LaCrosse strikes again in Stock Car
action! July 1, 2000; Sturgeon Bay, WI. - What started out as a clear warm night ended early with a late heavy shower that canceled the IMCA Modified and scheduled powder puff racing Saturday night at Thunder Hill Speedway. The remaining three features were run complete on Door Reminder night.
The IMCA Stock cars took to the track first with Mark Derenne setting the pace for the opening 4 laps before suddenly pulling off the track and into pit lane on lap 5, turning the top spot over Todd Smith. Rob Gagne, Pat Davister, Benji LaCrosse, Jay Matthias and Scott Karcz were bunched up behind. The entire front pack put on a show for the lead, running together, swapping positions on each lap. Smith continued to set the pace until Gagne got to the inside on lap 14, and the pair swapped the lead for as couple laps before LaCrosse took the outside line into the lead on lap 18. Matthias followed into the runner up spot with point leaders, Jason Geyer and Matt Junio moving into the top 5. LaCrosse held off Matthias to record his fifth division feature win of the season here with Matthias in second. Gagne completed a strong run in third, with Geyer taking fourth, Junio fifth and Davister rounding out the top six.
The Street Stock feature was next on deck with Tom Daubner taking control at the start, but the leader was forced out after 3 laps with heavy smoke from his car, turning the top spot over to Jay Naze. Jerry Kroll moved into the runner up spot with Mike Soukup, Aaron Thornton and Rick Johnson behind. Naze was able to hold a car length or so margin over Kroll, even though he would make a run at the leader. James Tebon joined the lead pack on lap 8 and Eddie Anschutz was tucked right behind in 5th. Naze continued to lead the way but with a couple laps left, Kroll moved up right behind and made a final run at the top spot. He was able to get alongside before the white flag was displayed, only to have Naze move back in front for the final lap. Out of turn two on the final lap, Kroll again pulled alongside and this time made the move stick and pulled ahead to collect his second feature win of the season. Naze was second with Tebon holding onto third. Thornton took fourth, Anschutz fifth and Gregg Siebold sixth. Several cautions slowed the Bomber main with Tony Herbst taking the lead on the start followed by Jody Annoye, Tracy Koontz, Brad Ohnesorge and Tom Frea behind. Wayne Moore hooked up on the inside of the oval and moved to the front, taking over the runner up spot on lap 5. Herbst and Moore swapped the lead several times until Herbst was forced out of the race after a caution on lap 8. While he was waiting for the line up, his car suddenly started to smoke when the wires caught fire, forcing him out of the race, Moore took control with Greg Soukup moving into the runner up spot with Jeremy Wiitala and Scott Reinhardt behind. The leaders ran side by side for a couple laps before Soukup took control and ran the final four laps in front to win his second feature of the season. Wiitala slipped by Moore on the final lap to take the runner up finish with Moore being followed by Reinhardt, Annoys and Ryan LeMieux. Just as the Modifieds took to the track rain appeared and after two laps, the downpour came and with the track black, it was to slick to continue so the race was halted along with the scheduled powder puff races. The feature pay was split between the drivers. The powder puff races will be rescheduled for later in the season. Next week the kids will have their chance to tackle the Hill with the first ever Big Wheel races along with a nickel and candy drop. RESULTS IMCA MODIFIED: IMCA STOCK CARS: STREET STOCKS BOMBERS |
