Oshkosh, June 12- Despite over 2 ½ inches of rain on Thursday, the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway was able to complete a full program Friday night that produced first time feature winners in every division. Five of the six won first career Zone features.
135 cars in six divisions came out to compete on Nolte’s Towing Service night.
The Outlaw Chassis Street Stocks were up first and a red flag appeared on the opening lap when outside pole sitter, Logan Schmeck, got sideways entering turn one, hit a tire which stood up, causing his car to ride up on it and rolled over 2 times before ending up on the wheels. He was not injured but the car was done for the night. On the restart, Jesse Krahn flew from the second row into the lead and was followed byy Ryan Blank, Jerry Winkler, Jeff Jungwirth, Dan Knaus and Steve Ecker. Krahn set a quick pace and pulled away from the field as the leaders strung out behind. A caution on lap 11 bunched the pack and Krahn again set out to build a lead. Jungwirth pulled into the runner up spot on lap 14 and started to close on the leader, as the cars behind also stayed in a huddle.
Krahn was able to maintain the lead and collected his first ever SpeedZone feature win. Jungwirth, the current point leader, placed second with Frank Knaus taking third. Blank, Winkler and Jeff Wicinski rounded out the top six.
Cody Scray jumped from the front row into the lead of the Total Power Sales IMCA Stock Car division feature with Tom Brumlic, David Hoerning, Joe White, Dion Wahl and Travis Van Straten taking up behind. Scray opened a slight lead as the field stayed bunched behind. By lap 5, Larry Karcz Jr and Derek Moede moved into the top six. The battle for the runner up spot was a group of five cars swapping spots back and forth while Scray held the lead.
With five laps left, Scray was still in control, but Karcz was in second followed by Moede, Brumlic, Jerry Winkler, White. Karcz was scored as the lader onlap 17, but Moede made his move to the top spot on the next lap and was able to hold off Karcz to record not only his first ever SpeedZone feature, but his first career division checkered. All this in his first night ever racing at the track. Karcz flashed by in second with Brumlic taking his best finish ever here in third. White was fourth with Van Staten working from the back to take fifth and Hoerning captured sixth.
It took a couple tries to get the Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modifieds underway and several others over the first few laps kept the field bunched with Matt Klenz holding onto the top spot. Andy Gross was the lead after a lap 4 caution, but Johnny Whitman powered around on the outside to the lead one lap later. Once in front, Whitman took off to hide from the field and had a strong lead before a lap 13 caution bunched the field. Klenz was still holding second with Jay Matthias, Jay Schraufnagel, T.J. Smith and Eddie Muenster behind.
The race was now for the top spot after the restart with Matthias applying pressure on the leader. A final caution with 3 laps left set up a fight with Matthias able to wrestle the lead away after the restart. Whitman continued on the outside line and on the final lap was able to pull even oout of the final turn as the pair crossed the finish line side by side, with Whitman taking the victory by inches, his first ever at the Zone. Matthias was second with Muenster taking third. Mike Wedelstadt came through the consy and from the back of the field to place fourth. Schraufnagel, making his first race here this season took fifth and defending champion, Sean Jerovetz came through to round out the top six.
Shaun Johnston led the opening laps of the IMCA Sport Mod main event despite a couple cautions that kept slowing the pace. Following a restart on lap 7, Adam Peschek took charge until the next restart 2 lap later saw Brock Saunders move into the top spot. Followed by Peschek, Lucas Lamberies, Johnston, Ryan Besaw and Jeff Steenbergen. Another caution on lap 13 saw Lamberies move to the front and start to pull away from the pack. Saunders, Steenbergen, Besaw, Tom Schneider and Kevin Bethke were in line. A final caution on lap 17 set up the 3 lap dash to the finish. Saunders was able to get inside of Lamberies on the restart and the pair crossed the line even on the white flag. Saunders surged ahead on the back chute and held onm to pick up his first career feature win here. Lamberies was second with Steenbergen, Klenz, Schneider and Bethke rounding out the top six.
