The Scoop
FREEDOM’S VANDEWETTERING SCORES BIG IN OHIO, REGIONAL DIRT FEATURE TOTALS & MORE
Posted on: Monday July 10, 2023
Freedom’s Craig VandeWettering picked up a $5,000 top prize by winning the Buckeye Nationals Figure 8 championships at Painesville (OH) Speedway. (Left Turn Photo Works)
It was a night to remember for Freedom’s Craig VandeWettering in Ohio this past weekend. The former Figure 8 champion at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna scored the Buckeye Figure 8 Nationals win at Painesville (OH) Speedway.
For some years now “CVW” has amped up his Figure 8 game, chasing the big dogs on a touring series that treks all across the country. It’s refreshing to see a local pull off a big win out-of-state in something very different. Props to CVW and his big win in Ohio. And for the record it’s the first time ever a Wisconsin driver has won a Figure 8 race of this magnitude outside of the Badger state.
It was good to see a decent sized crowd in the grandstands Sunday July 9 night for the appearance of the Dirt Kings late model show. The track slicked up and with Mike Mullen and Nick Anvelink starting from the front row, one could have predicted it would have been a snoozer of a race.
It was not. Both of the front running second-generation racers played a cat-and-mouse game when slicing through lapped cars in the waning laps. Mullen led most of the contest, only to have Anvelink to use a lapped car as a “pick” of sorts and snatch the top spot for a few laps.
Mullen would repay the favor as the white flag was displayed and repassed Anvelink to regain the lead and the win. Mullen won with Anvelink taking second place money at the pay window. Also props going out to third place finisher Justin Green. The Sheboygan Falls racer looked impressive with racing what sources say is a homebuilt chassis. Something you most certainly don’t see much of these days – especially in the world of dirt late model racing.
BY THE NUMBERS – $5,000 is the amount of prize money Vanderwettering pocketed for his big Figure 8 win in the Buckeye State. 82 is the number of IMCA sanctioned career modified feature wins earned by Todd “Felix” Dart. The Algoma driver scored the IMCA modified feature win at The ‘Burg Speedway in Luxemburg Sunday.
ALL TIME WISCONSIN IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE WINNERS
Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay, 135
Brian Mullen, Seymour, 129
R.M. VanPay, Green Bay, 129
Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont, 114
Todd Dart, Algoma, 82
Brad Rohloff, Pulaski, 72
Eddie Muenster, Green Bay, 71
Jared Siefert, Green Bay, 59
25 is the number of modified racers (IMCA sanctioned and non-sanctioned) who’ve captured feature wins at regional dirt ovals this year. $1,000 is what Germantown’s Dan Schumacher pocketed by winning the Terry Van Roy Memorial race with his grand national at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek Saturday night. A tip of the cap goes out to Van Roy’s long time buddy Ron Kohl and Gregg Hermann for their efforts to put that special event on. The race drew a field of 36 grand nationals for that event. That was part of a whopping 179 cars in six divisions. That field included 46 IMCA stock cars – many of whom were getting some seat time for the upcoming $10,000-to-win King Of The Creek July 17-19.
A LOOK AHEAD – The ‘Burg Speedway in Luxemburg has a couple of quiet weeks ahead of it as there will be no racing due to the Kewaunee County Fair. Racing resumes Sunday, July 23. That night will serve as the raindate for the annual Hall of Fame night. The 2023 inductees are former IMCA stock car champion “Smokin’ Joe” White of Oconto Falls, former street stock champion Dennis Young of Seymour and longtime track wrecker operator Gene Rollins from Gene’s Deep Rock in Green Bay.
The grand nationals will make a guest appearance with the regular classes that night. Veteran racing historian and Luxemburg Speedway Hall of Famer Tom Wagner will be calling the action that night which gets underway at 5 p.m.
$1,000-to-win is the magic number at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour Friday, July 14. Both the IMCA modifieds and stock cars will battle for that top prize that evening. The tracks other divisions including IMCA northern sportmods, Unified street stocks and IMCA sport compacts will be in action with racing getting underway at 6:30 p.m. at the Outagamie County Fairgrounds.
Action will be quiet at The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay for the next couple of weeks with action resuming Saturday, July 22 at John Miles Park. It will be the northern sportmod drivers turn to shine as they will scrap for their Busch Shootout complete with driver introductions prior to their feature. A 6 p.m. start time is set for The Hill that evening.
KARTING KORNER – Ken’s Sports is sponsoring the Friday night karting action at Little Buckaroo Jr. Motorsports Park in Cecil July 14. Racers in the Box Stock division will have driver introductions. The action at the eighth-mile, clay oval is set to commence at 7 p.m.
