Wi Dirt Racin

Friday, May 8th 2015, Manitowoc WI. – While weather looked threatening most of the evening, six divisions took to the track on Opening Night, including the Defaut Auto/Napa Auto Center Thunder Trucks and the Calibre Coatings Unlimited IMCA Style Modifieds. The super fast 1/3 mile provided plenty of excitement as drivers were able to run multiple lanes all night long.

PROFESSIONAL PLATING INC. GRAND NATIONALS
Leading off the slate of features, the Professional Plating Inc. Grand Nationals were led out by 21b Justin Brown (Oakfield), 7 Brian Gilles (Howards Grove), 8j Matt Jackson (Sheboygan), 7s Tim Simon (Fond du Lac), and 21 Kevin Lubach (Elkhart Lake). The field took the green, but all of them did not make it out of Turn 2 as Brown spun out and had to head to the rear of the pack for the restart. Gilles and Jackson led the field back down and Gilles led the first lap while Jackson, Simon, and 37 Ryan Minster of Sheboygan battled over second place. Scooting into the pits on Lap 6 was 12 Brian Goetsch with a flat as a caution came out before the lap was complete for the 12d Chris Gilson (Elkhart Lake), who was done for the night. Gilles, Jackson, Simon, and 1s Charlie Sancinatti (West Allis) sat on the front going back under green. Sancinatti and Simon battled hard for 3 laps, until the midway point when the 1s took over 3rd place, while 21 Kevin Lubach (Elkhart Lake) rolled around Minster into 5th. Minster took the spot back on the next lap, while 98 Kevin Naidl (Reedsville) rolled in to challenge the both of them. With 5 laps remaining it was still Gilles, Sancinatti, Jackson, Simon, and Minster, while Lubach and 55p Mike Plate (Two Rivers) rolled into the pits with mechanical issues. Minster experienced mechanical issues with 2 to go, rolling into the pits as Naidl grabbed the 5th spot. Gilles took the inaugural Professional Plating Inc. Grand National Victory, followed across the line by Sancinatti, Jackson, Simon, Naidl, 34 Steven Weber (Plymouth) and Brown, recovering from the first lap spin to finish 7th. Hard Charger honors go to Sancinatti who picked up 7 spots.

Heat 1 – (1) Gilles, (2) Lubach, (3) Weber, (4) Simon, (5) Sancinatti, (6) Naidl, (7) Perronne, (8) C. Gilson
Heat 2 – (1) Jackson, (2) Goetsch, (3) Minster, (4) Brown, (5) Hoeffner, (6) Juckem, (7) Plate, (8) M. Gilson
Feature – (1) Gilles, (2) Sancinatti, (3) Jackson, (4) Simon, (5) Naidl, (6) Weber, (7) Brown, (8) 9 Seth Hoeffner (Manitowoc), (9) 47 Paul Perronne (Plymouth), (10) Minster, (11) Lubach, (12) Goetsch, (13) Chris Gilson, (14) 8x Brad Juckem (Chilton), (15) Plate, (16) DNS 76 Michael Gilson (Elkhart Lake)

BAILEIGH INDUSTRIAL LATE MODELS
Tim Buhler’s 7b (Glenbeulah) and 74 Russ Scheffler (Waukesha) led the Baileigh Industrial Late Model Feature out, with 10s Taylor Scheffler (Waukesha), 74m Mitch McGrath (Waukesha), and 15s Rick Scheffler (Waukesha) rounding out the top 5. Buhler rushed out to the early lead, slowed quickly by a caution for Jim Schmidt spinning in Turn 3. On the restart the 7b again jumped out, with McGrath chasing hard, pushing at every chance, while the 70 began his battle back to the front. Five laps in McGrath finally managed to pass Buhler for the lead, while Rick, Russ, & Taylor Scheffler wrestled for 3rd place. On Lap 7 McGrath slipped and allowed Rick in the 15s by for the lead while Buhler had to avoid the sideways 74m, Russ in the 74 was also able to get by the 74m. While all this was happening 97 Justin Schmidt (Cleveland), 01 TJ Dolhun (Milwaukee), and 10s Taylor were having their own fight mid pack. At the mid way mark 57 Eric Michaels (Cleveland) was forced to retire with mechanical issues. The top five 15 laps in were 15s, 7b, 74, 74m, and 97; with all of them changing lines constantly trying to gain on each other. Russ challenged Buhler heavily for the final 10 laps, running high and low and cruised into 2nd position. However Buhler did not let up and on the last lap completed a Turn 4 pass to pull off the 2nd place with Rick Scheffler taking the win, along with Hard Charger honors.

Heat 1 – (1) Rick Scheffler, (2) McGrath, (3) Russ Scheffler, (4) Jim Schmidt, (5) TJ Dolhun, (6) Stroika
Heat 2 – (1) Justin Schmidt, (2) Taylor Scheffler, (3) Buhler, (4) Dolhun Sr., (5) Michaels
Feature – (1) Rick Scheffler, (2) Buhler, (3) Russ Scheffler, (4) McGrath, (5) Taylor Scheffler, (6) Justin Schmidt, (7) TJ Dolhun, (8) Jim Schmidt, (9) Dolhun Sr., (10) Stroika, (11) Michaels

CALIBRE COATINGS UNLIMITED MODIFIEDS
For the first time in 6 years the Calibre Coatings Unlimited IMCA style Modifieds rolled to the track with 9 Eric Mahlik (Green Bay) on the pole and 4s Joel Seegert (Sheboygan) alongside. Mahlik jumped to the lead at the drop of the green, with Seegert tucking behind him for second. Mark Joski (New Franklin) in the 68 and 3 Randy Markwardt Jr (Sheboygan) pushed each other for 3rd & 4th. By the midway point, both Joski and Markwardt had got around Seegert and stepped up the chase of Mahlik. The 68 and 3m swapped positions several times, while 4k Kyle Kudick (Mishicot) moved in to battle them. Crossing under the checkers it was Mahlik for the win with Markwardt Jr. finally securing the runner up spot, Joski, and Kudick.

