OPENING NIGHT THUNDERS INTO OSHKOSH
Dave Buss
On a great night for racing, 122 cars packed the pits at the Powercom Speed Zone in Oshkosh on Tuesday night. The WDLMA Late Models would highlight the
evening's show and would not disappoint with a last lap pass for the feature win. The racing action was fast and furious in every class leading you to believe that this year will be awesome.
The Grand National Division led off the evening's feature line up with an event that was more like survival of the fittest. Troy Weich would get the worst of things when his 45 car spun and was hit hard by Terry Van Roy. Weich would be ok but not his car which was severely damaged. That caution would be a sign of things to come as the checkered flag would fly with only three cars left on the track. Tim Doehling would survive the event and pick up the Feature win with Bob Cullen and Steve Baker following him across the line.
The Budweiser Modifieds would take the track for their A main with Steve Kloehn and Russ Reinwald on the front row. The front row would prove to be a
good starting spot as Reinwald would lead wire to wire picking up the first Budweiser A main win of the year. While Reinwald drove away there was some hot action taking place behind him. Benji LaCrosse, Brian Mullen, Danny Deau and Jay Schraufnagel would battle it out for the 2nd position for most of the race with battles that would go three wide at times. In the end it would be LaCrosse grabbing the runner up spot and Schraufnagel finishing 3rd. Mullen would fall back late allowing Deau and Scott Lewis to round out the top 5.
The Charter Communication Street Stock division would provide one of the best feature events in some time with three and four wide battles, lead changes, and hard racing. Jerry Kope would grab the checkered flag but not without a battle. The action would pick up after a late caution. On the restart Mark Schultz, Kope, Ken Feavel, and Don VanderGalien would go bumper to bumper and door to door in a battle for the win. VanderGalien would get the best of this battle and take the runner up spot with Gary Neau sneaking into the mix late grabbing third. Mark Schultz would grab fourth after running up front early in the race and Derrick VanderGalien capping the top five.
The Signmakers Dirt Devil division would belong to Mike Mueller who led from green to checkered. The best battle in this event would come on the final lap as Ron Koenig and Loren Rangeloff would cross the line pressed tightly together down the front stretch. Koenig would grab the runner up spot leaving third for Rangeloff. Jon Schultz and Jimmy Berkevich would round out the top five.
The Johnsonville Sausage Late Models would provide the thunder as 24 cars would start the A Main. Russ Scheffler would take charge from his front row starting spot and it began to look as though he would walk away with the main event, however AJ Diemel would begin to track Scheffler down and begin to battle lap after lap looking for an opportunity to grab the lead. Schleffler would prove to be strong and began working through lap traffic with Diemel on his rear bumper. Schleffler and Diemel would continue to fight for the lead while Nick Anvelink began to make his move making the high groove work towards his advantage. Diemel was forced to slow for a lap car and Anvelink seized the opportunity to grab 2nd. The white flag would flay with Schleffler on the low side and Anvelink working the high side. It looked like Scheffler would hold on going into corner three but Anvelink had other thoughts and pulled off the pass coming out of four and grabbing the win. Schleffler would finish second with Diemel, Tom Naeyaert and Kerry Hansen rounding out the top five.
Johnsonville Sausage WDLMA Late Models
Top Qualifier * Nick Anvelink
A-Main Results
1. Nick Anvelink, 2. Russ Scheffler, 3. AJ Diemel, 4. Tom Naeyaert, 5. Kerry Hansen, 6. Chris Carlson, 7. Pete Parker, 8. George Scheffler, 9. Ihm Ace,
10. Eric Pember
Signmakers Dirt Devils Division Results
Heat Winners * Mike Mueller, Jon Schultz
A-Main Results1.Mike Mueller, 2.Ron Koenig, 3.Loren Rangeloff, 4.Jon Schultz, 5.Jimmy Berkevich, 6.Matt Hoge, 7. Dave Wilkins, 8.Jeff Lemiesz, 9.Jeremy Robbins, 10. Dustin Schwandt
Charter Communication Street Stock Division Results Heat Winners * Mike Nehmer, Mark Schultz, Scott Solomon
A-Main Results 1.Jerry Kope, 2. Don VanderGalien, 3.Gary Neau, 4. Mark Schultz, 5. Derrick VanderGalien, 6.Mike Rauchel, 7. Jeff Jahnke, 8. Shawn Haydon, 9. Frank Formiller, 10. Ken Feavel
Budweiser Modified Division Results
Heat Winners *Brain Mullen, Benji LaCrosse, Ron Besaw, Scott Lewis
A-Main Results 1.Russ Reinwald, 2.Benji LaCrosse, 3.Jay Schraufnagel, 4.Danny Deau, 5.Scott Lewis, 6.Jarrod Anvelink, 7.Brian Mullen, 8.Scott Mullen, 9.Eric Scribner, 10.Ryan Besaw
Grand National Division Results
A-Main Results 1.Tim Doehling, 2.Bob Cullen, 3.Steven Baker, 4.Tom Robbins, 5.Dion Wahl, 6.Kevin Rank, 7.Steve Seitz, 8.Terry Van Roy, 9.Troy Weich