Kocourek Mid-Season Winner / New Point Leader at LGR! By Dale Erdmann

July 13, 2002; Lake Geneva, WI. - It was mid season championships at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night as Bennett Enterprizes sponsored the evening. Matt Kocourek of Racine won the 50 lap feature for the Budweiser super late model cars and took over the  point lead at the half way mark of the 2002 season. This was the former legends driver third feature of the season who walked away with $1620 for the win. Bob Moeller of Johnsburg, Illinois won his second feature of the season as the fast qualifier received an extra $75 from D&D carpenting of Lake Geneva in the McHenry Limousine sponsored division in a non stop event. The Performance Unlimited sportsman feature for 30 laps went to point leader James Swan of Lake Geneva his fifth win of the year.

Photo Highlights

Matt Kocourek (#43) dives to the inside of Jason Hicks (#63) on his way to winning the Super Late Model feature race at Lake Geneva Raceway. Vincent Merry (#55), Jim Bennett (#33), Joel Clossey (#62) and Don Collins (#4) mix things up in Late Model action at Lake Geneva Raceway. James Swan (#97) finds himself in a familiar position at Lake Geneva Raceway. That is, getting his picture taken in victory lane after winning a Mid-American Sportsman main event. Bob Moeller (#63) came away with a victory in the Super Stock feature race.

Rookie Dan Mecum jumped in front of the super late model main event with Billy Baumeister all over the front runner. Right behind them Mike DeKuester Terry Patnode Jerry Cowan and Jason Hicks were so tight that any mistake would be dangerous. By lap ten Hicks had advanced to third after a great battle with Patnode. Mecum held his line but no one could out run him as the first caution came out on lap fifteen.

Mecum charged out front as the green flag was shown to the field as Hicks and Baumeister put on a show for second. Right behind them Matt Kocourek who started eighth row outside was already thirdby lap twenty and second by lap twenty two. Three laps later Kocourek took over the lead after Mecum got out of his groove. Brian Ulrich running eleventh on lap thirty two dumped something all over the track and open came the caution just after Hicks got around Mecum.

On the restart Hicks tried to out run the leader but Kocourek was up for any challenge. Jerry Freeman stormed into third with Patnode and Al Schill next. The final caution came on lap thirty nine as fire came out of the Joe Fischer mount. Fischer escaped injury but his night was over. As the cars relined up the cone came out and each driver picks their lane as the green came out Freeman inched up on the leader but Kocourek was up for the call. It was a quick ten laps with Kocourek taking the win by three lengths over Freeman as Hicks, Denny Hiffman, and Billy Skinner Jr. rounding out the top six in a very close race.

Jack Clark moved in front of the twenty car field of super stock drivers that stayed in formation as Scott Scholl inched ahead of the front runner.Clark came back on lap three with the lead but Scholl wasn’t to be denied coming in front again before Mike Gunderson was now trying to gain the top spot.On lap seven Gunderson and Scholl gave the race fans their monies worth with some close tight racing but the edge was for Gunderson.

The new leader could not shake the field as five laps later Bob Moeller would be all over Scholl.Then Pete Olson joined the fray as did Craig Mertes and Mike Bell.On lap eight teen Moeller slipped in front as Dan Huber joined this cluster. Scholl had problems and dropped out on lap twenty two while running fourth.Gunderson got his second wind and challenged Moeller with four laps to go. The first car to be lapped came with two laps to go and Moeller a former champion showed everyone his experience taking the win over Gunderson, Olson, Rob Summers, Huber and fast timer John Janssen in an excellent contest.

The sportsman feature would be another close event as Kevin King moved in front of the field with Terry Crowell, Jeff Peterson and Denny Norton Jr. next. Things at the top were very tight and slip would cost a driver a lot.Jeremy Bloomberg made some good moves and just as Norton charged in front it was then King, Crowell, and Bloomburg. Lap twelve Zac Deeringer got together with Bloomberg bringing out the first of three cautions. Another caution came just as the green reappeared as two cars in the back tangled.

Norton held the lead until lap nineteen before James Swan moved in front. The next lap Brian Baker and Nick Schumacher got by Crowell. Defending champion Mike Lange was  running sixth. The final caution came as Lee Gibbs spun all by himself and this tightened up the field.Swan cruised to a win with Schumacher nipping Norton Jr,. Lange, Baker and Joosten were next in this close race.

Monday night July 15th. the District 27A Lions Club firecracker special will run. Time trials begin at 6 pm. racing at 7pm. Four divisions will donate their engery and time for a good cause in the 32 year of this three time a year show. The walkers Brothers   Circus is Tuesday at 5:30 and 7:30 pm. Weekly Saturday night racing brings one on one spectator drags along with the three divisions of action .Time trials begin at 5:45 pm. First race at 7pm.