Peterson who was running a good outside line and was two lengths ahead under the wire.

Regnier dipped into turn one gaining one and one half lengths on the leader, but coming out of two turn Regnier drifted high and it looked like contact was made. Peterson lost control spinning around on the infield. The race continued as Regnier crossed the line ahead of Robb, Lorenz,
Doug Peterson, Carlton, Tommy Nevoso, John Janssen and Maki. The top five were to report to the infield for the awards from the sponsor.

	John Janssen (#43) is joined in victory circle by his son after winning the 1998 Herb's Super Stock title.  Janssen was locked in a season long point battle with Tommy Nevoso and Adam Regnier for the championship.
Adam Regnier did the best he could to close the point gap on the final point night for the Herb's Super Stocks.  Regnier took home top honors in the 30 lap championship feature but still had to settle for third in the overall standings.

Greg Peterson quickly followed Regnier to the infield, as officials were discussing the situation. Greg yelled to Regnier about the incident, then drove into the pit area. Starter Dave Rex Jr. awarded the win to Regnier, after stating he did not see the contact. Other officials were not agreeing upon what actually happened, so the finish would stand. Greg Peterson was in twentieth position out of the twenty four that started, the non stop event.

The nineteen car sportsman feature started off a little shaky with Willy Peterson out front just one lap before Tommy Goff slipped in front. Just one more lap went into the books as Mike DeKeuster grabbed the lead. On lap five, Dan Erikson spun, stopping the race. On the restart, Jack Kossow got the jump on DeKeuster, with Mike Lange third , Scotty Poritz in the Dan Robers mount next.

Quick timer Kevin Rybuck got the black flag on lap ten, after his right fender came loose after an incident, while running ninth, just ahead of Joel Clossey. Meanwhile Kossow had DeKeuster trying to get his lead back, while Baker moved into third. With only ten laps to go, DeKeuster's hopes of winning this event were over, as the engine stalled, and he came to rest in turn four, along the wall.

Kossow out ran Baker at the next green and third place Poritz knew Tim Schmitt wanted his spot. Much to everyone's surprise, Kossow dove into the pits on lap eighteen, with a broken transmission. Baker became the new leader, with everyone behind him looking at his top spot.

Sportsman action!!  Brian Baker (#32) uses the high line to power past former Sportsman champ Scotty Poritz (#81) on his way to his first feature win of the season.  Poritz driving a car normally driven by Dan Robers finished in third.

Rick Corso got the break he needed, advancing to third on lap twenty one. Poritz was all over Baker, with Corso getting under him a few times each lap. This would be a barn burner of a finish, but a spin by Clossey stopped the excitement on lap twenty three. The two lap dash turned into a real race as Baker held back Corso who nipped Poritz, Schmitt, Rick Tackman Jr., Steve Schenian who was making his debut here, two time UMARA sportsman midget champion Susan Spencer and Mike Lange rounded out the top eight finishers.

Larry Surleta jumped in front of the Super Late Model pack, with Paul Loppnow, Jeff Holtz in his debut this season, Denny Hiffman and Mark Hartline in a ball behind Surleta. On lap three the intense action came to a halt as Billy Baumeister's caliper stuck causing him to veer right off turn three, flying high off the ground and coming to rest near the drainage ditch. Just as that happened Brian Ulrich, Mark Simonsen, Kent Burkoth, Dennis Vito, Danny Darnell, Bill Kloster and Randy Rodgers got together in turn four. Rodgers and Baumeister were the only cars not to return for the next green.

Fran Prestay (#20) made a rare appearance in the Super Late Model division payoff when he shot past Danny Darnell (#85) late in the feature race to take his first main event victory of the season. Prestay was no doubt tuning up for the big Fall Classic in two weeks.

The action resumed on lap six, with Holtz out front, Simonsen spun causing another break in the action. Holtz would lead three more laps with Al Schill Sr. in second, before there was contact between the top two, the leader spun and Schill would have to go to the back for being involved.

This gave Fran Prestay the lead he might not have seen for many laps, if not at all. Danny Darnell, Hiffman, Ronnie Darnell, Burkoth and Hartline were next.

On lap sixteen Burkoth got under Hiffman with Schill on a mission, after starting last during that lap nine incident. Schill sometimes passed two cars per lap, running up to seventh on lap twenty. On lap twenty two, Simonsen tangled with Larry Los causing the pair to crash hard into the wall. The race was checkered because of the time and Prestay got his first win of the season, in the Dave McCoy car, he was followed by Darnell, Burkoth, Hiffman, Hartline, Schill, Joe Fischer and the first visit of the season by veteran driver Russ Grossen, who first raced here in 1971.

Simonsen was disqualified from the event after an incident directed at starter Dave Rex Jr. in front of the large crowd present.

R.J. Ross led all but the first lap of the XLC 102.3 Sport Truck feature race on his way to victory in the main event.  Next week is the final point night for the division which is currently being led by defending champion Rolf Tillman who finished second to Ross in tonight's feature.

Mike Yakes in his first race of the season led the opening lap of the sport truck feature, with R.J. Ross leading all the rest. Rolf Tillman who was doing double duty tonight was second, with Butch Edwards Jr., Chad Ross, Kurt Ross and Todd Ross following at the finish.

This coming Saturday night September 26th, marks the championship races for the sport trucks and super late models. The super stocks will also be on the card too. Time trials begin at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp.

The weekend pass for the grandstand for the October Classic are now ready and will be on sale at the track that night. You may send a large self addressed stamped envelope and $20 for an adult spectator ticket or $10 for juniors 8 to 14 years of age. The track address Lake Geneva Raceway, 1015 Bloomfield Road, Lake Geneva, WI  53147.

The raceway is located just three miles south of downtown Lake Geneva on Bloomfield Road.  The location of the third-mile progressively banked asphalt oval is with an hour drive from Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford and Madison.

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 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Billy Baumeister; 2.) Mark Simonsen; 3.) Steve Bond
Second 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Bill Kloster; 2.) Brian Ulrich; 3.) Bob Moeller
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Kloster; 2.) Bond; 3.) Ulrich
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Simonsen; 2.) Moeller; 3.) Mark Eswein
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schneidwent; 2.) Paul Loppnow; 3. tie) Holtz and Prestay

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schenian; 2.) Willy Peterson; 3.) Lange
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schmitt; 2.) Tackman Jr; 3.) Mike DeKeuster

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Jason Bader; 2.) Hilgendorf; 3.) Kooi
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Robb; 2.) Burt Getchell; 3.) Shawn Donnelly
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Don Radke; 2.) Bob Koidahl; 3.) Scott Eggebrecht