Lake Geneva Raceway Race Reports:
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Hill and Thomazin Score First Career Features,
Clean Sweep for Bilderback!

By Dale R. Erdmann

September 11, 2004; Lake Geneva, WI. - Summer finally came to southeastern Wisconsin, just nine days before fall is suppose to begin. The good size crowd came out to witness five divisions of action, Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway. In the Jim Olson Collision centers super late model 35 lap feature went to Brandon Hill of Lake Geneva, his first career win. Hill picked up an extra $50 from Noreen’s on Oakwood for his efforts as he led every lap. John Janssen of Burlington won his fourth 25 lap feature in the McHenry Limousine super stocks. Curt Thomazin of Elkhorn won his first career feature in the Luisa’s pizzeria mini modifieds.Point leader Michael Bilderback of South Beloit, Illinois scored a clean sweep of the Bandana Bandito bandolero cars. Bilderback took fast time, won his heat and the 12 lap feature and a driver started racing in 1958, Vaughn Gerke of South Beloit,IL. won the 12 lap vintage race car association feature,that ended very close.

Photo Highlights

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Brandon Hill won his first career 35-lap super late model feature race
Saturday night at Lake Geneva Raceway. 
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John Janssen bested the super stock feature field Saturday at LGR.
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Vaughn Gerke mastered the 12-lap vintage race car event at LGR Saturday.
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Michael Bilderback was the top gun in the Bandolero class main event Saturday at Lake Geneva.
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Curt Thomazin was the mini-modified feature winner at Lake Geneva Raceway
Saturday.  

The zany school bus race was won by Bo-bo in the blue bus.Brad Wilson rolled his white bus over to the delight of the crowd.

The Barker’s reconditioning “Al Schill Jr.”memorial dash for the super late models went to Terry Patnode of South Milwaukee.The Homtown computer of Waterford dash for the mini modifieds went to John DeMay of Lake Villa,IL.and Mike Gunderson of Wind Lake won the Chuck’s storage of Pell Lake,dash for the super stocks.

The super late model feature was just one lap old,when Larry Los got into Earl Counter, causing Donovan Morgan to be come involved before the dust cleared.The next Yellow Book USA caution period came as the green flag came back out
when Landry Potter lost his power steering,collecting Joe Fischer, Eric Roberts, Ron Stoehr and Chuck Duncan.All everything was done, Duncan’s night was over with extensive damage to his front end of his mount.Roberts for his second night out had his night end early again, as Stoehr couldn’t answer the call for the next green.

Finally all out racing would ensue for the eight laps before Michael Kruschke spun, stopping the race one more time.Each time Hill would march out front with Randy Rodgers and Jacob Humphrey dueling for second, in a see/saw fight for the spot. Eddie May moved into fourth after having problems earlier in the night,thing were a lot better by feature time. For the second week in a row Jeff Holmgren Jr. had fast time and by lap eighteen ,he was working on May. Until lap thirty one, when May spun, Hill never had a serious challenge, this would end as the green reappeared. Rodgers got under the leader three times before the next lap would end. But there would be nothing stopping Hill, as the hometown driver won the race three laps later. Rodgers had all he could do,holding back Holmgren for second,with Humphrey fourth, Rick Corso fifth and Jason Hicks the point leader sixth, now with just a ten point lead with two more weeks of earned points before the fall classic.

Fast qualifier Jack Rubach took the Powersource racing engines challenge, starting last in the field of twenty two cars,that took the first green. Tom Fay  moved in front with Tom Roney, Adam Mass, Ken Eisbrenner and Shane Sapp
in a tight cluster. Lap two and three the leader had Roney along side of him, before the lead changed hands on the foureth go round.On lap nine Willy Peterson, Jack Rubach,Tom Jastrab and Ken”farmer”Calhoun tangled bringing out the first caution.

Mass tried to move in front at the drop of the next green, but Roney charged back in front, with Sapp third, as the field stayed side by side for many laps. Then on lap seventeen Adam Regnier and Bob Moeller running midpack tangled. Regnier would not return at the next green, but Mass, then John Janssen would give the leader some pressure. On lap twenty Dan Clemenz lost something off his car and the final caution would appear. On the restart for the five lap dash for the checkered, Roney held his own to all that would want his spot. But with the white flag out, Janssen went just alittle deeper into turn three coming for the finish, nipping Roney at the wire.Mass was right along side for third, with Mike Gunderson outside, Sapp and Scott Norton nearly a dead heat for the conclusion of a close race.

