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Cox, Miller and Schultz Score Wins at Ultimate Racing
Spectacular!
By Michael
H. Babicz (with Gregg McKarns, Deb Swanson & Dale Erdmann) |
Jeremy Miller of Rockton chalked up his fourth
Big 8 Late Model Stock Car Series main event checkered overtaking
current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie point leader Erik
Darnell of Beach Park, Illinois.
Jeff Schultz of Salem scored a clean sweep in the weapons car
division by posting fast time and taking victories in the heat and
feature.
“This was awesome,” said a beaming Cox as he was joined in victory
lane following the win in the non-stop 30-lap winged outlaw sprint
car feature, doing donuts before coming to a stop. “I said we could
do it and we did it. I hope it was as much fun for the fans to watch
as it was for me to drive.”
“This night. This one is special. We hate to see a speedway close,
but to be listed among the winners here is truly an honor. Thank you
to everyone for coming out tonight. Mike Babicz, thank you for
putting on a great show for us to race in, thanks to Lake Geneva
owner Kevin Dawson for giving us a place to race, thanks to my
family and crew for their support. This is GREAT!!!” boomed Cox as
he was greeted in victory lane by a thunderous ovation.
Cox was joined in victory lane by Ray Toft, former owner/promoter of
Lake Geneva and nearby Wilmot Speedway, grand marshal for the sprint
portion of the event.
Lake Geneva will be closing in the fall after 44 years of continuous
operation as the entire facility has been sold to be turned into a
housing development.
“We will be back in October to try to retake the Ultimate Lap,” Cox
added, referring to the all time track record of :14.297 seconds set
by Jeff Bloom of Bangor, Michigan during time trials with a speed
trap speed of nearly 110 mph at the end of the backstretch. A $750
bonus has been posted by the track and several businesses to be
awarded to the driver who ends up with the all time track record
after the Oct. 1 last day of the Final Fall Classic event at the
Raceway.
Runner up Lehr and Gough echoed Cox’s comments, stating this event
was a tremendous success and they were thankful for the chance to
compete at the speedway and then thanked the fans for their
attendance and support. Both indicated a desire to return to take a
shot at the ultimate lap challenge.
The sprint feature rolled to the front stretch just after 10 p.m.,
and after promoter/announcer/pr maestro Mike Babicz introductions
and a euphoric wave lap by Babicz and the Lake Geneva masses, front
row battery mates Lehr and Brian Kristan paced the field ahead of
Cox and Wheeler. Gough and Bloom were in row three, and at the green
Lehr lept to the lead over Kristan. Wheeler gained second but was
overtaken by Cox on lap two. Gough, scored sixth on the first lap,
was up to fourth on lap four when Cox began to make the move on
Lehr.
Cox muscled past pole sitter Lehr on lap five, but with lap traffic
was unable to get away from the Twin Lakes driver. Once Cox took the
lead, the front duo weaved through lapped traffic in a 100 mph plus
tango. One false move and Lehr would pounce for the lead. Intense
racing was the course around the speedway as lapped cars continued
to fight for positions. Up and down the stands fans dizzied at the
breakneck pace of the event.
In the closing laps Lehr’s car began to slip back from leader Cox
and into the snare of the spirited battle between Gough and Wheeler.
Wheeler held steady in third, with Gough searching for the way by.
In the last moments of the race Lehr, now shadowed by Wheeler and
Gough, dove to the bottom of lap traffic. Wheeler went high and was
overtaken by Gough coming for the checkered flag as the last lap
went on the board. Up front Cox sailed to the win by over three
seconds ahead of Lehr, covering the 30 lap distance in just seven
minutes and thirty-six seconds after the race began.
For Cox, who won the 2005 HOSS championship, the Lake Geneva win
marked his fourth this season despite getting a late start in the
series.
Lehr came home an impressive second in just his second start of the
season with the series since deciding to concentrate on pavement
racing.
