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Strasser, Schlei Double Up
August 3, 2002
Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway
Beaver Dam, WI
By Craig Seaver
Sadly, the racing community said goodbye to one of the founding fathers of stock car racing in Dodge County. Geno Norenberg passed away during the week. Long time friend and competitor Dave "Lightning" Hatton led a silent lap around the track in remembrance. Cars also carried a number 75 sticker in his honor.
Great weather was in store for a good crowd for the annual Fan Appreciation Night at the Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. Power Partners, a program of Powercom Corporation, sponsored the nights racing. A very wide but slippery track kept the drivers on their toes for the evenings features. Sammy Strasser led the way for most of the IMCA Modified feature to win his second feature of the year. Exhausted, John Stanton just beat out an equally exhausted Brandon Czarapata to take his third feature win of the year in the IMCA Stock finale. A 15-lap feature was just the right amount for Jim Steger in his DCRA Pure Stock car. Steger's motor let go just after he took the checkers and was leaving the track. Zion, Illinois driver Tony Schlei bested the rest of the IMCA Hobby Stock drivers and celebrated in victory lane with about 15 family members who made the long trip. The promotions committee once again did an outstanding job at the nights events. Plenty of door prizes were given out along with Speedway Sundaes for all in attendance. The ever popular on track autograph session treated the fans with plenty of pictures, treats and smiles at intermission.
The mod feature started out fast as cars used three distinct lanes to race around the track. John Schultz led the way on the high side ahead of Nick Woods and Strasser. It is said that cautions breed cautions and Saturday night seemed to be an example of that. The first caution flew on lap 7 and before another lap could be completed the caution waved again as the leaders spun collecting several fast cars. Schultz, Woods, Kelly Brown and Todd Ascherien would all restart from the rear. Then just before the green flag waved one of the corner lights went out and the cars were stopped for a short time to fix the lights. With the lights back on and racing about to commence another car found the wall bringing out yet another caution. Finally, with all the cautions behind them the field set out for some excellent racing. Strasser led the way ahead of Jay Schraufnagel and Scott Lewis but it was Nick Woods who set the track alight. Restarting in the rear Woods flat footed it just a couple feet from the wall and quickly made his way towards the front. By lap 16 Woods had passed Lewis for third but would not get any farther. Strasser held a slight advantage over Schraufnagel for most of the race to pick up his second feature win. Since Strasser did not win his heat race the Golden's Chimney Clean Sweep Award has now risen to $250 making the total purse a healthy $700 to win.
Jeff Owens led the IMCA Stock car feature to the first caution but the restart would see Brandon Czarapata take over. John Stanton worked his way into second by lap 7 and started to reel in the leader. With the field two and three wide ahead of him Jeremy Christians slowly worked his way to the front after nearly spinning out. By halfway Stanton had caught Czarapata and the two put a little space between themselves and Owens who had his hands full of Rob Schmid and Christians. Nose to tail the leaders went until lap 16 when Stanton went to the outside in his bid for the lead. Side by side they would race with both gaining and losing ground. At the finish it was Stanton just edging out Czarapata with Christians, Owens and Schmid completing the top-5.
Brent Lepple took his pure stock car to the front but would only lead a few laps before eventual winner Jim Steger took over. Steger quickly put some distance between himself and the rest of the field. Once Jason Behring got around Lepple he immediately began to reel in Steger. Craig Lepple cleared his brother and he and Behring closed onto Steger's bumper. Behring was able to make a couple attempts to take the lead but wound up battling Lepple for second. Steger would take the win as Behring eked out second over Lepple.
Tony Schlei took the green flag in the IMCA Hobby Stock feature and quickly separated himself from the field. Schlei's lead would continue to grow as Jimmy Scanlon, Jason Jaragoske and Nathan Persha were locked in a duel for second. Persha would move into second after several laps but the gap would prove to be too large to make up. Schlei took the win in dominant fashion ahead of Persha and Scanlon.
Racing at the speedway takes a couple weeks off as the track hosts the NTPA tractor pulls and the Dodge County Fair.
