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Gnatzig Red Hot At LGR
By Dale R. Erdmann, Breanna Blink and Kim Straube
Lake Geneva, WI. July 15th. It was another perfect night for stock
car racing, with over 100 race cars in the pit area and the largest crowd of
the season came out despite the high humid and low 90’s temperature that
couldn’t stop the show from going on. Curt Gnatzig of Hartford won the big
one last Saturday night and at Lake Geneva Raceway Friday night, the defending
champion just missed a clean sweep. First Curt broke the two week old
qualifying mark, by turning in a time of 18.228 seconds for the one third
mile paved banked oval, managed a third in the close dash and squeezed off a
win in the exciting 15 lap feature race by a matter of a few inches for the
Perfection Auto Body legends cars. In another great feature, Michael Cooter of
Machesney Park, Illinois won his third feature of the season during the
running of the 15 lap INEX bandolero feature. Bob Koch of McHenry, IL.
won another Double R towing Basic International feature for a non stop 15 lap
race. Bill Trusky of Silver Lake pulled off an unbelievable victory in the
Lusia’s pizzeria mini modifieds. Mark Ludtke of Lake Geneva pulled off
another win in the 15 lap weapons feature race, leading all of the race.
Vincent Merry of Wadsworth, IL. just can’t get enough racing with his
late model, as the four time champion won another Midwesat sport truck feature
race for 12 laps using Todd Ross mount this time to win it and Josh Wallace of
Pell Lake won one more feature race for the late model race cars.
The legends feature got off to a rocky start, first rookies Ryan Miles and
Ross Kenseth Along with Curt Gnatzig couldn’t make it through the first lap.
Then on lap two Don Schaal and Joe Scala got together for the first Yellow
Book USA caution period of the night. Ernie Schaal led the first lap,
but as soon as the next lap began Eric Lokemoen charged in front with Gnatzig,
Ernie Schaal and Michael Bilderback right on his bumper. Visiting John Memmer
joined the fray two laps later, as Schaal dropped to fifth. Gnatzig got by
Lokemoen on lap nine, as Bilderback followed the new leader. Miles stalled on
lap eleven for the final caution. The four lap dash was worth the price of
admission, as the final lap came and out of turn four, Gnatzig the winner,
came across the line with Bilderback, Lokemoen and Memmer with a four deep
finish to the delight of the crowd. Schaal was fifth.
The mini modified feature saw Chris Thomazin out front at the display of the
double greens. Curt Thomazin was second for just one lap before Bill Trusky
moved in that position for one lap, before Thomazin went back into second. ,
then into the lead on lap five, with Trusky right on his tail. Fast time
quailifier Glen Vernezze was already two thirds of the way to a clean sweep
slipped into third with five laps to go. Mike Van Houten was fourth, with a
glowing left rear rotor. Coming around for the checkered flag it looked like
Thomazin would win the event, until turn three, when Trusky shot under him and
sailed home to a surprised Thmoazin who took second, Vernezze was right at his
side in third, with Jerry Giuliano fourth and Curt Thomazin, nipping Van
Houten for fifth in another exciting race.
It was a carbon copy of last weeks weapons feature as Mark Ludtke led every
lap of the 15 lap event. This week fast timer Reid Kahrs Jr. moved into second
with four laps to go and chased the leader across the line for second. Jeff
Schultz who did his part before Kahrs moved by, was third. Mark Tomasi was
fourth and Bobo Smith in his first time out was fifth.
The bandolero feature was a close race with Kyle Palma out front at the off
set of the contest. Quickly Michael Cooter moved into second then in front on
lap five. Fast qualifier Branden Allen was right behind the new leader, as the
only caution came when Palma tagged Collin Laursen sending him around. With
the green back out Cooter ran to the corner quicker than Allen and Kyle Justis
Cooter eventually won the race with Allen, Justis, rookie Hope Bidlack and a
recovered Palma who were under a blanket for the next positions. There were no
cars lapped as everyone finished within the straight away of each other.
Rob Schiebel paced the field as the BIC feature began. Nick Henning, Andy
Portzen and Jason Conrad glued together for the next position. Portzen crept
into the lead on lap five for just one lap as Bob Koch in the Kevin Hill car
caught him and never looked back for the win, despite Kevin Hill in one of
Koch’s cars right on him for second. Lenny Adams was third, with Steve
Doherty fourth and Portzen right there in fifth for a close race.
Earlier in heat action Ashleigh Kitterman of Burlington won her first career
heat race in BIC cars. 17 year old second generation driver Jeff Carlton drove
the Jason Spittle car to victory in the first BIC heat.
