Skinner by inches in Lake Geneva Raceway Super Late Model win! By Dale Erdmann

April 28, 2001; Lake Geneva, WI. -  It was another perfect weather night at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night with the largest crowd for far this season Billy Skinner Jr. won his first super late model 35 lap feature of the season. Peter "Shorty" Hernandez the current McLeodUSA Mid American series leader,went two for two winning the 35 lap feature here. Hernandez won last Saturday night in Iowa. Mike Kooi of Island Lake,Illinois won the 25 lap McHenry Limo super stock 25 lap feature and took over the point lead.

Photo Highlights

Eventual winner Billy Skinner Jr. (#47) fends off the challenges of Matt Kocourek (#43) during the Super Late Model feature. A torrid battle between defending champion Landry Potter (#99) and Matt Kocourek (#43) ended in a shower of sparks after the pair made contact during the Super Late Model feature race. Peter Hernandez (#66) the current McLeodUSA Mid American series point leader captured the Mid-American feature this evening. Mid-American driver Jimmy Becker (#8) got upside down in practice, but came back to compete in events later in the evening. Mike Kooi (#76) drove a clean race in the Super Stock division to take home a victory in the feature event.

Matt Kocourek and Billy Skinner Jr. dueled for that top spot at the drop of the first green during the first two laps. Skinner inched just in front on lap three, with a tight field following the leader. The caution appeared on lap five with a Billy Baumeister and Brad Durbin get together. Kocourek could not hold onto the pavement on the restart, with Skinner securely in command of that top spot. Jerry Mueller crept up on the leader, with Russ Blakley and Kocourek next . Mike Simon got turned around for the next caution on lap seven. Larry Los got spun right after the next green and another caution appeared.

There were nine laps of caution free racing with Mueller and Kocourek all over the leader. Skinner held onto that top spot with now Rick Corso joining the battle for the lead on lap twelve. Within two laps Joe Fischer came within striking distrance, as it got close at the top. Just behind the top five it was an even  closer contest with point leader Landry Potter and Jamie Wallace trying to move up. Wayne Freimund spun bringing the race to a halt on lap eighteen. Before another green came out, Potter and Corso made contact and this slowed the waiting field. Corso retired to the pits and Fischer got the black flag for his loose sheet metal due that incident.

The next eleven laps were all out racing as Kocourek got a second wind and pulled inside the leader. Everyone wondered when the challengers tires would go away and with a very close field at the top, it was something no one wanted to see. Potter got squeezed onto the wall nearly flipping as he went for a wild ride, as Kocourek drifted out of his groove and the final caution of a long feature flew.

No one was injured but there was damage to both cars and their night was over. The four lap dash for the the finish was too close to call, as Wallace and Kent Burkoth tried everything to get the leader to make a mistake. That never happened as Skinner came across the line first. Wallace and Burkoth made a real show of it. With all those cautions Durbin, nipped Mueller for fifth, with Los, Baumeister and Hiffman next for this exciting contest.

The super stock feature was just one lap old, when pole sitter Paul Roscoe dropped out with problems. This gave Scott Scholl and Mike Olson an open track for some all out racing. Jeremy Olson became a factor by lap three and it was a three way fight for that top spot. Rob Summers slipped into fourth one lap later and now the leader had a small advantage.This was turning into another tight race, with Mike Kooi getting an early break on lap nine as he slipped into fifth. Jeremy Olson wasn't content with third as Summers grabbed second on lap ten.

The first only two cautions came on lap thirteen ,as Adam Regnier and Mike Bell running mid pack collidied as the rest of the field missed them.Regnier nearly made it off the track but stalled in turn one. Within three laps there was a shuffle at the top, Jeremy Olson pulled off a slick move, taking over the top spot on lap nineteen.

Kooi moved into second with former leader Mike Olson and Summers loosing the most pavement in the shake up. Dave Edwards now running fifth had Pete Olson right along side on him, as Summers could feel this twosome behind him.Kooi slipped in front one lap later, with Summers pushed into a four deep situation and the final caution with just three laps to go.

