The Scoop
RECAPPING N.E. WISCONSIN 2023 DIRT TRACK FEATURE TOTALS
Posted on: Sunday October 15, 2023
Shawano’s Tyler Sobiesczyk’s biggest win of the year paid $10,000 at 141 Speedway’s Captain Of The Creek in 2023. (T-Sob Racing photo)
Tyler Sobiesczyk is going out on top – at least for now.
‘T-Sob’ as he’s known has sold his IMCA northern sportmod and plans on taking some time away from racing to build a shop. The Shawano Ace scored nine feature wins in 2023, including seven at his hometown half-mile and snatching a pair of big events at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, including the $10,000 Captain Of The Creek.
Sobiesczyk’s 2022 GRT through Bob Harris at least stayed in the area (Oconto, Wisconsin). Odds are you could see T-Sob back at some point down the road behind the wheel. The division Sobiesczyk competed in sported the highest number of winners in the region in ’23 with 48 different drivers finding victory lane. Those numbers include the IMCA sanctioned tracks at Shawano, Seymour, Luxemburg, Beaver Dam and 141 and also the non-sanctioned ovals located in Sturgeon Bay, Chilton and Plymouth.
In all a total of 233 drivers captured feature wins across northeastern Wisconsin. These divisions that we kept track of total feature wins featured both IMCA sanctioned classes and non-sanctioned divisions such as Unified Dirt street stocks, late models and grand nationals. In some instances, we credited a regional driver who may have scored a feature win out of the area or out-of-state. Example being Taylor Scheffler’s win at Farmer City, Illinois, Jared Siefert’s victory at Jackson, Minnesota and even Kaukauna native Paul Parker’s solo win at Sycamore, Illinois, for example.
Despite a season where he took off several Saturday nights off from Shawano Speedway and even missing shows on the Dirt Kings Tour, Nick Anvelink picked up nine victories in 2023, including wins at Cedar Lake Speedway in western Wisconsin. The second-generation racer from Navarino also picked up his sixth Dirt Kings tour title along the way.
In all 14 different late model drivers scored wins between weekly action at Shawano and Plymouth Dirt Track and Dirt Kings races.
Beaver Dam’s Brandon Schmitt tied with Casco’s Benji LaCrosse with nine IMCA modified feature wins in 2023. (Mech Photography)
Casco’s Benji LaCrosse and Beaver Dam’s Brandon Schmitt led the way in IMCA modified feature wins, tied with nine victories apiece. Among Schmitt’s victories were wins at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie and a ‘W’ in Iowa. 39 modified drivers earned feature wins on area ovals in 2023.
At the end of the 2023 season LaCrosse remains Wisconsin’s all-time winningest IMCA modified driver with 139 sanctioned victories.
In stock car action Mitch Meier owned the competition at his home track Gravity Park USA in Chilton. Meier picked up 10 wins in the non-sanctioned class dubbed ‘Too-Tough-To-Tame’ en route to the division title at the quarter-mile, clay oval. 44 different drivers saw victory lane in the division.
Of note in the stock car class was that five out of the top ten all time Wisconsin IMCA stock car feature winners picked up wins in ’23. Among them Pulaski’s “Hot Rod” Snellenberger (221 total wins), Pulaski native Brandon Czarapata (136), Hortonville’s Travis Van Straten (130), Horicon’s Jeremy Christians (106) and Oconto Falls Kyle Frederick (75).
When it came to the Unified street stock class there was no one more dominant than Manitowoc’s Paul Diefenthaler. The Lakeshore ace nicknamed “Dominator” scored an unprecedented 21 feature wins in northeastern Wisconsin. The next closest driver in terms of total feature wins had a pretty good season himself with 12 feature wins was The “Mayor of Sugar Camp” Jason Eisel. The Eagle River Speedway track champion was included in the totals with his win at the special event held at Plymouth Dirt Track and at the late season events held at TNT Speedway in Three Lakes.
Beaver Dam’s Jesse Krahn and Greenville’s Jared Spaulding tied with seven wins apiece while Two Rivers’ Eddie “Eagle” Anschutz picking up six wins in 2023. Anschutz has earned 85 career feature wins, including 33 total at The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay. A total of 29 different street stock racers scored feature wins in ’23.
