Klenz scores first career Mod feature win at Thunderhill!

Klenz scores first career Mod feature win at Thunderhill!
By Dave Panske

July 17, 1999; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - A perfect day for racing greeted everyone to the Thunder Hill Speedway on Saturday night and saw two first time feature winners and two repeaters after the final checker.

Mike Klenz started on the pole in the IMCA Modified main with Jack Parrish, Dave Maurer, James Iverson, Dave Zeitler and Buck Schmelzer behind. The back of Parrish's car erupted on fire on lap 2 bringing out the caution and on the restart, Klenz again took control of the race with Zeitler moving into second.

Career feature win number one at The Hill! Mike Klenz (#17) won his first career Thunder Hill Modified feature on Saturday night, holding off the challenges of point leader Randie Back and Dave Zeitler to score the victory.

The two pulled away from the field leaving the race for third Schmelzer, Randie Back and Iverson ran next through the mid point of the race. Dan Ratajczak, R.M. Van Pay and Dean Maurer joined the lead pack and had a shot at the leaders when the caution appeared for the final time on lap 16 for a spin. Klenz stayed out front but Zeitler had his car start to smoke on the restart and was forced to the pit, Back moved into second but finished in second as Klenz picked up his first ever feature win here at the Hill. Schemlzer held on for third with Maurer taking fourth. Van Pay and Darrell Massart rounded out the top six.

Dave Bouche took control of the IMCA Stock Car main followed by Dave Pavlik, Jeff Brehmer, Todd Smith, Jason Geyer and Pat Davister. A stalled car started a string of cautions over the next few laps. Smith moved into the lead after a lap 5 restart only to drop off the pace on the next lap when the sway bar broke, sending him into the back stretch rail.

Bouche regained the lead and after a couple more cautions, still held the lead after a lap 8 restart with defending division champ, Rod Snellenberger moving into the runner up spot.

"Hot Rod" Snellenberger (#10) earned his first trip the the winners circle in IMCA Stock car feature action for the first time this season at Thunderhill.

Snellenberger moved into the lead in 2 laps and started to pull away until a final caution on lap 16 bunched the field for the last time. On the final restart, Pavlik, Matt Junio and Shawn Wagner dropped Bouche back and stayed right on Snellenberger, but he held off the charges to win his first feature of the season here this season. Pavlik, Junio, Wagner, Bouche and Tim Van De Hei rounded out the top spots.

Mark Reinhard led the opening four laps of the Street Stock main until Jared Siefert moved into the lead and sped off to claim his second feature win of the season. Shawn Olson moved into the runner up spot on lad 9 after Reinhard was forced out with a flat. Olson closed in on the leader but ran our of laps to challenge for the top spot, settling for second. Jason Brungraber, Troy Rass, Scott Pagels and Gregg Siebold rounded out the top six.

Todd Polster led the first 5 laps of the Bomber main with Travis Annoye taking charge on lap 6. Annoye ran the high line to perfection holding off charges from Ed Anschutz to win his second straight and fourth division feature this season. Jay Naze placed third with Wayne Moore fourth, Ryan Le Mieux fifth and Tom Zastrow sixth.

Next week the Luxemburg Sport Trucks will join the program for five divisions of fun at Thunderhill.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIED:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Mike Klenz, Sobieski; 2.) Randie Back, Green Bay; 3.) Buck Schmelzer, Casco; 4.) Dean Maurer, DePere; 5.) R.M. Van Pay, Green Bay; 6.) Darrell Massart, Brussels
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1.) Maurer; 2.) Van Pay; 3.) Jesse Brey, Manitowoc; 4.) Dave Fisher, Green Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Chris Christensen, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Schmelzer
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Klenz; 2.) Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; 2.) George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay

IMCA STOCK CARS:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1) Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; 2.) Dave Pavlik, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Matt Junio, Casco; 4.) Shawn Wagner, Pulaski; 5.) Dave Bouche, Algoma; 6.) Tim Van Dei Hei, DePere
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) John Heinz, Green Bay; 2.) Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay; 3.) Eric VanIten, Green Bay; 4.) Mike Weitor, Green Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Jason Geyer, Brussels; 2.) Bouche
SECOND HEAT: 1) Todd Smith, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Pat Davister, Luxemburg
THIRD HEAT: 1) Snellenberger; 2.) Pavlik

STREET STOCKS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Jared Siefert, Green Bay; 2.) Shawn Olson, Algoma; 3.) Jason Brungraber, Carlsville; 4.) troy Raas, Brussels; 5.) Scott Pagels, Little Sturgeon; 6.) Greg Siebold, Denmark
FIRST HEAT: 1) Siefert; 2.) Olson
SECOND HEAT: 1) Jeff Vleis, Algoma; 2.) Siebold
THIRD HEAT: 1) Gary Reinhardt, Fish Creek; 2.) Rick Johnson, Gills Rock

BOMBERS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Travis Annoye, Casco; 2.) Ed Anschutz, Algoma; 3.) Jay Naze, Forestville; 4.) Wayne Moore, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 6.) Tom Zastrow, Sturgeon Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Naze; 2.) Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Wally Lhost, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Lucas Long, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Brent Eisenman, Luxemburg; 2.) Ryan LeMieux
SECOND HEAT: 1) Annoye; 2.) Anschutz
THIRD HEAT: 1) Scott Reinhardt, Fish Creek; 2.) Todd Polster, Sturgeon Bay