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More Mid-Am Excitement Stirs the 141 Speedway Crowd!
August 7, 2002
by Dan Deicher
With only two weeks left of point chasing and racing for the Papa John's Mid-Am's at the 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, Wisconsin, going after the points leader for some is #1. For others, well it's time to see what they can salvage out this season. But after watching Ryan Manthei and Dennis Rabas battle each other Saturday night for 40 laps, any newcomer to the track would have thought that points race was between those two and not Michael Rahn, Steve Bricker and Greg Hermann. After battling side by side for most of the feature event Saturday night, Rabas would not only claim the checkered flag, but the driver from Maribel, Wisconsin also grabbed his first feature win in almost three years. Manthei and Rabas battled each other side by side and exchanged leads several times throughout the feature event, but in the end, Rabas pulled away from Manthei for the win. 2nd- Manthei, Denmark, WI., 3rd-Travis Groelle, Manitowoc, WI., 4th- Michael Rahn,De Pere, WI. 5th- Greg "The Branch Flash" Herrmann. Next weekend is the final points race and championship for the Mid-Am's.
It is also finale night for the Super Stocks next weekend at the 141 Speedway and the feature event in this one saw a driver who is currently running in 11th place, drive like this was his last race. Little Chute's Jay Vanden Heuvel took home the checkered flag in the end, but the points race may have gotten tighter as Francis Creek's Errol Berry topped point leader, Andy Casavant, Two Rivers, WI. in the top five finish. Casavant entered the night just 23 points ahead of Berry but the 2nd place finish by Berry and a third place finish by Casavant, has set the stage for a super night of racing next weekend for the points championship. Two Rivers, Bruce Henrickson and Mishicot's Derek Rosek battle each other side by side for the early part of the race, but Vanden Heuvel slowly picked off drivers as the 25 lap feature carried. A caution on lap 9 may have been the open door for Vanden Heuvel as lap 11 was his chance to gain the lead, which he did, and then take off from the rest of the pack. Berry and Casavant were never far behind the leader but in the end, Vanden Heuvel picked up his first victory of the season. 2nd- Berry, 3rd- Casavant, 4th- Rosek, 5th- Josh sand, Mishicot, WI.
The Mini-Stock division has two weeks of points racing left at the 141, and Green Bay's Troy Selner knows that is he has any chance of winning the points battle, he currently sat in 5th prior to Saturday night's racing, he has to win out and wish for some luck down the stretch. Selner, who has broken the Mini-Stock track record 5 times this year, took a large step towards that feat as he took home the win Saturday night. But points leader, Mat Vanelzen of Menasha, Wisconsin finished 4th in the feature and stretched out his lead once again. Selner had little problems winning this race, though Corey Dallman and Jason Novak satyed within a bumper's length throughout the 25 lapper. 2nd-Dallman, 3rd- Novak, 4th- VanElzen, 5th- Tom Melichar, Mishicot, WI.
The Hobby Stock division also has two more weeks of business to tend to, and for Crystal Koenig, winning or finishing in the top five is going to be one huge goal. Koenig, prior to the race, held a 26 point lead over Maribel's Nathan Wegner and after finishing 7th to Wegner's 10th place finish, the next two weeks could prove to be for all the marbel's. Two Rivers, Kyle Kudick, held the pole in this one and never looked back as he secured the checkered flag. At one point in the race, Kudick opened up a half a track lead over Maribel's Mat Crass and the battle was for second place between Crass and Two Rivers, Jolene Mueller. But in the end, Crass would be DQ'd for a mechanical problem and Mueller would finish 14th. 2nd- Kyle Bauknecht, Reedsville, WI., 3rd-Jason Kostichka, Green Bay, WI, 4th-Don Wood, Maribel,WI, 5th- Kevin Wellner, Whitelaw, WI.
Next weekend is Hacienda Santa Rosa Championship night at the 141 Speedway in Francis Creek and it will also feature the return of the Wisconsin Sport Trucks Series. PIts open at 3pm, time trials are at 5:30 with racing action getting underway at 7pm. Advanced tickets are also on sale now for the September 28th Dynamite Destruction Derby 2, featuring Monster Trucks, School BUs races amongst other smash 'em up, bang 'em up events. $10 advance....$12 day of show. When at the 141 Speedway, stop by the "Speed Trap Tap" for more information or to purchase tickets.
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