BENNETT EARNS THIRD SUPER LATE MODEL VICTORY OF 2013! VAN OUDENHOVEN GRABS FOURTH FRRC SUPER LATE TITLE! By Jeffrey Sachse Brent Strelka wins the battle, but Meyerhofer captures the crown in Late Model action! Kaukauna, WI; August 29, 2013 – The final checkered flags of the season have fallen and the 2013 Fox River Racing Club champions have been named. The intense racing and point battles have been settled but it wasn’t until after this action packed night of racing presented by Valley Liquor that the champions could be determined as several divisions had extremely close point races. Lowell Bennett spent the first 20 laps giving chase to Bobby Kendall in the Super Late Model headliner. However a mechanical failure would turn over the lead to Bennett who made the most of his good fortune spending the remaining distance at the front of the pack enroute to his third feature checkered of 2013. Jeff Van Oudenhoven was third in the contest and took his fourth FRRC Super Late Model crown by a comfortable 54 point margin. In Limited Late Model action, the top two point drivers, Mike Meyerhofer and Brent Strelka came into the night just eight points apart. Both drivers would race their way to the front of the main event running wheel to wheel for the victory. Through Strelka was successful in taking the checker flag, it was Meyerhofer who had finished second coming out on top of the final point tally by a mere six points to claim the title. The closest title chase took place in the Wisconsin Sport Trucks. Brett Van Horn and Kyle Quella fought tooth and nail throughout the main event while trying to run down race leader Jacob Boldig. Boldig was successful in collecting the win and Van Horn’s second place effort was just enough to allow him to edge Quella by just two points. The difference in the championship was simply a matter of finishing position. Dylan Wenzel capped off his season in the Street Stocks celebrating with a feature win to put the icing on the cake in his title run. The title in the Sizzlin 4’s would become anti-climatic when point leader Cory Romenesko suffered a mechanical failure early in the contest assuring the championship would fall into the hands of Ethan Beattie. Beattie came up just short of a win rubbing fenders with feature race winner Cody Huven off the final turn to the line. The evening wrapped up with the Figure Eight contest captured by Craig Kreuger. Jared Baughman had already secured the division championship heading into the night. The final Super Late Model event of the 2013 season saw 22 drivers accept the green flag with 2012 champ Lowell Bennett and Bobby Kendall setting the pace from the front row. Kendall working the high line was able to gain the advantage on Bennett while point leader Jeff Van Oudenhoven secured the third spot. The lead trio were nose to tail by lap seven with both Bennett and Van Oudenhoven seeking a way by Kendall. Van Oudenhoven got a run on Bennett on lap ten working to his inside as both championship drivers ran wheel to wheel for runner-up honors. Bennett won that showdown going back to second on lap 13 the duel for second allowed Kendall to open up a small margin which Bennett now fought to close. With 20 laps in the books Bennett had reached Kendall’s rear bumper and began to search for a weakness in Kendall’s line. Kendall’s efforts to grab the victory went awry on the next circuit when Kendall suffered suspension problems dropping off pace and coming to a stop in turn two. This elevated Bennett to the top spot with Van Oudenhoven, fast qualifier Gregg Haese, Kyle Calmes and Brett Piontek holding down the top five spots. Back at speed Bennett went back to setting the pace with Haese wasting little time in working past Van Oudenhoven for second. There was little doubt that the #7 machine owned by Mark Schroeder and driven by Haese was a fast car but the challenge lied in finding a way past Bennett which would prove to be an insurmountable task. With no weakness to exploit Bennett sailed to the checked flag to earn the victory. Haese spent the final lap fending off newly crowned champion Van Oudenhoven to earn second. Van Oudenhoven’s third place performance netted him his fourth Fox River Racing Club Super Late Model. Piontek and Terry Baldry rounded out the top five runners. The Late Model title was on the line with the points in favor of Mike Meyerhofer by a slim margin over Brent Strelka, the evening’s fastest qualifier. 