The late model feature saw Paul Edmundson move in front as the race began,
with Carrie Dygon next and Ralph Gentile third. But four laps later somehow
Josh Wallace climbed in front and cruised to an impressive victory despite a
late caution on lap twenty three as Sonny Schoffen went around while
challenging the leader. Earlier Keith Tolf tried everything to move in front,
but Wallace won the main event with Tolf and fast timer Brian Ulrich next.
Gentile was fourth and Schoffen recovered for fifth, nipping Dygon at the
wire.
This coming Friday night the super mini cups and the rascal outlaws join four
other Divisions of racing with time trials at 6pm. and racing starting
at 7:30
sharp.
7/15/2005 - Lake Geneva Raceway Results
INEX Bandoleros
A-Main 01 -- 1. Michael Cooter (y);; 2. Branden Allen (y),
Yorkville, Ill.; 3. Kyle Jusits (y), Kenosha, Wis; 4. Hope Bidlack, Genoa
City, Wis; 5. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 6. Collin Laursen, Nelson, Wis; 7.
Tyler Blume (b), Oregon, Ill.; 8. Dave Cooter Sr., Loves Park, Ill.; 9. Andy
Luebke, Union Grove, Wis; 10.Ryan Milligan,Salem,Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 2. Michael Cooter (y);; 3.
Kyle Jusits (y), Kenosha, Wis; 4. Tyler Blume (b), Oregon, Ill.; 5. Dave
Cooter Sr., Loves Park, Ill.; 6. Hope Bidlack, Genoa City, Wis; 7. Andy Luebke,
Union Grove, Wis; 8. Ryan Milligan, Salem, Wis; 9. Branden Allen (y),
Yorkville, Ill.; 10. Collin
Time Trial -- 1. Branden Allen (y), Yorkville, Ill.; 2. Collin Laursen,
Nelson, Wis; 3. Kyle Jusits (y), Kenosha, Wis; 4. Michael Cooter (y);;
5. Hope Bidlack, Genoa City, Wis; 6. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 7. Dave Cooter
Sr., Loves Park, Ill.; 8. Tyler Blume (b), Oregon, Ill.; 9. Andy Luebke, Union
Grove, Wis.
Basic Int'l Cars
A-Main 01 -- 1. Bob Koch, McHenry, Ill.; 2. Kevin Hill, McHenry, Ill.;
3. Lenny Adams, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 4. Steve Doherty, Woodstock, Ill.; 5. Andy
Portzen, Burlington, Wis; 6. Jason Conrad, Burlington, Wis; 7. Rob Schiebel,
Ingleside, Ill.; 8. Matt Booker, Wonder Lake, Ill.; 9. Jack Rabey, Lake Villa,
Ill.; 10. David Rex Jr, Burlington, Wis; 11. Todd Miller, Oak Creek, Wis; 12.
Tom Homan, Antioch, Ill.; 13. Leo Bujak, Spring Grove, Ill.; 14. Nick Henning,
Lake Villa, Ill.; 15. Ashleigh Kitterman, Burlington, Wis; 16. Tad De Rousse,
Antioch, Ill.; 17. Pete Koenig, Richmond, Ill.; 18. Ryan Andrews, Woodstock,
Ill.; 19. Robert Palka, Pell Lake, Wis;
B-Main 01 -- 1. Robert Palka, Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Tad De Rousse, Antioch,
Ill.; 3. Ken Causey, Elkhorn, Wis; 4. Roger Schultz, Machesney Park, Ill.; 5.
Morgan Breeding, Woodstock, Ill.; 6. Tim Redden, Woodstock, Ill.; 7. Amanda
Wolfe, Burlington, Wis; 8. Jennette Ellifritz, Genoa City, Wis; 9. Bryan
Talbert, Kenosha, Wis;
B-Main 02 -- 1. Ashleigh Kitterman, Burlington, Wis; 2. Kevin Lynn,
Genoa city, Wis; 3. Bill Urban, Twin Lakes, Wis; 4. Evan Townsend, Elkhorn,
Wis; 5. Wes Schultz, Wonderlake, Ill.; 6. Micheal Shorten, Mundelein, Ill.; 7.
Mike Hudson, Pell Lake, Wis; 8. Joshua Grenlund, Delavan, Wis; 9. John Toft,
Elkhorn,
Heat 01 -- 1.Jeff Carlton, McHenry,Ill. 2. Morgan Breeding, Woodstock,
Ill.; 3. Mike Hudson, Pell Lake, Wis; 4. Bill Urban, Twin Lakes, Wis; 5.
Amanda Wolfe, Burlington, Wis; 6. Jennette Ellifritz, Genoa City, Wis; 7. John
Toft, Elkhorn, Wis; 8. Rodger Emery, Delavan, Wis.