Greenville’s T.J. Smith led the way with eight grand national feature wins in 2023. (photo courtesy of T.J. Smith racing)
The grand national class has fewer options to run than the other IMCA-sanctioned divisions and street stocks. Nonetheless, 26 drivers earned feature wins between weekly action at 141, Plymouth and Chilton and a variety of special events. A tip of the cap goes to Iron River, Michigan’s Putch Bentley for his work in organizing special events at other dirt tracks for the divisions.
When the dust settled it was versatile Greenville wheelman T.J. Smith who led the way picking up eight feature wins. Franklin’s Will Sorce picked up five wins along with the division’s “Top Dog” challenge.
Faithorn, Michigan’s Trevor Cronick topped all Wisconsin four cylinder feature winners with eight wins in 2023. (danlewisphoto.net)
In the four-cylinder class it was actually a Michigander – Faithorn, Michigan’s Trevor Cronick who was the hired gun for Adam Broehm who led the way in total feature wins. Cronick amassed eight feature wins as his weekend visits to northeastern Wisconsin. 33 different four cylinder drivers earned feature wins in both IMCA sanctioned and non-sanctioned racing.
(Note…..most of these numbers were compiled using the MYRacePass app. If there are any discrepancies, you can email me at jverdegan2@gmail.com and we’ll make the necessary corrections. Thank you.)
2O23 NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DIRT TRACK FEATURE WINNERS (after October 14, 2023)
(Divisions include late model, modified, sportmod, stock car, grand national and four cylinder. Tracks included will be Seymour, Chilton, Francis Creek, Shawano, Sturgeon Bay, Luxemburg, Plymouth and Beaver Dam. It will include IMCA sanctioned and non-sanctioned classes)
LATE MODEL
Nick Anvelink 9 (Cedar Lake)
Mike Mullen 3
Taylor Scheffler 3 (Farmer City)
Todd Frank 3
Gunnar Frank 3
Troy Springborn 3
Ron Berna 2
Mitch McGrath 2
Lukas Postl 2
Brad Mueller 1
A.J. Diemel 1 (Red Cedar, DK)
Justin Schmidt 1
Joel Bennett 1
Paul Parker 1 (Sycamore)
MODIFIED
Brandon Schmitt 9 (Angell Park, Iowa)
Benji LaCrosse 9
Mike Mullen 7
Johnny Whitman 6
Steve Mueller 5 (Wilmot)
Marcus Hoeppner 4
Jeff Schmuhl 3
Todd Dart 4 (Sturgeon Bay)
Jesse Cullen 4
Matt Klenz 4
Jordan Bartz 3
Cole Czarneski 3
Marcus Yarie 3
Lucas Lamberies 3
Steve Schneider 2
Joel Seegert 2 (Wilmot)
Mike Wedelstadt 2
Shawn Kilgore 2
Will Garceau 2
Don Scheffler 2
Tim Ward 2
Jayden Schmidt 2
Joel Crowbridge 2 (Wilmot)
Kevin Feck 1
Wyatt Block 1
Brian Crapser 1
Tyler DeBouche 1
Randy Markwardt Jr. 1
Scott Barnharst 1
Dave Schoenberger 1
Hunter Parsons 1
Jerry Wilinski 1
Mike Carter 1
Travis Hansen 1
Kyle Kudick 1
Mark Joski 1
Noah Schepp 1
Konnor Wilinski 1
Adam Crapser 1
STOCK CAR
Mitch Meier 10
Kenny Richards 8
Tyler Wilson 8 (Iowa, TNT)
Kyle Frederick 7
Travis Van Straten 7
