LACROSSE AND JUNIO STRENGTHEN GRIP AT THE HILL
By Tom Wagner
August 4, 2007; Sturgeon Bay, WI - Benji LaCrosse and Matt Junio edged closer to track championships, grabbing features wins Saturday night at the Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay.
LaCrosse scored his second feature win in a row and fifth of the season in the IMCA Modifieds, while Junio charged from deep in the field to win for the fifth time in the IMCA Stock Cars. Also taking home trophies on the night were second year racer Tim Czarneski in the Street Stocks, Dave DeGrave in the IMCA Hobby Stocks, Charlie Kroll in the IMCA Northern Sport Mods, Jeremy DeBois in the 4 Cylinders and Jesse Kroll in the Thunderbombs.
The Modifieds recorded 20 straight green flag laps, meaning LaCrosse had little time to spare in his quest for the win. He teamed with fellow title contender Todd Dart to challenge for the win from their sixth rowstarting spot.
With Billy LeMieux out front, the duo moved in on Chris Derenne and Jeremy Jacobs for second by lap nine. Dart took the spot with LaCrosse in tow, and they quickly began to reel in LeMieux.
On the 12th lap, LaCrosse swung to the outside to pass Dart, then four laps later crossed to the inside to snare LeMieux, grabbing the lead for good. Dart pressured LeMieux the rest of the way for runner-up, but had to settle for third, losing two more points to LaCrosse in the standings.
Junio was forced to drive from even deeper in the field to notch his feature win. Despite a tenth row starting spot, he ascended to fourth by the event's mid-point. His adversary for the night was Rick Mahlberg, who established the lead on the fifth lap, taking over for Mark Derenne.
Junio's methodical advance brought him to 2nd with seven laps to go. With four to go, he worked to the inside of Mahlberg and was heading for the pass when caution wiped out the lap.
Junio was set up the inside of the second row with Troy Muench on the outside for the restart. Again, Junio established the inside on Mahlberg, and when they crossed the line to complete the 15th lap he had the lead. Mahlberg fought off Muench to retain second.
The tenth row starting spot was the furthest back Junio had ever come from to win a feature in his long career.
Czarneski picked off Thom Terrien to take control of the Street Stock headliner on the eighth lap. He cruised from there to his third straight division win.
A wild, side-by-side, race for second finally went to Jeremy Wiitala, as he bested Scott Reinhardt, Dennis Weidner and Shanon Guelette for the position, with Terrien fading late.
The runner-up finish brought Wiitala to within four points of Reinhardt and the division lead.
The IMCA Hobby Stock headliner proved to be a dogfight between DeGrave and Jarred VanLaanen. VanLaanen had inherited the lead on the fourth lap as front runners C.J. Weckler, Scott Boulanger and Roger LaViolette were all flagged for a caution.
Jeff Lautenbach led briefly, but the second half of the race spotlighted the VanLaanen-DeGrave duel. As they traded paint across the line, it was DeGrave by a matter of feet.
Charlie Kroll passed Jeff DuBois for the lead on the fourth lap of the IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature, but was never able to shake the point leader.
Aided by a late caution, both DuBois and Aaron Holiday kept the heat on , but in the end it was Kroll notching his ninth win in the class.
The father-son combination of Charlie and Kasey Gross gave chase, but to no avail, as Jeremy DuBois pulled away in the 4 cylinders. DuBois took the lead at the drop of the green with the Gross family breaking free from Patrick King, Kipp Burlo and Kenny Malcore on lap five.
Despite having ten laps to do it, they couldn't catch DuBois, who
motored away to his second feature win of the season.
Rob Waechter, Jr led all of the laps in the Thunderbomb feature, holding
off Jesse Kroll by half a car length at the checker for the apparent
win. However, his car didn't meet the division construction standards,
and he was disqualified.
With that, Kroll's late pass of Dan Merkle turned out to be the pass for the win instead of second. The victory was his second in a row, and cut Merkle's point lead to one in the T-Bombs.
Racing continues this Wednesday night with the annual opener to the Door County Fair. The Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Association will once again headline the event, with the four IMCA classes running in support. Pete Parker of Kaukauna is the defending late model race champion.
The Modifieds, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Northern Sport Mods will be running for track, state, regional and national points. Start time is 6:30, with no midway admission necessary to attend the races.
There will be no racing Saturday night August 11.
The track is located at the John Miles County Park on Sturgeon Bay's east side. For more information, visit the track's website at www.racethunderhill.com
Race Summary:
IMCA MODIFIED 20 LAP FEATURE - Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg: Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay: Todd Dart, Algoma: Shawn Kilgore, New Franken: Jeremy Jacobs, Luxemburg: Jay Matthias, DePere
Heat 1 - Willie DeGrave, Brussels: Dart Heat 2 - Jacobs: LeMieux Heat 3 - Kilgore: James Tebon, Algoma
IMCA STOCK CAR 18 LAP FEATURE - Matt Junio, Casco: Rick Mahlberg, Denmark: Troy Muench, Brussels: Charlie Kroll, Forestville: Cory Cochart, Kewaunee: Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 1 - Jeff Vlies, Kewaunee: Tony Schlei, Zion, IL Heat 2 - Kroll: Mahlberg Heat 3 - Reinhardt: Muench
STREET STOCK 15 LAP FEATURE - Tim Czarneski, Denmark: Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay: Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor: Dennis Weidner, East Maplewood: Shanon Guelette, Algoma: Jimmy Anderson, Forestville
Heat 1 - Guelette: Thom Terrien, Green Bay Heat 2 - Czarneski: Reinhardt
IMCA HOBBY STOCK 15 LAP FEATURE - Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg: Jarred VanLaanen, Green Bay: Frank Paul, Kewaunee: Jeff Lautenbach, Jacksonport: Marcus Moede, Casco: Keith Kickbusch, Kewaunee
Heat 1 - Scott Boulanger, Luxemburg: Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay
Heat 2 - DeGrave: Roger LaViolette, Forestville
IMCA NORTHERN SPORT MOD 15 LAP FEATURE - Charlie Kroll, Forestville: Aaron Holiday, Green Bay: Jeff DuBois, Luxemburg: Dave Davister, Luxemburg: Jason Jach, Pulaski: Dave Budzban, Luxemburg
Heat - DuBois: Kroll
4 CYLINDER 15 LAP FEATURE - Jeremy DuBois, Algoma: Charlie Gross, Gleason: Kasey Gross, Gleason: Kenny Malcore, Milwaukee: Jason Cornelius, Oneida: Tony Everard, Green Bay
Heat 1 - Kasey Gross: Jesse Madoche, Little Sturgeon Heat 2 - DuBois: Malcore
THUNDERBOMB 12 LAP FEATURE - Jesse Kroll, Forestville: Dan Merkle, Baileys Harbor: Kody LaViolette, Forestville: Amber Weidner, East Maplewood: Chad Naze, Forestville
Heat - LaViolette: Rob Waechter, Jr, Ellisville