Heat 02 -- 1. Kevin Lynn, Genoa city, Wis; 2. Ken Causey, Elkhorn, Wis;
3. Joshua Grenlund, Delavan, Wis; 4. Wes Schultz, Wonderlake, Ill.; 5. Roger
Schultz, Machesney Park, Ill.; 6. John Gariepy, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 7. Tim
Redden, Woodstock, Ill.; 8. Micheal Shorten, Mundelein, Ill.; 9. Gary Elliott,
East Troy, Wis.
Heat 03 -- 1. Robert Palka, Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Bryan Talbert, Kenosha,
Wis; 3. Ashleigh Kitterman, Burlington, Wis; 4. Tad De Rousse, Antioch, Ill.;
5. Ryan Andrews, Woodstock, Ill.; 6. Tony Riek, Elkhorn, Wis; 7. Evan
Townsend, Elkhorn, Wis; 8. Nick Kasten, Lake Geneva, Wis; 9. Paul Becker, Oell
Lake, Wis;
Heat 04 -- 1. David Rex Jr, Burlington, Wis; 2. Andy Portzen,
Burlington, Wis; 3. Pete Koenig, Richmond, Ill.; 4. Jack Rabey, Lake Villa,
Ill.; 5. Matt Booker, Wonder Lake, Ill.; 6. Jason Conrad, Burlington, Wis; 7.
Leo Bujak, Spring Grove, Ill.; 8. Nick Henning, Lake Villa, Ill.; 9. Rob
Schiebel, Ingleside, Ill..
Time Trial -- 1. Todd Miller, Oak Creek, Wis; 2. Lenny Adams, Crystal
Lake, Ill.; 3. Steve Doherty, Woodstock, Ill.; 4. Bob Koch, McHenry, Ill.; 5.
Kevin Hill, McHenry, Ill.; 6. Tom Homan, Antioch, Ill.; 7. Matt Booker, Wonder
Lake, Ill.; 8. Leo Bujak, Spring Grove, Ill.; 9. Jason Conrad, Burlington, Wis;
10. Jack Rabey, Lake Villa, Ill.; 11. Pete Koenig, Richmond, Ill.; 12. Andy
Portzen, Burlington, Wis; 13. David Rex Jr, Burlington, Wis; 14. Rob Schiebel,
Ingleside, Ill.; 15. Nick Henning, Lake Villa, Ill.; 16. Ryan Andrews,
Woodstock, Ill.; 17. Nick Kasten, Lake Geneva, Wis; 18. Tad De Rousse,
Antioch, Ill.; 19. Ashleigh Kitterman, Burlington, Wis; 20. Scott Redden,
Woodstock, Ill.; 21. Evan Townsend, Elkhorn, Wis; 22. Bryan Talbert, Kenosha,
Wis; 23. Tony Riek, Elkhorn, Wis; 24. Robert Palka, Pell Lake, Wis; 25. Wes
Schultz, Wonderlake, Ill.; 26. Ken Causey, Elkhorn, Wis; 27. Micheal Shorten,
Mundelein, Ill.; 28. Roger Schultz, Machesney Park, Ill.; 29. John Gariepy,
Crystal Lake, Ill.; 30. Gary Elliott, East Troy, Wis; 31. Joshua Grenlund,
Delavan, Wis; 32. Tim Redden, Woodstock, Ill.; 33. Kevin Lynn, Genoa city, Wis;
34. Morgan Breeding, Woodstock, Ill.; 35. Bill Urban, Twin Lakes, Wis; 36.
Jason Spittle, Trevor, Wis; 37. Amanda Wolfe, Burlington, Wis; 38. Mike
Hudson, Pell Lake, Wis; 39. Jennette Ellifritz, Genoa City, Wis; 40. John Toft,
Elkhorn, Wis; 41. Paul Becker, Oell Lake, Wis; 42. Rodger Emery, Delavan, Wis.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Lenny Adams, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 2. Bob Koch,
McHenry, Ill.; 3. Todd Miller, Oak
Creek, Wis; 4. Steve Doherty, Woodstock, Ill.; 5. Tom Homan, Antioch, Ill.; 6.
Kevin Hill, McHenry, Ill..
INEX Legends
A-Main 01 -- 1. Curt Gnatzig, Hartford, Wis; 2. Michael Bilderback , S.
Beloit, Ill.; 3. Eric Lokemoen, Merrill, Wis; 4. John Memmer, Evansville,
Ind.; 5. Ernie Schaal, Wauconda, Ill.; 6. Kurt VanVuren, Wausau, Wis; 7. Ryan
Miles, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 8. Michael Wankowski, Oak Creek, Wis; 9. Don Schaal,
Wauconda, Ill.; 10. Joe Scala, Fox River Grove, Ill.; 11. Ross Kenseth, Lake
Barrington, Ill..