Photos courtesy of Rich Photos - Beaver Dam (Click on photo for bigger, better
quality picture)
RACE SUMMARY
IMCA Modified
Feature: 1) Sammy Strasser, Beaver Dam; 2) Jay Schraufnagel, Beaver Dam; 3) Nick Woods, Beaver Dam; 4) Dan Musbach, Grafton; 5) Casey Koch, Beaver Dam; 6) Scott Lewis, Waukau; 7) Dennis Haldemann, Janesville; 8) Todd Ascherien, Beaver Dam; 9) Kelly Brown, Randolph; 10) Craig Wheeler, Montello
First Heat: 1) John Schultz, Oshkosh; 2) Dan Musbach, 3) Todd Ascherien, Beaver Dam
Second Heat: 1) Kelly Brown; 2) Sammy Strasser; 3) Scott Lewis
Third Heat: 1) Jay Schraufnagel; 2) Casey Koch; 3) Dennis Haldemann
IMCA Stock
Feature: 1) John Stanton, Reeseville; 2) Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski; 3) Jeremy Christians, Horicon; 4) Jeff Owens, Randolph; 5) Rob Schmid, Burnett; 6) Roger Johnson, Saukville; 7) Scott Erdmann, Juneau; 8) Bob Mann, Juneau; 9) Mike Czarapata, Pulaski; 10) Jerry Schaalma, Juneau
First Heat: 1) Roger Johnson; 2) John Stanton; 3) Scott Erdmann
Second Heat: 1) Rob Schmid; 2) Jeremy Christians; 3) Jeff Owens
DCRA Pure Stock
Feature: 1) Jim Steger, Beaver Dam; 2) Jason Behring, Beaver Dam; 3) Craig Lepple, Beaver Dam; 4) Brent Lepple, Beaver Dam; 5) Randy Schimmel, Beaver Dam
First Heat: 1) Jason Behring; 2) Craig Lepple; 3) Doug Brabant, Beaver Dam
IMCA Hobby Stock
Feature: 1) Tony Schlei, Zion, Ill; 2) Nathan Persha, Iron Ridge; 3) Jimmy Scanlon, Pleasant Prairie; 4) Jason Jaragoske, Beaver Dam; 5) Dustin Ward, Beaver Dam
First Heat: 1) Gary Clough, Juneau; 2) Jimmy Scanlon; 3) Jason Jaragoske
Point Standings as of August 3rd, 2002
Shell Travel Mart IMCA Modified Point Standings
1 10s Jay Schraufnagel 439
2 87 Casey Koch 393
3 44 Kelly Brown 392
4 7 Todd Ascherien 392
5 3m Dan Musbach 391
6 8 Dennis Haldemann 380
7 6L Scott Lewis 363
8 34 Nick Woods 356
9 24s Sammy Strasser 345
10 37 John Schultz 328
11 142 Jamie Schmidt 317
12 03v Andy Voigt 314
13 67m Scott Magsamen 297
14 77p Michelle Ploeckelman 294
15 77 Craig Wheeler 270
16 16k Kory Koltz 260
17 78p Robert Ploechelmann 242
18 39 Dennis Schultz 230
19 95 Rob Olson 212
20 00 Dave "Lightning" Hatton 172
21 5 Lee Silbersack 163
22 2r Larry Romprey 131
23 03t Lee Tibbitts 114
24 07 Steve Domalick 93
25 98 Al Strobel 89
26 27 Darren Otto 82
27 6d Ed Devall 74
28 15g David Grenlund 73
29 37J Sean Jerovctz 65
30 98g Tim Gardiner 62
31 9p Craig Priewe 61
32 3h Chad Hummelmeier 55
33 4t Kurt TerBeest 52
34 45 Todd Utke 46
35 81 John Simmers 37
36 11x Joe White 35
37 42 Kevin Kleinschmidt 33
38 4x Dave Schneider 28
39 56 Dave Kroening 27
40 1m Julie McDermid 25
41 33 Duke Bresser 22
42 10g Carl Geier 21
43 23 Jeff Respalje 19
44 93 Larry Zirbel 15
45 63w Michael Wankowski 11
46 11x Steve Boelter 11
47 18 BJ Schoneck 11
48 77w Mike Wedelstadt 11
95.3 WXRO IMCA Stock Car Point Standings
1 99 Jeremy Christians 469
2 27 John Stanton 432
3 33c Brandon Czarapata 420
4 33e Roger Johnson 410
5 30 Rob Schmid 409
6 22 Scott Erdmann 404
7 26 Jerry Schaalma 400
8 20 Jeff Owens 397
9 43 Mike Czarapata 394
10 15 Dave Voigt 368
11 19 Bob Mann 366
12 18 Thomas Boerson 359
13 8r Kevin Rank 326
14 81 Lonnie Smith 306
15 2 Curt Beek 192
16 7 Steve Frees 174
17 18r Todd Rohde 164
18 68c Jamie Cowell 74
19 0 Kerry Douglas 61
20 199 Tracy Thrun 59
21 01 Troy Jerovetz 54
22 50 Kule Frederick 35
23 1 John Mahlberg 27
24 6 Rick Mahlberg 23
25 11x Joe White 20
Power Web Connect DCRA Pure Stock Point Standings
1 50 Steve Seitz 420
2 75 Nate Schepp 399
3 5 Jason Behring 397
4 7 Randy Schimmel 388
5 69 Nathan Hodgson 361
6 2 Doug Brabant 358
7 6 Ed Coulter 304
8 78 Darrell Bittner 275
9 25 Jim Steger 255
10 49 Brent Lepple 211
11 94 Craig Lepple 179
Power Web Connect IMCA Hobby Stock Point Standings
1 5 Jimmy Scanlon 320
2 75 Tony Schlei 318
3 1 Jason Jarogoske 314
4 3c Gary Clough 298
5 47 Nathan Persha 287
6 22 Nathan Gerbitz 262
7 9 Dustin Ward 261
8 99 Dean Vande Zande 198
9 82 Gary Foster 35
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