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Raceway Mourns Loss of Another Good Friend!
Rodgers, Rubach, Ulrich Collects LGR Titles!
By Dale R. Erdmann |
Kevin Dawson told the crowd that over $32,000 in cash and
merchandise went out to the drivers who raced in 75% of all
completed shows. Some $302,000 purse payouts went to the
drivers.Everyone remembered part of their racing family left us in
2004, Duane Sweeney, Mark “Tiny” Amborn and Charlie Dorr.
Photo Highlights |
Lake Geneva Raceway presented their champions with awards
Saturday night, January 30 at the speedway's annual banquet in
Twin Lakes, WI.
Recipients
included (l-r, top row): Todd Miller, BIC; Dr. Ken Johnson,
mini-modified; Jack Rubuch, super stock; Vincent Merry; Midwest
sport trucks; Curt Gnatzig, Legends. (l-r, bottom row): Brian
Ulrich, Millennium late model; Jeremy Bloomberg, sportsman;
Randy Rodgers and Denny Hiffman, late model co-drivers and
Michael Bilderback, Bandoleros. |
In the third season of “family fun”
racing,the car count increased,with the crowd down a little.Rookies
of the year were Jerry Giulano in the Luisa”s pizzeria mini
modifieds, Lisa Waterman in the Rolling Services Basic International
cars, Michael Bilderback in the Perfection Auto body legends cars
and Sonny Schoffen in the millennium late models.
In the Vazcom Communications Midwest sport
trucks Steven Johnson was titled most improved. Special thanks went
out to the staff, Speedway auto mall, Lynch Motors,Ron’s service,
Burlington Glass, Cd photography, Franklin racing productions,
Perfection Auto body, Bandana Bandito, Hometown computer, Barker’s
reconditioning, Richter’s Sentry food stores, Jim’s Budget auto,
Rolling services, Jim Olson Auto body, Luisa’s Pizza, Vazcom
Communications, S&P motorsports, McHenry Limousine, Performance
Unlimited, Chucks storage, 5 Star stock car bodies, Circle track
specialities, Coleman machine shop, Bassett wheels, Powersource
Power, Jasper engines, Budweiser(Beechwood Distributors), Hoosier
Tires, Power Built, Powersource, McHenry Limousine, Performance
Unlimited, and Hoosier Tires gave out jackets to some champions.
In the Basic International cars, eigthteen drivers received point
fund checks, the most for Friday night competition. Tenth place
went to Roger Schultz,Reid Kahrs ninth,followed by Viadi Viadimirov,
James Raderschadt, Leo Bujak, Andy Portzen, Rod Brossart, Lenny
Adams, runner up Bob Koch and the champion Todd Miller out of Oak
Creek.
In the mini modifieds twelve drivers received money from the point
fund. The top ten drivers from bottom to the top,Chris Thomazin,
John DeMay, Hermanie Schultz, Jerry Giuliano, Phil Schultz, Andy
Krueger, Curt Thomazin, Glen Vernezze,r unner up Mike VanHouten and
now a five time champion “Doctor Tooth” Ken Johnson of Park Ridge,
Illinois.
The legend cars that also received INEX points brought eight drivers
out for the point fund. In eighth place Joe Scala, then Lyle
Kuklinski, Rob Duffek, Ernie Schaal, Michael Bilderback, Herman
Greinig, runner up, 2003 champion Steve Licht and the 2004 champion
Curt Gnatzig out of Hartford,won the title
In their second season the Bandoleros received plagues for the top
five. A special thanks goes out to Liz Bilderback the groups
representative. In fifth place was Bobby Yonkee, next came a rookie,
ranking nineteenth in the nation for young gun drivers, also the
Wisconsin state champion in his group, was Kyle Jusits, next ranking
second in the national for the outlaws group with some 16 wins
across the country was Kyle LaPier, runner up Michael Cooter who
came back after demolishing his race car with just a few weeks to go
and the 2004 champion with an impressive record, ranking in the top
ten in the nation, with eighteen heat wins ,sixteen features, thirty
eight top five finishes in heat action, twenty four top five
finishes in feature runs, defending champion Michael Bilderback of
South Beloit,IL. who won the last feature of the season using the
throttle cable with his hand because it broke at the start of the
race.
In millennium late model racing,eleven drivers qualified for the
point fund. Mark Hartline was tenth after hard luck during part of
the season, finishing ninth was rookie third generation driver Josh
Wallace a seventeen year old driver, Bill Hobson was next, Joe
Rusciano who demolished his car with one week to go,the only female
driver in the group, Carrie Dygon, a second generation driver, Brad
Kossow an eighteen old driver, Sonny Schoffen a former super stock
champion and driver of numerous race cars, next was Keith Tolf,
runner up Paul Dygon who said may be next season and the 2004
champion Brian Ulrich a former late model competitor from
Racine.Ulrich got the bonus making his total $1000 for his point
fund share.
The Midwest sport trucks have a new President Dale Gustum who
presented Trophies and plagues to the top ten.In fifth was Steven
Johnson, Todd Ross, Chad Ross,Runner up Tom Ross and four time
champion Vincent Merry of Wadsworth, IL.
The Saturday night rookies included Scott Norton in the super
stocks, Jamie Dorsey in the sportsman and Jacob Humphrey in the
super late models.
The super stocks had the highest amount of drivers to qualify with
sixteen. Tenth place went to Ken Eisbrenner, Tom Roney, Scott
Norton, Adam Mass, Shane Sapp, Adam Regnier was fifth, Bob Moeller,
Mike Gunderson,runner up former champion John Janssen and the 2004
champion Jack Rubach of Burlington. Rubach gave an emotional speech
.Jack told the crowd “I miss my crew chief, but I especially miss my
friend, Tiny”. Rubach thanked everyone for their support during this
trying season. Mark”Tiny”Amborn was Rubach’s crew chief.
The sportsman division had eight drivers receive point fund checks.
The top ten drivers were Jack Clark, a rookie in tenth, Randy
Schneider, Adam Berge, Rick Rowlett who was lucky enough to received
alot of the contingency awards was seventh, Gary Norton,Erik Pierce,
former champion Bobby Giers, Jamie Dorsey, runner up Kenny Joosten
and the 2004 champion Jeremy Bloomberg, a former enduro racer.
Thirteen super late model drivers shared their point fund money with
Mike Simon Jr. tenth, Vincent Merry who races in two divisions,
Brandon Hill who picked up his first career feature win this year,
Jerry Cowan who was plagued with problems all
season, Rick Corso who missed six shows, Kent Burkoth who became the
driver of record later in the season, Eddie May who had the most
feature wins, Jacob Humphrey, a former champion at just seventeen
years old and senior at Badger High School, runner up as it came
down to the wirewas a second generation driver Jason Hicks and the
2004 champion with co driver Denny Hiffman, but it was Elkhorn’s
Randy Rodgers taking the crown with a thirty five point margin
during the last weekly feature.
The two season old Midwest sportsman championship series received
their trophies at the raceway that started the series,as fifth place
went to Bobby Giers also picking up $100, Josh Bauer fourth
receiving $200, John Senerchia third picking up $300. Runner up
James Swan collecting $400 and defending champion Jeremy Miller
crowned the champion having a 5 point margin and receiving $800,
for his efforts.Drivers raced at LGR and Slinger in six shows for
this mini series. The
idea for the series started with director of competition at LGR Eric
Dawson and Natasha Fabian takes care of the points and publicist of
the series and we thank her for all her help.
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