108 cars on hand Thunderhill Speedway 1999 Opener!

May 15, 1999; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - The Thunder Hill Speedway opened their 1999 season on Saturday night with a completely resurfaced track and brand new grandstand that had the fans and drivers fired up on a chilly night in Door County.  A field of 108 cars in four divisions ran a fast program.

Gary Jacobs took the lead at the start of the IMCA Modified feature followed by George Henkel, Doug Maurer, Dean Maurer, Dan Ratajczak and Chris Derenne, Ratajczak was the first to move to the front to join Henkel and Jacobs and the trio was running three deep before the caution appeared on lap 7 for debris.

Ratajczak took over the lead on the restart and started to pull away, but the final caution appeared on lap 11 when Dean Maurers' mount stopped on the back chute just shy of the pit entrance. On the restart, Doug Maurer hooked up on the outside and quickly pulled into the lead and then ran away over the final laps to claim his first feature win of the season. Ratajczak was hounded by Henkel to the finish but took second. Derenne was fourth with Todd Dart, coming from the back of the field, finishing fifth and Chris Christenson rounding out the top six.

Larry Karcz took charge of the IMCA Stock Car main at the start with John Heinz, Russ Tuttle, rookie, Kerry Douglas and Tim Van De Hei behind. Karcz and Heinz pulled away from the pack early but by lap 8, Heinz was starting to slow and on lap 11 dropped out of the race and Douglas dropped off the lead pace.

Tuttis moved into second but chased Karcz as he ran alone the rest of the way to win his first career feature here at the Hill and third for the season in the area. Rob Gagne moved to second over the final laps for second place finish with Rod Snellenberger taking third. Van De Hei, Tuttis and Brian Bruechert rounded out the top six.

Tom Deubner took the lead from the pole tn the Street Stock main with Gregg Siebold and Scott Pagels joining him to pull away from the pack early on, Ken Hendricks, Fred Davister, Kevin Brungraber and Bernie Reinhardt made up the next pack of cars as the swapped positions and tried to close on the leaders. The only change in the lead trio was Pagels taking second on lap 3. The race was on a none stop mode until the final lap when debris forced a red/checker, but the outcome was already decided as Daubner collected his first feature win here since September 13, 1997. Pagels, Siebold, Reinhardt, Davister and Brungraber rounded out the top six.

Travis Annoye took charge of the bomber feature from the start, but had pressure throughout to maintain the top spot. On lap 3, Craig Johnson thrilled the crowd by rolhng over right in front of the grandstand. He wes not injured.

Don Aregoni was running second and hounded the leader while the pack sorted out behind. Another caution on tap 9 for debis set up a six lap dash to the finish with Annoye and Aregoni still setting the pace. Jeremy Wiitala, Jay Naze, Mike Soukup, Billy LeMieux and Scott Rainhardt battled the final laps with Naze able to take third away from Wiitala two laps from the end. Soukup took fifth and Reinhardt rounded out the top finishers.

Weekly Saturday night racing will continue throughout the summer featuring four divisions on the 1/3 mile clay oval, Gates open at 4:30 with racing at 6:00. The Thunderhill Speedway is located at the Door County Fairgrounds in Sturgeon Bay, WI about 35 miles north of Green Bay, WI just off Hwy. 57.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIED:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Doug Maurer, Green Bay; 2.) Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; 3.) George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Chris Derenne, Luxemburg; 5.) Todd Dart, Algoma; 6.) Chris Christenson, Sturgeon Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Dart; 2.) Randy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Tom Stark, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Derenne; 2.) Dean Maurer, Green Bay
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Ratajczak; 2.) Darrell Massart, Brussels
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Christensen; 2.) Jesse Brey, Manitowoc

IMCA STOCK CARS:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1) Larry Karcz Jr., Sobeski; 2.) Rob Gagne, Luxemburg; 3.) Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; 4.) Tim Van Dei Hei, DePere; 5.) Russ Tuttle, Brussels; 6.) Brian Bruechert, Kewaunee
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Pat Davister, Luxemburg; 2.) Dave Bouche, Algoma; 3.) Jay Matthais, Luxemburg
FIRST HEAT: 1) Van De Hei; 2.) Gange
SECOND HEAT: 1) Snellenberger; 2.) Eric VanIten, Green Bay
THIRD HEAT: 1) John Heinz, Green Bay; 2.) Kerry Douglas, Sturgeon Bay
FOURTH HEAT: 1) Tuttle; 2.) Butch Beyers, Green Bay

STREET STOCKS
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Tom Daubner, Carlsville; 2.) Scott Pagels, Little Sturgeon; 3.) Gregg Siebold, Maribel; 4.) Bernie Reinhardt, Fish Creek; 5.) Fred Davister, Luxemburg; 5.) Kevin Brungraber, Sturgeon Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Jared Siefert, Green Bay; 2.) James Tebon, Algoma; 3.) Dave Rihm, Green Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Reinhardt; 2.) Jeff Vlies, Algoma
SECOND HEAT: 1) Phil Faustini, Egg Harbor; 2.) Shawn Olson, Algoma
THIRD HEAT: 1) Daubner; 2.) Siebold

BOMBERS
15 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Travis Annoye, Casco; 2.) Don Aregoni, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Jay Naze, Forestville; 4.) Jeremy Wiitala, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Mike Soukup, Sturgeon Bay; 6.) Scott Reinhardt, Fish Creek
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Mike Soukup; 2.) Brent Eisenman, Luxemburg; 3.) Greg Soukup, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Wally Lhost, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Wiitala
SECOND HEAT: 1) Naze; 2.) Tony Herbst, Sturgeon Bay
THIRD HEAT: 1) Marty Bielke, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Annoye