LaCrosse ties win record in IMCA Stocks at Thunderhill!
Massart masters Mods before rain falls!
By Dave Panske

August 5, 2000; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - Despite a heavy push to get the complete program in before the inevitable rains moved in, heavy rain showers moved in at 8:20, washing out the final half of the Street Stock feature and the Bomber feature on Carrier Temperature Systems/Eagle Mechanical night at the Thunder Hill Speedway.

Darrell Massart (#2) was faster than the rain as he won his second IMCA Modified feature of the season.

The IMCA Modifieds took to the track first with Brian Baenen taking charge for the opening lap before Darrell Massart stormed by on the outside and took control on tap 2. Massart pulled away from the pack with Doug Maurer moving into second on lap 4, and quickly closed on the leader.

A lone caution appeared on lap 9, bunching the field. Mike Plate took over the runner up spot for a couple laps after the restart before Maurer moved up again on lap 11. Massart led the way to the finish, with Maurer dogging all the way. Dan Ratajczak, making his way from the back of the field, battled with Plate, Robert Waechter and Chris Derenne over the final 6 laps and finished in third place with Plate, Derenne and Randie Back rounding out the top six. The win was the second for Massart this season.

Rookie contender, Greg Gretz moved into the lead of the IMCA Stock Car feature at the start but a lap 3 caution for a multi cart spin brought out the first caution. On the restart, Eric VanIten jumped from the second row to the lead but was black flagged for jumping the start, leaving Gretz as the lead car followed by Joe LeBotte, Mark Derenne, Dave Pavlik, Benji LaCrosse, Ben Kroll and Jay Matthias. With most of the field running the high side of the track, LaCrosse hooked on the inside and powered into the runner up spot on lap 9. On lap 11, LaCrosse moved into the lead with Matthias moving into third behind Gretz.

The final caution appeared on lap 12 and bunched the field for the final time with LaCrosse leading the way on the restart. Matthias moved into second with Jason Geyer and Pat Davister moving by Gretz into the top 4. Matthias pressured the leader to the finish but LaCrosse held on for his record tying 8th division feature win this season at the Hill. Matthias took the runner up finish. Geyer held off Davister to take third. LeBotte completed a strong run in fifth and Dave Pavlik rounded out the top six.

LaCrosse is now tied with John Gregorich with 8 feature wins for a single season. Gregorich set the mark in 1993, the year racing returned to Thunder Hill and the Year he won the IMCA Stock Car National Title.

First appearances!  There's not place like victory lane and it takes alot of effort to get there, for this pair of driver's their efforts paid off this evening as each made their first visit this season.  In the left photo, Brian Baenen (#23) won his first IMCA Modified race of the season taking his heat, while James Anderson (#73) did likewise taking a Bomber heat race.

B.J. Soquet took the lead at the staff of the Street Stock feature and pulled away right away to a several length lead. Tom Daubner took second followed by Kevin Charles, Mike Soukup and Rick Johnson. The front runners stayed the same while the rest of the pack fought behind. On lap 8, the rains came, and with half the race in, was called complete with Soquet earning his first career feature victory. Daubner was second followed by Charles, Soukup, Johnson and Kevin Jandrin in the top six.

The Bomber feature was lost and was paid equally in points and money for the night

There will be a special race at Thunder Hill this Wednesday night, August 9th, to open the Door County Fair. There will be NO racing here next Saturday night, August 12th. Weekly racing will resume on the 19th for the remaining 4 weeks of the 2000 season.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIED:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Darrell Massart, Brussels; 2.) Doug Maurer, Green Bay; 3.) Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; 4.) Mike Plate, Newton; 5.) Chris Derenne, Luxemburg; 6.) Randie Back, Green Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1.) Ratajczak; 2.) George Henkel, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Randy LeMieux, Sturgoen Bay; 4.) Derenne
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Jesse Brey, Manitowoc; 2.) Brad Anderegg, Algoma
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Shawn Olson, Algoma; 2.) Massart
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Brian Baenen, New Franken; 2.) Buck Schmelzer, Sturgeon Bay

IMCA STOCK CARS:
20 LAP FEATURE: 1.) Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg; 2.) Jay Matthais, Green Bay; 3.) Jason Geyer, Brussels; 4.) Pat Davister; 5.) Joe LeBotte, Kewaunee; 6.) Dave Pavlik, Sturgeon Bay
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1) Matthais; 2.) Geyer; 3.) Tim McCormack, Sturgeon Bay; 4.) Wally Lhost, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) Greg Gretz, Kewaunee; 2.) Scott Karcz, Pulaski
SECOND HEAT: 1) Ben Kroll, Green Bay; 2.) LeBotte
THIRD HEAT: 1) Mark Derenne, Kewaunee; 2.) Rob Gagne, Luxemburg

STREET STOCKS
7 LAP FEATURE: (Rain Shortened) 1.) B.J. Soquet, Luxemburg; 2.) Tom Daubner, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Kevin Charles, DePere; 4.) Mike Soukup, Sturgeon Bay; 5.) Rick Johnson, Gills Rock; 6.) Kevin Jandrin, Forestville
FIRST HEAT: 1) Jandrin; 2.) Gary Reinhardt, Egg Harbor
SECOND HEAT: 1) Daubner; 2.) Johnson

BOMBERS
15 LAP FEATURE: (Rained Out)
12 LAP CONSOLATION: 1.) Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Wayne Moore, Sturgeon Bay; 3.) Jody Annoye, Casco; 4.) Dennis Weidner, Sturgeon Bay
FIRST HEAT: 1) James Bosman, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) John Knudson, Sturgeon Bay
SECOND HEAT: 1) James Anderson, Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Greg Soukup, Egg Harbor
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Don Aregoni Jr., Sturgeon Bay; 2.) Shawn Graff, Sturgeon Bay