Racing in State Park Speedway’s regular divisions brought several drivers earning their first feature wins in their respective divisions, recording crowd-pleasing victories that came in hard-fought fashion.
In just his second night racing in the Budweiser/Fabiano Brothers Limited Late Model division, Mitch Stankowski claimed his first feature, holding off last week’s winner Brock Heinrich in a door-to-door battle to claim the 15-lap main.
Stankowski took the lead from Rayce Haase on lap three and led until Heinrich pulled to the outside five laps later. Heinrich led two laps but couldn’t quite clear Stankowski, who drove it in hard to stay inside. The two were side-by-side for six laps until Heinrich’s car faded late and Stankowski cleared him on the white flag lap and went on to the win.
“I don’t think I had the greatest car, if Brock had started in front of me it would’ve been really, really hard for me to get there, but I definitely had the car to stay there, and the guys were working on the car really hard all day,” said Stankowski.
Brian Schramm bounced back from getting caught up in an accident to find his way to Brickner Family Auto Group Victory Lane, winning the 20-lap Advance Auto Parts Pure Stocks feature.
Schramm received damage to the nose of his car on lap 14 when Chad Dietsche got together with Jeff Spatz in turns three and four while battling for second behind leader Alex Volm. Spatz’s car spun, and Schramm and Carson Sillars both were collected.
Sillars received heavy damage and would not continue, but Schramm was able to stay on the track and keep his spot and restarted second with seven laps to go. He passed Volm on the outside on lap 17 and went on to the win for his first feature win of the season, while Volm recorded his second straight runner-up finish.
“I really didn’t know what was going on (after receiving the damage), but…it was good to go,” said Schramm. “It was a little tight in the center, but we got the job done.”
Adam Eckes won the 20-lap Snap-On Mini Mods feature for his first main win of the season. Eckes worked inside Jim Lietz for the top spot on the fourth lap and led the rest of the way, withstanding a late charge from last week’s feature winner Mike Heidmann.
Ashley Schoone scored her first career feature win in the Motors Service & Supply Mini Stocks, fending off all comers in an entertaining 20-lap race.
The young Tomahawk driver started on the pole and led every lap, holding her line while a pack of cars gradually built up behind her as the race went on. Fellow female racer Amanda Rowe made several attempts to pass on the outside, and fast-timer Kole Ferge came up to second place late, but Schoone held on for a popular win on a night when she also claimed her first heat win at State Park Speedway.
Racing continues at State Park Speedway this coming Thursday, May 24, with a full regular racing program as well as the Midwest Truck Series on hand. Fan gates open at 4:30 p.m., with Fred Mueller Qualifying at 6 p.m. and racing to follow at 7 p.m.
Results
Budweiser/Fabiano Brothers Limited Late Models
Fast Qualifier: Brock Heinrich, Wausau, 14.627 sec.
Heat: Rayce Haase, Wausau; Dillon Mackesy, Athens; Mitch Stankowski, Wausau; Heinrich; Travis Volm, Mosinee
Feature: Stankowski; Heinrich; Haase; Mackesy; Volm
Advance Auto Parts Pure Stocks
Fast Qualifier: Chad Dietsche, Hatley, 15.471 sec.
Heat: Jeff Spatz, Wausau; Alex Volm, Mosinee; Dietsche; Nick Grish, Wausau; Brian Schramm, Wausau
Feature: Schramm; Volm; Grish; Dietsche; Spatz; Dustin Ochodnicky, Ogema; Carson Sillars, Wausau
Snap-on Mini Mods
Fast Qualifier: Mike Heidmann, Edgar, 15.961 sec.
Heat: Jim Lietz, Mosinee; Greg Blount, Marathon; Heidmann; Dale Louze, Mosinee; Adam Eckes, Milladore
Feature: Eckes; Heidmann; George Seliger, Wausau; Blount, Louze; Jim Lietz; John Lietz, Mosinee; Gary Garand, Weston
Motors Service & Supply Mini Stocks
Fast Qualifier: Kole Ferge, Wausau, 16.860 sec.
First Heat: Ashley Schoone, Tomahawk; Tom Lecher, Wausau; Dane Colbert, Mosinee; Kevin Tessmer, Wausau; Dale Brandt, Birnamwood
Second Heat: Ferge; Kyle Check, Shantytown; Brett Breitenfeldt, Wausau; Amanda Rowe, Mosinee; Nathan Steif, Wausau
Feature: Schoone; Ferge; Rowe; Lecher; Steif; Breitenfeldt; Check; Colbert; Tessmer