Sobiesczyk Wins Just in Time
By: Scott J. Owen
Shawano, WI, 07/16/2022–Halloween at the Halfmile brought the kids out in droves in search of candy. The racing was just as sweet. Tyler Sobiesczyk lost an engine just as he took the checkered flag for his third win of the year. Joel Bennett held off Ron Berna and Nick Anvelink for his second Late Model win. Marcus Yarie scored his first IMCA Modified win of the year. Travis VanStraten outdueled Dan Michonski for win number two in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Tanner Westphal nailed down his fourth Mighty Four win.
Gunner Frank took the lead to start the Late Model feature as Joel Bennett quickly gave chase. Frank’s night would end on lap six as he made a hard left turn to pit lane. Bennett took over the lead as Ron Berna and Nick Anvelink applied the pressure in second and third. Troy Springborn soon broke through the pack and began tracking down the leaders. Bennett ran a mistake-free race in front of two of the best to wheel a Late Model at the Shawano Speedway. With two laps to go Berna was glued to the back of Bennett. As the leaders approached the tail of the field on the final lap of the race Bennett moved to the outside of Shawn Miller to put him a lap down as Miller spun to bring out a caution. Bennett secured the win followed by Berna, Anvelink, Springborn, and Luke Postl.
Multi-time track champion, Marcus Yarie, started outside row one of the IMCA Modified feature and would go the distance leading all 20 laps of the race. Tony Wedelstadt and Rob Charapata battled for second for numerous laps. Wedelstadt would finish second. Charapata had to settle for third. Jerry Wilinski and Jordan Bartz rounded out the top five.
Vern Stedjee grabbed the early lead in the IMCA Stock Car feature before Dan Michonski moved to his outside to snag the lead on lap five. Travis VanStraten passed Stedjee to move to second on lap six. Longtime adversaries, Michonski and VanStraten soon began a high speed chess match that would last the rest of the race. VanStraten was able to drive in deeper down low in turn one of the the speedway while Michonski raced the high line and continued to lead. In turns three and four Michonski preferred a lower line. Their side by side dual continued until lap17 when VanStraten took the lead. Michonski quickly crossed VanStraten over and began to run the lowside with VanStraten up high. Michonski continued to pressure VanStraten, but could not muster a pass. In the end it was VanStraten followed by Michonski, Stedjee, Trent Nolan, and Jordan Barkholtz.
Looking to put a season of bad luck behind him with a heat win earlier in the night, AJ Springborn grabbed the lead at the start of the IMCA Northern Sport Modified feature. As he led, Tyler Sobiesczyk moved to second. Springborn’s bad luck continued though as he spun while leading on lap five to bring out a caution flag and send him to the rear of the field. Sobiesczyk inherited the lead on the restart and was immediately pressured by Jeffery Teske until Teske spun on lap five. When the race went back green Sobiesczyk held serve the rest of the event. The final lap of the race Sobiesczyk began to show smoke. As he took the checkered flag, the motor expired in a cloud of smoke. Travis Rhoades was able to advance from 9th to finish second. Max Oreskovich took 3rd. Bryce Clements finished 4th. Teske raced back through the field to finish in 5th.
In Mighty Four action Tanner Westphal rocketed from ninth to first on lap one and never looked back. Lucas Hacker fought his way to second, Jody Cornelious, Lexi Michinski, and Carl King completed the top five.
Racing will continue next Saturday Big Money on the line in with $5000 on the line to win the IMCA Modified feature and $2500 to win the IMCA Stock Car feature. Late Models, Sport Mods, and Mighty Fours will all be in action as well. Full results and more information can be found online at www.ShawanoSpeedway.net.
Racing Summary
Late Model
Feature: 1) Joel Bennett, Hortonville. 2) Ron Berna, Abrams. 3) Nick Anvelink, Navarino. 4) Troy Springborn, Shawano. 5) Luke Postl, Shawano. 6) Aaron Wickersheim, White Lake. 7) Jared Siefert, Luxemburg. 8) Kyle Raddant, Shawano. 9) Todd Frank, Montrose,IA. 10) Buth Thiel, Shawano.
Heat 1: 1) Springborn, 2) Postl, 3) Siefert.
Heat 2: 1) Anvelink, 2) Bennett, 3) Wickersheim.
IMCA Modified
Feature: 1) Marcus Yarie, Wausau. 2) Tony Wedelstadt, Combined Locks. 3) Rob Charapata, Green Bay. 4) Jerry Wilinski, Seymour. 5) Jordan Bartz, Shawano. 6) Jeremie Hedrick, Embarrass. 7) Nick Anvelink, Navarino. 8) Brekken Kleinschmidt, Shawano. 9) Jason Ebert, Clintonville. 10) Konnor Wilinski, Seymour.
Heat 1: 1) K. Wilinski, 2) Wedelstadt, 3) Mike Schmidt, Shawano.
Heat 2: 1) Hedrick. 2) Charapata. 3) Andy Karl, Mosinee.
Heat 3: 1) J. Wilinski, 2) Bartz, 3) Yarie.
IMCA Stock Car
Feature: 1) Travis VanStraten, Hortonville. 2) Dan Michonski, Leopolis. 3) Vern Stedjee, Nichols. 4) Trent Nolan, Shawano. 5) Jordan Barkholtz, Hortonville. 6) Nate Michonski, Clintonville. 7) Bily Knutzen, Black Creek. 8) Carl King, Shawano. 9) Brad Nelson, Shawano. 10) Will Hoefs, Shawano.
Heat 1: 1) Barkholtz, 2) VanStraten, 3) D. Michonski.
Heat 2: 1) Stedjee, 2) Nolan, 3) Kyle Frederick, Oconto Falls.
IMCA Northern Sport Mod
Feature: 1) Tyler Sobiesczyk, Shawano. 2) Travis Rhoades, Shawano. 3) Max Oreskovich, Clintonville. 4) Bryce Clements, Suring. 5) Jeffery Teske, Shawano. 6) Dustin Wudstrack, Tigerton. 7) Dustin Marquardt, Gillett. 8) Tanner Schultz, Antigo. 9) Hollie Welch, Shawano. 10) Forrest Kernen, Tigerton.
Heat 1: 1) AJ Springborn, Shawano. 2) Wudstrack. 3) Schultz.
Heat 2: 1) Sobiesczyk, 2) Oreskovich, 3) Teske.
Mighty Four
Feature: 1) Tanner Westphal, Marion. 2) Lucas Hacker, Shawano. 3) Jody Cornelius, Oneida. 4) Lexi Michonski, Shawano. 5) Carl King, Shawano. 6) Justin Haufe, Marion. 7) Taylor Junk, Shawano. 8) Bailey Tate, Clintonville. 9) Blake Jung, Marion. 10) Monroe Weso II, Eland.
Heat 1: 1) Westphal, 2) King, 3) Haufe.
Heat 2) Hacker, 2) Chris Timm, Green Bay. 3) Michonski.
