Novotny Scores Another Clean Sweep, First Career Feature for Tom Palma! By Jeremy Davidson

August 12, 2005;  Lake Geneva, WI. -Promoter Kevin Dawson could not have asked for any better weather as the Friday family night race program, at Lake Geneva Raceway brought nearly 100 race cars into the pit area for the fourth to the last night of the season for many of these race cars and drivers. Kip Novotny out of Johnsburg, Illinois made it look easy taking another clean sweep in the Rascal Outlaws association division.Kip in his 9th. year of racing nearly broke his own one lap qualifying mark taking fast time, then won his heat and the 20 lap feature.

In a post feature interview Novotny said ”this sure was fun,but now it’s time for  a Budweiser”. Tom Palma from Delavan won his first career 15 lap Perfection Auto Body IN EX legends feature race,leading from start to finish.Bob Koch of McHenry,Il the current point leader and former champion in the Double R Towing Basic International cars,had fast time,but settled for second in the 6 lap dash and then went on to win the 15 lap feature race. 16 year old Branden Allen of   Yorkville,IL.won his fourth 15 lap feature for the INEX bandolero cars. Mike Van Houten of Cary,IL. finally had some good luck and won the 15 lap Luisa’s pizzeria mini modified feature race and Sonny Schoffen of Crystal Lake,IL. won his third 25 lap LGR late model feature.

The rascal outlaw feature got off to a rocky start, as Mark Findley moved in front of the large field at the drop of the green,Jeff LeSage went over someones wheels flew high into the air and rolled hard three and one half times coming off turn two. LeSage escaped injury,but his race car was damaged, ending his quest for the night. On the restart Findley charged back in front,with Lenny Adams in John Benkert’s mount next. Kip Novotny’s run to the front, went like this, ninth at the end of one, sixth at the end of three and second at the end of four and out front one lap later.

There was plenty of action behind the new leader, but it took Chris Bedore until lap eighteen to move around Findley for second. Time was out as Novotny was nearly three quarters of a lap ahead for the win.Bedore was second,with Lee Halverson nipping Findley for third.Keith Christopherson was a close fifth and Adams sixth.

The legends feature was another exciting event as Tom Palma shot off the outside pole starting position and into the lead with the double greens out.Don Schaal was second,with Ryan Miles and Joe Scala in a dead heat for third. Thirteen year old
Ross Kenseth spun on lap four while running eleventh,but everyone missed him. Quickly Michael Bilderback slipped into second on lap five, with Curt Gnatzig, Eric Lokemoen and Ernie Schaal following him, as Don Schaal dropped to sixth. This
pattern was just a preview of what a great finish this race would be, with Palma still in command of the situation. On lap ten a racing incident took Bilderback, Gnatzig and Lokemoen to the rear, after Gnatzig went around. This would now pit Palma
against Ernie Schaal,the next five laps were excellent, with Palma lead four of the five go rounds.With Schaal in front with the white flag shown, this twosome raced  into turn one side by side. Palma inched ahead briefly out of turn two, then Schaal
went back in front into three. Coming through turn four, the crowd were on their feet. Across the line, Palma was barely ahead, but that is what counts. Schaal was second at his side, with Hermann Greinig third, a recovered Gnatzig nipped Scala for  fourth and Don Schaal was sixth, in one of the best races of the night.

The bandolero feature was another great run, as Kyle Justis the feature winner  last time the group was here, out front as the race began.Ryan Milligan and Kyle Palma raced for second, with fast time qualifier Branden Allen fourth.I n the last feature
Justis nipped Palma for the win, this time Palma was up for the call, was they raced side by side for the next five laps,before Palma moved in front.Brandon Heisler was having problems, going down a lap on the next go round.Michael Cooter slipped
into second on lap eight,with the leader in firm grasp of the front spot. This was setting up as another down to the wire finish,the lead was swapped numerous times, until there were two laps to go when Cooter made contact with the leader, sending him around in front of the field running him down.  The first Yellow Book USA caution period came out and Palma headed to the pits for some unknown reason. Allen became the new leader and the green, white checkered situation will created. Rookie Hope Bidlack chased Allen the eventual winner for those two laps, finishing second in her best finish to date here.Justis was third, with Fourth week driver Milligan next, Cooter recovered for fifth and Dave Cooter Sr. was sixth.

Paul Edmundson was the early leader of the late model feature,with Ralph Gentile, Paul Dygon and Keith Tolf in tight formation. Lap three and four had Gentile in front, with Tolf taking over the top spot on lap five. Edmundson and Josh Wallace tangled on lap eight, bringing out the first caution of the race. On the restart Rob Maule spun and the next
caution followed. Sonny Schoffen took charge of the race on the next green, with Brian Ulrich right on his heels for the next nine laps. Then Tolf resurged moving into second with just eight laps to go. With the checkered flag out Schoffen won the contest with Ulrich capturing second, as Tolf limped across the line in third, after breaking an axle coming across the line.Wallace recovered for fourth,Ken Johnson was fifth and Gentile sixth.

Mike VanHouten led every lap of the non stop mini modified feature for the win. Jerry Giuliano who took fast time and won the dash,fell short with second place for a clean sweep. Bill Trusky was third, Glen Vernezze was fourth with Curt Thomazin fifth and Jesse Johnson in his second night out this season in sixth.

This Friday night the legends and bandoleros will be off for the national points event down South. The LGR late models, BICS, mini modifieds, the super mini cups, Midwest sport trucks and Formula Indy cars will be here. Time trials begin at 6pm.racing at 7:30pm.