The Vault
TRACKING KULWICKI’S 1ST PAVED TRACK FEATURE WIN
Posted on: Sunday December 29, 2024
When one thinks of Alan Kulwicki and what was the first track where he earned his first pavement, late model feature win, off the top of my head I would have thought perhaps Slinger Super Speedway?
Not the case, actually. June 28, 1975 at Lake Geneva Raceway was where Kulwicki scored his first pavement feature flag.
The recap was posted in the Thursday, July 3, 1975 edition of the Midwest Racing News.
There was no credit given to the writer of the race recap nor a photo credit for the picture that accompanied the story.
Enjoy this content.
KULWICKI CONQUERS ‘GENEVA FIELD FOR FIRST LATE MODEL WIN
(RECORD CROWD) reprinted from the Thursday, July 3, 1975 edition of Midwest Racing News
LAKE GENEVA, WIS., June 28 – Alan Kulwicki, 20, of Milwaukee, scored his first late model feature triumph n the thrice-restarted 30-lap main event Saturday night before the largest crowd in the history of Lake Geneva Raceway.
Kulwicki, in his first year of paved-track competition, had placed second in the feature a week ago while debuting on this quarter-mile, asphalt oval.
Kulwicki started tonight’s feature in the front row and ran second to Conrad Morgan for the first 16 circuits. Then, on the 17th lap, Kulwicki edged his 1973 Camaro past Morgan for the lead he never relinquished.
John Burbridge put on a strong closing rush, but had to be content with second place ahead of Morgan, Steve Lurvey and point leader Al Schill.
The evening’s top qualifier Vern Browne, Joe Torri and Bob Peterson each spun out once during the race and Larry Hicks spun twice.
Fran Baumgartner won the sportsman feature.
A late model program which will include a 50-lap feature has been scheduled for the track on Thursday, July 3. Fans have already over-subscribed the $5 lap prize money for the event.
SUMMARY
LATE MODELS
30-lap Feature – Alan Kulwicki, Milwaukee; John Burbridge, Milwaukee; Conrad Morgan, Dousman; Steve Lurvey, Dousman; Al Schill, Franklin; Red Hutchinson, Beloit
15-lap Semi-feature – Charlie Yelk, Lake Mills; Gary Krueger, Fort Atkinson; Harv Dunbar, Elkhorn
10-lap Heats – 1st) Yelk; Ron Neyalyet, Lake Geneva 2nd) Krueger; Terry Helmbrecht, Hartford 3rd) John Baumeister, Burlington; Burbridge 4th) Bob Peterson, Lake Geneva; Jack Ester, Antioch, IL
Fastest Qualifier – Verne Browne, Libertyville, Il. 17.13
SPORTSMAN
15 lap Feature – Fran Baumgartner; Roger Meyer, Lake Mills; Dane Lulling, Trevor; Ron Redinus, Whitewater; Steve Nussbaum, Woodstock
12-lap Semi-feature – Jim Potter, Delevan; Bob Koehn, Lake Geneva; Bob Carlson, Lake Geneva
10-lap Heats – 1st) Potter; Koehn 2nd) Stan Nystrom, Whitewater; John Titoni, Wonder Lake 3rd) Ron Kuhl, Burlington; Sam Grubb, Burlington 4th) Baumgartner; Keith McAllister, Bristol
Fastest Qualifier – Meyer, 18.73
SPECTATOR STOCKS
Feature – Bob Mack, Burlington; Harvey Nietfeldt, Lake Geneva; Bill Cramer, Burlington
Fastest Qualifier – Mack, 20.94