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Soquet Wins First Career IMCA Stock Feature At Thunderhill
By Greg Aregoni
May 28, 2005; Sturgeon Bay, WI - With after noon showers just missing the
Forest County Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway; Coca-Cola night was able to go
on as anticipated and had a couple of new winners on the early season.
With five divisions of racing the action was done at 9:40.
In the Budweiser IMCA Modified action, Benji Lacrosse made a successful return
trip to Thunderhill. B.J. Soquet won his first career Wulf Brother’s
IMCA Stockcar feature. Tony Schlei made it two feature wins on the
season with his Mays Sport Center IMCA Hobbystock main event. Von
Eytcheson won his third straight Dairy Queen Street Stock feature. Chad
Williams has made it two for three in Door County Motorsports 4 cylinder
racing this year with his feature win.
The Dairy Queen Street Stock feature was the first in action on Saturday
night. Brian Ambrosius took a front row starting spot and set the early
pace. John Sternard headed a group of cars that where trying to catch
Ambrosius. Following Sternard were Scott Iverson, Scott Reinhardt, Von
Eytcheson, Mike King Jr., and Harley Simon. Von Eytcheson soon made his
presence known, when he passed Sternard on the outside for second.
Ambrosius held the lead until lap 6 when a caution came out for an
accident. On the restart Eytcheson made his move to the outside of
Ambrosius and made the pass. Eytcheson set sail, and was unchallenged
the rest of the way. Eytcheson won the feature by a straightaway
followed by Ambrosius, Iverson, King Jr, and Sternard. This was
Eytcheson’s third feature win in a row. “I want to thank all of my
sponsors for all of their support. I would also like to say thank you to
my #1 fan, my mother.” Von Eytcheson in regards to his feature win.
In the Wulf Brother’s IMCA Stockcar A Main event, B.J. Soquet rocketed out
to the lead from his pole position. Soquet quickly made his way in front
of the pack by about 8 car lengths. Charlie Kroll, jumped to second,
Eugene Gregorich, Troy Muench, Jeff Vlies, Josh Massart, and Shawn Kilgore
followed him. Kilgore made a move mid-way through the race and passed
both Gregorich and Muench to take the third spot. Muench then wrestled
fourth from last week’s winner, Gregorich. Kilgore then moved up to
challenge Kroll for the second spot. With five laps to go, Kroll and
Kilgore made a charge at Soquet. Coming to the white flag, Kroll threw
his car into the third corner and made an effort to pass Soquet; but to no
avail. Soquet was able to keep a two-car distance between Kroll, Kilgore
and himself. Winning his first career IMCA Stockcar feature, Soquet was
followed to the line by Kroll, Kilgore, Muench and Gregorich.
Bill Lemieux led the opening lap of the Budweiser IMCA Modified feature only
to be overtaken by Dan Rataczjak on lap 2. Benji Lacrosse who started in
the sixth row challenged Rataczjak for the lead on lap 3. Lacrosse took
the lead on lap 3 and was flying down low. A caution came out halfway
through the race for an incident on the front stretch. On the lap 10
restart Rataczjak, Sean Jerovetz, Jared Siefert, Todd Dart and Paul Parker
followed Lacrosse. With Lacrosse solidly out front, Jerovetz, Siefert,
Dart, and Parker all did a train move on Rataczjak, hanging him out on the
outside. Jerovetz and Siefert started to catch Lacrosse lap by
lap. With Five Laps to go, Siefert made the pass on Jerovetz for
second. Siefert was never able to make a challenge for the lead.
Lacrosse went on to win the feature in his first trip back to Thunderhill.
On what he thought of the track and his win, Benji Lacrosse said, “It
was nice to have a good 2-3 lanes of racing. I have been trying new
suspension setups and I found one that worked well for this
track.” Rounding out the top five where Siefert, Jerovetz, Dart
and Parker.
