Swedberg dominates Late Model feature, Wilinski cashes in

On what started out as a sun drenched evening, a brief shower right before intermission brought on a racy set of features on fan appreciation night and $1,000 to win modified main event.

Brett Swedberg used his outside front row starting spot to lead all 20 laps and win by nearly a full lap in the Late Model feature. Kyle Frederick and Konnor Wilinski returned to victory lane on the night, with Jeffery Teske in the IMCA Sport Mods and Lucas Hacker in the Mighty 4s getting a taste of victory on the night as well.

Sunshine and summer like temperatures greeted fans and racers for five full divisions of racing. As racing was nearing the completion of the heat race portion of the show, a brief rain shower complete with a double rainbow hit the historic half mile. A brief intermission was taken and the track crew brought the track back resulting in some fantastic side-by-side racing all night long.

In the Late Model division, it was all about Swedberg. The Shawano driver won his heat race earlier in the night and used his outside front row starting spot to secure his first feature of the young season.

Derek Janke would run a solid second holding off Ron Berna and Lucas Postal in a green to checkers finish. Kyle Raddant would round out the top five in a run up of four spots on the night.

The IMCA Sport Mods would see but one caution on the night in their 20-lap main event. Battles for position sometimes running four-wide in the main event treated fans to a great feature.

Travis Rhoades won an earlier heat and was looking for the sweep on the night and looked to be well on his way, but Teske and Caroline’s Teagan Wudstrack would have something to say about it.

Wudstrack led in the middle of the event, but Teske would not be denied and took his mount to victory lane on the night. John Holtger and Tyler Sobiesczyk would round out the top five.

With a $1,000 top prize on the line, the IMCA Modified main was bound to be epic. Pole sitter and week one winner Wilinski made it look easy, but it was anything but.

Wilinski managed to lead all 20 circuits, but lap traffic and a string effort from Lucas Lamberies and Marcus Yarie during the 20 lapper would keep things interesting. Wyatt Block and hard charger Jerry Muenster would round out the top five on the night.

Twenty IMCA stock cars signed in for the 20-lap main event on the night. Dylan Stedjee started on the outside pole and led the first half of the event. Motor issues would cause an early departure from the event for the younger Stedjee and the field was reset for the final half.

Frederick worked his way to the front and faced strong challenges from Travis Van Straten and last week’s winner Trent Nolan.

Jeremy Christians paid a visit on the night as well and came home with a hard fought fourth-place finish. Kurt Olson would round out the top five on the night.

Shawano’s Hacker was the night’s hard charger and winner on the night. It would take but three laps for Hacker to drive to the front and roll to his first win on the season.

Defending track champ Tanner Westphal and Calvin Stueck would race side by side for the final nine circuits for the fourth and fifth positions on the night. Bad Wedde came home runner-up with Carl King in third.

Racing continues May 21 with a kids coin drop on the front stretch at intermission. Follow the Shawano Speedway at www.shawanospeedway.net or on social media channels.