Derek Schrauth led the first lap of the Gold Star Racing Products Grand National feature before Tim Doehling took it away for 2 laps. Kenny Richards moved into the lead on lap 4 and started to pull away over he rest of the race. Despite 3 cautions over the final laps Richards drove to his first feature win of the season. Larry Richards took the runner spot with Doehling in third, and Schrauth in fourth. Rich Garb and Don Schumacher making up the top 6.
John Stegner set the pace for the Ellington Mutual Insurance Dirt Devils for the first 5 laps before Brad Meyerhofer took charge. Meyerhofer was able to open a slight lead for the rest of the race and was able to hold off Chris Maas over the final couple laps to pick up the win, his first ever here at the Zone. Stegner took third with Shun Bangart taking fourth. Joe Minks and Scott Tietd rounded out the top six.
SUMMARY
Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modifieds
20 Lap Feature 1. Johnny Whitman, Green Bay 2. Jay Matthias, Green Bay 3. Eddie Muenster, Green Bayu 4. Jay Schraufnagel, Beaver Dam 5. Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont 6. Sean Jerovetz
10 Lap Consy First l. Wedelstadt 2. Jeremy Christians, Horicon 3. Joel Crowbridge
Second l. Eric Scribner, Keil 2. Dan Roehl, Beaver Dam 3. Tim Bobbins
8 Lap Heats First l. Matt Klenz 2. Andy Gross
Seconds l. Jerry Muenster, Green Bay 2. T.J. Smith, Menasha
Third l. Whitman 2. Kevin Feck
Fourth l. Brian Drexler, Oshkosh 2. Josh Zdroik, Eagle River
TOTAL POWER SDALES IMCA STOCK CARS
20 pa Feature l. Derek Moede, Kewaunee 2. Larry Karcz, Jr, Piulaski 3. Tom Brumlic 4. Joe White, Oconto Falls 5. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville 6, David Hoerning, Appeton
8 Lap Heats First l.Brumlic 2. Cody Scray
Second l. Jerry Winkller, Oshkosh 2. Karcz, Jr
IMCA SPORT MODS
20 Lap Feature l. Brock Saunders, Appleton 2. Lucas Lamberies, Clintonville 3./ Jeff Steenbergen 4. Tom Schneider, Chilton 5. Kevin Bethke, Neenah 6. Branden Berth
10 Lap Consy l. Chase Randerson 2. Jon Mignon 3. Berth
8 Lap Heats First l. Brekken Kleinschmidt 2. Steenbergen
Second l. Lamberies 2. Bethke
Third l. Saunders 2, Jeff Schmuhl
OUTLAW CHASSIS STREET STOCKS
20 Lap Feature l. Jesse Krahn, Beaver Dam 2. Jeff jungwirth, Oshkosh 3. Frank Knaus 4. Ryan Blank, Greenville 5. Jerry Winkler 6. Jeff Wicinski
8 Lap Heats First l. Dan Knaus 2. Logan Schmeck
Second l. Jungwirth 2. Jeremy Kemnetz
Third l. Winkler 2. Wayne Morgan
GOLD STAR RACING SUPPLIES GRAND NATIONALS
20 Lap Feature l. Kenny Richards, Montello 2. Larry Richards, Montello
3. Tim Doehling, Omro 4. Derek Schrauth 5. Rich Garb 6. Don Schumacher
8 Lap Heats First l. Larry Richards 2. Doehling
Second l. Kenny Richards 2. Tim Reichenberger
ELLINGTON MUTUAL INSURANCE DIRT DEVILS
15 Lap Feature l. Brad Meyerhofer 2. Chrtis Maas 3. Joihn Stegner 4. Shaun Bangart 5. Joe Minks 6. Scott Tiedt
8 Lap Heats First l. Meyerhofer 2. Stegner
Second l. Bangart 2. Mitchell Lee Fairbanks
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