The mini modified feature brought Curt Thomazin from his second row starting  berth in front of the field, as Sonny Schoffen in the Glen Vernezze spun off turn two.A caution came one lap later for another racing incident. When the green came back
out Thomazin scooted back in front,with Phil Schultz at his side ,Mike VanHouten the quick qualifier next and John DeMay. Birthday driver Andy Krueger slipped into fourth on lap five,as the field remained extremely close. Schoffen a lap down
was running right behind VanHouten.Time ran out for VanHouten as Thomazin was scored the winner, Phil Schultz was third, with his Father Hermie Schultz fourth,Denny Norton Jr. in the Ken Johnson mount and Krueger.

The bandolero feature got off to a rocky start,as Kyle Jusits and Steve Erikson got together. Both cars received damage and they spent the remainder of the event watching from the pit area. Kyle LaPier jumped in front with Michael Cooter, Michael Bilderback and rookie Kyle Palma in a tight formation. Visiting driver Kyle Tillman from Oklahoma was having problems,as Colton Clevenger moved past him. The next three laps LaPier and Bilderback ran side by side, with Cooter looking for an opening. Lap eight the lead changed, as Bilderback never looked back scoring the win,LaPier stayed in front of Cooter,with Palma, Tillman and Clevenger dropped out with two laps to go, but finished sixth.

This weekend there will be two nights and an afternoon of racing here. On  Friday the moto cross takes place on the stadium dirt course. The weekly shows were not on the original schedule, due to all the rain outs the program was extended until September 24th.

On the oval and the infield R.A.Adams Enterprises presents the first ever tournament of destruction with lots of zany events, including combine demo derbies,roll over contest, at least two trailer races, school bus races, school bus demo, monster truck crushing a 30 foot camper and a whole lot more. The show begins at 7pm.

On Saturday night, Jeremy Bloomberg will try to win the sportsman championship, as the first week of season championships races takes place. The super late models, Super stocks, Vazcom communications Midwest sport trucks and the bandoleros will all race.Time trials begin at 5:40 pm.racing at 7pm.

On Sunday district 16 point races for the regional and local riders takes place at 9am.

Super Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Brandon Hill, Lake Geneva, Wis; 2. Randy Rodgers (t), Elkhorn, Wis; 3. Jeff Holmgren, Jr., East Troy, Wis; 4. Jacob Humphrey (t), Lake Geneva, Wis; 5. Rick Corso (t), McHenry, Ill.; 6. Jason Hicks, Delavan, Wis; 7. Terry Patnode, South Milwaukee, Wis; 8. Eddie May, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 9. Michael Kruschke (t), Muskego, Wis; 10. Joe Fischer, Mc Henry, Ill.; 11.
Landry Potter, Racine, Wis; 12. Vincent Merry, Wadsworth, Ill.; 13. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 14. Larry Los, Darien, Wis; 15. Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, Wis; 16. Eric Roberts, Zion, Ill.;17. Ron Stoehr, Dousman, Wis; 18. Chuck Duncan, Milwaukee, Wis; 19. Earl Counter, Geneva, Ill.; 20. Donovan Morgan, Oconomowoc, Wis.

B-Main 01 -- 1. Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, Wis; 2. Chuck Duncan, Milwaukee, Wis; 3. Shane Bishop, Lake Geneva, Wis; 4. Mike Simon Jr, Ingleside, Ill.; 5. Mike Simon Sr, Grayslake, Ill.; 6. Chris Blawat, Waukesha, Wis; 7. Jeff Menolascino, Walworth, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Joe Fischer, Mc Henry, Ill.; 2. Vincent Merry, Wadsworth, Ill.; 3. Chris Blawat, Waukesha, Wis; 4. Chuck Duncan, Milwaukee, Wis; 5. Jeff Menolascino, Walworth, Wis; 6. Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, Wis; 7. Mike Simon Sr, Grayslake, Ill.; 8. Michael Kruschke (t), Muskego, Wis; 9. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake, Ill..

