Brad Durbin surprise winner at LGR!  Regnier streak to two!
By Dale Erdmann

April 22, 2000; Lake Geneva, WI. -  With a jammed packed pit area and large crowd in the grandstand, the second week of stock car racing, Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway, was a night to remember. Or for some, a night to forget. Brad Durbin out of nearby Lyons, was the surprised winner of the 30 lap super late model feature.

Brad Durbin (#57) won the Super Late Model feature at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night and was joined in victory lane by Junior Fan Club member Brittany Morri. Durbin led the last 100 feat of the feature event for the win!

Durbin, who broke an axle and never qualified, got it fixed in time to run the never ending semi, winning it. Once in the feature race for 30 laps, likely race winner Landry Potter spun in the turn four mater that plagued racing all evening coming down for the checkered. Durbin who was running second, cruised by the fallen leader and won the event.

Adam Regnier of McHenry, Illinois won his second 20 lap super stock feature, in two nights of racing. Kevin Rybuck of Menomonee Falls survived a few yellow flags to win the first sportsman 25 lap main event of the year.

Shane Bishop darted off the outside pole starting position and into a two car length lead. Lap two, the caution appeared for a Mike Simon Jr. and a Russ Blakley get together . On the restart, Terry Patnode tried to get under Bishop, but to no avail. Two laps later, Brad Durbin who started last in the twenty car field, was up to fifth, with Landry Potter just ahead of him. On lap six, Joe Fisher and Potter moved to second and third, as Patnode faded to fourth. Potter got under Bishop three times before securing the top spot, on lap eight. Durbin quickly made his move, grabbing third on lap ten.

Kent Burkoth followed Durbin's every move, but a lap eleven crash, between Denny Hiffman and Mike Simon Jr. halted the race. Both cars received extensive damage, but no one was injured. With the next green flag, Potter moved to a three car advantage, Durbin was now second, with Bishop feeling the pressure of Burkoth and Danny Darnell at his side. The next caution was for Larry Los, spinning in that tricky turn four, while running mid field. Everyone missed him, but Potter's margin was back to zero, with just seven laps to go.

When racing resumed, Potter wasn't going to let the slowdown stop him from winning this event. Second place Durbin, had Bishop and Darnell battling for third, it was a sure bet Potter would comfortably min this event. The last two laps saw some dicing for a better position, as Darnell finally got by Bishop and Bob Koidahl got around Bob Moeller. With the white flag shown, Potter was on his way to victory, but coming into three where the water problem began and into turn four, the leader's pattern changed and around he went. Everyone missed the spun car, as Durbin nipped Darnell for second, who held back Bishop, who nearly lost third to Burkoth who in turn could feel Koidahl to his inside crossed the stripe holding down the top five spots. A recovering Blakley, Moeller and Los completing the top eight, Potter ended up taking eleventh.

The twenty car super stock feature was running quite smoothly with Al Kupahl in front of the pack. Greg Janutka and John Maki were battling for second. Just as Janutka secured second after a three lap fight, something happened coming off turn four, one lap later. Janutka spun to the left, then turning quickly to the right, the brand new car headed to the wall, crashing very hard into it. Tom Fay had no where to go, but stopped short of doing anymore damage to Janutka's mount. This was the only stop of the event, with Janutka shaken, his night was over.

Adam Regnier (#73) won the Street Stock main event at LGR Saturday. He's 2 for 2 this season!

Kupahl held onto the lead just one more lap , before Marty Robb inched in front. This was short lived, as John Janssen nipped Kupahl, then by Robb who was the leader, within two laps. Jerry Cowan and Dan Huber scooted past Kupahl on lap nine, with Janssen Nay out front. By lap twelve Adam Regnier who started sixteenth, was now up to fifth, after dropping Kupahl one more position. Expertly Regnier nipped away at his competition. But with only three laps to go, time was running out.

Then Robb and Regnier quickly moved into first and second, as Janssen started to slow. One lap later Janssen's right front tire was flat. With the white flag shown, Robb and Regnier put on some show. At the wire Regnier was ahead of the field, with Robb, Cowan, Huber, fast timer Jeff Lorenz, Rob Hunt, Maki and Mike Kooi in a close finish.

Ryan Finley moved in front of the twenty one car starting field for the sportsman main event, before LeRoy Potter sailed by leader. Jerry Hansche, Eric Roberts and Kevin Rybuck were all over Finley, as Potter pulled away from the field. Lap six brought out the first caution, as Mike Monroe, Mike DeKeuster, Hansche and defending champion Scott Poritz got involved with each other. After the restart, Roberts came into the turn too deep and another caution ensued. Each time Potter walked his fellow competitors, as Rybuck climbed into second on lap nine.

That's a close one!  Kevin Rybuck (#11) narrowly misses the spinning car of Eric Roberts (#99) during the Mid-American Sportsman feature event.  Rybuck went on to win the race, while Roberts recovered to finish tenth.

