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YARIE SNATCHES SHAWANO STOCK CAR LOOT – WESTPHAL CASHES IN ON 4 CYLINDER $$$
Posted on: Tuesday June 3, 2025
Modified ace Marcus Yarie picked up the IMCA stock car win at Shawano Speedway May 31. (Backcountry Captures)
YARIE SNATCHES SHAWANO STOCK CAR LOOT – WESTPHAL CASHES IN ON FOUR CYLINDER $$$ (submitted by Brandon Reichenberger)
(SHAWANO, WI) May 31 – On a beautiful sun filled Saturday, the Shawano Mighty 4’s raced for a $657 pay day, which very well might be an all time record pay day at the Shawano Speedway for this division. Once again the “new” racing surface proved to hold plenty of speed as drivers in all divisions put on a show.
The IMCA Stock Cars kicked off the action with Marcus Yarie and Travis Spaulding bringing the field to the green for 20 exciting laps around the half mile. Yarie would get the early jump on the field as Spaulding was left to battle with Riley Magee for the early runner up spot. Magee would ultimately succeed as Spaulding slid way up the banking on lap 2 and lost a handful of spots. He was quickly joined by Jeff Nowak who showed plenty of speed on the big half mile.
A little further back Nate Michonski and Devin Snellenberger were closing in on the top 3. Snellenberger would move from 5th to 3rd on lap 5 and quickly turn up the heat on Riley Magee for the second spot. It was lap 7 and Snellenberger was up to second, meanwhile Dan Michonski had the 1M on a mission and up to the 4th spot and looking for more. Up front Snellenberger was quickly closing in on Marcus Yarie for the lead, gaining almost 2 car lengths a lap. Just as Snellenberger got underneath Yarie off turn 2 on lap 13, Sawyer Frederick looped his #51 machine in turn 3 bringing out the Domino’s Pizza yellow flag.
Back under green Snellenberger knocked on the back bumper of Yarie through the corners, but the yellow would fly 1 lap later when Riley Magee spun by himself while running 3rd in turn 2. The next restart would click off 3 laps, with Yarie and Snellenberger nose to tail. Yarie would open the door in turn 4 with 3 laps to go and the leaders would make contact.
This would be detrimental to Snellenberger as he had trouble on the RF of his #21 car, stopping in the middle of the back straightaway bringing out the yellow flag for the final time setting up a 2 lap shootout between Yarie, Nate & Dan Michonski. Yarie would scoot away just enough to hang on and collect the win over Nate Michonski, Dan Michonski, Kyle Frederick and Kyle Stedjee.
The IMCA Modifieds were led to the green flag by Kevin Feck and Jerry Muenster for their 20 lap feature. Kevin Feck quickly took the lead and made it very clear to the rest of the field he would be the man to beat. Adam Jacobson would take the second spot over Mike Schmidt and Jordan Bartz, but his time in second would only last one lap as Schmidt would slide underneath in turn 1 on lap 2. The Domino’s Pizza yellow flag would fly at the end of lap two as Trace Yeager had trouble in turn 2, and this wouldonce again stack up the field. On the restart Lucas Lamberies brought himself into the mix as he joined the top 3 behind Kevin Feck and Mike Schmidt. On lap Lamberies and Schmidt would get together through turns 1 & 2, both drivers would keep their cars straight but Lamberies would get the worst of it as he dropped out of the race and pulled to pit lane off turn 4. The battle for 2nd would heat up as Jordan Bartz applied the pressure to Mike Schmidt while Tanner Janke joined the battle to make it a 3 car fight for the runner up spot. The bottom lane was the place to be in this 20 lapper and Bartz continued to put the nose of her 12 machine right up against the back bumper of Schmidt’s 07 car lap after lap. As the laps wound down all of this action was almost a full straightaway behind Kevin Feck. At the checkers it was Feck taking home the win followed by Mike Schmidt, Jordan Bartz, Adam Abbey and Tanner Janke.
In the IMCA Sport Mods Tommy Rindt made it 2 in a row but not without plenty of excitement throughout this 20 lap feature.