Gough of Machesney Park, a regular in various types of USAC racing,
caught HOSS point leader Wheeler for third. Fast qualifier Bloom
rounded out the top five.
Darrell Dodd of Beach Park, Illinois placing sixth was the highest
finishing Wisconsin Outlaw Sprint Series dirt regular who made the
switch picking up a cash bonus from a local fan. Brian Kristan of
Beach Park, who has won in 410 and 360 winged sprints on dirt and a
360 non-winged sprint on dirt, finished seventh in his first asphalt
start of the season.
Second generation driver Danny Schlafer of Sussex finished eighth,
2001 & 2002 HOSS Champ 69-year-old Ron Koehler of South Bend,
Indiana finished ninth with teammate Chad Delagrange of Mishawaka,
Indiana rounding out the top ten.
The evening began for the Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series under picture
perfect racing weather conditions. A bright blue sky, comfortable
temps and a smooth breeze brought fans to the Raceway in droves to
see the only visit by winged sprint cars to the Lake Geneva
facility. A large group of Wisconsin dirt sprint cars bolted up the
slick biscuits to join the action. Many drivers had a history with
the speedway or lived nearby and wanted to give the fans the best
show before the speedway closes in October.
Hot laps saw the drivers and teams learning quickly Lake Geneva is a
challenge with two distinct opposite ends of the one-third mile
asphalt oval not nearly equal in handling. Turns one and two brings
cars smoothly to the backstretch where the entry to turn three
proves to be the key. A wrong line there sent the cars toward to top
of turn four, and an undesired view of the fast approaching front
stretch wall. Crews twisted, turned and replaced setup pieces on
many racecars before returning to the track for qualifying.
Qualifying brought many fans to the track early as the Ultimate Lap
Challenge bonus swelled. The Challenge bonus goes to the driver who
holds the track record at the end of the final night of regular oval
track racing. Going into the event, Cox had the record at 14.356
seconds set July 1, the evening this event was announced. Track
conditions were not yielding much hope for betterment this night.
Cox’s best number came to be 14.525, and then Bloom of Bangor,
Michigan, took the track in the Accurate Engines/AJ’s Chicken
Chalet/Lane Automotive/AllstarPerformance/Swanson Racing Engines
number 26. Bloom’s first lap blew the dust through the doorway at
14.297 seconds, and then Bloom swept the record out of town 14.208
seconds later to become to Challenge record holder to date.
Heat race action saw the Jim Lukey line up with Danny Schlafer after
Frank Moser’s 99 was damaged in a freak push start incident. Koehler
and Bloom shared the second row with Cox and Tom Paterson in row
three. At the green the younger Schlafer charged into turn one and
escaped with the lead over Koehler, Cox and Bloom. Lap four saw Cox
make a go at Koehler, but lose traction and spin after the two
briefly touched in turn two. On the restart Schlafer again led the
field going on to become the first sprint car race winner in the
history of the Raceway. Cox returned to fourth spot as the checkers
flew with Koehler second and Bloom third.
The second heat brought the 2001 Interstates Racing Association
rookie of the year runner up Ryan Irwin to the point with second
generation pilot Tim Vandervere alongside. Delagrange and Dodd were
in row two ahead of Kristan and Gough. Moulis was alone in the
fourth row. Irwin brought the field to the start but Vandervere took
the lead and held the point until Gough swept by on the fifth lap.
Dodd went through for second position as Vandervere held third as
the checkered flag flew.
Dodd, a second generation open wheel ace, won his very first open
wheel race in 1975 at Lake Geneva, beating a field including his
dad, Junior Dodd, in the old-style coupe modifieds.
The third heat lined up Johnny Fahl with the 26s of Al Schlafer,
father of the first heat winner, with Jim Payne and Richey Jacobs in
row two. Lehr and Wheeler trailed in row three as Schlafer took
control of the early laps. By lap four Lehr challenged and took over
the top spot as Schlafer would fall to fourth position. Jacobs would
hold second until lap six when Wheeler rounded Jacobs for the runner
up spot.
