Tragedy mars LGR Friday Night opener!
By Dale Erdmann

June 2, 2000; Lake Geneva, WI. -  Jimmy Olson Jr. of Woodstock, Illinois, a 15 year old rookie driver in the sport truck division was fatally injured tonight on the opening night of Friday racing, at Lake Geneva Raceway. The racing accident occurred on the last lap of the 15 lap feature, as the truck came into turn four, with no other trucks involved.

The BIC feature and Millennium race series/Jefferson late model feature were canceled. The pit area had nearly 80 race cars and a good size crowd was on hand for that first of 13 nights of scheduled Friday Night racing.

Mike Van Houton grabbed the lead of the mini modified field with Mike Hennessy, Jeff Schultz and Tommy Sexton Jr. right there Hennessy dropped out on lap two, with fast timer Ken Johnson up to fifth on lap three. Sexton inched ahead on lap three, as Johnson moved into fourth on lap four. These two raced side by side for that top spot, with Johnson moving in front as the race reached the halfway point.

It looked like a lapped car would cause a problem but everyone got around him. At the wire Johnson started off where he left off two years ago, winning the race, as the 1998 defending champion beat Sexton, Schultz, Duck Wack, Hermie Schultz and Ed Stoddard were next, in the fifteen lap event.

Jeff Steenberger led the first eight laps of the twenty lap Formula Indy feature, before Brian Kements moved in front for just one lap. Tony Wallace then crept in front and looked like a sure winner. But with just two laps to go, Pat Kevin dove in front, crossing the line first. Steenberger was second, with Jim Bass, Wally Reitz, Don Spievak and Don Brown rounding out the top six.

The Legend car feature for twenty laps was another close contest, as Sam Saccullo led the first three laps, before Herman Greinig moved out front, for the next four rounds. Clayton Kruse wrestled the lead away from Greinig and held the lead until lap 13, when quick timer Brent Dixon moved in front and won his first career feature here. Gary LaMonte, Greinig, Al Smith, Tom Pirkel and Jeff Way completed the top six.

Defending champion Chad Ross won the sport truck feature, with Chad Phillips, Todd Ross, point leader Jim Olson, Eric Roberts and Vincent Merry next.

This coming Friday night, June 9th, the Bic cars, Millennium late model/Jefferson late models, the sport trucks, Wisconsin Allison legacy cars and mini modifieds will be here. Time trials begin at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp.