The Cold Temperatures Could Not Cool the Hot Action

4/24/21 Week two of the 2021 racing season at the Shawano Speedway rolled onto

the track with heavy jackets stocking caps and blankets filling the

grandstands as cold temperatures where the story of the night. With

other tracks having to cancel due to weather the pit area was full of

travelers and regulars for this night of racing. Hardy fans came out

to see Jared Siefert, Luke Lemmens, Tyler Sobiescyk, Mike Mullen,

Tanner Westphal pick up feature wins.

The IMCA Sport Mods would lead off feature action with Dylan Waldvogel

and Sobiescyk on the on the front row. Tyler would not let his great

starting position go to waste as he stormed out to a commanding lead

in the early part of the race. Waldvogel would be challenged and

eventually passed by John HoltgerHoltger would get

close to the Sobiescyk machine on a couple of occasions but not be

able to make the pass. Back in traffic Jayden Schmidt would be working

his way forward in a spirited battle with Jeffrey Teske and Max

Oreskovich. Schmidt would eventually grab the third spot with Teske

finishing fourth. Teske after troubles in his heat race recovered by

winning the B main and drive in an impressive run to the fourth spot.

The IMCA Mods Would run second on the night and early on it looked

like it would be the Eddie Munster show. Muenster would jump out to a

large lead on lap number one and begin to pull away as last week's

feature winner Mike Mullen would begin to move forward along with

Marcus Yarie. Mullen and Yarie both started in the 5th row and by lap 7

they were starting to reel in Muenster.  Mullen would get by the Muenster machine on lap 8 with Yarie grabbing second on lap 9. Lucas Lamberies would follow suit and grabbed the third spot on lap 10. Mechanical problems would end the night for Muenster,  while Mullen was cruising to victory. Yarie would hold off Lamberies for 2nd with

Johnny Whitman and Konnor Wilinski rounding out the top five. For

Mullen it would be back-to-back feature wins to start the new season.

The late model division would see longtime driver Jared Siefert and

Justin Ritchie starting out on the front row. Siefert would

capitalize on a great start to grab the top spot and begin to pull

away from the Ritchie machine. Ron Berna would begin to challenge

Ritchie for the runner up spot. A lap seven caution would slow

Action. On the restart, Berna would get past Ritchie and begin to

challenge Siefert for the lead. Siefert would be up to the challenge and again begin to extend his lead. On lap 13 caution would fly again and once again give Ritchie and Berna an opportunity to get to Siefert's back

bumper. Ritchie would use this restart to retake the runner up spot

with Nick Anvelink moving to 3rd past Berna. Running an exceptionally

smooth line Seifert would pick up the feature win with Ritchie,

Anvelink, Berna in tow.

The IMCA Stock cars Continue to show why they are the most exciting

class to watch every week at the Speedway. Dan Michonski coming off a

miserable opening night would have to go to a backup car while his

primary car is being repaired. Michonski would find some opening black

starting from the pole position in the feature event. Michonski would

jump to an early lead but soon be joined by Chucky Forstner and Eric

Arneson in a battle for the top spot. Trent Nolan would also join the

battle throughout the middle of the race. A caution would take the

Arneson machine out of contention a few laps later. Meanwhile Luke

Lemmens would power his way to the front and eventually wrestle away

the top spot from Forstner in a great side by side battle.  Lemmens

returning to the Speedway for the first time in nine years would grab

the checkered flag with Forstner finishing second. Travis Van Straten

would grab third with Nolan finishing fourth.

The Four Cylinder feature event would see Tanner Westphal get past

pole sitter Alexis Michonski in the opening laps to grab the top spot.

Last week feature winner Brad Wedde would move into the runner up spot

On lap number 6 with William Hoefs grabbing the third spot. Westphal

would cruise to victory with Wedde doing everything he could to get

by. Meanwhile, Lucas Hacker racing for the first time this year, would

make an impressive run to the third spot with Hoefs would round out

the top 4.

Nick Anvelink is King in the 2021 Opener

4/17/2021 After a tumultuous 2020 the thunder returned to the Legendary Half
Mile with the Dirt Kings Traveling series joining the Late Model
field. Another welcomed sight was a nearly packed grandstand as fans
were eager to return to some normalcy. With 111 cars checking in the
night was sure to be action packed.

Eric 'Chummy' Arneson would return to racing action at the Speedway in
the IMCA Stock car division and would battle through caution filled
opening laps to take the lead on lap 4. Powering past the Chucky
Forstner machine bringing Jeremy Christians along with him. Arneson
and Christians would be joined by Kevin Hebbe in the top three.
Numerous cautions would continue to plaque the feature event setting
up a final lap shoot out that found Christians jumping past Arneson to
pick up another feature win in the IMCA Stock car division
Not to be outdone, the IMCA Sport Mod division's feature event also
featured numerous caution flags as well. The constant throughout the
event would be last year's Track Champion, Jayden Schmidt, leading the
pack. Schmidt would gain the top spot from Jason Jach on lap two and
survive multiple restarts to pick up the feature win. Jeff Schmuhl
would power through the field from his 9th place starting spot to grab
second while Jeffrey Teske took third. Jach would hang on to finish
fourth.
The Dirt Kings rolled trackside for their first event of the year with
Justin Ritchie and Nick Anvelink on the front row. The field would
take the green flag after an emotional tribute to long time late model
driver and sponsor Diamond Jim Letizia who passed away last week. From
the drop of the green, Anvelink would find familiar ground as he took
the top spot. Ritchie and Troy Springborn, the 2020 Track Champion,
would give chase. Like so many times before, only a couple of cautions
would slow Anvelink as he powered to his 15th win in the Dirt Kings
series Ritchie would hold second ahead of Springborn and Ron Berna,
who started 8th in the event.
The IMCA Modifieds rolled on the track with Mike Mullen to the outside
of Nick Holtger on the front row. Mullen would not let the great
starting spot go to waste as he jumped to the lead on lap one. Marcus
Yarie would follow Mullen with Lucas Lamberies taking the third spot.
Mullen would dominate the event to pick up the win with Yarie and
Lamberies left to entertain the crowd. The 2020 Champion, Lamberies,
and Yarie would not disappoint as they put on an exciting two car
battle for second. When the dust settled it was Yarie in the runner up
spot with Lamberies in third. Wyatt Block made a strong run forward to
grab the 4th spot.
The Mighty 4's finished the night with Tanner Westphal and leading the
pack to the start. Westphal would maintain the top spot until Brad
Wedde made his move grabbing the top spot-on lap four. Wedde would
power away for the win with William Hoefs getting past Westphal for
second. Jody Cornelius would grab third with Westphal settling for
fourth.