Note: Wilmot Raceway is a westofthei.com sponsor. — DH
It took hot acting on the track to keep fans warm on a cool and damp evening for those attending the Wilmot Raceway season opening racing event at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds. Those in attendance were treated to a show with well over 100 cars taking to the third-mile clay oval as part of the five division program.
Defending 410 Sprint champion Tommy Sexton would hold off Mike Kertscher for the victory as he seeks to repeat the title in 2012. Scott Kuxhouse came away with the Modified feature victory after a fierce battle with Mike Simons Jr. In the Mini-Sprints is was Nick Scanlon taking the first feature checkered of the year. Rob Maule would dominate the non-stop Hobby Stock feature for the victory, while in the combined 4 cylinder main event Jake Greensley topped the Pro 4 class and Scott Redden notched the victory in the Bandits.
Three times was the charm, to start things off in a rather unsettled start of the 410 Sprint feature contest.
A field of 20 Sprint cars were unleashed on the third-mile clay oval but the caution flew for a spin by Phillip Mock as he looped his machine in turn two and was expertly avoided by the field.
The second attempt to get underway resulted quick flip by Jeremy Schultz after he and the machines of Jereme Schroeder and Scott Uttech all tried to grab the same piece of real estate in turn one. Schroeder and Scott Uttech were able to continue, while Schultz was done for the evening with front suspension damage.
The third try to get action underway was the charm as defending Wilmot Raceway champion Tommy Sexton launched from his pole starting position into the lead with outside front row starter Dave Uttech giving chase. Brian Kristan and Scott Uttech settled into the third and fourth slots while Mike Kertscher reached the top five by lap three.
By lap seven Sexton was already reaching the back markers, weaving his way through traffic while putting some distance on second running Dave Uttech. Further back Kertscher was on the move slicing past Scott Uttech on lap nine.
Moments later Kristan and Scott Uttech bumped in turn four with both drivers jumping the cushion. As they regained control of their machines, Kertscher managed to slip past both drivers to reach the second spot.
Kertscher would have is opportunity to close on Sexton when the caution flew for Scott Thiel coming to a halt on the backstretch with only a handful of laps remaining. With the field now bunched and only a single lapped car between himself and Sexton it would be Kertscher’s opportunity to challenge for the lead position. When the green flag fell however it was Sexton getting a great restart pulling out to a six car length lead.
Kertscher and Kristan continued to give chase as the race wound down but Kertscher could get no closer than two car lengths when the checkered flag fell as Sexton scored the victory. Kertscher would settle for second while Kristan, Dave Uttech and Scott Uttech comprised the top five. Visiting IRA regular Scott Neitzel earned sixth followed by Phillip Mock who claimed seventh after charging through the pack after starting at the tail of the field for initiating the first caution of the evening.
The Modifieds gave the fans plenty of action as they would be treated to a side by side battle for the lead between front row starters Scott Kuxhouse and Mike Simons Jr. Simons Jr. who started on the pole lost the initial lead to Kuxhouse who blasted off his outside front row starting spot. Don Scheffler would get a great view of the lead battle holding down the third slot.
Using the low line Simons Jr. managed to work under Kuxhouse for the top spot on lap five. Undaunted Kuxhouse stayed on the outside line and managed to pull alongside Simons Jr. as the pair ran wheel to wheel around the track. Kuxhouse then recaptured the top position just before the caution flew for Scheffler who looped his ride thereby giving up his third position. This advanced Andrew Araco to third and defending champ Chris Carlson to fourth.
Kuxhouse and Simons Jr. went right back to their duel for the top spot when the green returned while Carlson and Araco contested the third position. The epic battle for the lead came to an unfortunate end when Simons Jr., suddenly slowed and pulled into the infield. This left Kuxhouse in command with Carlson now trying to chase down the leader from his second position.
Kuxhouse was up to the task taking the checkered flag. Carlson claimed runner-up honors followed by Joel Crowbridge. Scheffler rallied from his earlier spin making brilliant charge through the pack which included passing two cars on the final lap to reach fourth at the finish. David Jaeger finished fifth with Araco fading to sixth at the finish.
In mini-sprint action 19 cars accepted the green flag for their feature contest. Dan Uttech would set the initial pace with Tim Brannam giving chase. Jim Scanlon running the high groove would sweep past Brannam into second on lap two and he then set his sights on Uttech. Brannam would continue to fade losing third to Nick Petska on lap five.
The leaders would reach heavy lapped traffic before the halfway point of the contest as the top three of Uttech, Scanlon and Petska weaved through the back markers.
A spin in turn three would bunch the field just past the halfway point of the race bunching the field and giving the leaders an open track to do battle. As the race resumed Uttech would jump the cushion in turn four giving the lead to Scanlon. Uttech managed to find his rhythm to hold onto the second slot with Petska now on his tail.
Just as the white flag was to appear Nick Daywalt came to a stop on the front stretch. This setup a green white checkered finish. The dash to the checkered began with Scanlon getting a great restart and holding off his challengers to the checkered flag. Scanlon accepted the win followed by Uttech who held off a final turn passing attempt by Petska who reached the line in third. John Kirk and Kyle Koch completed the top five finishers.
The Hobby Stock main event would run from green to checkered Brandon Mertes and Ronnie Mink made up the front row for the start of the contest, but it was Mark Baker who would drive right down the middle between Mertes and Mink on the backstretch to take the lead before the completion of lap one.
Baker didn’t have much breathing room however as Rob Maule was wasting little time moving forward grabbing second on lap two and then closing the gap on Baker. Maule worked to Baker’s inside on lap 3 and shot into the lead.