Big 8 Series Point Leader Jeremy Miller worked his way from the
twelfth starting position and into the lead as he passed Darnell, a
third generation racer, to record his third straight win in series
competition in the preview of one of the Final Fall Classic events
at the Raceway.
Darnell, driving the “Tooth mobile” of Dr. Ken Johnson, the racing
Antioch area dentist, overcame some overheating problems in the heat
race earlier which saw him black flagged and sent to the pit area
while running third, brought the huge crowd to its feet in the Big 8
feature by taking the lead on the 11th of the 58 laps in the
feature.
“To win at this historic track means a lot,” said Miller, who was
congratulated in victory lane by Dave Watson, former Lake Geneva
champion, who served as Big 8 event grand marshal. “We can’t wait
until we come back in the fall. It’s always a lot of fun to run
here.”
“This is my home track and always will be,” said Darnell in a post
race interview before the crowd after his third place finish in a
tightly contested battle with runner up Ricky Bilderback of Rockton.
“It was a lot of fun. We’ll be back in October to see if we can’t
win the final big race here. We want to close this place right.”
Steve Dobbratz and Mike Lloyd led the field to the green flag, with
Lloyd edging Dobbratz at the line to lead the first two laps of the
58 lap feature event. The third circuit would see Dobbratz use the
inside line to take the lead before Lloyd would retake to top spot
on lap seven. The two battled for the point during the first nine
circuits as local favorites Josh Wallace, Brian Ulrich and Darnell
followed closely.
Wallace, a third generation driver who is a past Lake Geneva
Millenium late model champion and super late model regular himself
despite being just 18-years-old, built his own car to compete in the
Big 8 event.
Darnell made his way past Dobbratz for second on the tenth lap and
worked past Lloyd for the lead just one lap later. As the lead
changed, fast qualifier Miller worked his way strategically through
the strong field of contenders. Mike Beyer, Kris Kelly, Jerry Gille
and Ricky Bilderback, track champions at various area tracks, would
follow Miller’s Dodge.
Miller moved his way into the runner up spot past Lloyd just after
the 20 lap mark. By half way Miller squeezed past Darnell on the
inside to capture the top spot. Darnell then had his hands full with
Lloyd as the two swapped positions several times officially at the
stripe and unofficially around the one third mile oval bringing huge
roars from Darnell’s home track crowd.
With 10 laps remaining, Bilderback and current Lake Geneva point
leader Sonny Schoffen were blazing through the top five, with
Bilderback moving into second with five circuits remaining. A late
race caution due to an Ulrich and Beyer incident, tightened the
field for a four lap showdown.
At the restart Miller pulled away from Bilderback, going on to the
victory as the checkered flag waved over Bilderback, Darnell, Lloyd
and Schoffen completing the top five. Rounding out the top 10 were
Kelly, Keith Tolf, Kyle Jarlsberg, Jerry Gille, with Chad Stevens,
coming from the back after advancing into the main event through the
last chance semi-feature, to take tenth.
Lake Geneva Raceway will host the Big 8 Series during the Fall
Classic Weekend on Saturday September 30 and Sunday October 1. With
his win Miller tied Beyer for the most Big 8 Series wins, with both
drivers having three wins to their credit.
Next up for the Big 8 Series is the Wisconsin State Championships at
Jefferson Speedway on September 15 and 16. The Big 8 drivers will
take on the top local late model drivers including John Ovadal, Jr.
in twin 50 lap feature events. For more information on the Big 8
Series visit www.big8series.com or call 815-633-0035.
Schultz win in the weapons cars came on a late race pass over Tom
Ruh of Elkhart Lake. “This is great,” said Schultz as he climbed out
of his car to be interviewed by infield announcer Roger Mueller. “I
told you after the heat race we could do it, and we did it.”
