Mullen Sweeps Luxemburg IMCA Modified Action
by Joe Verdegan
 
(Luxemburg, WI) July 9 - Defending track champion Brian Mullen of Seymour chased down race leader Benji LaCrosse and passed him with two laps remaining to capture the caution-free 25 lap IMCA modified feature at Luxemburg Speedway Friday night.  Mullen swept the division by winning his heat and became the first repeat winner in the division in seven weeks of racing.
 
Kewaunee's Shawn Kilgore swept action in the IMCA stock car division, winning his heat and taking the lead on a lap 16 restart to win the 22 lap contest, his third feature flag of the season.    Luxemburg rookie Pat VanderMause led every lap en route to scoring his first career 20 lap street stock feature.  Vandermause also won his heat sweeping the division.
 
A total of 137 cars jammed the pit area, tying the season high mark in June.  The field included 38 IMCA modifieds  along with 29 IMCA stock cars, 16 IMCA hobby stocks, 34 street stocks and 20 sport fours.
 
Pulaski's Brad Rohloff grabbed the early lead in the 25 lap IMCA mod feature with LaCrosse sliding underneath Rohloff for the lead on lap four.  Mullen, who started deep in the field in row six, carefully picked his way through traffic, making it up to fourth by lap 12. 
 
Mullen zipped past Rohloff to take second and began chopping away at LaCrosse's near full straightaway margin.  Mullen caught up with the hometown driver by lap 20, and slipped past LaCrosse for the lead with two laps remaining.   Mullen hung on to capture the victory.  LaCrosse took second at the pay window, followed by Danny Deau, points leader Scott Mullen and Rohloff.
 
Pat and Dave Davister took turns swapping the lead at the outset of the 22 lap IMCA stock car main.  The pair traded the lead during the first 14 laps until Brian Bruechert, who started in row three, motored into the lead on lap 14.  During a four wide tussle for second Jeff Vlies spun, causing the first amber on lap 16.
 
With six laps remaining Kilgore slipped underneath Bruechert to take the lead.  Kilgore went on to win his third feature of the season.  Trailing at the checkers were Brian Bruechert, Travis Van Straten, Dave Davister and Derrick Bruechert.
 
The win was anything but easy, as Scott Reinhardt mounted a tough mid-race challenge for the lead, but spun off the track at the event's mid-point.  A yellow never flew and Vandermause had ample breathing room for the next several laps.  With four laps remaining Vandermause began encountering lapped cars, allowing the second place car of Von Echenson to close the gap.  Vandermause was up for the challenge as he won his first feature race.  Echenson claimed runnerup honors, followed by Joe Johnson, and Oshkosh drivers Jerry Winkler and Jerry Kope.
 
Denmark's Tom Brumlic captured the green-to-checkered 18 lap IMCA hobby stock feature.  It was Brumlic's third feature win of the season.  Trailing at the checkers were Dave DeGrave, Ed Anschutz, Derek Moede and Keith Kickbush.
 
The sport four feature was cancelled due to a pair of rollovers within the first five laps of the contest.
 
Bumper to Bumper Automotive will sponsor Fan Appreciation night on Friday, July 16.  Fans bringing their ticket stub from the Sunday night, July 11 event will receive $1.00 off their admission.  Racing in all four divisions resumes next Friday at 7 p.m. For more information call 920 863 8446.  The track phone number is 920 845 2300.  The track's website is www.luxemburgspeedway.com. 
 
RACE SUMMARY
25 lap IMCA modified feature -  Brian Mullen, Seymour;  Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg; Danny Deau, Little Suamico; Scott Mullen, Seymour; Brad Rohloff, Pulaski; Jeremy Jacobs, Algoma
 
12 lap semi features - 1st) Jeremy Hodkiewicz, Green Bay; Chad Wilcox, Pulaski; Dean Maurer, De Pere; Scott Boyea, Abrams 2nd) Sean Jerovetz, Suamico;  Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; Dave Fischer, Green Bay; Mike Cole, Baileys Harbor
 
10 lap heats 1) Scott Mullen; LaCrosse 2) Randy LeMieux Jr., Sturgeon Bay; Todd Dart, Algoma 3) Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Rohloff 4) Brian Mullen; Dave Zeitler, Luxemburg
 
22 lap IMCA stock car feature - Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee; Brian Bruechert, Kewaunee; Travis Van Straten, Hortonville; Dave Davister, Luxemburg; Derrick Bruechert, Kewaunee; Greg Gretz, Kewaunee
 
12 lap semi feature - Kyle Frederick, Gillett; Brandon Mindak, Casco; Brett Wenzel, Two Rivers; Tony Bouche, Algoma
 
10 lap heats 1) Jason Czarapata, Pulaski; George Gerbers, Little Suamico 2) Kilgore; Derrick Bruechert 3) Brian Bruechert; Pat Davister, Luxemburg 4) Van Straten; Charlie Kroll, Forestville
 
15 lap IMCA hobby stock feature - Tom Brumlic, Denmark; Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg; Ed Anschutz, Algoma; Derek Moede, Casco; Keith Kickbush, Kewaunee; Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay
 
10 lap heats 1) Derek Moede; Anschutz 2) Mike Mueller, Green Bay; Marcus Moede, Casco
 
20 lap street stock feature - Pat Vandermause, Luxemburg; Von Echenson, Forestville; Joe Johnson, Green Bay; Jerry Winkler, Oshkosh; Jerry Kope, Oshkosh; Jeremy Wittala, Green  Bay
 
12 lap semi-features - 1) Aaron Thornton, Sturgeon Bay; Gary Neau, Oshkosh;  Darci Czarapata, Green Bay;  Eric Arnenson, Krakow 2) Fred Davister, Luxemburg; Brian Ambrosius, Pulaski; James Iverson, Sturgeon Bay; Joe Van Ooyen, Appleton
 
10 lap heats 1) Vandermause; Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor 2) Mike Pierrard, Green Bay; Johnson, Green Bay 3) Harley Simon, Seymour; Doug Morgan, Kewaunee 4) Kope; David Baenen, New Franken
 
15 lap sport four feature - Cancelled
 
 8 lap heats 1) Bruce Sand, Two Rivers; Greg Gawrylynski, Green Bay 2) Jasper Drengler, Shawano; DJ Jorgenson, Freedom