Once out front Maule would prove untouchable and with no cautions to slow his pace he quickly pulled away from the field and began lapping cars. Bradley Norgard would move into third before the mid-point of the race but it became apparent that no one had the speed to catch Maule.
Maule would take the win by a full straight over Baker. Norgard would claim third followed by Charles Pinkalla and Mink.
The final feature of the evening was the combined Pro 4 and Bandits 4 cylinder events. Jake Greensley would take the checkered flag and the overall win in the Pro 4’s. The Pro 4 finish posted with Taylor Dawson in second and Joe Summers third. In the bandits Scott Redden was best in class followed by Trevor Kroll and Jason Jones.
Next week on Saturday evening May 12th, the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints will make their first appearance of the season at Wilmot Raceway. The show will also feature Hoosier Tire Modifieds, Fec’s Place / Outlaw Race Parts Mini Sprints, Massive Speed Pro 4’s and Hawg Heaven Bandit 4’s.
Additional appearances for the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprints will take place on May 26th, June 9th, July 21st and August 18th.
Admission for the special will be $20 for adults, while regular event pricing will stay in effect for Adults with a military ID and Students ages 8 through 11, who can attend for $5. While children under the age of 8 are admitted FREE.
The Kenosha County Fairgrounds where the track resides is located just north of the intersection of county roads C and W in Wilmot, WI. Wilmot is located just 8 miles west of I-43 taking county highway C which is exit 345. For those seeking additional information please check out the track website at www.wilmotraceway.com or call the track on race day at 262-862-2090.
Box Score:
410 Winged Sprints presented by Goodyear: A-Main: 1.) Tommy Sexton; 2.) Mike Kertscher; 3.) Brian Kristan; 4.) Dave Uttech; 5.) Scott Uttech; 6.) Scotty Neitzel; 7.) Phillip Mock; 8.) Jereme Schroeder; 9.) Robbie Pribnow; 10.) Kris Spitz; 11.) Blake Nimee; 12.) Matt Vandervere; 13.) Dennis Spitz; 14.) Raymond Hensley; 15.) Michael Decker; 16.) Chris Dodd; 17.) Scotty Thiel; 18.) Rusty Egan; 19.) Darrell Dodd; 20.) Jeremy Schultz. B-Main: 1.) Hensley; 2.) C. Dodd; 3.) Decker; 4.) D. Spitz; 5.) Brandon Thone; 6.) Aaron Schaffer. Heat One: 1.) D. Uttech; 2.) Nimee; 3.) Schultz. Heat Two: 1.) Sexton; 2.) Kertscher; 3.) Mock. Heat Three: 1.) Kristan; 2.) D. Dodd; 3.) S. Uttech
Hoosier Tire Modifieds: A-Main: (Top 10) 1.) Scott Kuxhouse; 2.) Chris Carlson; 3.) Joel Crowbridge; 4.) Don Scheffler; 5.) David Jaeger; 6.) Andrew Araco; 7.) Jason Hyerdall; 8.) Mike Wittenburg; 9.) Cameron Kuxhouse; 10.) John Dost. B-Main: 1.) K. Kuxhouse; 2.) Jaeger; 3.) Will Sorce.; 4.) Scott Barnharst; 5.) Jason Holmes. Heat One: 1.) Mike Simons Jr.; 2.) S. Kuxhouse; 3.) Araco. Heat Two: 1.) Carlson; 2.) Scheffler; 3.) Andy Gross. Heat Three: 1.) Jimmy Morrison; 2.) Crowbridge; 3.) Hyerdall.
R.A. Adams Enterprises / Advance Auto Parts Street Stocks: A-Main: (Top 10) 1.) Rob Maule; 2.) Mark Baker; 3.) Bradley Norgard; 4.) Charles Pinkalla; 5.) Ronnie Mink; 6.) Brandon Mertes; 7.) Jimmy Uttech; 8.) Dustin Richards; 9.) Douglas Engleking; 10.) Dustin Holland. B-Main: 1.) Holland; 2.) A.J. Hedges; 3.) Steve Podratz; 4.) Jennifer Swiercz; 5.) Nick Smalley. Heat One: 1.) Maule; 2.) Pinkalla; 3.) Norgard. Heat Two: 1.) Engleking; 2.) Uttech; 3.) Richards. Heat Three: 1.) Baker; 2.) Mertes; 3.) John Maki Jr.
Fec’s Place / Outlaw Race Parts Mini Sprints: A-Main: (Top 5) 1.) Jim Scanlon; 2.) Dan Uttech; 3.) Nick Petska; 4.) John Kirk; 5.) Kyle Koch; 6.) Andrew Kiedrewski; 7.) Mike Heinert; 8.) Randy Reed. Heat One: 1.) D. Uttech; 2.) Jim Scanlon; 3.) Kiedrewski. Heat Two: 1.) Tim Brannam; 2.) Scott Johnson; 3.) Ryan Cully. Heat Three: 1.) Kyle Daywalt; 2.) Mike Neau; 3.) Tom Kiesgen.
Massive Speed Pro 4’s and Hawg Heaven Bandit 4’s: A-Main: Pro 4’s: 1.) Jake Greensley; 2.) Taylor Dawson; 3.) Joe Summers; 4.) Tom Haap. A-Main: Bandit 4’s: 1.) Scott Redden; 2.) Trevor Kroll; 3.) Jason Jones; 4.) Dan Knight; 5.) Jeanne Schrader.
