Darnell, Rychtik and BATMAN score big wins in annual Run What Ya' Brung season finale!

By Dale R. Erdmann

October 11, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - The weather was perfect the crowd was there and nearly 100 race cars came out for the 17th. annual "run what ya brung" oval track season finale at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night.

1998- Run What Ya' Brung Open Class Winner - #85 Danny Darnell
	Danny Darnell piloted a car dubbed by the raceway as "The flying snowplow!"  Darnell made his debut with the car last year but suffered a blown engine before the night began.  This year however the car performed flawlessly taking Darnell to victory lane after the feature event.

The feature winners were Danny Darnell of Beach Park  Illinois in the 30 lap super late model open contest, Jim Rychtik from Chilton in his first visit ever, won the 20-lap, 4 cylinder feature, in his dirt track pro-four race car and "Batman" Smokin' Joe Francisco of Genoa City, was nipped of a clean sweep, when he won the 25 lap feature, took second in his heat and had fast time.

Darnell, Batman and Ryan Kamba each picked up a $100 bonus, for the most outrageous race car in their division, as the applause by the crowd, determined the winners.

All kinds of cars! With basically no rules governing the cars styles or mechanics in the open class, there was alot of variety on the raceway.  Some cars had elaborate body styles, other like the #36 car shown here sported wings.

Mike Simon jumped out front of the 20 car field, leading the event until lap three, when second place Mike Arnold tagged him, causing a spin in turn three. Everyone missed him, the caution flew and both started in the rear for that racing incident.

Denny Hiffman became the leader, with George Yaksic, Joe Fischer, Mark Hartline, Terry Patnode and Landry Potter just biting at the bit behind him.

Fischer worked his way to second on lap seven and by lap ten, there was another lead change as Fischer took over the top spot. Patnode quickly scurried into second, as Potter dropped Hiffman to fourth. On lap thirteen, Matt Schultz moved under Hiffman, with the top six very tight. On lap nineteen, cars scattered everywhere in turn one, as the caution appeared for the final time.

Patnode quickly got by Fischer as the green reappeared, with Danny Darnell moving into third. Schultz got by Potter and it would be a ten lap dash to remember. On lap 22, Darnell slipped under Fischer and Patnode had just one car length advantage. On lap twenty three, Darnell grabbed the lead. Schultz followed the new leaders every move to claim second, with a persistent Patnode still at his side in third. Just alittle further back, Mark Brunner was putting the pressure on Larry Los, with Hiffman trying to hang onto sixth.

To make things even more interesting, there were lapped cars that would play a factor into the finish. Those final five laps were grueling, as Darnell won the feature event followed by the dirt Late Model of Schultz in second. Patnode, Fischer, Potter, Hiffman, Los and Brunner under a blanket in the top eight spots, for great feature race.

There wasn't even a lap completed, before nine super stocks became involved in a melee in their feature event necessitating a complete restart, that saw only twenty cars of the original twenty two receiving the next green.

Joe "Batman" Francisco was the man on the move all evening in the Super Stock division.  Francisco nearly had a clean sweep of the class after setting quick time and winning the feature on the final lap.  Only a second place run in the dash prevented the sweep.

On lap two Adam Regnier spun in turn three and the caution appeared one more time. Chris Klein, who led those first wild laps, moved out front . Two more laps were completed, before Jeff Popple and Batman tangled, stopping the event again.

On the restart Klein had Todd Peterson right at his side running for the lead. Before the end of the lap the was a new leader, as Peterson took over the point, while visiting Eddie LeMay flew into second.

On lap nine, LeMay was on a mission, quickly taking over the front spot, with Peterson, Klein, Mark Swan and John Janssen in a a very tight formation behind him.

LeMay was way out front, but smoke started to billow from his mount for the next three laps. On lap fourteen, starter Dave Rex Jr. had no other choice as Lemay's engine started break up too, the leader got the black flag. Peterson and Janssen dueled for the lead, with Peterson firmly in command. On lap twenty, the first car of the event, was lapped.

This was immediately followed by a group of three more slower cars that Peterson had to work through, but Peterson quickly reclaimed his composure even though, "Batman" Francisco was coming up fast.

Coming for the white flag, this twosome drew even crossing the line in a dead heat. Going into turn one Peterson inched ahead, but coming off turn two, they were even again as Batman took over the top spot. Into turn three, Batman was on a roll, coming off turn four, Batman slipped ahead, for the win by less than a car length. Peterson held onto second, with Janssen, Mark Swan, John Wrzeszcz, Denny Norton Jr. In the top six spots as the checkered.

Veteran driver Pete Seitz led the opening four laps of the four cylinder feature, before D.R. Moore slipped in front. Last weeks October Classic winner Darnell Mepham flew in front on lap five.

It looked like a repeat from last weeks show, but on lap twelve Mepham blew something, coming to rest on the infield .

Jim Rychtik (#0) who normally runs on clay tacks got used to Lake Geneva Raceway's third mile asphalt oval real fast.  He drove his Pro-4 type car to the feature victory in the 4 cylinder division. Like many of the races this evening it came down to a final lap pass for the win.

Pro-four champion Al Derks was now the leader, but with one lap to go, Jim Rychtik grabbed the lead, coming home the winner, Brian Besaw nipped Derks for second, with Bryan Besaw fourth, followed by R.J. Ross, Kurt Ross, Eric Derks and Seitz, for another thrilling feature.

On Sunday morning October 18th. district 16 moto cross races marks the end of the 1998 season at Lake Geneva Raceway as the cycles take to the motocross track. The 1999 season opener will be Saturday night April 3rd. to kick off the another year on the third mile progressively banked oval.

Fun additions to the bodywork were seen on several cars.  Here Terry Hilgendorf (#69) sported header stacks through the hood of his car, while Tommy Nevoso (#84) had shark appendages which were installed by his team known as Team Landshark!

The rules meetings for the upcoming year will be October 17th. 18th. 24th. and 25th. please check our website at www.racingonline.com/lgr or call the raceway for the class schedules at
(414) 248-8566

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.

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Brian Ulrich; 2.) Johnny Heath; 3.) Jim Taylor;
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Arnold; 2.) Hiffman; 3.) Los
Dash: 1.) Schultz; 2.) Potter; 3.) Brunner

First 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Billy LeMay; 2.) Louie Bouchette Jr; 3.) Tim White
Second 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Randy Padfield; 2.) Tom Krumrie; 3.) Tommy Nevoso
Third 15 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Adam Regnier; 2.) Lyle Bottlemy; 3.) Jeff Lorenz
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Robertson; 2.) Greg Peterson; 3.) Tim Muller
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) B. LeMay; 2.) Bob Prince; 3.) Katie Taylor
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Nevoso; 2.) Regnier; 3.) John Maki
Fourth 10 Lap Heat: 1.) T. Peterson; 2.) J. Swan; 3.) Janssen

4 Cylinder Division

20 Lap Feature: 1.) Jim Rychtik; 2.) Brian Besaw; 3.) Al Derks; 4.) Ryan Besaw; 5.) R.J. Ross; 6.) Kurt Ross
First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Rolf Tillman; 2.) Pete Seitz; 3.) Matt Nickel
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Darnell Mepham; 2.) K. Ross; 3.) R.J. Ross
Dash: 1.) Ruchtik; 2.) Brian Besaw; 3.) Derks
Fast Qualifier: #18 Brian Besaw, Omro, WI,...........18.257 Seconds