The Kansasville Comet, Ryan Marshall, scored his second 20-lap CK Contractors/AutoMeter Wisconsin Wingless Sprints Powered By Gandrud Performance Products Feature victory of the season at Wilmot Raceway highlighting Family Night on Saturday, August 5.
Marshall took the lead from first year driver Tyler Kuxhouse of Antioch, IL with three laps to go following a restart with the only caution of the feature with five laps remaining. Kuxhouse finished a career best second after leading the first 17 laps until Marshall worked his way in front down the front straightaway. Eric Wilke of Genesee was third. Jimmy Sivia of Winthrop Harbor, IL. took fourth on the final lap in a tight side by side finish with fifth place Tim Cox of Park City, IL.
"Once I worked my way into second using the high side, I could see Tyler was losing a little of his grip on the inside where he had been strong earlier," said Marshall. "When the yellow came out, I decided to go for it and it stuck. Tyler has come a long way in his first year, and it's fun to run with the young guns."
"This win means a lot because we trashed a car last week, so we started over with a bare frame chassis and worked like crazy all week," said Marshall, joined by his car owners Eddie and Debbie Boyd, and crew chief John Curcio, in victory lane. "They didn't give up on me and neither did my great sponsors. My girlfriend Jennifer is here, too, and has a lot of friends in the stands, so that makes this even more special."
Genoa City's Nick Simons scored his second 20-lap modified feature win of the season just in time. N. Simons took the lead coming out of turn four on lap six, overtaking early race leader Steve Mueller of Eagle. A caution on the next lap closed the field, but N. Simons began pulling away with laps winding down. A final yellow with five laps to go failed to bother N. Simons, until after the checkered fell.
At the finish it was N. Simons with the win. Mueller took second. Mike Simons of Genoa City took third edging out fourth place finisher Joel Seegert of Sheboygan as the two went side by side the final circuits. Greenfield's Ryan Mech was fifth.
N. Simons slowly came into the infield stopping short of victory lane. When asked what the problem was, Nick replied, "it blew up at the checkered."
"I will have to take the engine apart and see what the problem was," said N. Simons, joined by his parents and crew in victory lane. "It made it just long enough I guess. I have to thank my sponsors, the fans, and my crew. I will be back on fair night(Wednesday, August 16)."
Kenosha's Craig Kreuser became the third different victor this season in a hotly contested 20-lap street stock feature. Robby Olson of Lindenhurst, IL held the lead through a pair of cautions on the opening two laps. Rob Maule of Hebron, IL worked into top spot on lap three. Kreuser and Maule battled side by side just prior to the halfway point for several laps. On lap 8, which ironically is Kreuser's car number, he shot to the inside of turn four overtaking Maule for the lead.
The pair stayed close to the finish, but Kreuser was up to the challenge and scored his first main win of the year. Maule was second. Big Bend's Mark Baker third. Pell Lake's Dustin Holland fourth. Pleasant Prairie's Josh Gehrig fifth.
"Finally I got one this year," said Kreuser. "It's been a while. It was a great battle with Rob. It was fun."
Salem's Ryan Johnson chalked up his fourth 20-lap Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Car feature win of the season, and third in a row. Johnson powered past early race leader Union Grove's Dale Ehleiter on lap 5. The only caution of the main flew with nine laps complete, but Johnson was up to the challenge and pulled away to the victory. In a tight battle throughout much of the race, Rick Zifko of Aurora, IL finished second by less than a car length over Ehleiter who finished third as those two went side by side most of the final laps. Scott Ellis of Lake Villa, IL was fourth. Mt. Pleasant's Jessica McKellips was fifth.
"I tried the middle of the track in the beginning and it didn't seem to have as much bite, so I decided to go to the outside and the car just took off," Johnson said. "To win our fourth, and third in a row, is awesome. My family, sponsors, crew, everybody, fans, I really appreciate the support. I can't wait for fair night."
Wilmot Raceway is off until opening night of the Kenosha County Fair on Wednesday, August 16. Some of the 604 Crate motor non-winged sprint cars will mount wings for that night in a non-point program. Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Cars are on the program which features a free grandstand included in the regular fair admission. A bonus is a free drawing for a Traxxas Slash Radio Controlled Short Course Truck provided by Burlington Hobbies and R/C Track and Rob Maule Street Stock No. 99 Race Team with tickets available prior to hot laps by the Rob Maule trailer and after in the grandstands from the Maule girls. The winning ticket will be drawn in victory lane by the street stock feature winner. Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with on track activity scheduled about 6 p.m. and racing slated for 6:45 p.m.
The Raceway grandstand will host truck & tractor pull along with combine demolition derby on Thursday, August 17 with free grandstand admission opening at 5 p.m.
The Big Hat Rodeo and fireworks show is slated for Friday, August 18.
On Saturday, August 19 is the traditional all sprint car racing program featuring the final appearance of the season for the Bumper to Bumper Interstates Racing Association (IRA) Winged Outlaw Sprint Cars in the Roger Iles Tribute presented by Carriage Auto Body of Waukegan, IL, plus the Bill Grogan Tribute for the CK Contractors/AutoMeter Wisconsin Wingless Sprints Powered by Gandrud Performance Parts and the Pfeiffer Trailer Sales IRA Lightning Sprints. Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with grandstand admission $15.00 for ages 12 & over in addition to the fair admission.
The final fair grandstand event is the International Demolition Derby on Sunday, August 20 getting underway at 1 p.m. with a free grandstand admission.
For updates phone the trackside raceline 262-862-2090, check the track website wilmotraceway.com or the official track Facebook page. For Kenosha County Fair information contact the fair office 262-862-6121, fair website kenoshacofair.com or fair Facebook page.