The Scoop
WHITMAN WHIPS 141 MOD FOES, FENHAUS FLIES AT DRP & MORE
Posted on: Monday April 14, 2025
IMCA northern sportmods go three-wide in opening night action at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek April 12. (danlewisphoto.net)
Mother Nature released her grip enough to allow the Wisconsin short track racing season officially kick off this past weekend.
Locally, 141 Speedway in Francis Creek and Gravity Park USA in Chilton both kicked off their respective season opening races over the weekend.
At 141 Saturday night, IMCA modified veteran Johnny Whitman snagged that division’s opening night win. A total of 182 cars in five divisions showed up to battle on opening night. B mains were held on all divisions except the Unified Dirt Street Stocks.
Gravity Park USA in Chilton also hosted their season opening race Friday. Among the opening night winners were Suamico’s Tyler Wilson (stock car) and Elkhart Lake’s Jeff Muehlbauer (grand national).
TRAVELERS – Neosho’s Mitch McGrath finished 13th in the open late model feature at Lucas Oils Speedway in Wheatland, MO Friday night. McGrath fought his way into the big show by placing second in one of two last chance qualifying races.
At Marshaltown (IA) Speedway Friday, Denmark’s Cole Czarneski finished 15th in the IMCA modified feature. Beaver Dam drivers Dan Roedl and Brandon Schmitt placed 17th and 18th, respectively. Cody Hokenstad took 19th.
In IMCA stock car action at Marshaltown, Czarneski took fourth in that division’s A main; Pulaski’s Rod Snellenberger finished eighth while Schmitt took 15th.
Beaver Dam’s Skylar Woods finished 21st in the IMCA modified feature at Davenport (IA) Speedway Friday.
Wausau native Luke Fenhaus won Round 1 of the “Alive For Five” SLM series at Dells Raceway Park April 12. (Victory Imaging)
ICEBREAKER LEFTOVERS – A full house of spectators kicked off Wisconsin’s super late model pavement season at Dells Raceway Park Saturday. Wausau native Luke Fenhaus drove overnight from Bristol Motor Speedway and despite living on little sleep, Fenhaus picked up the super late model feature win in round one of the “Alive For Five” series.
Appleton’s Jordan Thiel placed 19th.
In Midwest Truck Series action, Pewaukee’s Grant Griesbach picked up the season opening win. However, a story of determination and resilience developed when Green Bay’s Ryan Manthei grenaded a motor in practice.
The team hustled back to Green Bay, picked up another crate motor and boogied back to keep on racing.
Manthei placed 13th in the B main. However, his effort showed grit and is something you don’t often see in this day and age. Props to them for that.
Other top, local finishers in the trucks included Appleton racers Nick Van & Brandon Reichenberger (3rd and fourth, respectively) with Big Bay Michigan’s Parker Cain rounding out the top five.
Former Fox River Racing Club (FRRC) super late model champion Maxwell Schultz finished seventh in his truck series debut with Appleton’s Cody Vander Loop finishing 9th.
OTHER NEWS – Luxy Raceway is slated to open it’s 2025 season Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds. In ’25 the track modified, northern sportmod, stock car & sport compact divisions will be sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA). Joining those sanctioned classes with be the Unified Dirt Street Stocks.
PLYMOUTH PRACTICE – A practice session is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Plymouth Dirt Track located at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds. The practice session is open to any and all divisions.
Remember to get out and support your local race track IN PERSON this season whenever possible.
Two Rivers’ Phil Mott picked up the opening night IMCA stock car feature win at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek April 12. (danlewisphoto.net)
2025 REGIONAL DIRT TRACK FEATURE WINNERS (as of 4/13/25)
(Tracks included, but not limited to: Outagamie Speedway, Gravity Park USA, Luxy Raceway, 141 Speedway, The Hill Raceway, Plymouth Dirt Track & Shawano Speedway. We’ll also include feature wins by N.E. Wisconsin drivers scored at other tracks, including out-of-state and series victories. These include both IMCA sanctioned & non-sanctioned wins)
LATE MODELS
IMCA MODIFIEDS
Johnny Whitman 1
Marcus Hoeppner 1
IMCA STOCK CARS
Cole Czarneski 3
Tyler Wilson 2
Phil Mott 1
IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMODS
Dustin White 1
Cole Thomas 1
Ryan Schmidt 1
UNIFIED DIRT STREET STOCKS
Cory Romenesko 1
Trey Van Straten 1
GRAND NATIONALS
Jeff Muehlbauer 1
FOUR CYLINDERS/IMCA SPORT COMPACTS
Ben Schulte 1
Thomas Schulte 1