The weapons race began with Tom Barnharst pacing the
field, with Mark Tomasi second and Tom Boyd third. On lap two
somehow Boyd and Mark Ludtke running tenth got together, bringing
out the first Yellow Book USA caution period. On the restart,
Barnharst held one more lap before Tom Ruh scooted in front. Quickly
Andy Krueger the current point leader and Midwest enduro series
President Darryl Traber moved into second and third respectively. By
lap nine Jeff Schultz was on the inside of Traber, then moving into
third on lap ten. By then Ruh was nearly a ten car lengths in front
of the field. Schultz crept into second on lap eleven after working
hard to get by Krueger. Al Kuphal moved into fourth onlap twelve.
The field other than the leader was a tight close cluster. During
the final ten laps, Schultz moved in front one time on lap twenty
six, but
Ruh came right back in front, until the last lap, when Schultz came
back in front for another win. Ruh was at his side in second, with
Kuphal third, Krueger was fourth, Traber fifth and Reid Kahrs Jr.
rounding out the top six. Oh,yeah.Dave Kamholtz the zany announcer
finished a lucky thirteenth in the contest.
Next Friday night August 11th. the weekly program comes back until
September 1st.Seven divisions are on the card.Time trials begin at
6pm. Racing at 7:30.
“Jack at Trackside” Biddison, 82-year-old former “voice” of Lake
Geneva Raceway and other tracks throughout the country made the trip
up from Peoria, Illinois with his wife Nadine to help host the
autograph session. Biddison also called the third sprint car heat on
the track PA system.
Johnny Reimer, the original holder of the very first open wheel
track record set back in 1966 on the old quarter mile track, was on
hand along with the original Nielsen Enterprises A3 coupe that has
been restored by Reimer’s nephew MJ Both and his son, Kevin. The
Reimer car participated in a special ceremonial lap while Cathy
Landgran, fiancé of Mike Babicz, sung the National Anthem. U.S.
Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Vera in dress blues saluted the infield flags
bringing a standing ovation from the record crowd.
Dan Ericksen brought the old “super-modified” that was driven by Pop
Kline of Genoa City back in the 1970s when they were referred to as
“the supers of the 70s” by Biddison.
Many of the former cars, drivers, crew members, officials,
concession workers, staff members and even all of the Lake Geneva’s
track owners are expected to be on hand for the Ultimate Race Track
Reunion Homecoming Night on Saturday, Sept. 9. More details will be
announced. If anyone knows of anyone who was ever connected with
Lake Geneva Raceway, have them contact the track office or email
Mike Babicz at michaelbabicz@aol.com.
Lake Geneva Raceway is in action every Friday and Saturday night on
the oval, along with stadium motocross at a separate facility
located on the east end of the grounds on Fridays as well. Friday
events begin at 7:30 p.m. with Saturdays getting underway at 7 p.m.
For the latest information go to www.lakegenevaraceway.com or phone
262-248-8566.
LAKE GENEVA RACEWAY – ULTIMATE RACING SPECTACULAR
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2006 – SUMMARY
HOOSIER OUTLAW SPRINT SERIES (HOSS) WINGED OUTLAW SPRINTS:
30-LAP “A” MAIN: 1. Tim Cox, Park City, Illinois; 2. Todd Lehr, Twin
Lakes, Wisconsin; 3. David Gough, Machesney Park, Ill.; 4. Greg
Wheeler, Columbia City, Indiana; 5. Jeff Bloom, Bangor, Michigan; 6.
Darrell Dodd, Beach Park, Ill.; 7. Brian Kristan, Beach Park, Ill;
8. Danny Schlafer, Sussex, Wis.; 9. Ron Koehler, Mishawaka, Ind.;
10. Chad Delagrange, Mishawaka, Ind.; 11. Jim Payne, Bryan, Ohio;
12. Tom Paterson, Argus, Ind.; 13. Al Schlafer, Sussex, Wis.; 14.
Tim Vandervere, Beach Park, Ill.; 15. Ryan Irwin, McHenry, Ill.; 16.
