Back heads up Mods at The Hill, July 15, 2000; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - Point leaders changed in a couple divisions. Single and double rollovers kept everyone wondering what would happen next on a big night of racing Saturday at the Thunder Hill Speedway. The drama started with the first heat race when Modified point leader, Doug Maurer, dropped out and returned to the consy in a borrowed car. He did not make the main and left the door open for a jumble in the standings. Rookie contender, Shawn Olson grabbed the lead in the mod feature at the start followed by Randie Back, Darren Otto, Tom Stark, Jeremy Jacobs and Buck Schmelzer. Back pressured Olson through the first 9 laps before taking over the top spot with an outside move. One lap later, the first caution appeared and bunched the field on the new leader. On the restart, Back jumped out to a several length lead with the battle for second tight between several drivers. Chris Derenne took over second with Olson, Stark Brad Anderegg, Jared Siefert and Schmelzer in the pack right behind. Two late race cautions, on laps 15 and 18 kept things tight for every one. Most of the pack was running high on the track, but Olson found something low and moved back to challenge for the Win over the final laps. Beck held on to win his second feature of the season with Olson alongside for the runner up finish. Over the final 2 laps, George Henkel made a run to the front and finished third, and with that, took over the point lead for the season time this season. Stark ended up in fourth with Anderegg and Schmelzer rounding out the top six. An unusual turn of events made for a thrilling run in the Stock Car division. Benji LaCrosse has run to five feature wins this season, and while running for the win in his heat race, the engine blew on the final lap. The crew was going to leave to change the car over for a Sunday race, but rookie driver, Greg Wolf, offered his car to LaCrosse for the consy. After making the main, finishing second to point leader, Jason Geyer, in the consy, the feature stage was set to play out. Mark Derenne set the pace for the opening 3 laps of the feature before Pat Davister powered into the top spot on lap 4. Dave Pavlik brought out the first caution of the race on lap 2. Several cars got crossed up out of turn two and Pavlik ended up getting into the back stretch guard rail. His car rolled over and ended up on top of the rail. He was OK, but his car was done for the event. Dave Bouche took a turn at the front as well, taking the lead on lap 6. A lap 8 caution bunched the field on the leader, with Davister still second. Craig Paque, Benji LaCrosse, Rob Gagne and Jay Matthias ware right behind.
LaCrosse moved into third on the restart and Davister pulled alongside the leader, finally retaking the top spot on lap 11. LaCrosse moved into the runner up spot 1 lap later and started to pressure for the lead. On lap 15, LaCrosse used the inside line and took over the lead. Davister, Bouche, Matthias and Jason Geyer were all in contention as the laps dwindled away Matthais and Geyer, also using the inside line made a late race run. Matthias moved into second on lap 18 and right up on the leader. Just after the field took the white, a two car spin out of turn four brought out the caution, and ended the race with LaCrosse picking up his sixth feature win of the season Matthias was second with Davister taking third. Geyer took fourth with Bouche fifth and Larry Karcz, Jr. rounding out the top six. The Street Stock point standings were also up for grabs after point leader, Gary Reinhardt, had problems with his car after qualifying for the main in the heat. He decided to run a back up car, having to re-qualify through the consy, but he failed to make the feature, leaving the door open for a possible change. Tom Daubner started the feature on the pole and settled into the lead at the start followed by Jeff Vlies, Corey Haen, Mike Soukup, James Tebon and Kevin Jandrin. Daubner was able to pull away from the field leaving a tight battle for the runner up spot A final caution on lap 9 set up a six lap dash. Daubner was again able to pull away a bit after the restart with Vlies, Mike Coel, Haen and Jerry Kroll scrambling for position. Coel slipped into the runner up spot with 2 laps left and closed on the leader, but ran out of time as Daubner claimed his third feature win of the season, Coel took the second place finish with Kroll nipping Vlies at the line for third. Haen took fifth and Gregg Siebold worked through traffic to round out the top six. The finish for Siebold was enough to move him into the point lead for the first time this season as Reinhardt only dropped to second place in the standings. Cautions plagued every lap of the Bomber feature which ended up being only a five lap event due to time limit and curfew.
Lucas Long took the initial lead followed by Thom Tertian, Roger LaViolette, Tony Herbst and Ford Malvitz. Spins and debris caused the first cautions, before the big crash occurred on lap 3. Tertian, LaViolette got together out of turn four and spun in front of traffic, collecting Don Aregoni, Jr in the process LaViolette got into the front wall and started to roll over. Aregoni's car caught LaViolette's car and rode over the top of the car. Aregoni landed on the track again and ended up on his roof. In the scramble by the rest of the field, Aregoni was hit several time and spun around on the roof, ending up on the inside of the track entering turn one. Although both cars were demolished, both drivers emerged on their own power, and despite being shook up, were OK and received thunderous support from the crowd. With the track clear, the race resumed with Herbst taking the lead. Jeremy Wiitala moved outside and took the lead one lap later. Despite a couple more cautions, Wiitala was in front when the final caution appeared, ending the madness and giving him his first feature win of the season. Herbst took the runner up finish with Tracy Koontz getting the third place nod. Ryan LeMieux took fourth with Scott Reinhardt fifth and point leader, Greg Soukup rounding out the top six. The Luxemburg Sport Trucks made a second appearance with Jerry Scray leading flag to flag to win his first feature here and second straight, having won a Luxemburg on Friday night. Shawn Dorn took second in the feature with Kevin Strebel taking third and Von Etcheson rounding out the top four. RESULTS IMCA MODIFIED: IMCA STOCK CARS: STREET STOCKS BOMBERS SPORT TRUCKS |
