A stout field of cars met a hearty crowd of fans for opening night of the 2019 season. Defending Late Model track champion Brett Swedberg was joined in victory lane by Benji LaCrosse (IMCA Modified), Jeremy Christians (IMCA Stock Car), Jordan Bartz (IMCA Sport Mod), and Shaun Bangart (Mighty Four) as the five drivers kicked of their seasons with a win. Brett Swedberg shot into the lead at the start of the Late Model feature. Justin Schmidt caught Swedberg on lap two and quickly began to apply pressure. Swedberg then began to distance himself from Schmidt as Justin Ritchie worked his way to third on the track. On lap eleven Ritchie worked past Schmidt for second. As the two drivers battled side by side for second, Swedberg tried to run away and hide. On lap fifteen Schmidt moved back to second and began to reel in Swedberg. On the final lap Schmidt ran right on Swedberg’s back bumper. Swedberg held on for the win though as Schmidt, Ritchie, Ron Berna, and Jared Siefert rounded out the top five.
Benji LaCrosse drew the pole of the IMCA Modified feature and proved once again why he is one of the best in the nation. LaCrosse led every lap of the feature event en route to victory. Marcus Yarie, Wyatt Block, and Mike Mullen applied early pressure, but to no avail. Late in the race Eddie Muenster stormed past Mullen to move into the second position. Mullen, Yarie, and Andy Kleczka completed the top five.
Jeremy Christians started on the pole and took the lead on the opening lap of the IMCA Stock Car feature. Travis VanStraten and Aaron Karcz quickly gave chase to Christians. On lap three Aaron Karcz pulled to the inside of Christians in the battle for the lead. On lap four Karcz used the inside lane in turn
two to take the lead from Christians. A restart with two laps remaining would change the complexion of the race. Karcz was caught in the middle of a three-wide battle with Christians and VanStraten as the race returned to green. Christians and Vanstraten each snuck past Karcz. Christians held on for the win followed by VanStraten, Karcz, Gary Kasperek, and Tyler Wendt.
Cole Magnin led the first two laps of the IMCA Sport Mod feature before losing the handle of his car and bringing out the caution flag. Magnin would have to restart at the tail of the field. Teagan Wudstrack and Jordan Bartz swapped the lead back and forth multiple times over the next two laps before Bartz ultimately established herself in the point position. Bartz would lead the rest of the way for the victory. Bryce Clements raced his way to second, while Magnin battled back from the tail of the field to finish the race in third. Wudstrack and Kevin Bethke completed the top five.
In Mighty Four action, Shaun Bangart took the lead on lap one as Brad Wedde applied pressure in second. Jason Stueck soon crashed the party at the front of the field. Bangart would hold off Wedde and Stueck for the win. Brothers, Stueck and Wedde finished second and third followed by TJ Everard and Michael Brehmer. Racing continues next Saturday night with a tribute to Gary Effenberger, the father of longtime flagman Josh Effenberger and a big-time race supporter. Racing will begin at 6:00. More information can be found online at www.shawanocountyfair.net.
Race Summary:
Late Model Feature: 1. 3S-Brett Swedberg, [2]; 2. 97S-Justin Schmidt, [4]; 3. 70-Justin Ritchie, [3]; 4. 66-
Ron Berna, [7]; 5. 25S-Jared Siefert, [11]; 6. 7-Joel Bennett, [6]; 7. 20R-Joe Reuter, [1]; 8. 9N-Tom
Naeyaert, [8]; 9. 81S-Troy Springborn, [9]; 10. 87-Adam Janke, [13].
Heat 1: 1. Ritchie, [2]; 2. Bennett, [3]; 3. Reuter, [1].
Heat 2: 1. Swedberg, [1]; 2. Berna, [4]; 3. Naeyaert, [2].
IMCA Modified Feature: 1. 54-Benji LaCrosse, [1]; 2. 5M-Eddie Muenster, [4]; 3. 99X-Mike Mullen, [8]; 4.
58-Marcus Yarie, [2]; 5. 121-Andy Kleczka, [7]; 6. 75A-Lance Arneson, [17]; 7. 64-Chucky Forstner, [22];
- 79M-Jerry Muenster, [20]; 9. 30W-Daniel Wilcox, [18]; 10. 88X-Shawn Frelich, [23].
Heat 1: 1. 9-Jerry Wilinski, [1]; 2. 18W-Mark Weisnicht, [2]; 3. Yarie, [6].
Heat 2: 1. 5X-Joey Taycher, [2]; 2. 6-Konnor Wilinski, [3]; 3. Mullen, [1].
Heat 3: 1. 2JR-Wyatt Block, [2]; 2. 5M-Eddie Muenster, [6]; 3. LaCrosse, [5].
IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. 99X-Jeremy Christians, [1]; 2. 2T-Travis VanStraten, [4]; 3. 40-Aaron Karcz,
[2]; 4. 2K-Gary Kasperek, [6]; 5. 76W-Tyler Wendt, [3]; 6. 36-Larry Karcz Jr, [16]; 7. 35S-Vern Stedjee,
[19]; 8. 17S-Harley Simon, [5]; 9. 007-Mike Carter, [14]; 10. 10S-Rod Snellenberger, [9].
Heat 1: 1. 40-Aaron Karcz, [4]; 2. 25-Trent Nolan, [8]; 3. 9-Larry Parshen, [1].
Heat 2: 1. VanStraten, [1]; 2. Christians, [4]; 3. 57H-John Heinz, [7].
Heat 3: 1. Snellenberger, [3]; 2. 33M-Nate Michonski, [5]; 3. Simon, [6].
IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. 12-Jordan Bartz, [8]; 2. 02C-Bryce Clements, [4]; 3. 66-Cole Magnin, [1]; 4.
21-Teagan Wudstrack, [2]; 5. 09B-Kevin Bethke, [11]; 6. 7B-Evan Beattie, [7]; 7. 9-Braison Bennett, [15];
- 27-Tyler Sobiesczyk, [5]; 9. 74-Zackery Raab, [17]; 10. 75-Max Oreskovich, [20].
Heat 1: 1. 95S-Sawyer Haese, [3]; 2. Bethke, [7]; 3. Beattie, [4].
Heat 2: 1. 91X-Jordan Barkholtz, [3]; 2. Sobiesczyk, [1]; 3. Bartz, [4].
Heat 3: 1. Magnin, [6]; 2. 98W-Dustin Wudstrack, [1]; 3. 07-Cory Kemkes, [3].
Mighty Four Feature: 1. 44-Shaun Bangart, [2]; 2. 11X-Jason Stueck, [5]; 3. 37W-Brad Wedde, [1]; 4. 88ETJ Everard, [4]; 5. 43B-Michael Brehmer, [10]; 6. 17-Lucas Hacker, [11]; 7. 4N-Brad Nelson, [14]; 8. 8-
Tony Everard, [9]; 9. 131N-Dalton Nelson, [8]; 10. 91-Daniel Buckwheat, [6].
Heat 1: 1. 88B-Kevin Bice, [6]; 2. Wedde, [4]; 3. 8-Tony Everard, [2].
Heat 2: 1. Stueck, [5]; 2. 131N-Dalton Nelson, [3]; 3. 88E-TJ Everard, [4].
Heat 3: 1. Hacker, [2]; 2. Bangart, [6]; 3. Buckwheat, [4].