Heat 1 – 1) Mahlik, 2) Joski, 3) Markwardt Jr. 4) Crowbridge, 5) Seegert, 6) Gerber, 7) Kudick, 8) Drawenek
Feature – 1) Mahlik, 2) Markwardt Jr., 3) Joski, 4) Kudick, 5) Crowbridge, 6) Gerber, 7) Seegert, 8) Drawenek DNS

PROFESSIONAL PLATING INC. SPORTMODS
With new division sponsor Professional Plating Inc. on board, the feature was led out by 53b Brian Reif (Mishicot) and 2014 Champion 20 Cody Schroeder (Manitowoc). Rounding out the top 5 at the start were 30 Tracy Wassenberg (Shawano), a11 Robby Thiel (Appleton), and 28v Chad Vetting (Valders). Shroeder swept around Reif to hold the lead after a lap, but yellow lights came on as Reif rolled to a stop and Thiel headed to the pits for repairs, both rejoined the race. Schroeder led the field back to green with Wassenberg, Vetting, and 25 Travis Arenz (Sheboygan Falls). Wassenberg slid around Schroeder for the lead on Lap 4, while Arenz moved in to challenge Schroeder. Mid pack, 2k Rick Kretschmann (Sheboygan Falls), 22b Brandon Berth (Cascade), and 34 Cody Eickberg (Plymouth) battled hard, with Thiel joining the trio trying to work his way forward after repairs. At the midway point it was Wassenberg, Arenz, Vetting, Schroeder, and Kretschmann with Eickberg challenging. Lap 12 produced another yellow as Vetting spun himself in Turn 3, sending him to the rear for the restart. Wassenberg led the group to the line and ran out to the lead again, with Arenz, Schroeder, Kretschmann, and Thiel working on each other. Thiel finally completed the pass, and Wassenberg would pick up the opening night win in the Professional Plating Inc. Sport Mods.
Heat 1 – (1) Wassenberg, (2) Thiel, (3) Schroeder, (4) Kretschmann, (5) Plate, (6) Schnicke
Heat 2 – (1) Vetting, (2) Arenz, (3) Rief, (4) Berth, (5) Glander, (6) Bauer, (7) Eickberg
Feature – (1) Wassenberg, (2) Arenz, (3) Schroeder, (4) Thiel, (5) Kretschmann, (6) Vetting, (7) Eickberg, (8) 53 Gary Glander, Sheboygan Falls, (9) 35 Tom Schnicke, Howards Grove, (10) 75 Justin Bauer, Sheboygan Falls, (11) Reif, (12) Berth, (13) 55p Michael Plate, Valders

SPORT FOURS
After a terrifying flip in the heat when the right rear spindle broke, the 8m Mike Meier (Chilton) was forced to sit out the feature. The 07m Ben Meyerhofer (Menasha) and 55 Kyle Dimmick (Two Rivers) made up the front row, while 64 Mike Zitzer (Sheboygan) and 40 Steve Van Oudenhoven (Two Rivers) were in Row 2 at the start. Meyerhofer rolled into the lead quickly with Zitzer and 12 Adam Broehm (Stockbridge) sliding into 3rd. Quick problems with the 3 Justin Erickson (Plymouth) and 12m Ben Mullard (Chilton) forced them to retire early. At the midway point it was Meyerhofer, Broehm, Van Oudenhoven, and Zitzer. Kyle Dimmick of Two Rivers pushed his way around Zitzer late in the race, while Meyerhofer cruised to the sweep of the evening.

Heat – (1) Meyerhofer, (2)Broehm, (3) Van Oudenhoven, (4) Zitzer, (5) Dimmick, (6) Suttner, (7) Erickson, (8) Meier, (9) Mullard
Feature – (1) Meyerhofer, (2) Broehm, (3) Van Oudenhoven, (4) Dimmick, (5) Zitzer, (6) 28 Corey Suttner (Kiel), (7) Mullard, (8) Erickson, (9) DNS Meier

DEFAUT AUTO/NAPA AUTO CARE THUNDER TRUCKS
Craig Gessner in the 14 (Beechwood), 16 John Rothmund (Manitowoc), and heat winner 24 Jon Hanson (Manitowoc) showed for the first Manitowoc Speedway showing of the new Thunder Truck division. Rothmund rolled around Gessner on the opening lap, with Hanson following suit quickly. Hanson attempted to chase Rothmund down, but was not able to and Rothmund took the win in his green and black Dodge Dakota..

Heat (1) Hanson, (2) Rothmund, (3) Gessner
Feature – (1) Rothmund, (2) Hanson, (3) Gessner

Be sure to join us Friday, May 22nd for Manitowoc Speedway’s Celebration of Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car’s 55th Anniversary
Special $5 admission, concessions specials, Vintage Races and Displays, and loads of fun to be had by all

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