19 cars would be present for the opening green flag in the 20 lap contest. Outside front row starter Kyle Bauknecht took command of the race at the drop of the green flag as Jesse Oudenhoven maneuvered into second by lap three. Deeper in the field both Meyerhofer and Strelka cracked the top five by the eighth circuit with Meyerhofer leading the charge. Bauknecht appeared to have the pace to keep Oudenhoven at bay when he spun coming off turn two bringing out the first caution and elevating to Oudenhoven to the top position. Rookie Alex Stumpf would restart the race in second next to Oudenhoven with Meyerhofer and Strelka showing in third and fourth on the scoreboard. The lead duo rubbed fenders coming to the start with Oudenhoven securing the lead and Meyerhofer charging to the second spot. With nine laps to go Louie Goss expired and engine on the front stretch and the red flag was displayed to allow track crews to begin the lengthy process of cleaning up generous amounts of fluid. Racing resumed after the 10 minute delay with Oudenhoven and Meyerhofer leading the field back to action. The pair ran side by side for two laps before Meyerhofer used the high line top take over the top spot. A tangle between Cory Kemkes and #51 Brad Anthony slowed the pace one more time with 8 laps to go. Meyerhofer was back to showing the way under green as Strelka fought his way past Oudenhoven for second with six laps to go. The tension ratcheted up with another yellow bunching the field for a dash to the checkered and point leaders Meyerhofer and Strelka showing the way. Strelka got under Meyerhofer entering turn one with two laps to go and the pair ran wheel to wheel over the final circuit. Strelka was able to slowly inch ahead taking the checkered flag but Meyerhofer’s second place performance was enough to earn him the title. Oudenhoven, Stumpf and Brett Wenzel comprised the top five finishers. The Street Stock feature contest rolled to the green flag with 16 drivers primed for competition. Jeff Treml and Randy Rahn made up the front row for the start of the contest with Rahn using the outside like to power into the top spot. Treml would slowly fall back in the inside line with Dave Meyerhoffer taking over the second spot on lap three. The lead duo of Rahn and Meyerhofer began to separate themselves from the field until the caution flag flew on lap four when the cars of T.J. Spierowski and Neal Sannes got together on the backstretch with Sannes sailing into the softwall off turn three. On the restart Rahn and Meyerhofer made contact with Meyerhofer cutting down a right front tire and dropping out of the contest. Rahn was able to continue unhindered with the lead in hand. Newly crowned division champion Dylan Wenzel motored into the second spot on lap six quickly slicing into Rahn’s lead. Wenzel opted for the outside line nosing ahead on lap 12. Moments a later a spin by Denny Crass bunched the field once again. The race resumed with Dylan and his father Rick Wenzel side by side but Rahn would muscle his way past back into the second spot. Rahn would hold second until three laps to go when he went wide coming off turn four allowing Rick Wenzel and Larry Raygo to slide by into second and third respectively. Dylan Wenzel would take the checker by five car lengths ahead of his father Rick. Raygo would settle for third just ahead of Rahn and Randy Theimer. The Wisconsin Sports Trucks saw the season championship come down to the final 20 lap main event of the year as Kyle Quella and Brett Van Horn would do battle to the finish for the title. Bryan Monday set the pace for the opening two circuits until Jacob Boldig worked to his inside as the pair ran wheel to wheel for the lead position. On lap three, Quella would loop his ride on the backstretch but he was able to resume without a caution losing several spots in the process. Van Horn on the other hand was having much better luck running fourth when the first caution appeared for a spin by Alyssa Larson in turn three on the next lap. The field would realign with Van Horn in fourth and Quella in sixth as the battle for the title resumed. Van Horn continued his progress forward while Quella