By: Bert Lehman
Parker edges Diemel in WISSOTA Late Model feature at Shawano Speedway
Shawano, WI (Aug. 13, 2011) – Paul Parker edged A.J. Diemel to the line in the WISSOTA Late Model feature to claim his first win of the season at Shawano Speedway. Charlie Wild won his first-ever IMCA Modified feature at the Speedway. Dan Michonski won his third IMCA Stock Car feature of the year, while Cody Hudson won his fourth IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Joel Bennett won his fifth FASTRAK Late Model feature.
Paul Parker jumped out to the early lead in the WISSOTA Late Model feature over Justin Ritchie, Tim Rothe, Ron Berna and A.J. Diemel. On the fourth lap, Rothe, Berna and Diemel raced three-wide coming out of corner four, with Berna grabbing the third spot and Diemel the fourth spot. While Parker continued to lead, Diemel went to the low-side of the track and took the third spot from Berna on lap eight.
Once in third place, Diemel began gaining on Ritchie and took over the second spot with six laps remaining. A caution a couple of laps later slowed the action. It took four attempts to get the race restarted. Parker maintained his lead on the restart, but was being pressured by Diemel. Diemel went for the lead on the outside in corners three and four on the last lap before ducking to the inside coming to the finish line. As the two raced to the line, Parker took the win by half a car length over Diemel. Ritchie, Berna and Nick Anvelink rounded out the top five.
In the IMCA Modified feature, Charlie Wild took control of the race at the drop of the green flag with John Peters, Tom Schaal, Jason Czarapata and Marcus Yarie following. Czarapata moved to the second spot by lap five when there was a caution when Jerry Wilinski spun.
Wild continued to lead on the restart but Czarapata began applying heavy pressure for the lead. The two swapped the top spot a few times over the next 11 laps as they raced side-by-side for six of those laps. Another caution slowed the action with five laps remaining. Wild pulled out to a slight lead on the restart while Czarapata and Yarie battled for the runner-up spot. Yarie won that battle, but there was no catching Wild who cruised to the win.
Jamie Becks led the first four laps of the IMCA Stock Car feature when a caution slowed the action. Nate Michonski took the lead on the restart with Becks, Rod Snellenberger, Dan Michonski, and Greg Gutt following. Nate Michonski maintained the lead over the next several laps but had to fend off Snellenberger, Dan Michonski and Becks during that time.
Dan Michonski moved into the top spot midway through the race with Snellenberger following. The two made contact coming out of corner four, with both drivers recovering, but both of them hit the wall in corner one. Snellenberger got the worst of it and eventually retired from the race. Dan Michonski got his spot back and led the rest of the way to take home the win. He was followed by Nate Michonski, Becks, Devin Snellenberger and Gutt.
Tim Bennett led the first two laps of the FASTRAK Late Model feature before his brother Joel Bennett overtook him for the lead. Tim Bennett eventually retired from the race. With Joel Bennett holding a small lead, Aaron Holiday, Justin Hirt, Dave Fieber and Kurt Waush were all in pursuit. Fieber and Hirt got by Holiday on a restart with six laps remaining, but they couldn’t deny Joel Bennett the win.
Clint Forstner took the lead from Mike Sortino on a lap five restart in the IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Cody Hudson moved into the second spot on the next lap. Both Forstner and Hudson pulled out to a slight, while Tracy Wassenberg, Travis Van Straten and Joey Taycher followed. Hudson caught Forstner midway through the race and made the outside pass for the lead four laps later. Hudson held on the rest of the way to record the win over Forstner, Wassenberg, Van Straten and Taycher.
Shawano Speedway continues its season on Saturday, Aug. 23. Hot laps begin at 6:30 p.m. with racing set to begin at 7 p.m. Four-Cylinder cars and Street Eliminators will also be participating in the racing program on that night.
For more information about Shawano Speedway visit www.shawanospeedway.net.
RACING SUMMARY
WISSOTA LATE MODEL FEATURE: 1)Paul Parker, 2)A.J. Diemel, 3)Justin Ritchie, 4)Ron Berna, 5)Nick Anvelink, 6)Brett Swedberg, 7)Tom Naeyaert, 8)Doug Blashe, 9)Troy Springborn, 10)Craig Bartz. FIRST HEAT: 1)Parker, 2)Diemel, 3)Swedberg. SECOND HEAT: 1)Ritchie, 2)Berna, 3)Justin Hirt.
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE: 1)Charlie Wild, 2)Marcus Yarie, 3)Jason Czarapata, 4)Lance Arneson, 5)Tom Schaal, 6)Pat Zdroik, 7)Jerry Muenster, 8)Mark Weisnicht, 9)Kyle Meyers, 10)John Peters. FIRST HEAT: 1)Matt Oreskovich, 2)Arneson, 3)Peters. SECOND HEAT: 1)Wild, 2)Schaal, 3)Yarie.
IMCA STOCK CAR FEATURE: 1)Dan Michonski, 2)Nate Michonski, 3)Jamie Becks, 4)Devin Snellenberger, 5)Greg Gutt, 6)Josh Mroczkowski, 7)Luke Uttecht, 8)Mitchell Stankowski, 9)Vern Stedjee, 10)Carl Christjohn. FIRST HEAT: 1)Becks, 2)N. Michonski, 3)Tom Riehl. SECOND HEAT: 1)D. Minchonski, 2)Stankowski, 3)Rod Snellenberger.
FASTRAK LATE MODEL FEATURE: 1)Joel Bennett, 2)Dave Fieber, 3)Justin Hirt, 4)Aaron Holiday, 5)Jeff Wickersheim, 6)Aaron Wickersheim, 7)Kurt Waush, 8)Wayne Block, 9)Cody Grosskreutz, 10)Adam Janke. FIRST HEAT: 1)Hirt, 2)Fieber, 3)A. Wickersheim. SECOND HEAT: 1)Bennett, 2)Holiday, 3)Waush.
IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD FEATURE: 1)Cody Hudson, 2)Clint Forstner, 3)Tracy Wassenberg, 4)Travis Van Straten, 5)Joey Taycher, 6)Kevin Bethke, 7)Jordan Barkholtz, 8)Greg Magsam, 9)Roger Van Roy, 10)Don Woller. CONSI: 1)Jason Jach, 2)Chad Jaje. FIRST HEAT: 1)Wassenberg, 2)Magsam, 3)Bethke. SECOND HEAT: 1)Mike Sortino, 2)Forstner, 3)Woller. THIRD HEAT: 1)Steve Petri Jr., 2)Hudson, 3)Cody Hokenstad.