Pressers
CASEY JOHNSON, BRYAN MONDAY SNAG WIR HALF-MILE RED, WHITE & BLUE CROWNS
Posted on: Friday August 13, 2021
ATTENTION SPORTS/MOTORSPORTS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CASEY JOHNSON WINS CAUTION FREE BLUE RACE – COPS RED, WHITE & BLUE CROWN
(KAUKAUNA, WI) August 12 – Edgerton’s Casey Johnson grabbed the lead on lap 24 and went on to capture the ‘Blue Race’ at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna Thursday. The race went 64 laps caution free.
Casey Johnson celebrates with family members after winning his second Red, White and Blue state championship. (photo courtesy Casey Johnson’s FB page)
The title was Johnson’s second Red, White & Blue as he also captured the series in 2016.
Red, White and Blue champions were crowned in the other divisions as well. They included Appleton’s Bryan Monday (late model), Denmark’s Bobby Wautier (sport truck), Josh Mueller/Mitch Meyerhofer (super stock), Shaun Bangart and Scott Wolf (co-champions in a tie) and Matt Bauer in the Figure 8s.
WIR track announcer Matt Panure interviews Appleton’s Bryan Monday after Monday captured the late model division Red, White and Blue state title in Kaukauna, Wisconsin August 12. (photo courtesy of Monday Motorsports)
Heading into the evening the former track champion needed simply to finish seventh or better in the 64 lap super late model feature. Johnson started 12th in the field and slowly picked his way through field in the first 10 laps of the contest.
Appleton’s Taylor Vandermoss jumped into the lead at the drop of the green with Sawyer Effertz in tow. Effertz dropped out on lap eight handing the second spot to Andy Monday. Monday motored around Vandermolen for the lead on lap 13 with Johnson moving into second one circuit later.
Johnson reeled in Monday, catching and passing the former track champion on lap 24 with an outside pass. Johnson quickly distanced himself from the field, building his cushion over Monday to four seconds with 20 laps remaining.
When the checkers flew Johnson’s lead had stretched his lead to almost five seconds. Finishing second through fifth were Monday, Grant Griesbach, Jesse Oudenhoven and Carson Kvapil.
The late model feature got off to a rocky start just four laps into the race when a four car melee occurred on the backstretch. The driver involved were Brad Anthony, Jesse Bernhagen, Jerry Mueller and Tim Springstroh. The event was red flagged for track crews to clean up the mess. The wreck sidelined Anthony and Springstroh.
When racing resumed race leader Eddie Muenster kept the top spot with Nick Egan chasing him in second.
Another amber flew at the halfway point when Todd Verhagen and Nathan Van Wychen collided going into turn one.
Back under the green Egan wrestled the lead away from Muenster on lap twelve. Bernhagen took over second two circuits later and began pressuring Egan for the lead. With five laps remaining Bernhagen motored by Egan for the lead.
The former track champion cruised to victory. Chase Randerson nabbed second on the final lap from Egan, who took third. Bryan Monday and Bryan Henry placed third through fifth, respectively.
Freedom’s Cody Vander Loop nipped fast qualifier Bobby Wautier at the line by less than a fender to win the sport truck feature. Wautier settled for second, followed by Kasey Vander Loop, Mike Byrge and Landon Braatz.
Greenleaf’s Henry Neerdaels won the V6 Rovals while Matt Bauer copped the Figure 8 feature.
Weekly racing resumes next Thursday August 19. The action gets underway at 6:30 p.m. You can check frrc.us for more information.
SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Casey Johnson, Edgerton; Andy Monday, Appleton; Grant Griesbach, Pewaukee; Jesse Oudenhoven, Kaukauna; Carson Kvapil, Mooresville, NC; Braison Bennett, Neenah; Jeff Van Oudenhoven, Appleton; Lowell Bennett, Neenah; Alex Stumpf, Woodville; Maxwell Schultz, Reedsville; Jeff Holmgren Jr, East Troy; Taylor Vandermoss, Appleton; Kyle Calmes, Freedom; Corey Manders, Hilbert; Brady Baldry, Omro; Mike Anthony, Appleton; Pete Vandermolen Jr, Oshkosh; Randy Schuler, Mequon; Tanner Kelly, Waucedah, MI; Sawyer Effertz, Darboy; Trevor Vandermolen, Oshkosh
HEATS 1) Stumpf; Holmgren Jr. 2) Effertz; Monday
DASH – Johnson
FAST TIME – Schultz, 19.133
LATE MODEL FEATURE – Jesse Bernhagen, Markesan; Chase Randerson, Oshkosh; Nick Egan, Slinger; Bryan Monday, Appleton; Bryan Henry, Omro; Brandon Reichenberger, Appleton; Travis Rodewald, Manitowoc; Todd Verhagen, Freedom; Jerry Mueller, Richfield; Scott Baker, Kaukauna; Matt Wittman, Appleton; Mitch Haver, West Bend; Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; Mike King, Appleton; Brad Anthony, Appleton; Timmy Springstroh, Freedom
HEAT – Muenster; Rodewald
DASH – Bryan Monday
FAST TIME – Bernhagen, 20.289
SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Tony Wilz, Menasha; Josh Mueller, Sherwood; Andy Casavant, Appleton; George Schwalbach, Menasha; Ed Howard, Kaukauna
HEATS 1) Shane Krueger, Kimberly; Larry Raygo, Omro 2) Ed Howard, Kaukauna; Trevor Howard, Kaukauna
FAST TIME – Mitch Meyerhofer, Sherwood 15.838
SIZZLIN’ 4 FEATURE – Larry Gintner, Neenah; Ben Schulte, Kaukauna; Jake Peters, Shiocton; Shaun Bangart, Appleton; Ethan Beattie Little Chute
HEATS 1) Bangart; Taylor Brockman, Appleton 2) Jacobi Pollei, Appleton; Ben Schulte, Kaukauna 3) Gintner; Ethan Beattie
FAST TIME – Scott Wolf, Appleton, 17.959
SPORT TRUCK FEATURE – Cody Vander Loop, Freedom; Bobby Wautier, Denmark; Kasey Vander Loop, Freedom; Mike Byrge, Chilton; Landon Braatz, Clintonville
HEATS 1) Beth Craig, Appleton; Jamison MacDonald, Suamico 2) Bobby Wautier; Cody Vander Loop
FAST TIME – Wautier, 16.302
FIGURE 8 – Matt Bauer, Kaukauna
V6 ROVALS – Henry Neerdaels, Greenleaf; Drew Diedrick, De Pere; Jordan Gracyalny, Appleton