Jim Lukey, Harvard, Ill.; 17. Frank Moser, Antioch, Ill.; 18. Johnny
Fahl, Brown Deer, Wis.; 19. Richey Jacobs, Fort Wayne, Ind.
20. Jim Moulis, Fox Lake, Ill. (Track Race Distance Record 7:36)
1st Heat: 1. D. Schlafer; 2. Koehler; 3. Bloom; 4. Cox; 5. Lukey; 6.
Peterson; 7. Moser.
2nd Heat: 1. Lehr; 2. Wheeler; 3. Jacobs; 4. A. Schlafer; 5. Fahl;
6. Payne.
3rd Heat: 1. Gough; 2. Dodd; 3. Vandervere; 4. Kristan; 5. Irwin; 6.
Delagrange; 7. Moulis.
Fast Qualifier: (Ultimate Track Record) Bloom :14.208 seconds-110
mph speed trap speed (old record: :14.356 by Cox on July 1, 2006).
BIG 8 SERIES LATE MODELS:
58-LAP A-Main 01 -- 1. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 2. Ricky Bilderback,
Rockton; 3. Erik Darnell, Beach Park; 4. Mike Lloyd, Machesney Park;
5. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 6. Kris Kelly, Norway, Mich.; 7.
Keith Tolf, Union Grove, Wis; 8. Kyle Jarlsberg, Cambridge, Wis; 9.
Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 10. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 11. Brady
Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 12. Josh Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis; 13. Nick
Shutkas, Loves Park; 14. Mark English, Janesville, Wis; 15. Michael
Kruschke, Greenfield, Wis; 16. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva,
Wis; 17. Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis; 18. Brian Ulrich, Racine, Wis;
19. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park; 20. Rick Corso, McHenry; 21. Andy
Niles, Holmen, Wis; 22. Steve Dobbratz, Rio, Wis; 23. Jeff Goodwin,
Silver Lake, Wis; 24. Nick Wendt, Lake Mills, Wis.
Last Chance "A" 01 -- 1.
Mark English, Janesville, Wis; 2. Kyle Jarlsberg, Cambridge, Wis; 3.
Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis; 4. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 5.
Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam, Wis; 6. Jack Rabey, Brighton, Wis; 7. Nick
Beinlich, Lincolnshire; 8. Mike Schmitz, Kenosha, Wis; 9. Mike
Taylor, Stoughton, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Rick Corso,
McHenry; 2. Mike Lloyd, Machesney Park; 3. Kris Kelly, Norway,
Mich.; 4. Brian Ulrich, Racine, Wis; 5. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park;
6. Erik Darnell, Beach Park; 7. Jeremy Miller, Rockton.
Heat 02 -- 1. Josh
Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis; 2. Keith Tolf, Union Grove, Wis; 3. Jerry
Gille, Roscoe; 4. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 5. Steve Dobbratz,
Rio, Wis; 6. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 7. Jeff Goodwin, Silver
Lake, Wis.
Heat 03 -- 1. Michael
Kruschke, Greenfield, Wis; 2. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 3. Nick
Wendt, Lake Mills, Wis; 4. Mark English, Janesville, Wis; 5. Ralph
Gentile, Racine, Wis; 6. Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam, Wis; 7. Mike
Schmitz, Kenosha,
Wis; 8. Mike Taylor, Stoughton, Wis.
Heat 04 -- 1. John
Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 2. Andy Niles, Holmen, Wis; 3.
Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 4. Kyle Jarlsberg, Cambridge, Wis; 5. Jack
Rabey, Brighton, Wis; 6. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 7. Nick
Beinlich,
Lincolnshire.
