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Muenster From
Last to First in Luxemburg IMCA Modified Win!
By Joe Verdegan |
April 25, 2003;
Luxemburg, WI. - Defending track champion Eddie Muenster charged from the
20th spot and dodged eight caution periods to win the crash marred 25 lap IMCA modified
feature at Luxemburg Speedway's season opening race Friday night.
110 cars took part in the program. The field included 45 IMCA
modifieds, 43 IMCA stock cars, 12 IMCA hobby stocks and 10 sport fours.
Muenster, who was forced to qualify for the race by winning one of two consolation races,
was racing with a heavy heart. On Thursday his father Jerry Muenster, a fellow racer,
underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery. The surgery was successful.
Dave Zeitler outraced Chris Derenne into the lead at the drop of the green. Zeitler wasted
little time putting a five car length cushion between himself and second place Sean
Jerovetz. The first caution flew when Randy Back's disabled racer stalled in turn two.
During the attempted restart the cars of Zeitler, Derenne and Todd Dart piled up in turn
one, drawing an amber and forcing Zeitler to the back Dart and Derenne to the pits.
Jerovetz inherited the lead with Eric Van Iten and Mike Mashl slipping into second and
third place, respectively. Mashl muscled his way inside of Jerovetz for the lead on lap
six. The De Pere driver immediately went to work building a four car length lead over
Jerovetz, Van Iten and Dan Ratajczak.
Another caution flew on lap nine when Randy LeMieux and Ratajczak locked
horns. When racing resumed Muenster motored into second and challenged Mashl for the lead.
The duo pulled away from Jerovetz but their margin was erased when the event's fifth
yellow flew for a Mike Broekman spin. Dean Maurer smacked the frontstretch wall on the
attempted restart, drawing the sixth caution.
Mashl and Muenster continued to wage their torrid battle under the green and with five
laps to go Muenster passed Mashl for the lead. A Chris Derenne spin on lap 21 drew the
eighth caution. After the caution was thrown Muenster and Mashl collided, sending Mashl's
racer head on into the frontstretch wall.
Mashl was unhurt but his racer suffered major damage. With four laps to go
Mullen and Jerovetz mounted a late race charge but came up short, giving Muenster the
hard-fought win. Trailing Muenster at the line were Jerovetz, Brian Mullen, Van Iten and
Scott Mullen. Only 11 of the 20 cars that started the race were running at the end.
Horicon's Jeremy Christians charged from his fourth row starting spot and grabbed the lead
with three laps to go to win the 18 lap IMCA stock car feature. The contest went
green-to-checkered without a yellow.
Dave Bouche, Brian Bruechert and Rod Snellenberger took turns holding the lead in the
early laps of the contest. Christians caught the trio on lap 10, and rode the outside line
to squeeze past Bouche for the lead on lap 15. Christians, IMCA's northern region points
leader, scored the win. Kyle Frederick nipped Bouche for second in a photo finish for
runnerup money. Brandon Czarapata and Bruechert finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sturgeon Bay's Joe Hegnet netted a clean sweep, winning his heat and the 12 lap IMCA hobby
stock feature. The victory was sweetened by a $1,000 donation to him from a pair of his
fans in the grandstand. Trailing Hegnet at the checkers were Keith Kickbush, Evan Madde,
Brandon Peterson and Dave Lane.
Denmark's Todd Welsing won the 10 lap sport four feature.
Next Friday night the WISSOTA late models will make their inaugural appearance at the
speedway. They'll be accompanied by the IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, IMCA hobby stocks
and sport fours. The program is sponsored by Woody's Signs of Sturgeon Bay. For more
information call 920 863 8446. The track phone is 920 845 2300. The track's website is www.luxemburgspeedway.com.
LUXEMBURG SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS 4-25-03
IMCA Modified
25 lap feature - Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; Sean Jerovetz, Suamico; Brian
Mullen, Seymour; Eric Van Iten, Green Bay; Scott Mullen, Seymour; Jerry Wenzel, Two Rivers
8 lap semi-features 1st) Wenzel; RM Van Pay, Green Bay; Dean Maurer, De
Pere; Jay Matthias, Luxemburg
2nd) Muenster; Mike Broeckman, Little Suamico; Scott Mullen; Danny
Deau, Little Suamico
10 lap heats 1) Brian Mullen; Randy Back, Green Bay 2) Todd
Dart, Algoma; Chris Derenne, Luxemburg 3) Art Siefert, Green Bay; Jeremy
Jacobs, Kewaunee 4) Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station; Jerovetz 5) Dave
Zeitler, Luxemburg; Van Iten
IMCA Stock Car
18 lap feature - Jeremy Christians, Horicon; Kyle Frederick, Gillett;
Dave Bouche, Algoma; Brandon Czarapata, Horicon; Brian Bruechert, Kewaunee; Rod
Snellenberger, Pulaski
12 lap semi-features 1st) Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay; Laurel Ettien,
Luxemburg; Troy DeGrave, Green Bay; Chris Van Iten, Green Bay
2nd) Travis Van Straten, Hortonville; Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee;
Junior Karcz, Pulaski; Greg Gretz, Kewaunee
10 lap heats 1) Snellenberger; Brandon Czarapata 2) JJ
Heinz, Green Bay; Frederick 3) Jamie Colwell, Greenleaf; Steve Svoboda,
Kewaunee 4) Christians; Bruechert
IMCA Hobby Stock
10 lap feature - Joe Hegnet, Sturgeon Bay; Keith Kickbush, Kewaunee; Evan
Madden, Algoma; Brandon Peterson, Sturgeon Bay; Dave Lane, Green Bay; Travis DuChateau,
Green Bay
8 lap heats 1) Hegnet; Marcus Moede, Casco 2) Kevin
Laughlin, Sturgeon Bay; Kickbush
Sport Fours
10 lap feature -Todd Welsing, Denmark; Marty Van De Hei, Seymour; Greg
Banker
6 lap heat - Van De Hei; Welsing |