Heat 02 -- 1. Randy Rodgers (t), Elkhorn, Wis; 2. Landry Potter, Racine, Wis; 3. Larry Los, Darien, Wis; 4. Mike Simon Jr, Ingleside, Ill.; 5. Eric Roberts, Zion, Ill.; 6. Ron Stoehr, Dousman, Wis; 7. Brandon Hill, Lake Geneva, Wis; 8. Earl Counter, Geneva, Ill.; 9. Shane Bishop, Lake Geneva, Wis; 10. Eddie May, Crystal Lake, Ill..

Time Trial -- 1. Jeff Holmgren, Jr., East Troy, Wis; 2. Terry Patnode, South Milwaukee, Wis; 3. Jason Hicks, Delavan, Wis; 4. Donovan Morgan, Oconomowoc, Wis; 5. Rick Corso (t), McHenry, Ill.; 6. Jacob Humphrey (t), Lake Geneva, Wis; 7. Landry Potter, Racine, Wis; 8. Randy Rodgers (t), Elkhorn, Wis; 9. Earl Counter, Geneva, Ill.; 10. Larry Los, Darien, Wis; 11. Brandon Hill, Lake Geneva, Wis; 12. Eric Roberts, Zion, Ill.; 13. Ron Stoehr, Dousman, Wis; 14. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 15. Eddie May, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 16. Vincent Merry, Wadsworth, Ill.; 17. Michael Kruschke (t), Muskego, Wis; 18. Joe Fischer, Mc Henry, Ill.; 19. Chuck Duncan, Milwaukee, Wis; 20. Jeff Lorenz, Waukesha, Wis; 21. Jeff Menolascino, Walworth, Wis; 22. Chris Blawat, Waukesha, Wis; 23. Mike Simon Sr, Grayslake, Ill.; 24. Mike Simon Jr, Ingleside, Ill.; 25. Jerry Cowan, Burlington, Wis.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Terry Patnode, South Milwaukee, Wis; 2. Donovan Morgan, Oconomowoc, Wis; 3. Jason Hicks, Delavan, Wis; 4. Jacob Humphrey (t), Lake Geneva, Wis; 5.Jeff Holmgren, Jr., East Troy, Wis; 6. Rick Corso (t), McHenry, Ill..

Super Stocks
A-Main 01 -- 1. John Janssen, Burlington, Wis; 2. Tom Roney, Ridgefield, Ill.; 3. Adam Mass (t), Woodstock, Ill.; 4. Mike Gunderson (t), Union Grove, Wis; 5. Shane Sapp, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 6.Scott Norton, Wonder Lake, Ill.; 7. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 8. Tom Fay (t), Arlington Heights, Ill.; 9. Ken Eisbrenner, Racine, Wis; 10. Dustin Holland, Genoa City, Wis; 11. Jack
Rubach (t), Burlington, Wis; 12. Dave Timan, Grayslake, Ill.; 13. Tom Jastrab, Pell Lake, Wis; 14. Willy Peterson, Woodstock, Ill.; 15. Bob Moeller, McHenry, Ill.; 16. Josh Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis; 17. Ken "farmer" Calhoun, Johnsburg, Ill.; 18. Joe DeCubellis, Burlington, Wis; 19. Bill Morris (t), Streamwood, Ill.; 20. Dan Clemenz, Waukegan, Ill.; 21. Rick Paap, Franksville, Wis; 22. Chris
Sackman, Union Grove, Wis; 23. Adam Regnier, Twin Lakes, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Josh Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Dustin Holland, Genoa City, Wis; 3. Ken "farmer" Calhoun, Johnsburg, Ill.; 4. Dan Clemenz, Waukegan, Ill.; 5. Willy Peterson, Woodstock, Ill.; 6. Bill Morris (t), Streamwood, Ill.; 7. Rick Paap, Franksville, Wis; 8. Chris Sackman, Union Grove

