John Nutley earns first career Lake Geneva
Late Model feature win!!

By Dale R. Erdmann

May 23, 1998; Lake Geneva, WI. - When the folks at the weather bureau tell you all day, "rain likely tonight", it's a sure bet, Saturday night races will take place at Lake Geneva Raceway. The show took place and the Door Experts of Wonder Lake, Illinois who sponsored the program that saw three first time winners into victory circle.  John Nutley of Crestwood, IL, LeRoy Pettis of Ringle, WI and Jerry Cowan of Burlinton, WI won the super late model , CENEX super trucks and Herb's super stock features, in front of the best crowd so far this season. Rolf Tillman of Woodstock,IL. the defending champion in the sport trucks won the 15 lap feature.

lgr988c.jpg (14622 bytes) John Nutley made his first ever visit to victory lane visit in feature action at Lake Geneva Raceway.  Nutley drove this sharp looking Dodge Avenger to the checkered flag in the Super Late Model division.

Bob Moeller bolted into the lead of the 20 car super late model feature, with first time visitor Wayne Freimund, Jim Kjellander, Al schill , and Landry Potter all nipping at his heels.  By lap 5, Danny Darnell and Nutley were up to fourth and fifth. Lap seven produced the first of five slowdowns, as Potter spun, after contact with Kjellander.  Brad Durbin had nowhere to go, brushing lightly into the disabled mount.

The famous re-start cone was placed onto the track with Moeller the leader, Schill picked the outside , Nutley quickly taking the inside. With the green shown, Moeller was just inches ahead of Nutley. On lap 10, Nutley grabbed the lead, with Moeller outside, contact was with Schill and Larry Los. Starter Dave Rex Jr. quickly threw the caution, just before everyone got straightened out.

Schill, Moeller and Los were the cars involved and they were set to the rear.  Two laps later Potter crashed hard into the backstaightaway wall slowing the action down one more time.

Just entering the 15th lap, someone got away with tagging Mike Simon, bringing out the caution. Nutley now had Darnell all over him, at the restart, with Denny Hiffman, Freimund, Mark Hartline and a recovering Durbin, all within striking distance. On lap 19, Los had no where to go as Mark Simonsen did a solo spin in turn four, sending cars everywhere to avoid contact.

It was finally all out racing for those final 10 laps. Nultey drove a great race, winning the event just ahead of Darnell, Hiffman, Randy Rodgers, Hartline, a recovering Schill and Simon. A post race inspection took second place from Darnell, with everyone moving up one spot.

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Jerry Cowan won his first career Herb's Super Stock victory this evening.  The second year driver avoided the accidents and drove a heady race to pick up the win Ouch! Terry Hilgendorf shortened up his Super Stock a bit after an accident.  This was not one of the most memoriable evenings for the Woodstock, IL resident

Bill Swinford jumped in front of the 25 car super stock feature, with Lyle Bottlemy and Jeff Lorenz side by side for second. Greg Janutka got crossed up coming off turn four, collecting the top two in points Adam Regnier and Tommy Novoso. With the cone out, Swinford could feel Todd Peterson's presence, after battling for 2 laps, Peterson was a new leader.

Peterson now had Bob Koidahl and Cowan right there, with this field so tight, it was a scorers nightmare.

Koidahl inched along side Peterson, briefly taking the lead on lap 7. The next go round, Koidahl was the new leader, with Cowan, slipping past Peterson on lad nine . Other than a few lapped cars, because of that large Koidahl held is course, until lap 14, when Cowan moved in front coming home with his first win in his second year of racing.  Zac Deeringer nipped Koidahl for second, with Peterson , John Janssen and quick timer Troy Weber next, in a good race that saw only one caution.

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Point leader, Rolf Tillman made a trip to victory lane in the Sport Truck division, by earning the feature race win.   Tillman also set fast time but was prevented from a sweep by..... R.J. Ross, was then man who prevented a claen sweep by point leader Rolf Tillman.  Ross's win in the heat race prevented that from happening as Tillman took second.

R J Ross held onto the lead of the sport truck feature 8 laps, before Tillman moved out front. There was lots of action right behind him, as Ross held onto second, followed by Jim Olson, Jim Phillips, Dan Ross and Butch Edwards Jr., with only one truck lapped.

Friday night May 29th. pro moto cross racing returns after a rain out. Races begin on the stadium dirt course at 8 pm. On the oval Saturday night, May 30th, Kunes Country Ford and WSLD FM present the Twin 25's for the Super Lates.  $750 will be posted for the overall winner of the event, feature starters will receive at least $140.

Time trials are at 6 pm. races at 7:30 pm sharp, on the progressively banked, one-third mile asphalt oval.  The racetrack is located three miles south of downtown Lake Geneva on Bloomfield Road.

Late Model Division
30 Lap Feature Event Trophy Dash
1. #97 John Nutley Crestwood, IL 1. #12 Billy Baumeister Janesville, WI
2. #41 Denny Hiffman River Forest, IL 2. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI
3. #14 Randy Rodgers Lake Geneva, WI 3. #97 John Nutley Crestwood, IL
4. #30 Mark Hartline Gilberts, IL Time Trials
5. #14 Al Schill Franklin, WI 1. #14 Randy Rodgers 16.260 Seconds
6. #48 Mike Simon Lake Villa, IL 2. #57 Brad Durbin 19.369 Seconds
7. #44 Wayne Freimund West Allis, WI 3. #30 Mark Hartline 19.386 Seconds
8. #55 Jim Kjellander Twin Lakes, WI 15 Lap Semi-Feature
9. #23 Brian Ulrich Racine, WI 1. #15 Ed Schneidwent Greenfield, WI
10. #17 Mark Simonsen Crystal Lake, IL 2. #23 Brian Ulrich Racine, WI
3. #21 Dennis Vito Crystal Lake, IL

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) John Simon; 2.) Chuck Duncan; 3.) Schneidwent
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Mike Simon Jr; 2.) Tim Lynn Jr; 3.) Vito
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Schill; 2.) Potter; 3.) Kjellander

Herbs Super Stock Division
20 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. #67 Jerry Cowan Burlington, WI 1. #14 Troy Weber 19.347 Seconds
2. #02 Zac Deeringer McHenry, IL 2. #84 Tommy Nevoso 19.546 Seconds
3. #89 Bob Koidahl Cary, IL 3. #43 John Janssen 19.558 Seconds
4. #16 Todd Peterson Wonder Lake, IL 6 Lap Trophy Dash
5. #43 John Janssen Genoa City, WI 1. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL
6. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI 2. #43 John Janssen Geoa City, WI
7. #69 Terry Hilgendorf Woodstock, IL 3. #14 Troy Weber Bristol, WI
8. #50 Jim Hughes Wauconda, IL
9. #73 Adam Regnier McHenry, IL
10. #84 Tommy Nevoso Trevor, WI

First 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Willie Schumacher, 2.) Don Radke; 3.) Jason Bader
Second 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Koidahl; 2.) Todd Peterson; 3.) Deeringer

Sport Trucks
15 Lap Feature Time Trials
1. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL 1. #14 Rolf Tillman 19.397 Seconds
2. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL 2. # 4 Dave Shine 19.687 Seconds
3. #24 Jim Olson Winder Lake, IL 3. # 5 Dan Ross 19.863 Seconds
4. #10 Jim Phillips Darien, WI 10 Lap Heat
5. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL 1. #99 R.J. Ross Northbrook, IL
6. #92 Butch Edwards Jr. Burlington, WI 2. #14 Rolf Tillman Woodstock, IL
7. # 4 Dave Shine Crystal Lake, IL 3. # 5 Dan Ross Gurnee, IL
8. # 2 Kurt Ross Zion, IL