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Friday Night Millennium Feature to Westenberg!
By Dale Erdmann

May 25, 2001; Lake Geneva, WI. The second weekly Friday night race program at Lake Geneva Raceway brought over 100 race cars to the pit area. The weather is less than ideal, as rain fell within fifty feet of the oval, holding the crowd down from last weeks great season opener. Luke "Tthe Duke"Westenberg of Palmyra a regular at Jefferson Speedway and in the millennium late model division the past two seasons and runner up in points in 2000 here, won his first career for 15 laps.

"Racin" Rich Musgrave of Des Plaines, Illinois made it two in a row in the 15 lap feature race, after his first career victory last week in the Herb's mini modifieds.Some other double winners include Curt Gnatzig of Hartford made it two in arow for the Perfection Auto Body Legend cars and Vincent Merry of Wadsworth in the Sideline Motorsports sport trucks. Bill Webb of Sharon won his first 20 lap Basic International cars feature ,which ran on the old quarter mile for part of the family fun night excitment and Jim Veugler ,a former moto cross racer of Crystal Lake Illinois won the 15 lap Rascal Outlaw feature.

Photo Highlights

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Luke Westenberg (#16) earned top honors in the Millennium Late Models this evening at Lake Geneva Raceway.
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Vincent Merry came out on top of the Sport Trucks in their feature event.
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Curt Gnatzig took the lead near the midway point of the Legend car feature and held on the foe victory.
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Rich Musgrave (#21) scored a feature victory in the Mini-Modifieds.

The millennium late model feature started off with Jack Kossow shooting off the outside pole starting position.Quickly Luke Westenberg slipped under Tommy Novoso to move into second on lap three. On lap five Rick Corso who set fast time was up along side Westenberg, with Kossow still out front. Corso was on a mission taking over the lead one lap later, with a tight pack behind them.

Defending champion Russ Blakley wasn't going to let Corso run away and hide, after a battle with Kossow and Westenberg three laps later positions changed. First nighter Steve Maciosek tried everything to gain a spot but the pace was wicked. Then came lap eleven Corso and Blakley made contact with the leader spinning. The slowdown was just long enough to put the two involved to the back. Kossow out ran Westenberg into turn one, but two laps later the lead changed again. At the finish Westenberg was the winner, with Blakley, Corso and Kossow under a blanket at the line.

Twenty cars answered the call of the BIC feature with Kyle Betts out front for just one lap before Ken Knaak took over the helm. Just like that Bill Webb who started mid pack was in front on lap four. That lead was short lived as Wally Kroncke came by the leader like he was stopped on lap six.Point leader Chris Koleno Sr. was now fourth, with Ralph Wood dropping Webb one more position two laps later.

Things were lively, but extremely tight on the old flat quarter as the lead changed one more time on lap twelve , with Wood gaining the front spot. Lapped cars became a factor with just five laps to go, as Kroncke out manuvered the field. It was a mad dash for the final three laps with Kroncke hanging on for the win. That finish didn't stand, as the winner was dropped to last for an illegal right front tire. This gave the victory to Webb, who finished just in front of Koleno, Wood, Bill Horvat and Jeff Schultz who races in two divisions.

Mike Van Houton barged out of the second row to slip into the lead of the mini modified feature with Joe Miller in second. On lap three something happened to defending champion Ken Johnson's mount as he retired to the pits for the remainder of the event. Second in time Rich Musgrave darted around traffic and looked to Van Houten's front position. On lap four there was a new leader but not the end of a close race.

The action slowed on lap eight as rookie Jay Harpster had problems. On the next green Miller flew past Van Houton but the leader was up for the challenge. Musgrave held on for the win, with Miller, Van Houton and Duck Wack in a very tight formation.

Curt Gnatzig grabbed the lead on lap eleven of the Legends feature for 20 laps,holding on for the win over a hard charging Gary LaMonte, fast timer Al Smith, Herman Grenig and Chris Carnes in an event that started twenty cars, with only two lapped at the end.

Vincent Merry needed four laps to get to the front of the sport truck main event. Chad Ross, Todd Ross and Bill VanKirk rounded out the top four.

A caution flag midway through the Rascal Outlaw feature couldn't stop Jim Veugler from winning the fifteen lap feature. Chris Carlson was second with Dave Colletti, Butch Torkelson, Greg Findley and Rich Guy completed the top six.

