Contact:
Julia Luther
Dells Raceway Park
Stands were filled with the weather hot and dry Saturday night for the Mike Ladika Remembrance/Beagles Night at Dells Raceway Park, an ASA Sanctioned track. In addition to the weekly classes, the Assembly Products $1,000 Late Model Shootout held its inaugural event.
“It was one heck of a race,” Ed Schell, president of Assembly Products said following the 20 Lap Event, “and what a night for (Shayne) Poenhelt.” Poenhelt’s day started with contact between him and Jim Bates during practice. Without a spare shock, Schell, kindly lent him one of his backups in order to get his car back up on all four wheels. The field of eight was set based on the points accumulated during four weeks of fast dash races, and one promoters provisional was chosen between drivers that had not missed a week of racing. Rocky Breezer received the luck of the draw and entered the field of 9 for the 20-lap shootout.
The lineup, which was calculated based on average qualifying times during the four weeks prior to the Shoot Out, positioned Shayne Poenhelt on the pole as he led the field to green. Just 7 laps into the 20 lap Shoot Out, Mike Ehde lost control and spun himself and Poenhelt. However, Ehde contacted officials, took responsibility for the caution and used the Gentleman’s Agreement to give Poenhelt the top spot back. Rich Schumann Jr used the outside groove to move himself up to the front and at the halfway point was in second. Schumann continually challenged Poenhelt on the outside but just didn’t have enough to get by him. When the checkered flag flew, Poenhelt had earned his $1,000 payday, saying, “This is the biggest prize and trophy of my career.”
Ed Schell then asked the crowd, “Did you enjoy the race? Do you want to see another Shoot Out?” and with an overwhelming positive response from the fans that yes they wanted another Schell agreed and said, “Well then I will give you one.” The next 4 weeks of racing, participants in the dash will earn points to qualify them into the next 20 lap Shoot Out which is scheduled for August 28th. “I am so excited,” Schell said, “this next dash will be bigger and better than the first and the competition will be fierce.”
During Late Model qualifying, Dan Lensing returned to DRP with a fast time of 14.323 seconds. Mike Ehde led off the feature event from the pole, with Skyler Holzhausen and Dan Lensing working steadily through the field. Holzhausen slid past Ehde to take over the lead. Just a few laps later Lensing moved into second and then went to work on Holzhausen. Lensing just couldn’t get past him, and when the checkered flag flew, Holzhausen had won his first feature of the season. Corey Jankowski and Michael Clapper won the heat races.
Jay Potter was fast qualifier in the Sportsman division with a time of 15.605 seconds. Curtis Pfister returned to the track for the first time this season and took an early lead during the feature event. Meanwhile, point’s leader, Daron Fish was moving steadily through the field. With just 5 laps to go Fish found his opening and passed Pfister for the lead. Fish visited Victory Lane for his third feature win of the season. Denny Schott won the heat race.
With the Pure Stocks points lead teetering between Dave Trute and defending champion Brad Luck, Trute was fast qualifier with a time of 15.782 seconds. Despite starting the feature from the back of the field, Trute quickly took over the lead and never looked back. Sailing into Victory Lane this was Trute’s 5th feature win and 7th Fast Qualifier of the season. Heat race winners were Ben Monday and Mark Ailes.
Brandon Junget was the fastest Bandit during qualifying with a time of 17.606 seconds. The youngest driver in the group at 13 years old, Haley Kapp, led off the 18 Lap feature from the pole. The dominant Junget brothers, James and Brandon, would start mid-pack. James reached the front of the field first, stealing the lead from Kapp, while it took Brandon until the last lap to move past Kory Childs for second place. This was James Junget’s third feature win this season. Heat race winners were Todd Kolpien, James Junget, and Tim Fuller. As an American Speed Association (ASA)-sanctioned track, Dells Raceway Park is part of the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship.
The goal of the ASA Short Track National Championship is to activate a measuring system which takes into account many variables – such as field size, inversion, wins and number of races in a season – and create a level playing field to determine who is the ‘best-of-the-best’ of the ASA Member Track Champions nationwide.
The ASA Joe Gibbs Driven National Member Track Champion Award was designed to give the National Champion exposure with one of the top teams in racing – Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs Driven Oil, a division of Joe Gibbs Racing, sells the actual oil products developed and used by Joe Gibbs Racing to racers at all levels. More information can be found at http://www.joegibbdriven.com <http://www.joegibbdriven.com> .
The ASA Member Track program is comprised of a network of short tracks around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. For news and information from all the racetracks and tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit http://www.ASA-Racing.com <http://www.ASA-Racing.com> .
