The Scoop
EFFERTZ THWARTS TUNDRA REGULARS AT WIR – WEEKEND WRAPUP & REGIONAL DIRT FEATURE TOTALS
Posted on: Monday May 15, 2023
Darboy’s Sawyer Effertz captured “The Bear 66” TUNDRA super late model feature at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna May 13. (TUNDRA series photo)
For the first time since 2014 the TUNDRA super late model series race at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna was won by a local, weekly racer.
“The Maverick” Sawyer Effertz of Darboy put an end to the TUNDRA regulars dominance at the D-shaped, half-mile paved oval by winning “The Bear 66” at WIR Saturday.
This event has been won by Casey Johnson, Dennis Prunty and Steve Apel in past years. With his win Effertz comes into WIR’s opening night of “Thursday Night Thunder” this week with an obvious confidence boost when the hammer drops May 18.
“Yeah we’re feeling pretty confident right now but things can go south in a hurry,” Effertz admitted. “That’s why we continue to keep our heads down, stay vigilant with our routine maintenance and engineering this week.”
Effertz knows what it takes to win a championship, having done just that in the late model class in 2012. Effertz claimed runnerup honors in the SLM points in 2020. Engine woes shuffled Effertz to a 9th place finish in points with a 4th place points finish in 2022.
“You’ve got to qualify good for points and try to finish in the top five every week if you can,” Effertz said. “If you can do that week in, week out that will usually put you in a great spot at the end of the year.”
“MIGHTY MAXWELL” – Reedsville’s “Mighty Maxwell” Schultz had a banner afternoon at WIR Saturday. Schultz is the new “hired gun” for the Chase Motorsports 47 car in ’23. Schultz scored a runnerup finish to Effertz in the TUNDRA main event.
Reedsville’s Maxwell Schultz (34) leads Franklin veteran Bill Prietzel (5) to the checkers in the Mid-American stock car series at WIR in Kaukauna May 13. The car Schultz wheeled to victory hadn’t been run since 2014. (QC Willy photo)
What’s more, Schultz dusted off his Mid-American stock car – a machine he hadn’t run Oktoberfest at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in 2014. Schultz won the Mid-American stock car series portion of the show. “The car was built in either 2001 or 2002,” said Schultz. “It’s the same car my dad (Bob Schultz) won the championship at 141 Speedway with in 2004.”
Round II for the TUNDRA series will be June 10 at Marshfield Motor Speedway for the popular Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial.
Algoma veteran Todd “Felix” Dart captured the opening night IMCA modified feature win at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek Saturday. (danlewisphoto.net)
IMCA WINNERS – A pair of opening night winners boosted their career IMCA feature win totals.
Algoma’s Todd “Felix” Dart scored IMCA career modified win number 81 at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek while Hortonville’s Travis Van Straten’s IMCA stock car feature win at Shawano Speedway was his 127th career victory.
LUXEMBURG, STURGEON BAY OPENERS – A pair of northeastern Wisconsin dirt ovals will attempt to get their season opening races in.
The Hill Raceway’s lid lifter at John Miles Park in Sturgeon Bay kicks off Saturday, May 20 with a 6 p.m. start.
The defending track champions at the third-mile, clay oval include Two Rivers’ Brett Wenzel (stock car), Luxemburg’s Dave “The Hammer” DeGrave (Unified street stock), Sturgeon Bay’s Randy LeMieux Jr. (sportmod) Todd “Felix” Dart (modified) and Clintonville’s Calvin Stueck (baby bomber).
The ‘Burg Speedway in Luxemburg’s season opening race at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds is set for Sunday, May 21 with a 5 p.m. start.
The Speedway’s defending track titlists include Luxemburg’s Jared Siefert (IMCA modified), Oconto Falls’ Kyle Frederick (IMCA stock car), Sturgeon Bay’s Cody Rass (IMCA northern sportmod), Brussels’ Shannon Guelette (Unified street stock) and Cleveland’s Scott Schlafke (murder hornet).
Egg Harbor’s Cody Patten drops the hammer during a practice session at The ‘Burg Speedway on May 14. (danlewisphoto.net)
DIRT KINGS HEADS WEST – The Dirt Kings late model tour heads west to Red Cedar Speedway in Menominee, Wisconsin Friday, May 19 for the Tom Steuding Memorial. A top prize of $3,007 awaits the winner. Last year Navarino’s Nick Anvelink scored the win.
Last Friday night at handful of area drivers headed west to race at Red Cedar to get some seat time in, including Shawano’s Saturday night winner Gunnar Frank. The second generation racer took fifth at Menominee while Hortonville’s Joel Bennett placed 10th. Todd Frank finished 11th while Seymour’s Mike Mullen took 13th. Racing gets underway at 7 p.m.
KART KORNER – GSR Kartway in Clintonville will kick off it’s ’23 season Wednesday night, May 17 for the Seubert Farms season opener. The nine division show with karts and lawn mower races kicks off at 7 p.m. The pit area opens at 4:30 p.m. with practice set for 6 p.m.
You can check GSR’s Facebook page for further information.
Little Buckaroo Jr. Motorsports Park in Cecil will also attempt to get their season opener in Friday, May 19 with Wisconsin Building Supply/MW Auto Body night at the races. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. with the first green flag flying at 7 p.m.
2O23 NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DIRT TRACK FEATURE WINNERS (after May 13, 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)
Gunnar Frank captured the late model feature at Shawano Speedway Saturday night. (CAP photos)
LATE MODEL
Taylor Scheffler 2 (Farmer City)
Brad Mueller 1
Gunnar Frank 1
MODIFIED
Brandon Schmitt 2
Jesse Cullen 2
Mike Mullen 1
Steve Schneider 1
Steve Mueller 1
Marcus Hoeppner 1
Joel Crowbridge 1 (Wilmot)
Johnny Whitman 1
Todd Dart 1
STOCK CAR
Mitch Meier 3
Luke Lemmens 1
Jeremy Christians 1
Eric Mahlik 1
Tim Warner 1
Tyler Wilson 1
Tim Mueller 1
Travis Van Straten 1
SPORTMOD
Jake Carpenter 3
Jimmy Berkevich 1
Doug Maurer 1
Skylar Woods 1
Tim Warner 1
Nick Schultz 1
Brady Hashbarger 1
Sean Falk 1
Tim Sheppard 1
Zach Raab 1
STREET STOCK
Cody Potter 2
Jesse Krahn 1
Nick Wunrow 1
Paul Diefenthaler 1
Mike Zitzer 1
Brian Gundrum 1
James Fletcher 1
Justin Jacobsen 1
Parker Derks 1
Travis Zirbel 1
GRAND NATIONAL
T.J. Smith 2
Derek Schrauth 1
Aaron Streblow 1
Brad Weiss 1
Chad Espen 1
Will Source 1
FOUR CYLINDER
Adam Broehm 2
Roman Blank 2 (Wilmot)
James Riske 1
Trevor Cronick 1
Brian Watzka Jr. 1
Tanner Westphal 1