VAN ITEN SHADES VAN PAY, WINS 141 MOD LID LIFTER
Photos by Dave Hooker
By Jordan and Joe Verdegan
(Francis Creek, WI) April 23 — Green Bay’s Eric Van Iten fought off a tenacious charge from veteran RM Van Pay of Denmark to win the season opening modified feature at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek Saturday night presented by Hansel Trucking.
A total of 105 cars checked in to battle, including 23 modifieds, 16 grand national sportsman, 10 stock cars, 26 sportmods, 13 street stocks and 17 sport fours.
Van Pay sprinted from his pole position into the lead, and kept the top spot into a rash of cautions on the third-mile, clay oval. Van Iten muscled his way inside of Van Pay on lap seven. Van Pay was not to be denied, as Van Pay repassed Van Iten on lap 18. Van Iten regained the lead a lap later and held on for the win. Van Pay took second place money, followed by Denmark’s Tim Czarnecki, Sobieski’s Sean Jerovetz and De Pere rookie Johnny Whitman.
Plymouth’s Brian Gilles inherited the lead on a lap 11 restart and battled defending track champion TJ Smith of Menasha to take the grand national sportsman feature. Smith took second, followed by Ben Stumpf of Brillion, Chilton’s Steve Schneider and St. Peter’s Tim Simon.
New Franken’s Brad Lautenbach led wire-to-wire, capturing the sportmod feature. Lautenbach carefully sifted his way through lapped cars with Oconto Falls Eric Arneson hot on his heels. Arneson wound up second, followed by Two Rivers’ Jesse Brey.
Kaukauna’s Brandon Czarapata wound up winning a wild finishing stock car finish. Czarapata was running third when Green Bay’s John Heinz and Denmark’s Rick Mahlberg locked horns battling for the lead, coming out of turn four. Suamico’s Tyler De Bouche took second, followed by Roger Johnson of Saukville, John Mahlberg of Hilbert and Kewaunee’s Todd Augustaine.
Greenville’s Danny Gracyalny took the lead at the drop of the green and dodged a pair of caution periods to win the street stock feature. With his heat win Gracyalny swept the class for the night.
Gracyalny got pressure at mid race from Kaukauna’s Matt Drawenek, but Drawenek tagged the wall and was forced to pit. Hollandtown’s Eric Derks took second, followed by Stockbridge’s Adam Broehm, Brillion veteran Randy Rahn and Oconto’s Alan Schlueter.
St. Peter’s Tim Simon swept action in the sport four division.
Racing resumes next Saturday night, April 30 beginning at 6 p.m.
141 Speedway is located 20 miles south of Green Bay on County Trunk “R” in Whitelaw. For more information call 920 863 3377. The track’s website is 141speedway.com.
RACE SUMMARY
MODIFIED FEATURE — Eric Van Iten, Green Bay; RM Van Pay, Denmark; Tim Czarneski, Green Bay; Sean Jerovetz, Little Saumico; Johnny Whitman, DePere
SEMI FEATURE — Randy Marquardt Jr., Sheboygan Falls
HEATS 1) Van Pay; Mike Wedelstadt, Fremont 2) Lance Arneson, Krakow; Van Iten 3) Whitman; Mitch McGrath, Neosho
BRIAN PETERSON BUILDERS GRAND NATIONAL FEATURE — Brian Gilles, Plymouth; TJ Smith, Menasha; Ben Stumpf, Brillion; Steve Schneider, Chilton; Tim Simon, St. Peter
HEATS 1) Alex Stumpf, Brillion; Tom Schneider, Chilton 2) Smith; Don Sorce, West Allis
STOCK CAR FEATURE — Brandon Czrapata, Pulaski; Tyler DeBouche, Saumico; Roger Johnson, Saukville; John Mahlberg, Hilbert; Todd Augustine, Kewaunee
HEAT John Heinz, Green Bay; Rick Mahlberg, Denmark
SPORTMOD FEATURE – Brad Lautenbach, New Franken; Eric Arneson, Oconto Falls; Jesse Brey, Two Rivers; Rob Charapata, Oconto; Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay
SEMI-FEATURE — Jerovetz
HEATS 1) Brey; Eric Mahlik, Green Bay 2) Andy Kleczka, Suamico; Tracy Wassenberg, Shawano 3) Arneson; JJ Andersen, Green Bay
STREET STOCK FEATURE — Dan Gracyalny, Greenville; Eric Derks, Hollandtown; Adam Broehm, Stockbridge; Randy Rahn, Brillion; Alan Schlueter, Oconto
10 LAP HEATS 1) Rahn; Derks 2) Broehm; Frank Groeschel, Appleton
SPORT 4 FEATURE — Tim Simon, St. Peter; Jay Orr, Milwaukee; Brian Hillringhouse, Milwaukee; Jacob Balk, Milwaukee; Zach Dickie, Plymouth
10 LAP HEATS 1) Simon; Mike Zitzer, Sheboygan Falls 2) Broehm; Orr
Posted on April 23rd, 2011