Next friday night marks the first appearance of the Great Lakes Legacy series with drivers from four states expected. The sport trucks and Formula Indy cars will join the BICS, millennium late models, Herb's mini modifieds and Perfection Auto Body Legendswith more than 120 cars expected .There will be no increase in admission prices. Time trials begin at 6 pm. racing at 7:30 sharp.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS LAKE GENEVA RACEWAY, LAKE GENEVA, WI. MAY 25th. 2001

BASIC INTERNATIONAL DIVISION
FEATURE RACE 20 laps 1) Bill Webb ,Sharon 2) Chris Koleno Sr. Wonder Lake,IL. 3) Ralph Wood,Beloit 4) Bill Horvat , Delavan 5) Jeff Schultz ,Silver Lake 6) Kyle Betts ,Pell Lake 7) Ray Caswell ,McHenry,IL. 8) Bob Koch ,McHenry,IL.
SEMI FEATURE #1 15 laps 1) Tony Reik ,Elkhorn 2) Frank Murray ,Janesville 3) John Circio ,Racine 4) Tim Olson ,Genoa City
SEMI FEATURE #2 15 laps 1) Dale Gustum ,Sharon 2) Jeff Schultz ,Silver Lake 3) Eric Schossen ,Crystal Lake,IL. 4) Austin Powers ,Twin Lakes
HEAT RACES ALL 10 laps 1st. Heat 1)Frank Murray ,Hebron,IL. 2) Olson 3)Don Prisk ,Whitewater
2nd. Heat 1) Curcio 2)T-Bone Fell, Walworth 3) Kevin Oliver ,Pell Lake
3rd. Heat 1) Gustum 2) LeRoy Brown ,Beloit 3) Schossen
4th. Heat 1) Koch 2) Wood 3) Kroncke
5th. Heat 1) Koleno 2) John Donaldson ,Twin Lakes 3) Ken Knaak ,McHenry,IL.
TIME TRIALS 1) Don Emrich ,Evansville 2) Bruce Barry ,Crystal Lake,IL. 3) Koleno

SIDELINE MOTORSPORTS SPORT TRUCK DIVISION
Feature 10 laps 1) Vincent Merry,Wadsworth,IL 2) Chad Ross ,Kenosha 3) Todd Ross, Hoffman Estates,IL. 4) Bill VanKirk, Racine 5) Tom Ross,Wadsworth ,IL.
HEAT RACE 10 laps 1) C. Ross 2) Merry 3) T. Ross
TIME TRIALS 1) Merry 2) C.Ross 3) T.Ross

MILLENNIUM LATE MODEL DIVISION
Feature 15 laps 1) Luke Westenberg ,Palmyra 2) Russ Blakley, Palmyra 3) Rick Corso ,McHenry,IL. 4) Jack Kossow ,Union Grove 5) Tommy Nevoso ,Trevor 6) Steve Maciosek ,Waterford
HEAT RACE 10 laps 1) Blakley 2) Kossow 3) Corso
TIME TRIALS 1) Corso 2) Westenberg 3) Blakley

HERB'S MINI MODIFIED DIVISION
FEATURE 15 laps
1) Rich Musgrave ,Des Plaines,IL. 2) Joe Miller, Kenosha 3) Mike Van Houton ,Cary,IL. 4) Duck Wack ,Salem 5) Bill Trusky ,Silver Lake 6) Bruce Brandenberg ,Baraboo 7) Mike Huess ,Elkhorn 8) Jay Harspter ,Antioch,IL.
HEAT RACE 10 laps 1) Houton 2) Hermie Schultz ,Silver Lake 3) Trusky
DASH RACE 6 laps 1) Ken Johnson ,Paddock Lake 2) Musgrave 3) Miller
TIME TRIALS 1) Johnson 2) Musgrave 3) Wack

PERFECTION AUTO BODY LEGEND DIVISION
FEATURE 20 laps 1) Curt Gnatzig ,Hartford 2) Gary LaMonte ,West Allis 3) Al Smith ,Rockford,IL. 4) Herman Grenig, Milwaukee 5) Chris Carnes ,Machesney Park,IL. 6) Brad Popp ,Burlington 7) Ryan Carlson ,Loves Park,IL. 8) Joe Scala ,Fox River Grove,IL.
HEAT RACE 10 laps 1) Carnes 2) Carlson 3) Clayton Kruse, Burlington
DASH RACE 6 laps 1) Smith 2) Popp 3) Gnatzig
TIME TRIALS 1) Smith 2) LaMonte 3) Gnatzig

RASCAL OUTLAW DIVISION
FEATURE RACE 15 laps 1) Jim Veugler 2) Chris Carlson 3) Dave Colletti 4) Butch Torkelson 5) Greg Findley 6) Rich Guy 7) Mark Findley 8) John Benkert
HEAT RACE 10 laps 1) G.Findley 2) M.Findley 3) Guy
DASH RACE 1) Colletti 2) Carlson 3) Veugler