Pat Echlin visits Lake Geneva Raceway
and wins Late Model feature!

By Dale R. Erdmann

May 16, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - 26 year veteran Pat Echlin made the long trip up from his hometown of Dyer, Indiana a profitable one, by winning the 30 lap Super Late Model feature sponsored by Lakes Area Rental and Bond Auto Care at Lake Geneva Raceway on Saturday Night.

Echlin who won 6 championships at Raceway Park in Blue Island, IL had only a single victory here and that came on September 27th, 1996, when he beat Al Schill Sr. in the Race of Champions by less than three inches.   Burt Getchell of Cary, IL, won his first Herb's Super Stock main event of the season, in the 20 lap feature race.  Bobby Giers of Ingleside, IL, claimed another 15 lap feature win in the Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series and Butch Edwards Jr. of Burlington won his first 15 lap Sport Truck feature of the season!

Mark Hartline paced the 20 car super late feature with Danny Darnell , Denny Hiffman ,Paul Loppnow and A1 Schill in hot pursuit. Larry Los moved into fifth on lap 3 , with Schill starting his quest to the top. Ronnie Darnell moved along side Los on lap 4 and within two laps of back and forth racing.   Los now had Kent Burkoth to contend with, Schill moved into second on lap 7, with the Darnell's right behind him.

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Larry Surletta (#55) got in a tangle in a preliminary race event. Surletta is one of the drivers who, week in an week out support the show at Lake Geneva Raceway.

Race leader Hartline maintained a healthy lead, with a very intense field behind him. Quick timer Randy Rodgers fell off the pace while running mid pack on lap 11. Danny Darnell and Kent Burkoth were in a close back and forth match for second. But the great race, fans witnessed for the first half of the event was over. For the next 6 laps, It was very frustrating to race fans and drivers alike. First caution came on lap 16, as cars scattered everywhere when someone bobbled.   That was the break Schill needed, charging out front before anyone could believe it. 

Ronnie Darnell didn't leave the new leader get too far away as Hartline dropped to third. On lap 19, Hartline and Burkoth made contact , bringing out another caution.

This restart was alot different than Schill expected as Ronnie Darnell slipped in front , as the green reappeared. Just one more lap was completed, as Jamie Wallace and Loppnow tangled, stopping the battles up front. Darnell and Schill picked up where they had just left off. But again another slowdown began, as Rodgers and Larry Los made contact .

Each time, the top two were just awesome in their fight for the top spot. Darnell inched in front, but throughout the next few laps the lead would change, but at the wire, Darnell was always the leader. On lap 25, Schill had just enough room to stick his nose inside and then moved out front. Hartline made a solo spin on lap 26.

This created the ultimate situation for a 4 lap dash. Schill led lap 27, as Darnell came back in front for lap 28. Then things really fell apart, coming down in front of the crowd, that was on their feet, Darnell and Schill made contact. Schill's mount flew high into the air, nearly rolling over, as it was up on Darnell's driver's side window. Both disabled cars flew onto the infield, with extensive damage to the Darnell mount. Schill drove into the pits, but never returned for the green, white, checkered situation.

Echlin who one lap earlier was watching this melee unfold, was now the new leader. Those last two laps, for the second time were great, as Echlin crossed the line ahead of Burkoth, Hiffman, Jim Kjellander, a recovering Wallace and Mike Simon Jr.

Adam Regnier who was celebrating his 25th birthday today, came to the races just 10 points ahead of Tommy Nevoso. Regnier gained points in qualifying and the dash over his closest competitor , but as the Super Stock feature began , Regnier headed to the pits with a broken axle and is behind Nevoso by 15 points in this close group

Terry Hildendorf jumped out front for 5 laps with another close contest behind him. Tom Fay and Jerry Marsh raced along side each other, but Bob Koidahl still got around them and took over the lead on lap 6.

Todd Peterson watched for a mistake , but Lyle Messinger, and Doug Peterson tried everything to gain a spot. By lap 8, Starter Dave Rex Jr. began to warn Hilgendoef for using too much of the corners.  Lap   11, the black flag came out, but because of tight action Hilgendorf didn't leave the racetrack until lap 13, when the first caution came out for T.Peterson's stalled mount. Koidahl stayed in front just one more lap, before Getchell grabbed the lead, after some close side by side racing.

Fast timer John Janssen and Messinger crashed hard into the turn two wall, but no one was injured, with that final caution on lap 17. This set up a block buster race to the finish, as Jerry Cowan picked the right side of the cone on that final restart. Coming around with just one lap to go, Getchell and Cowan were in a dead heat for the lead. The crowd got to enjoy another close event as Getchell won the race by a few inches, Cowan was second, Koidahl hung onto third, with Don Radke, Marsh and Zac Deeringer so very close, with no lapped cars at the finish.

Butch Edwards Jr. broke into thin win column for the first time this season taking the feature race in the Sport Truck division.   Edwards held off challenges by current point leader Rolf Tillman to snare the win.

Dave Shine darted out front of the Sport Truck feature with Edwards right behind him . Edwards slipped in front on lap three, with defending champion, Rolf Tillman taking over second on lap 7.  Tillman never mounted a challenge after slowing on lap 11.  Edwards won the event with Tillman three lengths back, Shine was third with Chad Ross, R.J. Ross and Jim Olson rounding out the top six. Earlier in the evening Dan Ross escaped injury when his truck started on fire, before the dash began, ended his night early.

A new division??  Nope it's the Datsun that's been taking the Prolong challenge.  This car ran for several hours without oil after using the Prolong engine treatment.  As you can see it's still going!!

Bobby Giers took the lead on lap 5 and held back numerous challenges from second place Jack Kossow and Jeff Goodwin. Joe Beyer came back for fourth, with Dennis Petretti and Zion/Benton High school Freshman Erik Darnell, who took fast time, sixth.

There will be three shows of oval track racing this Memorial Weekend. Friday night the first day of the Holiday weekend tour for the Mid American cars, in a non point show for their series will headline the card. The Performance Unlimited sportsman cars led by point leader Joel Clossey will be up for the challenge with a $400 to win the feature for these drivers

The Wisconsin Allison Legacy cars and the Herb's super stocks will also be here. Plus the first appearance in 12 years of the one on one street drags. Saturday night the super late models, super stocks, sport trucks and first appearance this season of the CENEX Mid-American Super Trucks. Plus one on one street drags for trucks only. Monday afternoon May 25th. the Midwest Enduro takes to the track at 1 pm.

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Bill Kloster; 2.) Schneidwent; 3.) Simonsen
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Bob Moeller; 2.) Brian Ulrich; 3.) Mike Simon Jr.
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Danny Darnell; 2.) Simon; 3.) Hartline

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Muller; 2.) Janutka; 3.) Hughes
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schumacher; 2.) Hilgendorf; 3.) Fay
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Nevoso; 2.) Getchell; 3.) Todd Peterson

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Edwards Jr; 2.) Shine; 3.) Olson

Wisconsin Allison Legacy Series:

15 Lap Feature: 1.) Bobby Giers, Ingleside, IL; 2.) Jack Kossow, Union Grove, WI; 3.) Jeff Goodwin, Zion, IL; 4.) Joe Beyer, Kenosha, WI; 5.) Dennis Petretti, Salem, WI; 6.) Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL
10 Lap Heat: 1.) Beyer; 2.) Jamie Artel; 3.) Randy Coates
Dash: 1.) Goodwin; 2.) Giers; 3.) Kossow
Fast Qualifier: Erik Darnell, Beach Park, IL,......19.410 Seconds