Heat 02 -- 1. Bob Moeller, McHenry, Ill.; 2. Scott Norton, Wonder Lake, Ill.; 3. Adam Mass (t), Woodstock, Ill.; 4. Tom Jastrab, Pell Lake, Wis; 5. Tom Roney, Ridgefield, Ill.; 6. Dave Timan, Grayslake, Ill.; 7. Tom Fay (t), Arlington Heights, Ill.; 8. Joe DeCubellis, Burlington, Wis; 9. Ken Eisbrenner, Racine, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. Jack Rubach (t), Burlington, Wis; 2. Mike Gunderson (t), Union Grove, Wis; 3.Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 4. John Janssen, Burlington, Wis; 5. Adam Regnier, Twin Lakes, Wis; 6. Shane Sapp, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 7. Scott Norton, Wonder Lake, Ill.; 8. Adam Mass (t), Woodstock, Ill.; 9. Bob Moeller, McHenry, Ill.; 10. Tom Roney, Ridgefield, Ill.; 11. Ken Eisbrenner, Racine, Wis; 12. Tom Fay (t), Arlington Heights, Ill.; 13. Tom Jastrab, Pell Lake, Wis; 14. Dave Timan, Grayslake, Ill.; 15. Ken "farmer" Calhoun, Johnsburg, Ill.; 16. Dustin Holland, Genoa City, Wis; 17. Willy Peterson, Woodstock, Ill.; 18. Dan Clemenz, Waukegan, Ill.; 19. Bill Morris (t), Streamwood, Ill.; 20. Rick Paap, Franksville, Wis; 21. Chris Sackman, Union Grove, Wis; 22. Josh Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Mike Gunderson (t), Union Grove, Wis; 2. John Janssen, Burlington, Wis; 3. Shane Sapp, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 4. Jack Rubach (t), Burlington, Wis; 5. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 6. Adam Regnier, Twin Lakes, Wis.

Bandoleros
A-Main 01 -- 1. Michael Bilderback (y), S. Beloit, Ill.; 2. Kyle La Pier (y), Belvidere, Ill.; 3. Michael Cooter (y);; 4. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 5. Kyle Tillman, Tulsa, Okla.; 6. Colton Clevenger (b), Stillman Valley, Ill.; 7. Kyle Jusits (y);; 8. Steve Erickson;.

Heat 01 -- 1. Michael Bilderback (y), S. Beloit, Ill.; 2. Kyle La Pier (y), Belvidere, Ill.; 3. MichaelCooter (y);; 4. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 5. Kyle Jusits (y);; 6. Colton Clevenger (b), Stillman Valley, Ill.; 7. Steve Erickson;; 8. Kyle Tillman, Tulsa, Okla..

Time Trial -- 1. Michael Bilderback (y), S. Beloit, Ill.; 2. Michael Cooter (y);; 3. Kyle La Pier (y), Belvidere, Ill.; 4. Steve Erickson;; 5. Colton Clevenger (b), Stillman Valley, Ill.; 6. Kyle Jusits (y);; 7. Kyle Palma, Delavan, Wis; 8. Kyle Tillman, Tulsa, Okla..

Mini-Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 2. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.; 3. Phil Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis; 4. Hermie Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis; 5. Ken Johnson, Park Ridge, Ill.; 6. Andy Krueger, Lake Geneva, Wis; 7. John DeMay, Lake Villa, Ill.; 8. Scott McCarthy, Antioch, Ill.; 9. Gerardo Giuliano, Schaumburg,, Ill.; 10. Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis; 11. Glen Vernezze, Salem,
Wis; 12. Jesse Johnson, Elkhorn, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Glen Vernezze, Salem, Wis; 2. Phil Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis; 3. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.; 4. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 5. Andy Krueger, Lake Geneva, Wis; 6. Ken Johnson, Park Ridge, Ill.; 7. Jesse Johnson, Elkhorn, Wis; 8. Hermie Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. Mike Van Houten, Cary, Ill.; 2. Curt Thomazin, Elkhorn, Wis; 3. Ken Johnson, Park Ridge, Ill.; 4. Andy Krueger, Lake Geneva, Wis; 5. Glen Vernezze, Salem, Wis; 6. Phil Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis; 7. Hermie Schultz, Silver Lake, Wis; 8. Scott McCarthy, Antioch, Ill.; 9.Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis; 10. Jesse Johnson, Elkhorn, Wis; 11. Gerardo Giuliano,
Schaumburg,, Ill.; 12. John DeMay, Lake Villa, Ill..

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. John DeMay, Lake Villa, Ill.; 2. Bill Trusky, Silverlake, Wis; 3. Gerardo
Giuliano, Schaumburg,, Ill.; 4. Scott McCarthy, Antioch, Ill..