It will be bike giveaway night at GSR Kartway in Clintonville Wednesday, July 12. The karting and lawn mower racing program is presented that night by Clintonville Moose Lodge with racing action beginning at 7 p.m.
Its hard to believe mid-season is already upon us. NOTHING beats being there. Online streaming is ok, but there is NOTHING that beats live entertainment. You cannot replace the sights and sounds of a night of racing looking through you Iphone.
2O23 NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DIRT TRACK FEATURE WINNERS (after July 9, 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 3 (Cedar Lake)
Mike Mullen 3
Taylor Scheffler 2 (Farmer City)
Ron Berna 2
Todd Frank 2
Brad Mueller 1
Gunnar Frank 1
A.J. Diemel 1 (Red Cedar, DK)
Mitch McGrath 1
Lukas Postl 1
Justin Schmidt 1
Joel Bennett 1
MODIFIED
Johnny Whitman 5
Marcus Hoeppner 4
Brandon Schmidt 4
Mike Mullen 4
Matt Klenz 3
Benji LaCrosse 3
Jordan Bartz 3
Jesse Cullen 2
Lucas Lamberies 2
Jeff Schmuhl 2
Cole Czarneski 2
Steve Schneider 2
Todd Dart 2
Steve Mueller 1
Joel Crowbridge 1 (Wilmot)
Kevin Feck 1
Shawn Kilgore 1
Marcus Yarie 1
Tim Ward 1
Wyatt Block 1
Will Garceau 1
Mike Wedelstadt 1
Joel Seegert 1
Brian Crapser 1
Tyler DeBouche 1
STOCK CAR
Tyler Wilson 6
Mitch Meier 5
Travis Van Straten 4
Luke Lemmens 4
Kenny Richards 4
Tim Warner 3
Jared Siefert 2 (Jackson)
Eric Arneson 2
Brett Wenzel 2
Tim Mueller 2
Nick Strobbe 2
Trent Nolan 1
Kyle Frederick 1
Jeremy Christians 1
Eric Mahlik 1
Devin Snellenberger 1
Dylan Stedjee 1
Brandon Czarapata 1
Travis Stadler 1
Chase Parker 1
Caden LeMieux 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
Dan Sell 1
SPORTMOD
Tim Warner 5 (Escanaba)
Tyler Sobiesczyk 5
Skyler Woods 5
Jake Carpenter 4
Zach Raab 3
Brady Hashbarger 3 (Iowa)
Randy LeMieux Jr. 3
Coy Vlies 3
Jimmy Berkevich 2
Nick Schultz 2
Cody Rass 2
Tom Schneider 2
Jeffrey Teske 2
Jeff Vlies 2
Doug Maurer 1
Sean Falk 1
Tim Sheppard 1
Elijah Koenig 1
Tony Gates 1
Mason Woods 1
J.J. Vanderloop 1
Craig Dorner 1
Derek Fehling 1
Cory Kemkes 1
Ryan Schmidt 1
Eric Craine 1
Colton VanHierden 1
Andy Welter 1
Dylon Waldvogel 1
Kolton Roehl 1
Matt Radtke 1
Nick Kresbach 1
Michael Plate Sr. 1
Hunter Larson 1
STREET STOCK
Paul Diefenthaler 10
Jesse Krahn 3
Shaun Bangart 3
Cody Potter 2
James Fletcher 2
Justin Jacobsen 2
Jon Schultz 2
Brian Gundrum 2
Ed Anschutz 2
Presley Harrington 2
Dan Van Pay 2
Jared Spaulding 2
Nick Wunrow 1
Parker Derks 1
Travis Zirbel 1
Matt Warner 1
Trey Van Straten 1
Justin Jacobsen 1
Jason White 1
Garrett Geyer 1
Larry Richards 1
Phillip Weusthoff 1
Russ Davison 1
Courtney Atkinson 1
Kelly Brown 1
GRAND NATIONAL
T.J. Smith 3
Will Source 3
Nick Schumacher 2
Brad Weiss 2
Derek Schrauth 2
Jeff Richards 2
Dustin Weiss 2
Dan Schumacher 2
Aaron Streblow 1
Chad Espen 1
Maverick Ruh 1
Justin Pearson 1
Daryl Traber 1
Mark Bailey 1
FOUR CYLINDER
Trevor Cronick 6
James Reese 5
Adam Broehm 4
Tanner Westphal 3
Thomas Schulte 3
Calvin Stueck 3
Scott Schlafke 3
Roman Blank 2 (Wilmot)
James Riske 2
Justin Finlan 2
Nathan Lisowe 2
Brian Watzka Jr. 1
Carl King 1
Bailey Tate 1
Brad Wedde 1
Matt Brehmer 1
Tanner Pari 1
Noah Peschke 1
Brett Deprez 1
Jeremy Czarapata 1
Cody Booth 1