Davis claims second Sprint Car A main at Manitowoc Speedway

Reinwald, Rothmund, Cullen, Fletcher, Klumb earn main event wins

By Jeff Pederson of Pedal Down Promotions

(PEDAL DOWN PROMOTIONS) July 15, 2016 – It probably felt a little like déjà vu for Kurt Davis’ fellow competitors in the Midwest Sprint Car Association ranks Friday, July 15, as the veteran West Allis driver started on the pole and raced to his second consecutive 25-lap A main victory in Eastern Wisconsin Stock Car competition at the Manitowoc Speedway.

During the last MSA appearance at Manitowoc on June 24, Davis started on the pole and led every lap en route to a commanding victory. This time it wasn’t quite as by the book for Davis, as he dropped back to third place at the start, before rallying to post his third MSA A main victory of the season and MSA record 51st main event victory of his career.

In the Modified division, Russ Reinwald of Iron Ridge pulled off a late pass to post the victory in the 20-lap A main. Sport Mod rookie John Rothmund of Manitowoc fended off several challengers to record his second A main victory of the season. Jesse James Cullen of Chilton used a late-race charge to earn his initial victory of the 2016 campaign in the Grand National division. Tony Fletcher of Greenleaf notched an impressive flag-to-flag victory in the Sport Four division and Dennis Klumb of Adell notched the victory in the Winged Super Modified A main.

Davis started on the pole with fellow veteran open wheel racer Al Schlafer of Sussex to his outside at the start of the 25-lap Sprint Car A main.

Outside second row starter Tim Haddy of Waupun was the story in the early going as he bolted around both Davis and Schlafer on the opening lap to take the lead on the opening lap. While Davis found himself back in third place, Haddy began to pull away from field.

On lap 4, Derek Siegel spun in turn four to bring out the first caution of the race. Following the restart, Davis began to make his move back to the front. After seizing second place, Davis set his sights on Haddy, who was beginning to work through lapped traffic on lap 9.

On lap 12, Davis pulled off a slide job in heavy lapped traffic to take the lead from Haddy. Meanwhile, fifth starter Brandon McMullen of Plymouth slid past third starter Danny Schlafer of Sussex to take over the third position.

Two laps later, Haddy had reeled Davis back in and appeared to have a shot at regaining the lead entering turn one on lap 21. However, Haddy got caught behind the lapped car of Emily Portschy of Plymouth, which cut off all the momentum he had built up.

On lap 23, Josh Teunissen of Waldo brought out the caution flag, following a spin in turn two to set up a green-white-checked flag finish.

On the single-file restart, Haddy attempted to dive under Davis in turn one. However, Davis powered around Haddy using the preferred high groove on the smooth and racy track surface.

Davis went on to post the victory, followed by Haddy in second, Danny Schlafer in third, McMullen in fourth and 11^th starter Wayne Modjeski of Oak Creek rounding out the top five.

The 20-lap Modified A main was hotly contested, as positions were swapped throughout field for the duration of the event with three and four-wide racing for position an oft-viewed sight.

Third starter Troy Jerovetz of Green Bay outdueled front row starters Rob Charapata of Oconto and Josh Lambert of Casco to take the lead on the opening lap. Charapata settled into second place for the time being before Lambert seized the position on lap 3.

Jerovetz continued to set a blistering pace out front in the early going, as Kyle Kudick of Two Rivers, who started sixth, raced himself into the top five on lap 8. Kudick was applying heavy pressure to Lambert when the lone caution flag of the race appeared for the stalled car of Randy Markwardt Jr. of Sheboygan Falls on lap 12.

Kudick worked the bottom of the track to nearly seize the lead from Jerovetz on lap 14. However, a slight bobble allowed Russ Reinwald, who started eighth, to slip past Kudick later before setting his sights on the top spot.

On lap 15, Jerovetz jumped the cushion in turn one on lap 15, which dropped him back to fifth and allowed Reinwald to assume command of the race. Once out front, Reinwald was never headed on the way to the impressive victory.

Kudick finished second, Lambert wound up third, Jerovetz hung on to place fourth and R.M. Van Pay of Denmark finished fifth, after starting seventh.

In the Sport Mod division, rookie John Rothmund of Manitowoc continued to impress as he led all 20 laps from his outside front row starting spot to post his second A main victory of the 2016 season.

As Rothmund held the point, an epic battle was being waged for positions inside the top five among fifth starter Hunter Parsons of Green Bay, Sheboygan’s Travis Arenz, who started eighth, and 10^th starter Jason Jach of Shawano, who nearly rode the high groove to the victory.

Jach worked his way into third on lap 8 and seized second from Parsons, after a long side-by-side battle, on lap 12. Jach kept digging along the high line in the closing laps to put himself into position to mount a challenge on the final lap.

However, as Jach tried to sweep past on the outside, his car spun in turn four on the last lap, allowing Rothmund to post the victory in the caution-free race. Brian Bruechert of Kewaunee mounted a huge charge in the final five laps to post a runner-up showing after starting seventh. Parsons was third, Cody Schroeder of Manitowoc came from ninth to finish fourth and Arenz placed fifth.

The 20-lap Grand National A main feature three different leaders and a first-time winner. Outside front row starter Jonathan Otte of Cedar Grove paced the first 10 laps of the race, despite enduring heavy pressure from Steven Wirtz and three caution flags during the first seven laps.

