1999 Luxemburg Tri-Star Speedway Champions! |
Champions crowned at
Luxemburg Tri-Star on final race night of century!
By Dave Panske
August 27, 1999, Luxemburg, WI. - The final night of racing for the 1999 season offered one of the largest car counts of the season for the largest crowd of the year to watch all four division championships to be decided Friday at the Luxemburg Tri Star Speedway.
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The 1999 Track champions gather with track promoter after the final night of racing this century on the third-mile clay oval. From left are Sport Truck champ, Kevin Strebel; IMCA Mod champ, Brian Mullen; track promoter, Kelly Hafeman; Street Stock champ, Jared Siefert and IMCA Stock Car champ Joe White. | |
The IMCA Stock Car division was the only title decided before the feature when current point leader and defending champion, Joe White qualified for the main by running third in the consy, thus ensuring the 1999 title, his second straight at the track.
Mark Derenne led the opening 2 laps of the feature before Troy DeGrave took over following a restart on lap 3. Charlie Knoll moved into the runner up spot on the next lap and took the inside line to mount the challenge for the lead, which he took over on lap 9. One in front, Kroll pulled away and ran unchallenged to his first feature win here in the stock cars since July 26, 1996.
The battle for the second place was tight the rest of the way. DeGrave, Dave Bouche, and Pat Davister ran together and with 5 laps left, Rod Snellenberger joined the front runners. Davister took second on lap 20 and held on to place there in the final run down over Bouche. Snellenberger nipped DeGrave at the line for fourth with Jay Matthias rounding out the top six.
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The final Mod winner of this century at Luxemburg! Mike Mashl (#05) earned his second feature win of the 1999 season and celebrated the win with his sponsor from Gene's Deep Rock. |
As with the Stock Cars, the point chase in the mods was made interesting when both the first and second place point cars had to make the main through the consy. Brian Mullen and Dan Ratajczak were both in the lineup when the feature rolled. Dan Deau took the lead at the start and set the pace for the opening 2 circuits before Eddie Muenster flew by on the outside after a lap three restart to take control and started to open a lead.
Several cautions through lap 10 kept the field bunched with Muenster leading the way when the restart came for the final time on lap 11, Dale Boerschinger was in second followed by Doug Maurer, Mike Mashl, Brian Mullen, Scott Mullen and Ratajczak. Mashl hooked up on the inside and moved up to second and to challenge the high nding Muenster for the lead r Brian Mullen and Ratajczak soon joined the lead pair and it looked like last week might be repeated with a four car battle setting up.
Mashl finally made the inside work by slipping into the top spot on lap 20 and Ratajczak spun to the infield on lap 21 dropping him out of contention. A final caution on lap 22 set up a 3-lap dash with Mashl holding off Mullen to win his second feature of the season. Muenster held off a charging R.M. Van Pay for the third place finish with Boerschinger taking fifth and Scott Mullen sixth.
Brian Mullen wrapped up his third career Tri Star track Championship with the second piece finish taking a 495 to 475 margin over Ratajczak.
The Street Stocks had the tightest point battle going with Jared Siefert and defending champion, Jason Czarapata only 2 marks apart entering the night and Brandon Czarapata sitting in third place. All three made the main through the heats with Siefert winning his heat to get in. It was fitting then that the trio made their way through the field running together throughout the event.
Lance Ameson led the first laps before Joe Van Ooyen took over and pulled away a bit through the first half until a caution appeared on lap 10 for a huge pileup in front of the grandstand that took 6 cars out of the race. No one was injured in the mess.
The final half of the race went non-stop and on the restart, Siefert took over the top spot from Van Ooyen with Josh Massart, Jason and Brandon Czarapata and James Tebon behind. With three laps left, The Czarapeta's had moved into second and third and moved up on Siefert. The trio ran nose to tail to the finish and for the title. Siefert held off the contenders to win his fourth feature of the year here and clinch his first career track championship in the process by a slim 3 point margin over Jason Czarapata, 505 to 502.
