SNELLENBERGER EARNS NUMBER 200 AT SEYMOUR SATURDAY APRIL 11
Seymour- April 11- The final afternoon race of the season took place Saturday at the Seymour Speedway. 89 Cars took to the track with some great racing on the 1/3 mile banked clay oval.
The Turbo Blue Street Stock division took the track first with Scott Boulanger taking the lead at the start followed by Kyle Riedner, Logan Schmeck, Paul Ambrosius, Jeff Jungwirth and Jason White. On lap 5, Riedner suddenly pulled off the track and Jungwirth as moved into second. On the following lap, Boulanger also pulled off the track as the caution appeared for debris on the track. Jungwirth restarted the race as the leader and with White and Ambrosius right behind controlled the rest of the race to record his first feature win of the season. White, Ambrosius were foillowed by Riedner, who fought from the rear after the restart, Jared Spaulding and Clint Evans rounded out the top six.
The Budweiser IMCA Modifieds were next up with Mike Wedelstadt grabbing the lead at the start followed by Mike Mullen, Benji LaCrosse, T.J. Smith, Jamie Schmidt and Rob Charapata. The top 3 broke away a bit and traded positions over much of the race. Wedelstadt controlled the lead most of the timeas the trio started catching lapped traffic mid way though the race. LaCrosse worked the inside to the lead on lap 15 and the lone caution slowed the race on lap 17. With clear track ahead for the restart, LaCrosse set the pace with Wedelstadt and Mullen in chase for the final laps with LaCrosse collecting his first feature win of the season. Wedelstadt and Mullen made the top three with Smith taking fourth defending track champion, Jason Czarapata fifth and Chad Bartelt sixth.
The Coors Light IMCA Stock Cars were next and put 20 cars on the track for what turned out to be a record setting event.
Kyle Frederick beat pole sitter, Rod Snellenberger to the lead at the start with John Heinz, Bill Kelsey, Travis Springstroh and Mike Schmidt behind. Debris on the track forced the first caution on lap 3, and Frederick was still in control. Snellenberger worked the outside line and took over the lead on lap 6, before a final caution on lap 8 reset the field for a final time with Frederick, Heinz, Brandon Czarapata, Schmidt and Kelsey behind.
The last half of the race was another classic battle with Snellenberger using the outside line. Heinz worked the inside with Frederick outside and Czarapata also inside behind Heinz. By lap 14, Czarapata was able to move into second and closed in on the leader. Czarapata was still hugging the inside and started to pull even with Snellenberger. Over the final 5 laps, the pair ran even with Czarapata scored as the leader as the white flag appeared. The final lap was even and with the checkered in the air, Snellenberger was able to collect the win by mere inches for his first feature win of the season.
Czarapata was the very close second with Frederick, Travis Van Straten, Schmidt and Heinz flashing by right behind.
It was also a history making, milestone win for Snellenberger, as the defending and former 6 time track champion earned his 200th career IMCA Stock Car feature victory. He collected his 199th at Seymour on August 10 last season and the milestone win eluded him for the rest of the year. In only his second race this season, Rod was glad to have that “monkey off his back” when he climbed out of his car in victory lane. The win also moves his division leading total at Seymour to 64. Seymour was also the site of his first ever division feature win on opening night, May 9 of 1993. He also earned 2 more wins that season at Seymour and was also awarded the Rookie of the year.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Mod main brought 23 cars to the starting grid. Last weeks feature winner, Jeremy Cota, grabbed the lead at the start followed by Tracy Wassenberg, Travis Arenz, Lucas Lamberies, Tom Schneider and Beau Handschke. The field stayed tight and mostly unchanged through lap 8 when the first of several cautions appeaed. Cota lead on the restart with Arenz making a move to the lead before a lap 12 caution. A final caution on lap 15 set up a five lap dash with Arenz srtill in command followed by Lamberies, Cota, Josh Lambert, Wassenberg and Schneider.
Lamberies was working inside and Arenz was hooked up until a spring came off his car in turn 1 on lap 18. With the handling difficult, Lamberies was able to take the lead with Cota following into second. Lamberies held the top spot to the finish, his first feature win here in Seymour since June 23, 2013. Cota was right there in second with Arenz able to hold on for third. Lambert took fourth with Schneider and Wassenberg rounding out the top six.
The 4 Cylinder division ran the final feature of the day with Kasey Gross leading the opening lap before Brian Johnson took control. Johnson was bale to slowly pull away after a lone caution on lap 3, and collected his first feature win of the season. Gross ran in second the rest of the way with Carl King, Shaun Bangart, Lewis Jepsen and Tyler Wendt chasing to the finish.
Racing now returns to the regular Sunday night slot this week, April 19, with racing at 5:30 PM. All five divisions will compete weekly though Labor Day. The program Sunday will be the first track point night of the season.
SUMMARY
BUDWEISER IMCA MODIFIEDS
20 Lap Feature l. Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay 2. Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont 3. Mike Mullem Seymour 4. T.J. Smith, Menasha 5. Jason Czarapata, Pulaski 6. Chad Bartelt, Shiocton
8 Lap Heats First l. Jamie Schmidt, Seymour 2. Wedelstadt
Second l. Mullen 2. LaCrosse
COORS LIGHT IMCA STOCK CARS
20 Lap Feature l. Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski 2. Brandon Czarapata, Kaukauna 3. Kyle Frederick, Gillett 4. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville 5. Mike Schmidt, Shawano 6. John Heinz, Green Bay
8 Lap Heats First l. Heinz 2. Schmidt
Second l. Harley Simon, Seymour 2. Frederick
O’REILLY AUTO PARTS IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lap Feature l. Lucas Lamberies, Shawano 2. Jeremy Cota, Oconto 3. Travis Arenz, Sheboygan 4. Josh Lambert, Casco 5. Tom Schneider, Chilton 6, Tracey Wassenberg, Shawano
8 Lap Heats First l. Cota 2. Schneider
Second l. L:amberies 2. Beau Handschke, New London
TURBO BLUE STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l. Jeff Jungwirth, Oshkosh 2. Jason White, Randolph 3. Paul Ambrosius, Kaukauna 4. Kyle Riedner, Beaver Dam 5. Jared Spaulding 6. Clint Evans,
8 Lap Heats First l. Scott Boulanger, Luxemburg 2. Josh McDonald, Green bay
Second l. Riedner 2. Ambrosius
4 CYLINDER
15 Lap Feature 1. Brian Johnson, Green Bay 2. Kasey Gross, Gleason 3. Carl King 4. Shaun Bangart, Chilton 5. Lewis Jepson 6. Tyler Wendt
8 Lap Heat 1. Bangart 2. Johnson
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