Time Trial -- 1. Jeremy
Miller, Rockton; 2. Sonny Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 3. Mike Beyer,
Machesney Park; 4. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 5. Kris Kelly, Norway,
Mich.; 6. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 7. Brian Ulrich, Racine, Wis; 8. Jeff
Goodwin, Silver Lake, Wis; 9. Erik Darnell, Beach Park; 10. Josh
Wallace, Pell Lake, Wis; 11. Mike Lloyd, Machesney Park; 12. Steve
Dobbratz, Rio, Wis; 13. Rick Corso, McHenry; 14. Keith Tolf, Union
Grove, Wis; 15. Michael Kruschke, Greenfield, Wis; 16. Jack Rabey,
Brighton, Wis; 17. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 18. John Baumeister,
Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 19. Mark English, Janesville, Wis; 20. Andy
Niles, Holmen, Wis; 21. Nick Wendt, Lake Mills, Wis; 22. Nick
Shutkas, Loves Park; 23. Ralph Gentile, Racine, Wis; 24. Chad
Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 25. Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam, Wis; 26. Kyle
Jarlsberg, Cambridge, Wis; 27. Mike Schmitz, Kenosha, Wis; 28. Nick
Beinlich, Lincolnshire; 29. Mike Taylor, Stoughton, Wis.
Weapons Division
30-LAP A-Main 01 -- 1. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis; 2. Tom Ruh, Elkhart
Lake, Wis; 3. Al Kuphal, Franklin, Wis; 4. Andy Krueger, Lake
Geneva, Wis; 5. Darryl Traber, Waterford, Wis; 6. Reid Kahrs Jr,
West Allis, Wis; 7. Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, Wis; 8. Tom Barnharst,
Franksville, Wis; 9. Glenn Tomasini, Burlington, Wis; 10. Tom Boyd,
Antioch, Ill.; 11. Rob Solovio;; 12. Donnie Paskiewicz, Franklin,
Wis; 13.Dave Kamholtz, Genoa City,Wis.; 14. Mike Herwald, Lake
Geneva, Wis; 15. Charlie Frisch;; 16. Scott Rymer;; 17. Mark
Ludtke,Lake Geneva,Wis.;
Heat 01 -- 1. Mike Herwald, Lake Geneva, Wis; 2. Darryl Traber,
Waterford, Wis; 3. Charlie Frisch;; 4. Mark Tomasi, Wind Lake, Wis;
5. Glenn Tomasini, Burlington, Wis; 6. Rob Solovio;; 7. Tom Boyd,
Antioch, Ill.; 8. Donnie Paskiewicz, Franklin, Wis; 9. Dave
Kamholtz,Genoa City,Wis.; 10. Scott Rymer;; 11. Tom Barnharst,
Franksville, Wis; 12. Micheal Shorten, Mundelein, Ill..
Heat 02 -- 1. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis; 2. Tom Ruh, Elkhart Lake,
Wis; 3. Al Kuphal (t), Franklin, Wis; 4. Mark Ludtke, Lake Geneva,
Wis; 5. Reid Kahrs Jr, West Allis, Wis; 6. Andy Krueger, Lake
Geneva, Wis.
Time Trials -- 1. Jeff Schultz, Salem, Wis; 2. Al Kuphal (t),
Franklin, Wis; 3. Mark Ludtke, Lake Geneva, Wis; 4. Tom Ruh, Elkhart
Lake, Wis; 5. Reid Kahrs Jr, West Allis, Wis; 6. Andy Krueger, Lake
Geneva, Wis; 7. Mike Herwald, Lake Geneva, Wis; 8. Micheal Shorten,
Mundelein, Ill.; 9. Darryl Traber, Waterford, Wis; 10. Mark Tomasi,
Wind Lake, Wis; 11. Glenn Tomasini, Burlington, Wis; 12. Tom Boyd,
Antioch, Ill.; 13. Tom Barnharst, Franksville, Wis; 14. Donnie
Paskiewicz, Franklin, Wis; 15.Dave Kamholtz,Genoa City,Wis.
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