On lap 8, Brad Lubach of Kiel moved in from his seventh starting spot to assume the runner-up spot. Three laps later, Lubach used a high-low crossover move to work his way past Otte, with Cullen following in his tire tracks. Over the next seven laps, the low riding Cullen gradually reeled in the cushion-pounding Lubach before executing the winning pass in turn three on lap 18.

Lubach trailed Cullen to the finish line in second, 10^th starter Steven Weber of Plymouth finished third, Wirtz was fourth and Greg Haese of Manitowoc charged up from his 14^th starting spot to place fifth.

In the Sport Four main event, outside front row starter Tony Fletcher of Greenleaf held off fifth-starter Shaun Bangart of Chilton to post the A main victory in flag-to-flag fashion.

Bangart placed second, fourth starter Mitch Meier of Chilton was third, Mike Meier of Chilton, who starter third, wound up fourth and polesitter Alvin TeStroete of Hilbert ended up fifth.

Dennis Klumb of Adell won the A main event for the visiting Winged Super Modifieds. He was followed to the line by Bob Brion of Plymouth in second, Keith Anderson of Sheboygan in third and Roy Stern of Hustisford fourth.

Walker Bergene of Whitelaw, who competed in the Sport 4 race, had the only Thunder Truck on hand

The race program, which drew a total of 93 cars in six divisions, was presented by Lakeside Foods, with Coors Light presenting the hard charger awards in each division. Rick’s Auto Doctors also contributed to a coin and candy drop for kids 11 and under.

The EWSC races next Friday, July 22 will feature Back to School night with school supplies for kids with racing in the Late Model, Grand National, Street Stock, Sport Mod, Thunder Truck and Sport Four divisions. Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. Spectator gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing to begin at 7 p.m.

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For more information on Pedal Down Promotions, email pedaldownpromotions@gmail.com, visit www.pedaldownpromotions.com or call 920-323-7970.

 

SPRINT CAR A Main Finish: 1. Kurt Davis, 2. Tim Haddy, 3. Danny Schlafer, 4. Brandon McMullen, 5. Wayne Modjeski, 6. Paul Pokorski, 7. Lance Fassbender, 8. Doug Wondra, 9. Justin Miller, 10. Anthony Knierum, 11, Kenjay Fiedler, 12. Doug Pietz, 13. Tony Wondra, 14. Al Schlafer, 15. Tyler Brabant, 16. Will Gerrits, 17. Chris Clayton, 18., Dick Kaiser, 19. Josh Teunissen, 20. Derek Siegel, 21. Emily Portschy

SPRINT CAR Heat Race winners: 1. Anthony Knierum, 2. Brandon McMullen, 3. Tim Haddy

MODIFIED A Main Finish: 1. Russ Reinwald, 2. Kyle Kudick, 3. Josh Lambert, 4. Troy Jerovetz, 5. R.M. Van Pay, 6. Eric Scribner, 7. Mark Joski, 8. Rob Charapata, 9. Jamie Schmidt, 10. Jeff Bodendorfer Jr., 11. Matt Jackson, 12. Cole Petit, 13. Matt Theys, 14. Randy Markwardt Jr., 15. J.J. Tuyls.

MODIFIED Heat Race Winners: 1. Rob Charapata, 2. Randy Markwardt Jr., 3. Hunter Parsons.

SPORT MOD A Main Finish: 1. John Rothmund, 2. Josh Lambert, 3. Hunter Parsons, 4. Cody Schroeder, 5. Travis Arenz, 6. Wyatt Block, 7. Sawyer Haese, 8. Wayne Haines, 9. Race Van Pay, 10. Kyle Raddant, 11. Doug Maurer, 12. Justin Green, 13. Jayden Schmidt, 14. Phil Mott, 15. Justin Bauer, 16. Jason Jach, 17. Andrew Meyerhofer, 18. Gabe Zellner, 19. Joel Seegert. 20. Jerry Duggan.

SPORT MOD B Main Winner: Race Van Pay

SPORT MOD Heat Race Winners: 1. Jayden Schmidt. 2. Wyatt Block, 3. Hunter Parsons.

GRAND NATIONAL A Main Finish: 1. Jesse James Cullen, 2. Brad Lubach, 3. Steven Weber, 4. Steven Wirtz, 5. Greg Haese, 6. Kodiak Wirtz, 7. Jonathan Otte, 8, Donny Kulow, 9. Tim Simon, 10. Kevin Lubach, 11. Josh Pierce, 12. Brad Juckem, 13. David Gauger, 14. Matt Berlin, 15. Ryan Minster, 16. Justin Erickson, 17. Chris Gilson, 18. Jeffery Krizan.

GRAND NATIONAL Heat Race Winners: 1. Jonathan Otte. 2. Brad Juckem, 3. Steve Weber.

SPORT FOUR A Main Finish: 1. Tony Fletcher, 2. Shaun Bangart, 3. Mitch Meier, 4. Mike Meier, 5. Alvin TeStroete, 6. Matt DeWilde, 7. Corey Suttner, 8. Shawn Smith, 9. Jason Dondlinger.

 SPORT FOUR Heat Race Winner: 1. Tony Fletcher

THUNDER TRUCK A Main Finish: 1. Walker Bergene.

THUNDER TRUCK Heat Race Winner: 1. Walker Bergene.

WINGED SUPER MODIFIED A Main Finish: 1. Dennis Klumb, 2. Bob Brion, 3. Keith Anderson. 4. Roy Stern.

WINGED SUPER MODIFIED Heat Race Winner: 1. Bob Brion.