Siefert, Junio, Kickbusch, and Reinhardt Win Exciting Features on Opening Night at Thunderhill!

By Greg Aregoni

 

April 30, 2005; Sturgeon Bay, WI.  For the 13th year in a row WDOR was the sponsor for the season opener.  Even though the wind was cold Saturday night; the racing on the tracks fast surface was hot.  Over 90 cars took to the track on opening night.  Some drivers had early season jitters, while others seemed to already be at the top of their game.   Racing was done by 9:30 with four exciting divisions taking to the track.

 

In IMCA Modified action, Jared Siefert led all 20 laps taking home the victory.  In IMCA Stockcar action “Mad” Matt Junio won the feature event in impressive fashion with a 1/2 straightaway win.  Scott Reinhardt won in a shootout in the Street Stock feature.  Keith Kickbusch started his 2005 campaign with a feature win in the IMCA Hobby Stock class.

 

Green Bay’s Jared Siefert grabbed his outside front row starting position to jump out to the lead by about five car lengths over Jeremy Jacobs, Darrell Massart, Doug Maurer, Todd Dart, and Jay Mathias. With Siefert solidly out front, the battle was for second.  Jacobs and Dart had a hard battle going for second for many laps with Dart getting the advantage finally on the top side of the track.  With five laps to go Dart tried catching Siefert but to no avail.  Meanwhile, Jay Mathias found some very fast track and passed two cars in the final two laps.  Crossing the line by four car lengths ahead of Dart, Siefert picked up the first IMCA Modified feature win of the season.  At the line, Siefert was followed by Todd Dart, Jeremy Jacobs, Jay Mathias, and Doug Maurer. In talking to Jared Siefert after the race, he said, “The track was fast where ever I went.  The track was unusually smooth for a dirt track early in the season.”

 

 

Luxemburg’s Dave Davister led the opening lap in the IMCA Stockcar Feature.  Coming out of turn two Davister spun and collected Troy Muench in the caution.  Matt Junio of Casco, inherited the lead and pulled to a 1/2 straightaway lead.  The dual for second was now between Dave Bouche, Mike Wietor, Bernie Reinhardt, Charlie Kroll, and Shawn Kilgore.  As the shuffling continued for positions 2-8, Junio had his cruise set out front.  Junio Crossed the line first followed by Dave Bouche, Charlie Kroll, Shawn Kilgore, and last years champion Craig Paque in fifth.  This was only the third time Junio had raced this car. About his car he said, “This is one of the best handling cars I have ever drove.  The Red Bandit Chassis was real fast tonight.”

 

In opening night IMCA Hobby Stock action Keith Kickbusch used his front row starting spot to gain the lead in the early going of the feature.  Tony Schlei stayed hot on his heals throughout the feature.  Tom Brumlic, Jeff Lautenbach, Dave DeGrave and Brandon Peterson had a great battle for the third position.  After Brumlic had a tire go down, coming out of two, he had to leave the race.  The battle in sued with Lautenbach getting the third spot.  Meanwhile up front, Kickbusch wasn’t able to shake Schlei but never let him get a run.  Taking home the win was Keith Kickbusch, followed by Tony Schlei, Jeff Lautenbach, Dave DeGrave, and Brandon Peterson.

 

In Street Stock action, Scott Reinhardt and John Sternard had a classic battle for the first ten laps of the race.  Reinhardt and Sternard both started on the front row and got out to a three car lengths lead on the rest of the field.  Mike King Jr., Scott Iverson, Doug Morgan, and Mike Pierrard were left to settle for third.  With Reinhardt up top and Sternard down low the race was on for the lead.  Reinhardt would lead every time at the line with Sternard tight by his side.  Reinhardt finally shook loose from Sternard with five laps to go.  Sternard had heavy pressure from Mike King Jr. but held second.  Reinhardt would go on to win the race by 5 car lengths over Sternard.  Third would go to Mike King Jr., followed by Scott Iverson, and Mike Pierrard.  Reinhardt’s feature win was his first in a two year drought.  “I had finished second and third so many times the last few years, I was so happy when I finally won tonight. The wait was well worth it.”

 

Next weeks races are sponsored by Butch’s Auto and Mbroidery by Mary.  Forest County Potawatomi Thunderhill Speedway will be running a special next week.  $5.00 will get you into the grandstands.  The race track will also be giving away a West Coast Chopper big wheel every night all year long.

 

Thunderhill Speedway is located at the John Miles Park in Sturgeon Bay, Wi.  For more information call 920-743-7052.  The tracks website is www.Racethunderhill.com

 

 

Race Summary

 

20 Lap IMCA Modified Feature- 1. Jared Siefert, Green Bay 2. Todd Dart, Algoma 3. Jeremy Jacobs, Algoma 4. Jay Mathias, Luxemburg 5. Doug Maurer, De Pere

 

10 Lap Heats- Heat 1  1. Darrell Massart, Brussels 2. Maurer

                        Heat 2  1. Siefert 2.Dart

                        Heat 3  1. Jacobs 2.Sean Jerovetz, Saumico

 

18 Lap IMCA Stockcar Feature- 1. Matt Junio, Casco 2. Dave Bouche, Algoma 3. Charlie Kroll, Algoma 4. Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee 5. Craig Paque, Algoma

 

10 Lap Heats- Heat 1  1. Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay 2. Mike          Wietor, Green Bay

                        Heat 2  1. Jeff Vlies, Brussels 2. Kroll

                        Heat 3  1. Kilgore, Junio

 

15 lap IMCA Hobby Stock Feature- 1. Keith Kickbusch, Kewaunee 2. Tony Schlei, Zion, IL 3. Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay 4. Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg 5. Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay

 

10 Lap Heats- Heat 1  1.Ed Anschutz, Algoma 2. Tom Brumlic, Denmark

                        Heat 2  1.Kickbusch, Marcus Moede, Casco

 

15 Lap Street Stock- 1. Scott Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay 2. John Sternard, Green Bay 3. Mike King Jr, Little Chute 4.Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay 5. Mike Pierrard, Green Bay

 

10 Lap Heats- Heat 1  1. Doug Morgan 2. David Hoerning

                        Heat 2  1. Dennis Weidner, Brussels 2. Harley Simon