Derenne tops Mods, Bouche best in stocks at Thunderhill!
By Dave Panske

July 24, 1999; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - Another beautiful night for racing at the Thunder Hill Speedway on Saturday night.

72499a.jpg (13337 bytes) He's back!!!!  Just six weeks after a near fatal car crash after watching a race at another track.  Defending IMCA Modified champion Todd Dart (#3) got back behind the wheel and score a win in his first outing taking a heat race.  He would later place seventh in the main event.

Jack Parrish set the pace for the first 5 laps of the Modified main before Dave Zeitler pulled into the top spot on tap 6 and started to pull away from the field, Chris Christensen, Jesse Bray, Darrell Massart and Buck Schmeizer moved into the battle for second while Zeitler ran alone in front. By the mid point, R.M. Van Pay and Todd Dart, returning after 6 weeks off recuperating from and auto accident, were running in the pack for 5th and 6th, 3 and 4 wide around the track. The two got together entenng turn three, bringing out the first caution of the race both were able to continue.

Chris Derenne (#10) scored his first career IMCA Modified feature win at Thunderhill Speedway and celebrated in the winners circle with his son Scott. 72499b.jpg (15579 bytes)

The field was now behind Zeitler, and Chris Derenne hooked up on the outside on the restart and after running side by side for 6 laps, Derenne was able to wrestle the lead from Zeitler and go on to win his first division feature of the season and become the 8th different feature winner this year at Thunderhill. Zeitler held off Christensen and Jesse Brey for the runner up spot. George Henkel and Brad Anderegg rounded out the top six.

Todd Smith took the lead away from Joe LeBotte on the second lap of the IMCA Stock Car main, and following a caution on lap 4, Gary Bouche powered into the lead and was joined by Eric VanIten, with both pulling away from the pack until a lap 16 caution erased their lead. During the caution, VanIten was sent to pit lane for smoking which put Rob Gagne into the runner up spot followed by Dave Pavlik, Pat Davister and Smith.

On the restart, Gagne, Davister and Pavtik doubled up behind the leader and chased him to the finish, which was his second win the past three weeks. Gagne took the runner up finish with Davister and Pavlik next in line with Jerry Wenzel and Matt Junio rounding out the top six. Shannon Smith led the opening two circuits of the Street Stock Main with Tom Daubner taking charge on tap 3, bringing Jared Siefert along into second.

Cautions on laps 6 and 11 kept the field bunched and after the final one on 1ap 11, Gregg Siebold moved into the lead battle with Shawn Olson, Phil Faustini and point leader, Bernie Reinhardt. Daubner held off each outside challenge of Siebold and went on to win his second feature of the season. Siebold, Olson, Faustini, Siefert and Smith round out the top six.

Rookie, Todd Polster, grabbed the lead in the Bomber main until four time feature winner, Travis Annoye overtook the leader on lap 4. The field sorted out behind the new leader until a final caution on lap 9 which put Jay Naze right behind in second followed by Bill Le Mieux, Scott Reinhardt and Watly Lhost.

Todd Polster (#3p) earned his first career Bomber feature win after holding off the challenges of division front runner Travis Annoye. 72499d.jpg (14028 bytes)

On the restart, Annoye and Naze hooked up in a side by side battle for the lead which kept the field behind. Naze took the lead on lap 12, and despite the heavy pressure from Annoye, drove to his second feature win of the year. Annoye, LeMieux, Lhost, Reinhardt and point leader, Mike Soukup round out the top six.

72499c.jpg (13300 bytes) Another first time winner!  Ryan LeMieux (#18) garnered his first ever victory when he came home in first place in the third Bomber heat this evening.

The Sport Trucks made a special appearance as well tonight with Ben Kroll recording the sweep, winning the heat race and feature. Jeff and Jerry Scray followed Kroll in the feature with Mike Taylor, Brandon Blashe and Bob Brown in the top positions.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIED:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Chris Derenne, Luxemburg; 2.) Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg; 3.) Chris Christensen, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Jesse Brey, Manitowoc; 5.) George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; 6.) Brad Anderegg, Algoma
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1.) Derenne; 2.) Gary Jacobs, Algoma
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Todd Dart, Algoma; 2.) Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Christensen; 2.) Henkel
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Darrell Massart, Brussels; 2.) Jack Parrish, Green Bay

IMCA STOCK CARS:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1) Gary Bouche, Algoma; 2.) Rob Gagne, Luxemburg; 3.) Pat Davister, Luxemburg; 4.) Dave Pavlik, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Jerry Wenzel, Two Rivers; 6.) Matt Junio, Casco;
FIRST HEAT: 1) Bouche; 2.) Todd Smith, Sturgeon Bay
SECOND HEAT: 1) Joe LaBotte, Kewaunee; 2.) Junio
THIRD HEAT: 1) Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; 2.) Eric Van Iten, Green Bay

STREET STOCKS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Tom Daubner, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Gregg Siebold, Denmark; 3.) Shawn Olson, Algoma; 4.) Phil Faustini, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Jared Siefert, Green Bay; 6.) Bernie Reinhardt
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1.) Ed Anschutz, Algoma; 2.) Gary Reinhardt, Fish Creek; 3.) Kevin Jandrin, Forestville; 4.) Faron Beilke, Brussels
FIRST HEAT: 1) Siebold; 2.) Dan Anschutz, Sturgeon Bay
SECOND HEAT: 1) Shannon Smith, Green Bay; 2.) Josh Massart, Brussels
THIRD HEAT: 1) Daubner; 2.) Faustini

BOMBERS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Jay Naze, Forestville; 2.) Travis Annoye, Casco; 3.) Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Wally Lhost, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Scott Reinhardt; 6.) Mike Soukup, Sturgeon Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Jeremy Witala, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Mark Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Tom Zanstrow, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Lhost; 2.) Lucas Long, Sturgeon Bay
SECOND HEAT: 1) Todd Polster, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Naze
THIRD HEAT: 1) Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Chad Szprejda, Suamico

BOMBERS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Ben Kroll 2.) Jeff Scray; 3.) Jerry Scray; 4.) Mike Taylor; 5.) Brandon Blashe; 6.) Bob Brown