Heat 01 -- 1. Ernie Schaal, Wauconda, Ill.; 2. Joe Scala, Fox River
Grove, Ill.; 3. Ross Kenseth, Lake Barrington, Ill.; 4. Ryan Miles, Crystal
Lake, Ill.; 5. Kurt VanVuren, Wausau, Wis; 6. Michael Wankowski, Oak Creek,
Wis; 7. Don Schaal, Wauconda, Ill..
Time Trial -- 1. Curt Gnatzig, Hartford, Wis; 2. Eric Lokemoen, Merrill,
Wis; 3. Michael Bilderback , S. Beloit, Ill.; 4. John Memmer, Evansville,
Ind.; 5. Ryan Miles, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 6. Ernie Schaal, Wauconda, Ill.; 7.
Ross Kenseth, Lake Barrington, Ill.; 8. Don Schaal, Wauconda, Ill.; 9. Joe
Scala, Fox River Grove, Ill.; 10. Michael Wankowski, Oak Creek, Wis; 11. Kurt
VanVuren, Wausau, Wis.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Michael Bilderback , S. Beloit, Ill.; 2. Eric
Lokemoen, Merrill, Wis; 3. Curt Gnatzig, Hartford, Wis; 4. John Memmer,
Evansville, Ind..
Limited (Millenium) Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Josh Wallace (T), Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Keith Tolf, Union
Grove, Wis; 3. Brian Ulrich (t), Racine, Wis; 4. Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis;
5. Sonny Schoffen (t), Crystal Lake, Ill.; 6. Carrie Dygon, Racine, Wis; 7.
Jeff Graf, Milwaukee, Wis; 8. Paul Dygon, Wind Lake, Wis; 9. Rob Maule,
Burlington, Wis; 10. Paul Edmundson, Whitewater, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Rob Maule, Burlington, Wis; 2. Paul Edmundson, Whitewater,
Wis; 3. Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis; 4. Carrie Dygon, Racine, Wis; 5. Paul
Dygon, Wind Lake, Wis; 6. Jeff Graf, Milwaukee, Wis.
Time Trial -- 1. Brian Ulrich (t), Racine, Wis; 2. Keith Tolf, Union
Grove, Wis; 3. Josh Wallace (T), Pell Lake, Wis; 4. Sonny Schoffen (t),
Crystal Lake, Ill.; 5. Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis; 6. Carrie Dygon, Racine,
Wis; 7. Paul Edmundson, Whitewater, Wis; 8. Rob Maule, Burlington, Wis; 9.
Paul Dygon, Wind Lake, Wis; 10. Jeff Graf, Milwaukee, Wis.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Josh Wallace (T), Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Sonny Schoffen
(t), Crystal Lake, Ill.; 3. Keith Tolf, Union Grove, Wis; 4. Brian Ulrich (t),
Racine, Wis.
Mini-Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis; 2. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn,
Wis; 3. Glen Vernezze, Salem, Wis; 4. Jerry Giuliano, Park Ridge, Ill.; 5.
Chris Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 6. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.; 7. Scott
McCarthy, Antioch, Ill.; 8. Barry Trusky, Waukegan, Ill.; 9. John DeMay, Lake
Villa, Ill..
Heat 01 -- 1. Glen Vernezze, Salem, Wis; 2. Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis;
3. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 4. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.; 5. Jerry
Giuliano, Park Ridge, Ill.; 6. Chris Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 7. John DeMay,
Lake Villa, Ill.; 8. Scott McCarthy, Antioch, Ill.; 9. Barry Trusky, Waukegan,
Ill..
Time Trial -- 1. Glen Vernezze, Salem, Wis; 2. Jerry Giuliano, Park
Ridge, Ill.; 3. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 4. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.;
5. Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis; 6. Chris Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 7. John
DeMay, Lake Villa, Ill.; 8. Scott McCarthy, Antioch, Ill..
Weapons
A-Main 01 -- 1. Mark Ludtke, Lake Geneva, Wis; 2. Reid Kahrs Jr, West
Allis, Wis; 3. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis; 4. Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, Wis; 5.
Bobo Smith, Elkhorn, Wis; 6. Eric Schoffen Crystal Lake, Ill.; 7. Andy
Krueger, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Mark Ludtke, Lake Geneva, Wis; 2. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis;
3. Reid Kahrs Jr, West Allis, Wis; 4. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 5.
Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, Wis; 6. Bobo Smith, Elkhorn, Wis; 7. Andy Krueger,
Lake Geneva, Wis.
Time Trial -- 1. Reid Kahrs Jr, West Allis, Wis; 2. Andy Krueger, Lake
Geneva, Wis; 3. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 4. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis;
5. Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, Wis; 6. Mark Ludtke, Lake Geneva, Wis; 7. Duane
Lounsbuny, Beloit, Wis; 8. Bobo Smith, Elkhorn, Wis.
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