Mission Accomplished For Karl

By: Scott J. Owen

Shawano, WI, 08/20/2022–Andy Karl survived a caution plagued IMCA Modified feature to score his first ever feature win at the historic halfmile.  Todd Frank notched his first Late Model win of the year.  Lucas Hacker took home the extra money to win the Mighty Four feature.  It was his fourth win of the year.  Jeffery Teske came from twelfth to win his sixth IMCA Sport Mod feature of the year.  While, Kyle Frederick was dominant in winning his third IMCA Stock Car feature.     

The IMCA Northern Sport Modified feature hit the track with third generation racer JJ Vanderloop leading lap one.  Vanderloop quickly began to pull away from the rest of the field as Mike Springborn ran second on the grid.  As Vanderloop clicked off lap in the lead, Bryce Clements, Jeffery Teske, and Cory Kemkes began working their way forward in the field.  By lap ten of the race Clements had worked to second, while Teske moved to fourth.  A caution after lap thirteen bunched the field back up.  Vanderloop continued to lead though, but Clements was able to stay with him now.  Teske went to the inside of Springborn for third on lap fourteen.  Another caution flag came out after lap seventeen.  Teske used the outside line on the restart to snag the lead from Vanderloop.  Teske would lead the rest of the way for the win.  Clements passed Vanderloop as well for second.  Vanderloop, Kemkes, and JJ’s brother, Jerry Vanderloop completed the top five.   

The Mighty Four division was the second feature of the night.  “The Gambler” Lucas Hacker took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led wire to wire for the win.  “Lightning” Lexi Michinski battled Bailey Tate and Autin Pingel to finish second.  Pingel came home third in the race.  Tate took fourth,  Michigan racer Garrett Greenfield finished fifth in his first trip to the track.  

Former rookie of the year, Adam Jacobson took the lead at the start of a caution-filled IMCA Modified feature.  Andy Karl would take to the inside of Jacobson on lap three to take the lead.  Karl survived and used multiple restarts to maintain his advantage at the front of the field.  JJ Anderson applied pressure to Karl before mechanical woes ended his night.  Late in the race Karl held off Jayden Schmidt for the win.  When the checkered flew it was Karl with the win.  Schmidt advanced 13 spots for second.  Lucas Lamberies finished third.  The ageless Jerry Muenster taking fourth, and Marcus Yarie advancing 11 spots to take fifth. 

The point leader entering the night, Konnor Wilinski, dropped out of the race early.  By finishing sixth in the race, Jordan Bartz has now taken the point lead in the division.

Todd Frank outduelled his son Gunner Frank to take the lead at the start of the Late Model feature.  Father and son raced hard lap after lap as Todd continued to hold the top spot at the start finish line.  Try as he may, Gunner Frank could not catch his dad.  Todd Frank would score the win followed by Gunner.  Joel Bennett and Kyle Raddant battled for third with Bennett eventually taking the position.  Raddant finished fourth.  Ron Berna took fifth. 

In IMCA Stock Car action, Tyler Wendt led lap one before giving way to Mitch Stankowski on lap two.  Kyle Frederick passed Stankowski for the lead on lap five.  Frederick would pull away for the win.  Stankowski, Jeff Kropp, Wendt, and Vern Stedjee rounded out the top five.    

Racing will continue next Saturday.  Only two nights remain in the 2022 racing season.  More information can be found online at www.ShawanoSpeedway.net.  

Racing Summary

Late Model 

Feature:  1) Todd Frank, Montrose,IA. 2) Gunner Frank, Montrose,IA. 3) Joel Bennett, Hortonville. 4) Kyle Raddant, Shawano. 5) Ron Berna, Abrams. 6) Luke Postl, Shawano. 7) Justin Ritchie, New London. 8) Troy Springborn, Shawano. 9) Brett Swedberg, Shawano. 10) Adam Janke, New London.

Heat 1:  1) Bennett, 2) Postl, 3) Todd Frank.

Heat 2:  1) Ritchie, 2) Raddant, 3) Gunner Frank.

IMCA Modified 

Feature:  1) Andy Karl, Mosinee. 2) Jayden Schmidt, Seymour. 3) Lucas Lamberies, Embarrass. 4) Jerry Muenster, Green Bay. 5) Marcus Yarie, Wausau. 6) Jordan Bartz, Shawano. 7) Mike Schmidt, Shawano. 8) Kevin Feck, Wausau. Brekken Kleinschmidt, Shawano. 9) Hunter Parsons, Green Bay. 10) Brekken Kleinschmidt, Shawano. 

Heat 1:  1) J.J. Anderson, DePere. 2) Jerry Wilinski, Seymour. 3) Adam Jacobson, Green Valley.

Heat 2:  1)  Konnor Wilinski, Seymour. 2) Muenster. 3) Lamberies.

IMCA Stock Car 

Feature:  1) Kyle Frederick, Oconto Falls. 2) Mitch Stankowski, Wausau. 3) Jeff Kropp, Pulaski. 4) Tyler Wendt, Shawano. 5) Vern Stedjee, Nichols 6) Cole Czarneski, Denmark. 7) Travis VanStraten, Hortonville. 8) Trent Nolan, Shawano. 9) Dan Michonski, Leopolis. 10) Shawn Wagner, Lena.

Heat 1:  1) Michonski. 2) Wagner. 3) Nolan.

Heat 2:  1) Frederick. 2) Wendt. 3) Kropp.

IMCA Northern Sport Mod 

Feature:  1) Jeffery Teske, Shawano. 2) Bryce Clements, Suring. 3) JJ Venderloop, Freedom. 4) Cory Kemkes, Appleton. 5) Jerry Venderloop, Freedom. 6) Tyler Sobiesczyk, Shawano. 7) Matthew Radtke, Marion. 8) Cole Czarneski, Denmark. 9) Mike Springborn, Shawano. 10) Travis Rhoades, Shawano.

Heat 1:  1) Kemkes. 2) Clements. 3) Springborn.

Heat 2:  1) JJ Vanderloop. 2) Radtke. 3) Jerry Vanderloop. 

Mighty Four 

Feature:  1) Lucas Hacker, Shawano 2)  Lexi Michonski, Shawano. 3) Austin Pingel, Tigerton. 4) Bailey Tate, Clintonville. 5) Garrett Greenfield, Escanaba,MI 6) Carl King, Shawano. 7) Jody Cornelius, Oneida. 8) Clint Malueg, Bonduel. 9) Bo White, Seymour. 10) Monroe Weso II, Eland.

Heat 1:  1) Brian Watzka. 2) Hacker. 3) Tanner Westphal.

Heat 2: 1) Pingel. 2) Michonski. 3) Taylor Junk.