Kevin Laughlin led the opening lap of the Mays Sport Center IMCA Hobbystock
feature event. On lap two Jeff Lautenbach fought to the inside of
Laughlin and grabbed the lead. Brumlic made his way to the front using
the topside of the racetrack and challenged Lautenbach for the top spot on lap
five. Brumlic took the lead on lap five and was followed by Lautenbach,
Tony Schlei, Keith Kickbusch, Laughlin and Eddie Anschutz. Schlei and
Kickbusch made the pass on Lautenbach on the low side and set their eyes on
Brumlic. Anschutz then made his way to third with a pass on Laughlin and
Lautenbach. With Schlei catching Brumlic using the low side; that left
Kickbusch alone in third. With five laps to go Schlei got to the inside
of Brumlic. Schlei battled down low while Brumlic was up top. “I
felt the car just go away up top. We checked the right rear tire pressure
after the feature and we only had eight pounds of pressure in it.” So
with Brumlic having a tire going down, Schlei took off and went on to win his
second feature of the season. Schlei was followed at the line by Brumlic,
Kickbusch, Anschutz, and Lautenbach. When asked about the race, Schlei
responded, “Starting from the 10th spot I fought hard to the front. It
was a bittersweet victory to beat my good friend, and rival Tom Brumlic.
I enjoyed coming from the back of the field, rather than winning from the
front.”
In the 10-lap Door County Motorsports feature race, Tyler Smith led the first
two laps. Chad Williams went to the high side and passed Tyler Smith on
lap three. Williams increased his lead over Smith and Kenny Malcore.
Smith tried to catch Williams but never did. Winning his second feature
win of the season, Williams was followed by Smith and Malcore at the finish
line. “I found some good traction up top. I found out tonight
that my car is much faster when I’m not hitting into the concrete.” Chad
Williams response to his feature win with a laugh.
Next week is going to be Northland Steel Night. The IMCA Hobbystock
drivers will be getting introduced before their feature event. There
will be $1.00 beer from 4:30 until racing starts at 6 p.m. with a purchase of
a grandstand wristband. Once again Forest County Potawatomi Thunderhill
Raceway will be giving away a West Coast Chopper Big Wheel. Forest
County Potawatomi Thunderhill Raceway is located at the John Miles Fair Park
in Sturgeon Bay. The track’s website is www.racethunderhill.com
20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified Feature-1. Benji Lacrosse, Luxemburg 2.
Jared Siefert, Green Bay 3, Sean Jerovetz, Little Saumico 4. Todd Dart, Algoma
5. Paul Parker, Kaukauna
12 lap Consi- 1. Parker
10 lap Heats-
#1 1. Bill Lemieux, Sturgeon Bay 2. Chris Derenne, Luxemburg
#2 1. Darrell Massart, Brussels 2. Jay Matthias, De Pere
#3 1. James Tebon, Algoma 2. Jerovetz
18 lap Wulf Brothers IMCA Stockcar Feature- 1. B.J. Soquet, Luxemburg
2. Charlie Kroll, Forestville 3. Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee 4. Troy Muench, Green
Bay 5. Eugene Gregorich, Kewaunee
12 lap Consi- 1. Jamie Suchocki, Kewaunee
10 lap Heats-
#1. 1. Gregorich 2. Craig Paque, Algoma
#2 1. Josh Massart, Brussels 2. Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay
#3. 1. Jeff Vlies, Kewaunee 2. Kroll
15 lap Mays Sport Center IMCA Hobbystock Feature- 1. Tony Schlei, Zion,
IL 2. Tom Brumlic, Denmark 3. Keith Kickbusch, Kewaunee 4. Ed Anschutz, Algoma
5. Jeff Lautenbach, Sturgeon Bay
10 lap Heats-
#1 1. Anschutz 2. Roger Laviolette, Sturgeon Bay
#2 1. Schlei 2. Marcus Moede, Casco
15 lap Dairy Queen Street Stock Feature- 1. Von Eytcheson, Forestville
2. Brian Ambrosius, Pulaski 3. Scott Iverson, Sturgeon Bay 4. Mike King Jr,
Little Chute 5. John Sternard, Green Bay
10 lap Heats-
#1 1. King Jr 2. Sternard
#2 1. Eytcheson 2. Harley Simon, Seymour
10 lap Door County Motorsports Feature- 1. Chad Williams, Sturgeon Bay
2. Tyler Smith, Luxemburg 3. Kenny Malcore, Milwaukee
10 lap Heat- #1 1. Malcore 2. Smith
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