By Chris Janda

(Francis Creek, WI) May 18– Benji Lacrosse of Green Bay steals the lead late in the race and goes on to capture the IMCA modified feature at 141 Speedway Saturday night. Lacrosse starts thirteenth but charges up to the front and pulls away with the lead after a late race restart over Shawn Kilgore of New Franken who came home second with Jay Mathias of Green Bay in third. Jeremy Jacobs of Luxemburg comes up in fourth and Randy Markwardt of Sheboygan Falls takes fifth. It was a very close battle between all the top five cars that mixed it up lap after lap until the checkered flag was thrown.

By virtue of his win, Benji Lacrosse earned a starting spot in the “Big Cash Dash” $10,000-to-win Clash @ Creek V provisional qualifying event on Saturday, June 15.

A total of 112 cars checked in to compete, including 20 Hansel Trucking IMCA modifieds, 9 Brian Peterson Grand Nationals, 24 IMCA stock cars, 28 Tisler Salvage street stocks, 21 Hansel Trucking IMCA northern sportmods and 10 sport fours.

In the IMCA stock car division Green Bay driver John Heinz wins the battle for the lead on lap 12 and captures his second feature win of the year at 141 speedway. Whitelaw’s Logan Rhode picks up his best finish this year in second with Oconto’s Scott Stewart in third and Pulaski’s Mike Coel in fourth along with Tyler Smith of Luxemburg rounding out the top five.

In the Hansel Trucking sport mods Josh Long of Suamico wins the three car battle for the lead at the half way point over second place finisher JJ Anderson of Pulaski and third place finisher Andy Kleczka of Suamico. Kleczka and Anderson battled in the beginning for the lead but then battled for the second spot the rest of the race after long grabs the lead. Oconto’s Travis Cain places fourth with long time driver Brian Reif of Mishicot finishing fifth.

Greg Haese of Manitowoc puts on schooling over the 9 car field and picks up back to back feature wins in the Brian Peterson Grand Nationals. By winning this race Hease will pad his points lead over the second place finisher Shawn Schmitt of Manitowoc. Chad Ninmer of Cleveland picks up third with Kevin Naidl of Reedsville in fourth and Jo Gauger of Two Rivers picking up her best finish this year in fifth.

In the Tisler Salvage Street Stocks Jerry Kope of Oshkosh takes the lead away from veteran driver Dan Gracyanly of Greenville on lap 13 and goes on to capture his second feature win in a row. Jerry Winkler of Oshkosh grabs the second place spot from Gracyanly who comes up in third with Jason Behnke of Brillion in fourth and point’s leader Paul Deifenthaler of Manitowoc in fifth.

Brian Johnson picks up the clean sweep in the sport four division in his back up race car. Mike Montie comes up second with Jeff Brehmer in third.

There will be no racing next Saturday May 25 at 141 Speedway. But on Sunday night the track will host the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw sprint cars. The fastest machines on dirt will come to 141 and will be joined by the Grand Nationals and sport fours. Last year Fredonia’s Mike Kertscher clocked the first ever 10 second lap on the high-banked, third-mile clay oval with a lap of 10.750 on May 27.

For more information please check 141speedway.com. You can also follow us on both Facebook and Twitter. The track phone is (920) 863 3377. 141 Speedway is located 15 minutes south of Green Bay on County “R” in Francis Creek.

RACE SUMMARY

HANSEL TRUCKING IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE – Benji Lacrosse, Green Bay; Shawn Kilgore, New Franken; Jay Mathias, Green Bay; Jeremy Jacobs, Luxemburg; Randy Markwardt, Sheboygan Falls

HEATS 1) Jamie Schmidt, Seymour; Eric Van Iten, Green Bay; Kilgore 2) Jacobs; Mathias; Markwardt

BRIAN PETERSON BUILDERS GRAND NATIONAL FEATURE – Greg Haese, Manitowoc; Shawn Schmitt, Manitowoc; Chad Ninmer, Cleveland; Kevin Naidl, Reedsville; Jo Gauger, Two Rivers

HEATS 1) Naidl; Gauger

IMCA STOCK CAR FEATURE – John Heinz, Green Bay; Logan Rhode, Whitelaw; Scott Stewart, Oconto; Mike Coel, Pulaski; Tyler Smith, Luxemburg

SEMI FEATURE – Dave Fraser, Iron Mountain, Mich; Todd Augustian, Kewaunee

HEATS 1) John Mahlberg, Hilbert; Heinz 2) Kyle Fredrick, Oconto Falls; Kyle Wanner, Suamico 3) Tyler Derenne, Kewaunee; Mike Brehmer, Oconto Falls

HANSEL TRUCKING IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD FEATURE – Josh Long, Suamico; JJ Anderson, Pulaski; Andy Kleczka, Suamico; Travis Cain, Oconto; Brian Reif, Manitowoc

HEATS 1) Jake Maurer, DePere; Long 2) Cain; Jeremy Hebel, Manitowoc 3) Anderson; Kleczka

TISLER SALVAGE STREET STOCK FEATURE – Jerry Kope, Oshkosh; Jerry Winkler, Oshkosh; Dan Gracyanly, Greenville; Jason Behnke, Brillion; Paul Diefenthaler, Manitowoc

SEMI FEATURE – Matt Reinke, Manitowoc; Justin Mahlberg, Denmark

HEATS 1) Kope; Diefenthaler 2) David Guager, Two Rivers; Kraig Koehler, Francis Creek 3) Winkler; Behnke

SPORT FOURS

FEATURE-Brain Johnson, Oconto; Mike Montie, Abrams; Jeff Brehmer, Pulaski; Kevin Rabe, Bucktown

HEATS 1) Johnson; Montie

Posted on May 18th, 2013

(Francis Creek, WI) May 14 – Kanawha, Iowa’s Ryan Ruter says his visit to 141 Speedway June 26-27 will be just another “business trip.”

Ruter, who’s car number is 555, who has several $3,000 and $4,000 victories on the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS), was the first out-of-state entry last month for the $10,000-to-win Clash At The Creek V at the high-banked, third-mile clay oval.

The builder of Sidebiter chassis, Ruter has throttled his racing back a bit in 2013. “We’re just staying a bit closer to home this year is all,” said Ruter, who’s competed a half dozen times this year at Iowa tracks in Webster City, Algona, Mason City and Fairmont, Minnesota. “We’re doing mostly the IMCA style stuff this year. When you travel the fuel costs can be brutal.”

The last time Ruter was in northeast Wisconsin was the mid 2000’s when the USMTS still ran specials at Luxemburg Speedway and Thunder Hill Raceway. “What I remember about going up there is we loaded the hauler up with t shirts and after those two dates we sold out of all of them,” said Ruter. “I’m guessing we must have a lot of fans up there or something.”

Ruter has never been to 141 Speedway. “I did watch a couple of clips on Youtube that one of the Green Bay TV stations put on of 141,” said Ruter. “That place looks pretty cool. The clip I saw it slicked up pretty good. To me, the slicker the better. It takes the motor right out of the deal. It’s easier on equipment, too.”

Ruter comes from a farming family, but in recent years building and servicing Sidebiter chassis customers has put food on the table. “I help my Dad out once in awhile on the farm, but it’s pretty much racing full time,” said Ruter. “We’re either racing, building cars or fixing stuff. I’d like to get our name back up in Wisconsin. We need more of a presence up there.”

To learn more about Sidebiter chassis check ruterracing.com. You can follow them on Facebook or by calling 641 762 3733. You can check 141speedway.com for more information. The track phone is 920 863 3377. You can also follow 141 Speedway on both Facebook and Twitter.

Posted on May 14th, 2013