Leicht, Johnson, and Bilderback win Championships at LGR! Potter, Summers and Corso Win Features! By Dale R. Erdmann and Kim Straube

October 4, 2003; Lake Geneva, WI. - It was another cold,damp night at Lake Geneva Raceway Saturday night for the season finale for weekly racing. It was the 22nd. annual “run what ya brung” and the rescheduled 7th. annual Bud Light small car world championships. Steve Licht of Burlington won his first Perfection Auto Body legends championship after taking third to feature winner Merrill driver Eric Lokemoen who also had fast time.

Ken Johnson never knew that the temperature were in the fifties, as he took fast time just alittle slower than his track qualifying record and breezed to a impressive victory for the five time champion from Paddock Lake. Michael Bilderback of South Beloit, Illinois had a great night by taking a clean sweep in the INEX bandolero cars, winning his first championship in this growing class. Nearly 140 race cars participated.

Photo Highlights

Michael Bilderback (#2) earned a clean sweep in the INEX Bandolero division, and secured his first championship in the class. Ken Johnson (#2) fought tooth and nail all season long for the Mini-Modified title.   This evening went well for Johnson and he earned his fifth division title. Regular Super Late Model driver Rick Corso (#0) worked traffic in a borrowed Rascal Outlaw on his way to a feature victory in the 4 Cylinder class.

The legends feature wasn’t even started as defending champion Curt Gnatzig
and Robb Duffek made contact. Gnatzig piled hard into the turn two wall and his evening was over placing ninth in the main event. Herman Greinig had quickly pulled onto the infield and asked Gnatzig if he wanted to use his car. Officials ruled that could not happen and that dashed any hopes for a second straight championship for Gnatzig.

Duffek returned to the pack and the green flag was shown for what would be a non stop event with Lyle Kuklinski moving out front Joe Scala and Duffek next.

The field shuffled as Eric Lokemoen threaded his way through the field. Licht gave his all but the visiting driver got by on lap seven and into the lead two laps later. Six laps later Lokemoen won the event with Kuklinski was second the third place finish by Licht was enough to give him the title. Greinig was fourth,fifth was Scala and Duffek held on for sixth.

The non stop mini modified feature was a tight clean race as Bill Trusky slipping in front with Chris Marinello,Andy Krueger and Glen Vernezze all over the leader. It took Vernezze five laps to make his way to the front with Mike VanHouten inching past Krueger three laps later. Like he was shot from the sky Ken Johnson flew past all three and into the lead on lap eleven.

The next nine laps Johnson stayed out of trouble to win the twenty lap event over Vernezze, VanHouten, Phil Schultz, Hermanie Schultz and Trusky, all in close formation.

The bandolero feature also would go non stop as the double greens would appear it was a four deep start with Bobby Yonkee pulling out front of the group.

Brian Heberlin was second with Kyle LaPier right along side of him. Just like the previous feature the point leader got his breaks early charging in front of the race before lap three would end.

Yonkee stayed with the new leader for the next two laps, then Michael Cooter tried to gain the top spot. When it was all over Bilderback won the event by an big margin. Cooter stayed ahead of Kyle LaPier who has improved each week. Heberlin was pressured by Jeremy Dietmeier a new comer that will be force next season. Yonkee nipped Jason Halbrader for sixth.

The Burris pro circle track karts ran five features. The kids kart feature went to Morgan Schissel just in front of Austin Hintt and Travis Sabatka. Jeff Everts won the Junior #3 over Adam Carlson and Billy Hulbert in a very close race. The junior sportsman champ kart feature went to quick timer Cotton Clevenger, Tyler Blume and Jake Bandaly. The junior champ went to Matt Vice over Brian Freiberg and Michael Bilderback who raced in both divisions. In the Senior medium, it was another close contest as Brandon Eash finished just in front of Jason Lindgren and fast qualifier Ryan Rockhold.

The unlimited cars brought out some dirt and paved race cars with Steve Maciosek in his winged warrior out front for one laps before Landry Potter flew in front. Potter was so fast as he turned some quick laps in the low sixteens for the win. Gary Raven a regular for this event was second, with Don Collins third, Mike Simon Jr. was right on his bumper for fourth, Larry Epright in a modified was fifth and Roger Lee a dirt track champion sixth.

The full frame cars were in abundance with a close back to the front field. Dustin Holland paced the pack for three laps before Willy Peterson went by. Holland blasted Peterson, after that incident on the back straightaway and the dust cleared the two cars were nose to nose stalled as the rest went by. Tom Roney didn’t see the melee and came up the middle to find the disabled cars having no where to go then ending up with the two stalled mounts.

Underway with the next green Dan Huber flew in front of Mike Gunderson and Jack Rubach to take the lead. First Gunderson then Rubach challenged the new leader but Huber was up for the call. Then four laps later fast timer Rob  Summers came up to give it a try. Rubach and Summers diced with each other to give Huber lots of pressure. Summers finally made his move on lap fourteen creeping ahead of Huber before another lap would go by.

The first car was lapped on the white flag as Summers, Huber and Rubach looked like they were glued together. It would finish the same way, with Gunderson right with them. John Janssen who won last weekend was fifth and Randy Schneider
sixth for a great race.

Scott Norton moved out front of the large pure stock 4 cylinder feature with Dan Giannotti the other pole setter along side for second. It was a side by side race for lead with Giannotti leading lap two. Rod Brossart briefly led lap eight as Rick Corso in the littlest car on the track carefully moved up to second after last due the semi feature win.

On lap nine Corso grabbed the led but lapped only the third place car on his tour around the oval before the checkered. Vincent Merry the 2003 sport truck champ was second with Tom Ross and Dale Gustum all in trucks next.Giannotti was next in a BIC car and Rob Hunt the 2003 champion sixth.

The oval track still has two shows left for the public. On Saturday afternoon October 18th. The original Goblin 250 enduro for the Midwest stock car series group. The powder puff begins at 2:30 pm. with the BIC type cars mini enduro at 3pm. and the Goblin 250 at 3:30.

On Sunday afternoon October 26th. the Indian summer Brass Ball 250 enduro will be held for any small car. Matt Rowe the Promoter at 141 was one of the first cars to enter. This show starts at 1 pm.