Near perfect weather, a great crowd and Charlie's County Market Ladies Night were the recipe for racing Saturday at the historic Shawano Speedway half-mile.
Kyle Frederick remained unbeaten in IMCA Stock Car action, and Cody Hudson won his first career IMCA Modified feature. Nick Anvlink (Late Model), Joey Taycher (IMCA Sport Mod) and Jasper Drengler (Mighty Four) returned to victory lane for the first time this year
IMCA Stock Car
Ray DePew drove like a man possessed during the opening laps of the IMCA Stock Car main event. DePew took the lead on lap 1 using the high groove to his advantage. Vern Stedjee and BJ Giese applied early pressure.
By lap 5, with DePew still leading, JJ Heinz passed Giese to move into second. Heinz was able to pass DePew for the lead on lap 6. DePew and Giese, though, stayed with the new leader.
DePew passed Heinz back on lap 8 to put his machine out in front again. Exiting turn two on the following lap Heinz moved to the inside of DePew. The two cars made contact as they raced down the back stretch. Giese capitalized on the contact out front to grab the lead.
On lap 10, with Giese leading, Frederick moved to the second spot and began to pressure Giese. Giese continued to run the high line through the turns to stay out in front. Frederick stayed right with Giese and, on lap 19, made the pass to take over the lead.
Frederick scored the victory, his third in a row to open the season. Giese finished a strong second. Mike Schmidt took third after DePew spun on the final lap
IMCA Modified
Hudson started outside the first row of the feature and never looked back, leading all 20 laps en route to the victory.
The best action of the race was behind the leader. John Berna held off Marcus Yarie to come home in second, while Jamie Schmidt, Johnny Whitman, and Jerry Wilinski had a spirited battle for positions fourth through sixth.
For Hudson, last season's IMCA Sport Mod track champion, it was the first win of his rookie season in the IMCA Modified class.
Late Model
The Late Model feature was marred by numerous caution flags. Anvelink passed Derek Jahnke on lap 1 of the race and would remain there, relatively unchallenged for the duration of the time-shortened race.
Brett Swedberg passed Jahnke on lap 5 and chased Anvelink to the checkered flag.
Jake Redetzke started the race in 15th and came home third. Ron Berna battled back from a flat tire early on to finish fourth. Jahnke held on to take fifth.
For Anvelink, it was his first win of the year.
IMCA Sport Mod
The IMCA Sport Mod feature saw Jordan Barkholtz grab the lead on the opening lap. Jason Jach, Lucas Lamberies, Tracy Wassenberg, and Taycher quickly joined Barkholtz in a five-car breakaway.
Taycher, Barkholtz, and Jach went three wide for the lead on lap 8 with Taycher using the outside pass near the wall to take the lead. Barkholtz continued to run in second.
A caution after a wild spin by Kevin Bethke on the front stretch slowed the race on lap 10. Wassenberg also pulled off the track during the caution due to mechanical woes.
As the race resumed, Taycher continued to lead with Lucas Lamberies now in the second position. Taycher would go on to score his first win of the year followed by Lamberies, Jach and a strong fourth-place finish by Brandon Nygaard.
Mighty Four
Cal Chapin led the first two laps of the Mighty Four feature before Drengler, who started in 10th place, grabbed the lead. Drengler led the rest of the way for the win. Dalton Nelson held off Scott Blanke to take second.
The win was Drengler’s first of the year.
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