(Sturgeon Bay, WI) - Sturgeon Bay’s Bryan “Woody” Wodack and Brian Duquaine are getting geared up for their second season and putting all the pieces together for some great Saturday night entertainment at Thunderhill Raceway (John Miles Park, Sturgeon Bay). Their season opener is scheduled for Saturday night, May 1st at 6 p.m. IMCA Modified, IMCA Stock Car, IMCA Hobby Stock, Street Stock divisions along with the Sport-4 class will compete weekly on Saturday nights, with competition getting underway at 6 p.m. throughout the summer months. Forest County Potawatomi will again be the major sponsor at the track. Many other local businesses are lined up to help sponsor the track’s endeavors in giving the public some of the best racing in NE Wisconsin.
“Race fans will come away as the winners each and every Saturday night”, according to Brian (Woody) Wodack. “We’re all very excited to be back and are looking for the ultimate race fan satisfaction at our track. Surrounding ourselves with the best of the best in track personnel, will give us an edge on treating the fans and drivers to a facility that gives them the best family entertainment for the price.”
One of the fan’s favorite drivers, IMCA Modified driver Todd Dart, of Algoma, snatched his fourth championship in the 2003 campaign, earning his first championship in 1998. Dart won four feature events last year, the most of all drivers in the class, and was followed in points at season's end by Jay Matthias and Dan Ratajczak. With nationally enforced rules adding to parity on the track, a total of 10 different drivers won feature events in the IMCA Modified class. Another local fan’s favorite, Julie McDermid, was honored by the Fan’s Favorite Award, Best Appearing Car & Crew in the class while Benji LaCrosse earned the Rookie of the Year honors.
In the IMCA Stock Car division, Shawn Kilgore won only one feature race and capped the title over two-time champion Craig Paque by only seven points in an exciting points chase in 2003. Third place in points went to Tim Van De Hei. Casco’s Matt Junio was honored by Fan’s Favorite Award, Best Appearing Car & Crew in the class while B.J. Soquet earned the Rookie of the Year honors. This season’s rookie class will include last year’s Street Stock champion, Troy Muench, a tough competitor on the third-mile clay oval.
In another tight points battle, IMCA Hobby Stock pilot Joe Hegnet won his first track title by only four points over second place Ed Anschutz. Sturgeon Bay’s Hegnet and Algoma’s Anschutz battled in points right down to the wire on the last night, and were followed closely in points much of the season by Tony Schlei of Zion, IL, who finished third in points. Ed Anschutz was honored by Fan’s Favorite Award, with Best Appearing Car to David Lane and Best Appearing Crew to Kevin Laughlin. Joe Hegnet earned the Rookie of the Year honors.
With the absence of last year’s Street Stock track champion, Troy Muench, the Street Stock crown will be up for grabs. Muench had dominated the class with 10 feature wins followed up by 10 heat wins. Second place went to Kevin Jandrin of Forestville. A few drivers are expected to make the trip from the Chilton area including Michael King Jr., of Appleton. James Tebon, also moving up to another class in 2004, was also honored by Fan’s Favorite Award and Best Appearing Crew.
In the Sport Four’s division in 2003, Ken Malcore’s consistency helped him win the track title with three feature wins along with nine, top-3 feature finishes. Second place in points went to Bob Skippon and third to Chad Williams. The class will compete weekly on the third-mile track.
A special night of racing has been slated for Wednesday night, August 11 when the Forest County Potawatomi-sponsored 2nd Annual Dirt Late Model ShootOut opens the Door County Fair. Thunderhill Raceway is located at John Miles Park, the site of the Door County Fairgrounds, just off Highways 42/57, and west on County Trunk T. For more information call 920-743-7052 or 920-746-0387, the track phone number. The track’s website is www.racethunderhill.com.