Swedberg Dominates Late Model feature, Wilinski cashes in
By Justin Zirngible
On what started out as a sun drenched evening, a brief shower right before intermission brought on a racy set of features on fan Appreciation night and $1000 to win modified main event. Brett Swedberg would use his outside front row starting spot to lead all 20 laps and win by nearly a full lap in the late models. Kyle Frederick and Konnor Wilinkski would return to victory lane on the night, with Jeffery Teske in the IMCA sport mods and Lucas Hacker in the mighty 4’s getting a taste of victory on the night as well.
Sunshine and summer like temperatures greeted fans and racers on this Saturday night for 5 full divisions of racing. As racing was nearing the completion of the heat race portion of the show, a brief rain shower complete with a double rainbow hit the historic half mile. A brief intermission was taken and the track crew brought the track back resulting in some fantastic side by side racing all night long.
In the late model division, it was all about Brett Swedberg. The Shawano driver won his heat race earlier in the night and used his outside front row starting spot to secure his first feature of the young season. Derek Janke would run a solid second holding off Ron Berna and Lucas Postal in a green to checkers finish. Kyle Raddant would round out the top 5 in a run up of 4 spots on the night.
The IMCA sport mods would see but one caution on the night in their 20 laps main event. Battles for position sometimes running 4 wide in the main event treated fans to a great feature. Travis Rhoades won an earlier heat and was looking for the sweep on the night and looked to be well on his way, but Jeffery Teske and Caroline’s Teagan Wudstrack would have something to say about it! Wudstruck would lead in the middle of the event, but Teske would not be denied and took his mount to victory lane on the night. John Holtger and Tyler Sobiesczyk would round out the top five.
With a $1000 top prize on the line, the IMCA modified main was bound to be epic. Pole sitter and week one winner Konnor Wilinski would make it look easy, but it was anything but! Wilinski would manage to lead all 20 circuits, but lap traffic and a string effort from Lucas Lamberies and Marcus Yarie during the 20 lapper would keep things interesting! Wyatt Block and hard charger Jerry Muesnter would round out the top 5 on the night.
20 IMCA stock cars would sign in for the 20 lap main event on the night. Dylan Stedjee would start on the outside pole and lead the first half of the event. Motor issues would cause and early departure from the event for the younger Stedjee and the field was reset for the final half. Kyle Frederick would work his way to the front and face strong challenges from Travis VanStraten and last weeks winner Trent Nolan. Jeremy Christians paid a visit on the night as well and came home with a hard fought 4th place finish. Kurt Olson would round out the top 5 on the night.
Shawano’s Lucas Hacker was the nights hard charger and winner on the night. It would take but 3 laps for Hacker to drive to the front and roll to his first win on the season. Defending track champ Tanner Westphal and Calvin Stueck would race side by side for the final 9 circuits for the 4th and 5th position on the night. Bad Wedde came home runner up with Carl King in 3rd.
Racing continues on May 21 with a kids coin drop on the front stretch at intermission! Follow the Shawano Speedway at www.Shawanospeedway.net or all the social media channels!
Summary
IMCA Sport Mods
Feature: 1) Jeffery Teske (Shawano), 2) Teagan Wudstrack (Caroline), 3) John Holtger (Abrahms), 4) Travis Rhoades (Shawano), 5) Tyler Sobiesczyk (Shawano), 6) Max Oreskovich (Clintonville), 7) Dustin Wudstrack (Tigerton), 8) Bryce Clements (Suring), 9) Kevin Bethke (Neenah), 10) Michael Springborn (Shawano)
Heats: 1) T. Wudstruck, D. Wudstrack, 2) Rhoades, Forrest Kernen (Shawano)
IMCA Modifieds
Feature: 1) Konnor Wilinski (Seymour), 2) Lucas Lamberies (Clintonville), 3) Marcus Yarie (Wausau), 4) Wyatt Block (Tigerton), 5) Jerry Muenster (Green Bay), 6) Jerry Wilinski (Seymour), 7) Jordan Bartz (Shawano), 8) Josh Lambert (Casco), 9) Jayden Schmidt (Seymour), 10) Justin Ritchie (New London)
Heats: 1) Lambert, K. Wilinski; 2) Andy Karl (Mosinee), Lamberies
Late Models
Feature: 1) Brett Swedberg (Shawano), Derek Janke (New London), 3) Ron Berna (Abrams), 4) Lucas Postl (Shawano), 5) Kyle Raddant (Shawano), 6) Troy Springborn (Shawano), 7) Kevin Eder (Ashland), 8) Gunner Frank (Montrose, IA), 9) Todd Frank (Montrose, IA), 10) Butch Thiel
Heats: 1) Postl, Joel Bennett (Hortonville); 2) Swedberg, Janke
IMCA Stock Cars
Feature: 1) Kyle Frederick (Oconto Falls), 2) Travis VanStraten (Hortonville), 3) Trent Nolan (Shawano), 4) Jeremy Christians (Horicon), 5) Kurt Olson (Oneida), 6) Tyler Wendt (Shawano), 7) Mitch Stankowski (Wausau), 8) Wyatt Block (Tigerton), 9) Jordan Barkholtz (Hortonville), 10) Dan Michonski (Leopolis)
Heats: 1) Wendt, Stankowski; 2) Nolan, Michonski
Mighty 4’s
Feature: 1) Lucan Hacker (Shawano), 2) Brad Wedde (Clintonville), 3) Carl King (Shawano), 4) Tanner Westphal (Clintonville), 5) Calvin Stueck (Clintonville), 6) Alexis Michonski (Embarrass), 7) Jody Cornelius (Oneida), 8) Taylor Junk (Shawano), 9) Justin Haufe (Marion), 10) Shane Collar (Marion), 11) Alyxis Paiser (Shawano)
Heats: 1) Hacker, Wedde; 2) Westphal, King