Kyle Frederick 6
Luke Lemmens 6
Jeremy Christians 4
Brett Wenzel 4
Tim Warner 3
Eric Mahlik 3
Jared Siefert 3 (Jackson)
Brandon Czarapata 3
D.J. Sell 2
Eric Arneson 2
Tim Mueller 2
Nick Strobbe 2
Trent Nolan 2
Caden LeMieux 2
Alex Crapser 2
Mike Mullen 2
Dan Sell 1
Devin Snellenberger 1
Dylan Stedjee 1
Travis Stadler 1
Chase Parker 1
Logan Rhode 1
Aaron Stolp 1
Troy Muench 1
Cole Czarneski 1
Rod Snellenberger 1
Nick Buckarma 1
Brady Polcen 1
Vern Stedjee 1
Aiden Gretz 1
Mitch Stankowski 1
Josh Mroczkowski 1
Jonathan Charles 1
Zach Spangenberg 1
Tyler Derenne 1
Trey Van Straten 1
Barry Van Straten 1
Mike Carter 1
Aaron Karcz 1
John Adams 1
SPORTMOD
Tyler Sobiesczyk 9
Tim Warner 8 (Escanaba)
Coy Vlies 8
Skyler Woods 5
Zach Raab 5
Jake Carpenter 5
Brady Hashbarger 4 (Iowa)
Cody Rass 4
Cory Kemkes 4
Randy LeMieux Jr. 4
Elijah Koenig 4
Nick Schultz 3
Tom Schneider 3
Jeff Vlies 3
Nick Kresbach 3
Jimmy Berkevich 2
Jeffrey Teske 2
Eric Craine 2
Colton See 2
Jonathan Baumann 2
Ryan Schmidt 2
Michael Plate Sr. 2
Matt Radtke 2
Craig Dorner 2
Jeff Steenbergen 2
J.J. Vanderloop 2
Doug Maurer 2
Sean Falk 2
Tim Sheppard 1
Tony Gates 1
Mason Woods 1
Derek Fehling 1
Colton VanHierden 1
Andy Welter 1
Dylon Waldvogel 1
Kolton Roehl 1
Hunter Larson 1
Barry Maas 1
Max Oreskovich 1
Reagan May 1
James Dahlstrom 1
Chris Budzban 1
Taylor Kuehl 1
Tim Thrun 1
Logan Fleischman 1
Shane Bahr 1
Alec Wery 1
Todd Dart 1
STREET STOCK
Paul Diefenthaler 21
Jason Eisel 12 (Eagle River, TNT, PDTR)
Jared Spaulding 7
Jesse Krahn 7
Ed Anschutz 6
Shaun Bangart 5
Larry Richards 4
Justin Jacobsen 4
Jon Schultz 4
Matt Warner 3
Cody Potter 2
James Fletcher 2
Brian Gundrum 2
Presley Harrington 2
Dan Van Pay 2
Courtney Atkinson 2
Travis Zirbel 2
Garrett Geyer 2
Phillip Weusthoff 2
Nick Wunrow 1
Parker Derks 1
Trey Van Straten 1
Justin Jacobsen 1
Jason White 1
Russ Davison 1
Kelly Brown 1
Dave De Grave 1
Jake Binash 1
David Blackberg 1
GRAND NATIONAL
T.J. Smith 8
Will Sorce 5
Jeff Richards 4
Nick Schumacher 4 (Eagle River)
Dan Schumacher 3
Derek Schrauth 3
Dustin Weiss 3
Brad Weiss 3
Maverick Ruh 2
Justin Pearson 2
Ryan Minster 2
Aaron Streblow 1
Chad Espen 1
Daryl Traber 1
Mark Bailey 1
Ethan Beattie 1
Mike King 1
Bristol Hitsman 1
Nicholas Goeman 1
Shawn Schmitt 1
Don Singer 1
Luke Scholten 1
Jason Schilling 1
Steve Weber 1
Mark Bailey 1
Taylor Rahn 1
FOUR CYLINDER
Trevor Cronick 8
James Riske 7
Adam Broehm 7
James Reese 6
Scott Schlafke 6
Calvin Stueck 5
Tanner Westphal 5
Thomas Schulte 4
Brian Watzka 4
Roman Blank 2 (Wilmot)
Justin Finlan 2
Nathan Lisowe 2
Kenneth Becker 2
Brad Wedde 2
Carl King 2
Noah Peschke 2
Brett Deprez 2
Bailey Tate 1
Matt Brehmer 1
Tanner Pari 1
Jeremy Czarapata 1
Cody Booth 1
Lucas Hacker 1
Braidyn Cady 1
Kyle Jorgenson 1
Neil Watzka 1
Caleb Barnard 1
Jasper Drengler 1
Jake Peters 1
Skylar Bork 1
Ben Schulte 1
Taylor Junk 1
Ryan Johnson 1