again lost the handle on his ride falling back to tenth. Out front Boldig continued to set the pace. The battle for the top spot soon became a three way contest as Monday and Van Horn all gathered at the front of the pack. A caution with six laps to go gathered the pack up one final time. Boldig brought the field back up to speed and Quella got a solid restart charging up to third behind Van Horn. Unfortunately for Quella he was unable to match the speed of Boldig or Van Horn having to settle for the third spot. Boldig was able to accept the checker flag by a car length over Van Horn. Todd Kostichka and Monday claimed fourth and fifth respectively. The battle for the Sizzlin’ 4’s title seemed to favor point leader Cory Romenesko in the early going as he was running second and his nearest rival for the title Ethan Beattie was mired deep in the field. There was a dramatic change of event however when Romenesko broke a wheel on lap three and dropped from the contest. All but assuring Beattie the title. Cody Huven moved into the top spot past Roger Braun on lap five. Austin Birling made his way into the second spot at the halfway point while Beattie joined the battle at the front moments later. Beattie used the outside line to reach second with four laps to go seeking to run down Huven. Beattie’s pace would allow him to reach Huven on the white flag lap as the pair traded paint enroute to the finish line. Huven was able to hold on by a half car length with Beattie. Braison Bennett, Birling and Steve Van Oudenhoven completed the top five runners. Fans can follow the best in asphalt racing action by logging onto the Fox River Racing Club website at frrcracing.net where you can follow the development of the 2014 season which should begin in late May. The Fox River Racing Club is also on Facebook at with a link available on the track website Wisconsin International Raceway the home track of the Fox River Racing Club is located near the intersection of State Hwy 55 and KK, just south of Kaukauna, WI. Results: Super Late Models: 35 Lap Feature: 1. Lowell Bennett; 2. Gregg Haese; 3. Jeff Van Oudenhoven; 4. Brett Piontek; 5. Terry Baldry; 6. Kyle Calmes; 7. Tim Rothe; 8. Tom Gee Jr.; 9. Pete Vandermolen Jr.; 10. Andy Monday; 11. Brandon Conrad; 12. Tanner Bohlen; 13. Nate VanWychen; 14. Randy Schuler; 15. Maxwell Schultz; 16. Kyle Rhodes; 17. Brady Baldry; 18. T.J. Smith; 19. Robert Kendall; 20. Jake Carpenter; 21. Ty Majeski; 22. Michael Anthony First 8 Lap Heat: 1. Tom Gee Jr.; 2. Brady Baldry; 3. Randy Schuler Second 8 Lap Heat: 1. Terry Baldry; 2. Kyle Calmes; 3. Bobby Kendall 6 Lap Dash: 1. Van Oudenhoven; 2. Piontek; 3. Haese Fast Qualifier: # 7 Gregg Haese, 19.475 Seconds Late Models: 20 Lap Feature: (Top 10) 1. Brent Strelka; 2. Mike Meyerhofer; 3. Jesse Oudenhoven; 4. Alex Stumpf; 5. Brett Wenzel; 6. Tim Springstroh; 7. Jim Duchow; 8. Gary Natrop; 9. Sawyer Effertz; 10. Corey Manders First 8 Lap Heat: 1. Terry Miller; 2. Sawyer Effertz; 3. Eric Hopfenspreger Second 8 Lap Heat: 1. Brett Wenzel; 2. Jesse Oudenhoven; 3. Gary Natrop 6 Lap Dash: 1. Jim Duchow; 2, Mike Meyerhofer Jr.; 3. Tim Springstroh Fast Qualifier: #52 Brent Strelka, 20.736 Seconds Super Stocks: 20 Lap Feature: ( Top 10 ) 1. Dylan Wenzel; 2. Rick Wenzel; 3. Larry Raygo; 4. Randy Rahn; 5. Randy Theimer; 6. T.J. Spierowski; 7. Neal Sannes; 8. Rachael Meyerhofer; 9. Jeff Treml; 10. Denny Crass First 8 Lap Heat: 1. Ed Howard; 2. Rachel Meyerhofer; 3. Larry Raygo Second 8 Lap Heat: 1. T.J. Spierowski; 2. Dave Meyerhofer; 3. Randy Rahn Fast Qualifier: Dylan Wenzel, 16.077 Seconds Wisconsin Sport Trucks: 20 Lap Feature: (Top 10) 1. Jacob Boldig; 2. Brett Van Horn; 3. Kyle Quella; 4. Todd Kostichka; 5. Bryan Monday; 6. Hayden Watzka; 7. Taylor Vandermoss; 8. Josh Jeske; 9. Brian Vixmer; 10. Mike Burg First 8 Lap Heat: 1. Nick Boldt; 2. Mike Burg; 3. Jason Plutz Second 8 Lap Heat: 1. Jacob Boldig; 2. Kyle Quella; 3. Bryan Monday Sizzlin 4′s: 15 Lap Feature: ( Top 6 ) 1. Cody Huven; 2. Ethan Beattie; 3. Braison Bennett; 4. Austin Birling; 5. Steve Van Oudenhoven; 6. Randy Sonkowsky First 8 Lap Heat: 1. Ethan Beattie; 2. Cody Huven; 3. Steve Van Oudenhoven Second 8 Lap Heat: 1. Devin Yaeger; 2. Cory Romenesko; 3. Braison Bennett
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 23:12:08 +0000