SCHOTT BACKS UP 2014 TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 2015 OPENING NIGHT WIN
CRAPSER, KONKEL & NISSALKE ALSO ENJOY VISITS TO MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY VICTORY LANE
By Dan Bailey
Fountain City, WI (MAY 1st, 2015) – The sights, the sounds, the excitement, the anticipation . . . “Opening Night 2015” at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY in Fountain City, WI had all of that and more as racers and fans alike ignored cloudy skies and rains in the surrounding area and headed to the track to enjoy the one-week delayed start of the 2015 racing season!
Much of the pre-race talk centered around the many changes offered for the new season as MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY embarks upon its seventh season of racing; two all-new weekly divisions, The Jailhouse Saloon MTS Sportsman & The All New USRA Limited Late Models Presented by Liquid Nitro Energy Drinks and Steve Yaggy Trucking along with the weekly return of the 4-Cylinder MTS Hornets joined the extremely popular Black Horse Bar & Grill USRA B-Mods, the fast Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modifieds, the Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks, and the lightning quick redbox+ 600 Mods to set the scene for an exciting first night of on-track action!
SCHOTT BACKS UP 2014 TITLE WITH 2015 SEASON OPENING WIN
Two-Time, and defending, MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY track champion Lucas Schott opened up his 2014 title defense with a commanding run in the Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modified division, taking command of the evening’s 25-lap feature from Josh Angst just past the half-way point and racing his way to the feature win. Schott spent the opening trio of laps battling pole-sitter Eric Pember for second and this as 2010 & 2013 Track Champion Josh Angst showed his strengths out front.
By lap four, Schott had dispensed with Pember and began working his way towards Angst to set up a dual for the lead. 10-laps in the making, that dual was then decided as Schott first caught and then passed Angst to claim the lead on lap 14. “I was really pleased with the car tonight,” commented Schott from Victory Lane after the win, “I had to battle with Josh there for a bit, a good race and really the best way to start out the season here.”
Angst and Pember remained second and third as the checkered flags waived while Brad Waits and Cory Crapser enjoyed strong performances racing all the way from the final two starting positions on the grid up to a fourth and fifth place finish, respectively.
CRAPSER STARTS WEEKLY COMMITMENT WITH B-MOD FEATURE WIN
Multi-time National Champion Cory Crapser has made a weekly commitment to competing on Friday nights at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY with both his USRA Modified and his USRA B-Mod, and based upon his past successes, the competition should take notice. “I have always enjoyed racing at this track and I honestly believe that this is one of the two best tracks in upper mid-west,” said Crapser on the local Live Trackside radio program prior to Friday’s first green flag, “and since I’m running USRA with both of my cars this year, this is where I’ll be spending my Friday nights.”
But despite his past glories, with a 27-car field filled almost to overflowing with drivers capable of taking home a feature win on any given night, Crapser would still need to work and race hard to bring home victory.
A second heat-race win started Crapser’s night off on a positive note, and lining up third in the 27-car feature allowed his #07 the ability to see the front of the field as the green flag flew to start the 18-lap feature. A quick lap into the running and Crapser was out front with Pole Sitter Tyler Creeley and the rest of the field giving chase.
The battles from there on out were all the positions which remained behind Crapser, as the Chippewa Falls, WI racer lead every lap en route to the Opening Night Feature win. Shaun Walski battle Alex Williamson for second while Parker Hale raced from a 17th place starting spot up to fourth just ahead of 2012 MTS Track Champion Erik Kanz in fifth.
KONKEL TOPS LATE MODEL DEBUT
Ever since the initial official announcements of the all new USRA Limited Late Model division, there has been much talk about how this new division will fare, Friday Nights debut showed that this new form of Late Model racing may be exactly what racers and fans both want. The fans enjoyed seeing Late Models on the track, the sights, the sounds and the speed were all there. The drivers enjoyed a Late Model division which was affordable.
Ryan Konkel enjoyed success!
“Man, I almost don’t have words to explain how I feel,” said Konkel, after climbing from behind the wheel of his #13 Discount Liquor Late Model in the MTS Victory Lane after winning the very first feature of this new division, “I’m so excited to be a part of this!”
While the new division will need some understandable time to grow, the eight cars on hand showed that the term “Limited” applies only to the cost to compete . . . not to the excitement they can provide for the fans. Heat race winner Lance Hofer raced to a second place finish behind Konkel with former USRA B-Mod National Champ Troy Hovey completing the top 3.
GILBERTSON WINS 600 MOD FEATURE
Chris Gilbertson held off former MTS Track Champion Greg Wohletz to claim the redbox+ 600 Mod feature win. Wohletz completed the opening night feature second with David Benke third.
NISSALKE WINS WISSOTA SUPER STOCK FEATURE
Dan Nissalke just barely survived a late race charge by three-time and defending Super Stock Track Champion Tommy Richards to collect the Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stock feature win.
DAHL AND SEVERTSON WIN SPORTSMAN AND HORNET FEATURES
Jeremy Dahl won the inaugural MTS Sportsman feature with Johnny Severtson bringing hope the checkered flag in the new weekly MTS Hornet division.
Racing resumes Friday night May 8th at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY. The first green flag is scheduled to wave on “The Big 1/3 Mile” immediately following the 7 PM Opening Ceremonies with on-track competition provided by Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modifieds, USRA Limited Late Models presented by Liquid Nitro Energy Drink and Steve Yaggy Trucking, Black Horse Bar & Grill USRA B-Mods, Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks, redbox+ 600 Mods, Jailhouse Saloon MTS Sportsman, and MTS Hornets!
Pit gate & Grandstands Open at 5:00 PM
Family Friendly General Admission Prices continue at: Adults $12, Senior Citizens $10, ALL Students, even college (with current Valid Student ID) and Children 17 & Under are admitted ABSOLUTELY FREE!
MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY is located 3.0 miles north of Fountain City on Wisconsin Highway 35. For more information, call 608-687-3282 or visit www.MississippiThunder.com on the World Wide Web.
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MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY is presenting its 7th season of top-notch dirt track action in Fountain City, WI. The high-banked 1/3 mile dark-clay oval is quickly becoming known as one of the best speedways in the upper Midwest presenting dirt track racing in a fan and family friendly atmosphere every Friday night throughout the racing season.
For all details, continue visiting the MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY web site: www.MississippiThunder.com
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