VanIten captures Stock Car feature as weather shortens program at Luxemburg! By Dave Panske

July 20, 2001; Luxemburg, WI. - A hot, steamy day gave way to a warm breezy night, for awhile, at the Luxemburg Tri Star Speedway. During the Coca Cola Big Wheel Races at intermission, the dark thunder clouds built up to the south and broke open just as the IMCA Stock Car feature was complete Friday night, washing out the remaining three feature events.

Photo Highlights

Eric VanIten (#19) of Green Bay was the lone feature winner Friday night at Tri Star as a heavy thunderstorm rolled over the track just as he won his second division feature of the season Friday night.  Coke rep Kristen Jensen presents winners trophy. Coke Reps Erica Bowers,(L) and Kristen Jensen (R) present flags and trophies to each of the Big Wheel race winners Friday night.

Dan Heinritz led the opening lap of the stock car main before Craig Paque led to the first of several cautions on lap 3. Bryan Techmeier took over on the restart with Larry Karcz, Jr, Jeremy Christians, Mark Derenne and Eric VanIten right behind. Christians was running the outside line and Karcz inside. The pair split around Techmeier on lap 6, with Karcz in the lead. VanIten moved into the battle for the lead and tried at every chance to get to the inside of the leader. Several times, the leaders were three wide.

Christians continued to work the outside line and finally got it to work for him as he pulled into the top spot on lap 12. After 3 more laps, VanIten was in the runner up spot and got to the inside of Christians. The pair were side by side with Karcz trying the three wide move a couple times before VanIten pulled into the lead for good on lap 18.

Christians could not keep pace on the outside over the final few laps and dropped back to finish 6th. VanIten held off Karcz for his second feature win of the season. Pat Davister made a long run from the rear of the field to make a last lap surge that earned him a third place finish. Point leader, Benji LaCrosse finished fourth with Jon Wolf fifth and Christians sixth.

Following the race, the skies opened up with a monsoon like storm that washed out the remaining program.

Racing will resume next Friday night, July 27, before a week off because of the Kewaunee County Fair on August 3rd. Following the fair, three weeks will remain on the 2001 schedule. A regular program will be on tap for Friday night, August 10th. The track shifts one night, to a special event to be held on Thursday night, August 16th. There will be an IMCA National Modified point race with the Midwest Motorsports Stock Car special that night. It will mark the first time in over 12 years that there will be a National points race held in Northeastern Wisconsin. The local drivers will be joined by the list of traveling IMCA drivers that follow the series across the country.

There will be an increase in admission for the event and racing will start ½ hour earlier than normal, at 6:30 p.m.. Only the IMCA divisions will compete on the 16th. All cars will draw for heats and re-draw for feature lineups. If needed, the raindate will be on Friday night, August 17.

The season will close out on Friday night, August 24th with the final point race for all divisions.

SUMMARY

IMCA MODIFIED
25 Lap Feature: RAINED OUT
12 Lap Consy: l. R.M. Van Pay, Green Bay 2. Jerry Scharenbroch, Green Bay 3. Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay 4. Jeremy Hodkiewicz, Shawano
10 Lap Heats First l. Dan Deau, Little Suamico 2, Scott Mullen, Seymour
Second l. Bill Lemmens, Green Bay 2. Eddie Muenster, Green Bay
Third l. Brian Mullen, Seymour 2. Chad Nelson, Suamico
Fourth l. Chris Derenne, Luxemburg 2. Dave Fisher, Green Bay

IMCA STOCK CAR
22 Lap Feature l. Eric VanIten, Green Bay 2. Larry Karcz, Jr, Pulaski 3. Pat Davister, Luxemburg 4. Benji LaCrosse, LaCrosse 5. Jon Wolf, Green Bay 6. Jeremy Christians, Horicon
12 Lap Consy l. Larry Ingebretsen, Luxemburg 2. Davister 3. Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay 4, Joe LeBotte, Kewaunee
10 Lap Heats First l. Christians 2. VanIten
Second l. LaCrosse 2. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville
Third l. Mike Weitor, Green Bay 2. Karcz

STREET STOCK
20 Lap Feature RAINED OUT
12 Lap Consy l. Mike Coel, Green Bay 2. Charlie Kroll, Algoma 3. David Charles, DePere 4. Jeff Treml, Greenleaf
10 Lap Heats First l. Laurel Ettien, Luxemburg 2. James Van Rixel, Abrams
Second l. Fred Davister, Luxemburg 2. Jeff Vlies, Algoma
Third l. Ed Anschutz, Algoma 2. Dan Davister, Luxemburg

SPORT TRUCK
15 Lap Feature RAINED OUT
10 Lap Heat l. Ben Kroll, Green Bay 2. Jeff Scray, Oconto