The Scoop
LOCALS LOOK TO KEEP 141 ‘CLASH CASH’ IN-STATE IN ’21
Posted on: Monday June 14, 2021
The last time a local driver kept the $10,000 winner’s check from 141 Speedway’s Clash At The Creek was 2016.
Luxemburg native Benji LaCrosse hauled home the loot on that occasion. Since then, it’s been out-of-towners who’ve rolled into town and fattened their wallets in the high-dollar, IMCA modified special.
Mooresville, North Carolina’s Kyle Strickler nipped LaCrosse by mere inches at the line to win in ’17. Since then, the last three seasons Adel, Iowa’s Ricky Thornton Jr. won the Clash.
With Thornton chasing the Lucas Oil late model series full time in ‘21 a new champion will be crowned this week. And the local contingent is committed to keeping that money in Wisconsin.
LaCrosse is a two-time winner of this event (2013 & 2016) while Seymour’s Mike Mullen copped the Clash in back-to-back seasons in ’14 and ’15. Both drivers are geared up to grab the big cash in the three-day event June 15-17 at the high-banked quarter-mile, clay oval.
“To win this deal you need a real good handling race car and starting close to the front helps,” LaCrosse admitted. The top ten drivers will earn starting spots through a passing points system which doles out points added up in a pair of heat races Wednesday night. A total of 24 cars will take the green with $750-to-start.
“You really want to draw mid-pack for your heats and then you need to get to the front with those passing points,” Mike Mullen said. “You’ve really got to get a good draw if you do make the top ten in passing points after Wednesday because it’s very hard to win from any further back in the field.”
Seymour, Wisconsin’s Mike Mullen, a two-time Clash winner, is one of many locals hoping to keep the $10,000 winner’s check in state. (JS Designs photo)
Mike Mullen’s dad, legendary Brian Mullen of Seymour, won the Clash in 2011. But back then the race didn’t pay five figures like it did for the first time in 2013. “Hopefully, the track burns off a little bit,” Brian Mullen said. “It’s been a little bit one lane dominant on the top. If that happens hopefully a guy can run through the middle groove most likely.”
One local who’s won a ton of modified titles at 141 but has yet to add the Clash to his resume is De Pere native Johnny ‘Hitman’ Whitman. “The past couple of years it’s been tough to pass,” Whitman admitted. “For the big $10,000-to-win shows it’s rubbered up.”
De Pere, Wisconsin native Johnny Whitman is one of dozens of drivers still searching for their first Clash victory. Whitman, who’s won multiple IMCA modified track titles at 141, is shown here in victory lane at Shawano Speedway. (Turn Two Photos)
Whitman’s best finish in the event was in 2013 when he charged through the field and finished 2nd after starting 18th. “That was with an open motor,” Whitman admitted.
Leading the out-of-towners will be Harcourt, Iowa’s Tim Ward. Ward has traveled north to 141 to race and won the feature race on Saturday, June 12. Other heavy hitters expected to be on their ‘A’ game will be Beatrice Nebraska’s Jordan Grabouski, former NASCAR racer Kenny Wallace of St. Louis, Missouri, Tom Berry of Des Moines, Iowa and Terry Phillips of Springfield, Missouri.
The action starts Tuesday with a $1,000-to-win street stock feature. Wednesday night modifieds will battle in qualifying heats with full shows in both the IMCA stock car and northern sportmods. The big dance is Thursday night. Racing starts Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 6:30 p.m. both Wednesday and Thursday. You can learn more about this event by checking 141speedway.com.
CLASH AT THE CREEK FUN FACTS ……..The very first Clash At The Creek that was held in 2009 was when 141 was still a paved, quarter-mile oval. Eric ‘Chummy’ Arneson was declared the winner after apparent winner Justin Woller of Merrill was disqualified after his northern sportmod did not pass a post-race technical inspection.
In 2010 the IMCA stock cars were the featured class for The Clash with Wisconsin’s winningest driver in the division, Pulaski’s ‘Hot Rod’ Snellenberger capturing the win. It was the first year the track ran as a dirt track.
PAST CLASH AT THE CREEK WINNERS
2009 Eric ‘Chummy’ Arneson (IMCA northern sportmod)
2010 ‘Hot Rod’ Snellenberger (IMCA stock car)
2011 Brian Mullen
2012 Tim ‘The Beave’ Lemirande
2013 Benji LaCrosse
2014 Mike Mullen
2015 Mike Mullen
2016 Benji LaCrosse
2017 Kyle Strickler
2018 Ricky Thornton Jr.
2019 Ricky Thornton Jr.
2020 Ricky Thornton Jr.
2021 ????????????????