Wenzel and McCormick March to First Hill Wins of the Year

By: Scott J. Owen

Sturgeon Bay, WI,07/09/2022–Two new winners and two repeat offenders found victory lane at The Hill Raceway.  Brett Wenzel (Stock Car) and Tim McCormick (Street Stock) scored their first wins of the year.  While, Craig Dorner (Sport Modified) and Scott Schlafke (Bomber) each scored their second wind of the year at The Hill.  Dave DeGrave also fended off Garrett Geyer to win the Street Stock Busch Shootout presented by Flanigan Distributing.

Scott Iverson took advantage of his pole starting position to grab the lead on lap 1 of the Unified Dirt Street Stock feature.  Bailey LaViolette immediately began pressuring Iverson for the lead.  On lap 4 Laviolette got to the inside of Iverson to take the top position.  Iverson took the lead right back though on lap 5 of the race.  As Iverson led, Dave DeGrave and Dan VanPay began working forward after starting deep in the field.  A caution after lap 10 of the race would bunch the field back up.  Tim McCormick pulled even with Iverson on lap 11 and would eventually be led by McCormick.  Now Iverson had his hands full with DeGrave.  DeGrave would move to second on lap 12 and begin to pester McCormick for the lead.  Over the closing laps, DeGrave was glued to the back bumper of McCormick, but could not muster a pass for the lead.  McCormick would score his first feature of the year followed by DeGrave, VanPay, LaViolette, and Iverson.

The Stock Car feature saw an early side-by-side battle between Jeremy Anschutz and Dan Sell.  Anschutz worked the inside lane and led as Sell tried to find a way by.  Robert Waechter Jr. and Bill LeMieux then went three wide with Sell for 2 laps in the battle for second.  Sell found the advantage and pulled back even with Anschutz on lap 7 and held the lead at the line.  By Lap 8 Brett Wenzel had caught the leaders.  On lap 9 Wenzel was right in the tracks of Sell and slipped to the inside to lead at the end of lap 9.  Wenzel, who started 13th, would lead the rest of the way for his first win of the year.  Waechter moved to second on lap 11.  Waechter though would be passed late in the race by Kyle Resch.  At the end it was Wenzel, Resch, Waechter, Sell, and Anschutz completing the top five.  The top three finishers passed an impressive 26 combined cars in the race.  

Roger LaViolette led the opening two laps of the Sport Modified feature before Mike Plate overtook him for the lead.  By lap 6 Jared VanLaanen began to chase Plate for the lead, while Craig Dorner joined the top five on the track.  Dorner continued to march ahead and joined the top three on lap 10.  Dorner got underneath VanLaanen on lap 11 to move to second.  Dorner wasn’t done yet as he took the lead from Plate on lap 12.  At this point Bernie Reinhardt charged forward and joined the top five.  Dorner would not be denied en route to his second win of the year.  Reinhardt finished in second, followed by Plate, Randy LeMieux Jr., and VanLaanen.

In Bomber action, Scott Schlafke went wire-to-wire for his second win of the year.  He was followed across the finish line by Nick Everard, Calvin Stueck, Brandon Kaye, and Mike Plate Jr.

The Flanigan Distributing Busch Shootout for the Street Stock division was won by Dave DeGrave.

Racing at The Hill will continue on July 23rd as the Modifieds will join the show for their second appearance of the year.  Racing will start at 6:00.  More information can be found on Facebook @hillraceway.        

Racing Summary

Unified Dirt Street Stock

Feature: 1) Tim McCormick, Sturgeon Bay. 2) Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg. 3) Dan VanPay, Denmark.

4) Bailey LaViolette, Sturgeon Bay. 5) Scott Iverson, Sturgeon. 6) Jason Geyer, Brussels. 7)  Geno Sternard, Brussels. 8) Tony Everard, Green Bay. 9) Ford Malvitz, Sturgeon Bay. 10) Brian Krejcarek, Two Rivers.

Heat 1:  1) TJ Everard, Green Bay. 2) McCormick. 3) LaViolette.

Heat 2:  1) Krejcarek. 2) DeGrave. 3) Cody Patten, Friendship.

Heat 3:  1) Iverson. 2) Tyler Fox, Brussels. 3) Sternard.

Stock Car

Feature:  1) Brett Wenzel, Manitowoc. 2) Kyle Resch, Manitowoc, 3) Robert Waechter Jr., DePere. 4) Dan Sell, Suring. 5) Jeremy Anschutz, Brussels. 6) Dwayne Mertens, Luxemburg. 7) Bill LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay. 8) Caden LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay. 9) Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor. 10) David Reinhardt, Fish Creek. 

Heat 1:  1) B. LeMieux. 2) Brady Polcen, Ellison Bay. 3) Resch.

Heat 2:  1) Dan Sell Jr., Suring. 2) John Anschutz, Forestville. 3) Jeremy Anschutz.

Heat 3:  1) Waechter, 2) Shanon, Guelette, Luxemburg. 3) Dan Sell.

Sport Modified

Feature:  1) Craig Dorner, Brussels. 2) Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay. 3) Mike Plate Sr., Valders. 4) Randy LeMieux Jr., Brussels. 5) Jared VanLaanen, Luxemburg. 6) Alec Wery, Algoma. 7) Logan Theys, Luxemburg. 8) Jeff Vlies, Kewaunee. 9) Dennis Miesler, Luxemburg. 10) Doug Maurer, Green Bay.

Heat 1:  1) Theys, 2) Plate, 3) VLies.

Heat 2:  1) Roger LaViolette, Forestville. 2) Miesler. 3) LeMieux.

Bomber

Feature:  1) Scott Schalfke, Cleveland. 2) Nick Everard, Green Bay. 3) Calvin Stueck, Shawano. 4) Brandon Kaye, Luxemburg. 5) Mike Plate Jr., DePere. 6) Landon Kaye, Luxemburg.

Heat:  1) Stueck, 2) Schlafke, 3) Plate.

Unified Street Stock Busch Shootout

Feature: 1) Degrave. 2) Garrett Geyer, Brussels. 3) Jason Geyer. 4) TJ Everard. 5) Van Pay. 6) Krejcarek.