KAUKAUNA –Woodville’sAlex Stumpf survived a see-saw battle all race long with Neenah veteran Lowell Bennett and went on to capture his second super late model feature of the year at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna Thursday.
Bennett wrestled the lead from the polesitter Stumpf on the second circuit. The two continued to square off for the lead for the next several circuits. However, Bennett’s slim lead was wiped out on lap six when Cory Manders and Trevor Vandermolen spun in turn two, drawing a caution. After an aborted restart racing resumed as Bennett and Stumpf pulled away from the field. What was a two car scrum for the lead quickly developed into a three car duel as Jesse Oudenhoven joined the fray.
Stumpf and Bennett ran door-to-door for the next several rounds, each taking turns leading the contest. Stumpf pulled away and assumed the top spot with 12 laps remaining, as Oudenhoven squeezed past Bennett to take second. “Rowdy Oudy” began reeling Stumpf in with Andy Monday and Chad Butz hot on his heels. On the final lap Monday and Oudenhoven tangled in turn four sending both racers into a spin. Stumpf crossed the checkers first. Second through fifth were scored Butz, Sawyer Effertz, fast qualifier Jeff Van Oudenhoven and Bennett.
“I knew Lowell was faster than I was on the outside so it was quite a battle even though my car was a little tight in the corners,” Stumpf exclaimed in victory lane.
Green Bay’s Eddie Muenster, an accomplished local dirt track racer, fended off another former dirt track champion Brian Henry of Omro in the final laps to capture his first late model feature of the season. Henry placed second, followed by Braison Bennett, Bryan Monday and Brandon Reichenberger. “That was a fun race because Brian raced me clean and it’s always a good deal when that happens,” Muenster said in victory lane. “I appreciate him running me clean.”
Neenah’s Kevin Bethke continued his mastery of WIR’s quarter-mile during the Pavement Pounder sportmod races.
Bethke, who started third on the grid, snatched the lead from polesitter Wyatt Lemmers on the second circuit and fought off a charge from former Pavement Pounder winner Brock Saunders to win his fourth straight Pavement Pounder feature.
On the final lap Saunders looped his mount while battling for the lead but recovered to muster up a fourth place finish. Lemmers took second at the pay window and wound up one spot shy of a $500 bonus he would have received for being a first time event winner. Bark River, Michigan visitor Mike Richer battled back from being sent to the tail for a mid-race caution to place third. Oshkosh’s Todd Ewald rounded out the top five finishers.
Hometown racer Ed Howard picked a great night to pick up his first feature flag of the ’20 campaign. Howard kept former track champion Dylan Wenzel and company at bay to pick up the win in the prestigious “Stan The Man” Memorial race. The contest honors the longtime Kaukauna racer who raced into his late ‘70’s.
Andy Meyerhofer, Dave Meyerhofer and Shane Krueger placed third through fifth, respectively.
Appleton’s Scott Wolf padded his Sizzlin’ 4 point lead by winning his fourth feature flag of the year while Denmark’s Bobby Wautier snagged his first sport truck feature of the year.
“Rock Star” Russ Lorbieckiwon the Figure 8 feature.
Next Thursday night August 13 the “Blue Race” will be run. A 74 lap super late model feature will be run in honor of the driver who has won more track titles in Fox River Racing Club history than any other driver Terry Baldry of Omro. Racing gets underway at 6:45 p.m.
SCHMITTY’S TICKETS SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Alex Stumpf, Woodville; Chad Butz, Green Bay; Sawyer Effertz, Darboy; Jeff Van Oudenhoven, Appleton; Lowell Bennett, Neenah; Eugene Gregorich Jr., Amherst; Bobby Kendall, Montello; Grant Griesbach, Pewaukee; Brent Strelka, Freedom; Tim Springstroh, Freedom; Pete Vandermolen Jr,Oshkosh; Braison Bennett, Neenah; Cory Manders, Hilbert; Michael Anthony, Appleton; Randy Schuler, Mequon; Trevor Vandermolen, Oshkosh; Jesse Oudenhoven,Kaukauna; Andy Monday, Appleton; Taylor Vandermoss, Appleton; Curt Tillman, Rockton, Il.
HEATS 1) Springstroh; Anthony 2) Kendall; Griesbach
DASH – Effertz
FAST TIME: Van Oudenhoven, 19.393
PAVEMENT POUNDER SPORTMOD FEATURE – Kevin Bethke, Neenah; Wyatt Lemmers, Larsen; Mike Richer, Bark River, MI; Brock Saunders, Appleton; Todd Ewald, Oshkosh; Ryan Manthei, Green Bay; Chad Ewald, Oshkosh; Dave Budzban, Luxemburg; Cory Kemkes, Appleton; John Ostermann, Norway, MI
HEAT – Bethke; Manthei
FOX CITIES TOWING LATE MODEL FEATURE- Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; Brian Henry, Omro; Braison Bennett, Neenah; Bryan Monday, Appleton; Brandon Reichenberger, Appleton; Mike King, Appleton; Chase Randerson, Oshkosh; Rachel Meyerhofer, Brillion; Will Timmers, Kaukauna; Kevin Retzlaff, Berlin; Scott Baker, Kaukauna; Tarra Springstroh, Freedom
HEAT – Muenster; Henry
DASH- Randerson
FAST TIME- Reichenberger, 20.393
NOVUS GLASS SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Ed Howard, Kaukauna; Dylan Wenzel, Fremont; Andy Meyerhofer, Kaukauna; Dave Meyerhofer, Kaukauna; Shane Krueger, Kaukauna; Larry Raygo, Omro; Jimmy Wilson, Kaukauna; Craig Krueger, Kaukauna; Chuck Gilbertson, Kaukauna; Tony Wilz, Menasha; Jeff Treml, Greenleaf; Mike Boshart, Bucktown; Jake Smet, De Pere; Trevor Howard, Kaukauna; Greg Hauser, Wrightstown
HEATS 1) Ed Howard; Raygo 2) Wenzel; Trevor Howard
FAST TIME – Wenzel, 15.574
ROUNDABOUT BAR & GRILL SIZZLIN’ 4 FEATURE – Scott Wolf, Appleton; Mitchell Opsahl, Freedom; Jesse Nettekoven, Sherwood; Arianna Beattie, Little Chute; Derek Schallie, Darboy
HEATS 1) Arianna Beattie; Opsahl 2) Wolf; Larry Gintner, Neenah
KEN’S SPORTS SPORT TRUCKS FEATURE – Bobby Wautier, Denmark; Jason Plutz, Menasha; Jason Van Handel, Freedom; Kylee Vandermoss, Appleton; Cody Vanderloop, Freedom; Kyle Quella, Appleton
HEATS 1) Marty Sokolik, Fond Du Lac; Plutz 2) Fickel; Cody Vanderloop
Fast Time – Wautier, 16.352
MARTY NUSSBAUM FIGURE 8 – Russ Lorbiecki, Sussex
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