All out racing started on lap eleven, as Potter and Rybuck went back and forth for the lead. One lap later Bobby Gutkenecht joined the cluster, with Monty Coffman and Shawn Utphall waiting for any mistake. On lap thirteen, Zac Deeringer in his brand new race car started to work on Coffman and Utphall. The first car lapped came two laps later, as everyone got around the slowing driver. Potter just couldn't settle for second and with just a ten laps to go, he got along side the leader, but never held the edge. It wasn't an easy win, but Rybuck crossed the line first, with Potter, Gutknecht, Deeringer, Monroe, Coffman and Utphall extremely close at the checkered. 

Victory lane excitement!  Kevin Rybuck (#11-left photo) enjoys his time in victory lane with a Junior fan club member after winning the Mid-American Sportsman feature.  In the right photo, Lynn Swan was the owner of one hot Pontiac! He had just won the spectator race and then had to have an engine fire extinguished in victory lane!

This coming Saturday night, the Mid American race cars will have a point series show here, a field of over 35 cars is expected. The super late models and super stocks will also run. Time trials are at 6pm and racing at 7:30pm sharp.

SUPER LATE MODELS:
30 Lap Feature: 1.) Brad Durbin, Lyons, WI; 2.) Danny Darnell, Park City, IL; 3.) Shane Bishop, Pell Lake, WI; 4.) Kent Burkoth, Pell Lake; 5.) Bob Koidahl, Cary, IL; 6.) Russ Blakley, Palmyra, WI; 7.) Bob Moeller, Johnsburg, IL; 8.) Larry Los, Darien, WI; 9.) Chuck Johnson, Rockford, IL; 10.) Larry Surleta, Round Lake, IL
11 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Brad Durbin, Lyons, WI; 2.) Brian Ulrich, Racine; 3.) Gary Drayer, Palmyra
1st Heat: 1.) Bob Koidahl, Cary, IL; 2.) Tommy Goff, Lake Geneva, WI; 3.) Toby Rott, Slinger, WI
2nd Heat: 1.) Bob Moeller, Johnsburg, IL; 2.) Shane Bishop, Pell Lake, WI; 3.) Larry Surleta, Round Lake, IL
Dash: 1.) Kent Burkoth, Pell Lake, WI; 2.) Landry Potter, Delavan, WI; 3.) Denny Hiffman, River Forest, IL
Time Trials: 1.) Landry Potter, Delavan, WI, 16.437 Seconds; 2.) Kent Burkothm Pell Lake, WI, 16.562 Seconds; 3.) Denny Hiffman, River Forest, IL, 16.656 Seconds

SUPER STOCKS:
20 Lap Feature: 1.) Adam Regnier, McHenry, IL; 2.) Marty Robb, Lake Zurich, IL; 3.) Jerry Cowan, Burlington; 4.) Dan Huber, Antioch, IL; 5.) Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, WI; 6.) Rob Hunt, McHenry, IL; 7.) John Maki, Antioch, IL; 8.) Mike Kooi, Island Lake, IL; 9.) Doug Peterson, Antioch, IL; 10.) Al Kuphal, Franklin, WI
12 Lap Semi-Feature: 1.) Craig Mertes, Antioch, IL; 2.) Brian Pluess, East Troy, WI; 3.) Doug Peterson, Antioch, IL
1st Heat: 1.) Craig Mertes, Antioch, IL; 2.) Brian Pluess, East Troy, WI; 3.) Scott Peterson, Lake Geneva, WI
2nd Heat: 1.) Gregg Peterson, Paddock Lake, WI; 2.) Marty Robb, Lake Zurich, IL; 3.) Al Kuphal, Franklin, WIi
Dash: 1.) John Janssen, Genoa City, WI; 2.) Adam Regnier, McHenry, Il; 3.) Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, WI
Time Trials: 1.) Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, WI, 19.027 Seconds; 2.) John Janssen, Genoa City, WI, 19.138 Seconds; 3.) Jerry Cowan, Burlington, 19.449 Seconds

MID-AMERICAN SPORTSMAN:
25 Lap Feature: 1.) Kevin Rybuck, Menomonee Falls, WI; 2.) Leroy Potter, Genoa City, WI; 3.) Bobby Gutknecht, Oak Creek, WI; 4.) Zac Deeringer, McHenry, IL; 5.) Mike Monroe, Pell Lake, WI; 6.) Monty Coffman, Burlington, WI; 7.) Shawn Utphall, Racine, WI; 8.) Brian Baker, Springfield, WI; 9.) Mike Dekeuster, Racine, WI; 10.) Eric Roberts, Zion, IL
1st Heat: 1.) Ryan Finley, Beloit, WI; 2.) Brad Troxel, South Beloit, IL; 3.) Bob Ropeke, Genoa City, WI
2nd Heat: 1.) Jerry Hansche, Racine, WI; 2.) Leroy Potter, Genoa City, WI; 3.) Kevin Rybuck, Menomonee Falls, WI
Dash: 1.) Rick Corso, McHenry, IL; 2.) Monty Coffman, Burlington, WI; 3.) Scott Poritz, Burlington, WI
Time Trials: 1.) Scott Poritz, Burlington, WI; 17.167 Seconds; 2.) Rick Corso, McHenry, IL, 17.309 Seconds; 3.) Bobby Gutknecht, Oak Creek, WI, 17.410 Seconds