It was a sight to behold, those final laps were so close as the top eight mixed it as Kooi stayed at the helm. Doug Peterson got around Jeremy Olson on the white flag lap. Time ran out for a serious challenge of the leader, as Kooi scored the win over Peterson ,Jeremy Olson, Mike Olson, Pete Olson ,Greg Peterson, quick timer Jack Rubach and John Maki Jr.

Next Friday night weekly Pro Moto Cross racing sponsored by Nielsen Enterprizes begins.The stadium dirt course is located on the grounds.The first event begins at 8 pm.Over 300 riders are expected .From 10 am. until 4 pm. on Saturday before the weekly program, there will be a car show during the grand opening of Finish Line Collision Center. The new state of the art facility is located on Route 120,just three blocks north of I 43, in East Troy.There will be LGR and Slinger race cars, street rods and classics. The Jeff Gordon Dupont race car will be on display. Children will get a free picture in the race car. That night the BIC cars will make their first appearance on a Saturday night show. The sport trucks will also

join the super late models and super stocks. Time trials are at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp.

SUPER LATE MODEL DIVISION
35 lap feature 1) Billy Skinner Jr. Pell Lake 2) Jamie Wallace,Pell Lake 3) Kent Burkoth ,Pell Lake 4) Brad Durbin, Lyons 5) Jerry Mueller ,West Bend 6) Larry Los ,Darien 7) Billy Baumeister ,Janesville 8) Denny Hiffman ,River Forest,IL.
SEMI FEATURE 16 laps 1) Jerry Cowan ,Burlington 2) Paul Loppnow ,Burlington 3) Chuck Duncan, Milwaukee 4) Brian Ulrich ,Racine
HEAT RACES ALL 10 laps 1st. Heat 1) Ulrich 2) Tim White,Pell Lake 3) Jim Bennett ,Round Lake Beach,IL.
HEAT 2. 1) Jeff Way ,Waterford 2) Loppnow 3) Cowan
HEAT 3. 1) Baumeister 2) Skinner 3) Matt Kocourek,Racine
AL SCHILL JR. MEMORIAL DASH 4 laps 1) Wallace 2) Rick Corso ,McHenry,IL. 3) Landry Potter, Delavan
TIME TRIALS 1) Joe Fischer ,McHenry,IL. 16.256 sec. 2) Potter 16.282 sec. 3) Wallace 16.426 sec.

McHenry Limo SUPER STOCK DIVISION
25 lap feature 1) Mike Kooi ,Island Lake,IL. 2) Doug Peterson,Antioch,IL. 3) Jeremy Olson ,Spring Grove,IL. 4) Mike Olson , Wonder Lake,IL. 5) Pete Olson, Woodstock,IL. 6) Greg Peterson ,Paddock Lake 7) Jack Rubach ,Burlington 8) John Maki Jr. Antioch,IL.
SEMI FEATURE 16 laps 1) Andy Szymanskyj ,East Troy 2) Dan Huber ,Antioch,IL. 3) Aaron Spinniolos,Mc Henry,IL.
HEAT RACES ALL 10 laps 1st. HEAT 1) Tom Fay, Arlington heights,IL. 2) Ron Benedict ,Genoa City 3) Aaron Willms ,Burlington
HEAT 2. 1) Nick Nelson , Lombard,IL. 2) Paul Konieczny ,Oconomowoc 3) Szymanskyj
HEAT 3. 1) P.Olson 2) Rob Summers ,Lake Geneva 3) Scott Scholl ,Menomonee Falls
DASH RACE 6 laps 1) Kooi 2) D. Peterson 3) Rubach
TIME TRIALS 1) Rubach 18.922 sec. 2) Mike Bell ,Waukesha 19.341 sec. 3) D.Peterson 19.446 sec.