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The youngest feature winner ever! Dan Davister (#90) at 14 years of age became the youngest feature winner in the history of Luxemburg Tri-Star Speedway when he won his first career main event on the final night of racing this year. Davister a rookie in the division finished second in the final standings. |
The Sport Truck wrapped up their third season here with Shawn Dorn leading the first three laps of the main before a wild crash on lap 4 stopped the race when title contender, Brandon Blashe got crossed up out of turn 4 and slammed the front wall, almost rolling over. He emerged from his battered truck sore, but otherwise OK, and did go into the hospital for a check up following the incident.
On the restart, Rookie, Dan Davister took over the lead and ran to his first career feature win holding off Kevin Strebel. Strebels second place run clinched his first career track championship as well taking e 6 point margin 524 - 519 title run over Davister. Ed Danoff placed third in the run with Dom fourth, Jerry Scray fifth and Dave Davister in sixth, his first time out.
Tri-Star Promotions would like to congratulate their four track champions and all of the drivers and fans that supported the 1999 season here at Tri Star. Look for a late April Millennium opener.
RESULTS
IMCA MODIFIED
25 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Mike Mashl,
DePere; 2.) Brian Mullen, Seymour; 3.) Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; 4.) R.M. Van Pay, Green
Bay; 5.) Dale Boerschinger, Green Bay; 6.) Scott Mullen, Seymour
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Brian Mullen; 2.) Roy Ihlenfled, Kewaunee; 3.) Dan
Ratajvzak, Frog Station; 4.) Dean Maurer, DePere
FIRST HEAT: 1) Chris Derenne, Luxemburg; 2.) Scott Mullen
SECOND HEAT: 1) Muenster; 2.) Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg
THIRD HEAT: 1) Dan Deau, Little Sumaico; 2.) Brad Anderegg, Algoma
FOURTH HEAT: 1) Dave Maurer, DePere; 2.) Van Pay
IMCA STOCK CARS:
22 LAP FEATURE: 1) Charlie Kroll,
Algoma; 2.) Pat Davister, Luxemburg; 3.) Dave Bouche, Algoma; 4.) Rod Snellenberger,
Pulaksi; 5.) Jay Matthias, Green Bay; 6.) Troy DeGrave, Luxemburg
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Rob Waechter, Luxemburg; 2.) Tim Van Dei Hei, DePere; 3.)
Joe White, Oconto Falls; 4.) Snellenberger
FIRST HEAT: 1) John Heinz, Green Bay; 2.) Kroll
SECOND HEAT: 1) Matthias; 2.) DeGrave
THIRD HEAT: 1) Mark Derenne, Luxemburg; 2.) Doug Vickman, New Franken
FOURTH HEAT: 1) Bouche; 2.) Jeff Owens, Beaver Dam
STREET STOCKS
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Jared Siefert,
Green Bay; 2.) Jason Czarapata, Pulaski; 3.) Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski; 4.) Josh Massart,
Brussels; 5.) James Tebon, Algoma; 6.) Darren Otto, Pulaski
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Tom Leonard, Two Rivers; 2.) Bob Bernier, Suamico; 3.) Steve
Werner, Green Bay; 4.) Chas Van Ooyen, Appleton
FIRST HEAT: 1) Fred Davister, Luxemburg; 2.) Joe Van Ooyen, Appleton
SECOND HEAT: 1) Phil Hiles, Seymour; 2.) Laurel Ettien, Luxemburg
THIRD HEAT: 1) Siefert; 2.) Shawn Van Ooyen, Appleton
FOURTH HEAT: 1) Jamie Colwell, Greenleaf; 2.) Lance Arenson, Appleton
SPORT TRUCKS
12 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Dan Davister,
Luxemburg; 2.) Kevin Strebel, New Franken; 3.) Ed Danoff, Green Bay; 4.) Shawn Dorn,
Luxemburg; 5.) Jeff Scray, Green Bay; 6.) Dave Davister, Luxemburg
FIRST HEAT: 1) Brandon Blashe, Winneconne; 2.) Dorn