Andrew Engels and Travis Rhoades led the field to the green flag. Travis Rhoades would emerge as the early leader with Michael Springborn and Bryce Clements emerging as the top 3 through lap 1 before Taylor Hoffman brought out the Domino’s Pizza yellow flag for the first time. The green would fly once again with Rhoades taking off with the lead, and Bryce Clements stealing 2nd but the yellow would fly again on lap 3 when eventual winner Tommy Rindt looped the #36 in Turn 3. Back on the loud pedal once again it was Springborn taking the lead momentarily through turn 2 but Rhoades would cross him over. As those two battled up front, Forrest Kernen and AJ Springborn got together at the end of the backstretch sending Springborn hard into the wall bringing out the third yellow in the first 4 laps.
Michael Springborn led the field back to green and quickly jumped out to a healthy lead, this time over Clements and Dustin Wudstrack who joined the top 3. Charlie Hoffman made his way past Rhoades as well and looked to be on the move in his #48 car. Lap 7 saw the yellow flag again as his sister Taylor came to rest in turn 4 bringing out the yellow again and ending her night. When the green was flying again the top 4 once again re-established themselves with Wudstrack applying the heat to Clements for 2nd.
With the field able to establish a bit of a rhythm and everyone running the bottom, there was one driver who was not. Tommy Rindt knew if he was going to win he was going to have to go where they were not. After the 5th and final yellow flag it was Wudstrack wrestling the lead from Springborn and Tommy Rindt had the 36 roaring up top and made his way to second. As the laps clicked off Rindt would make up significant ground and reel in Wudstrack to take the lead with 2 laps left and driving off into the sunset with his second feature win in a row. Wudstrack would lose the handle off turn 2 on the final lap and at the caution/checkered flag rounding out the top 5 it was Michael Springborn, Bryce Clements, Travis Rhoades and Charlie Hoffman.
The Mighty 4’s offered an exciting end to the evening with a big payday on the line for these drivers. $657 went to the winner, with 2nd place receiving $428 and 3rd place taking home $260. Scott Blanke and Tucker Pari had the best view to start this one on the front row coming to the green. Early on it was Blanke the leader with Pari settling in second followed by Andrew Yeager. Further back Tanner Westpahl was on the charge wasting no time moving forward from the 8th starting spot. A great 3 battle between Pari, Yeager and Westphal would allow Blanke to get away by 6 car lengths but his lead would be erased on lap 2 when James Des Jarlais spun and brought out the yellow flag.
On the restart it was 3 wide into turn 1 with Westphal down low, Blanke the middle and Pari up top. Westphal would prevail and take the lead on lap 3 leaving Blanke to battle with Yeager, Pari and Taylor Junk who was working his way forward. Lap after lap it was 3 wide for the second spot with plenty of great racing throughout the field. Blanke would finally establish himself in 2nd with Dalton Nelson on the charge he would go from 4th to take 2nd away but contact with Blanke would cut the right front of Nelson’s car forcing him to retire from the race. Up front Tanner Westphal was long gone by nearly a full straightaway over Taylor Junk. This lead would be wiped away on lap 9 when the yellow flag flew.
After the green flew again it was Westphal leading Junk who timed his restarts to perfection racing side by side with Westphal into turn 1. It would not be long before Westphal would clear off turn 2 forcing Junk back to 2nd. With 4 laps to go the yellow flew again setting up another restart. On the ensuing green flag it was Calvin Stueck emerged as a new candidate for the top 3 as he pulled alongside Scott Blanke off turn 2 and looked to track down Junk.
The green would not last long as further back Clint Hatterman would get into the back of Andrew Yeager causing a chain reaction pile up in turn 4. A short time after taking the green again, off turn 2 trouble ensued as Isaiah Mcdowell lost a wheel and brought out the final yellow flag setting up a 3 lap shootout.
Junk made an attempt into turn 1 to steal the lead from Westphal but once again itwould not be enough to shake Westphal from the top spot. At the finish it was Westphal scoring the big pay day followed by Taylor Junk, Scott Blanke, Calvin Stueck and Nathan Lisowe.
A big THANK YOU goes out to the anonymous race fan, Will Hoefs, Al Danielson, Brian “Farmer” Markiewicz, Northwoods Fire Protection, Scooter Blanke and Jason Schmidt who all donated extra money to the purse to increase the payout throughout the field, for the top 3, and also the $150 hardcharger award.
Join us Saturday night at 6pm, June 7th for Hall of Fame night and $1000 to win for the IMCA Modifieds sponsored by Charter Aarrowcast.