Parker, Lamberies get 2nd consecutive wins

A strong field of 101 cars and a grandstand full of fans turned out for the fourth annual Racing for a Reason night Saturday at the Shawano Speedway. Paul Parker rode the outside groove to his second consecutive victory in the Late Model feature. Lucas Lamberies shot from his sixth-place starting position to first to pick up his second consecutive IMCA sport Mod feature. Three drivers — Mark Weisnicht (IMCA Modified), Brandon Czarapata (IMCA Stock Car) and Grant Kastning (Mighty Four) — each won their first features of the season. Late Models Racer Joel Bennett has been plagued by bad luck all season long. He was looking to turn things around in Saturday’s Late Model feature. Bennett took the lead on the opening lap, with Tim Rothe following in second. Parker, who started in eighth, raced his way to second on lap 8, while Bennett continued to lead. Parker began to challenge Bennett for the lead on lap 9. The duo raced side by side for the next three laps before Parker finally gained the upper hand with an inside pass coming off turn two on lap 12. On lap 15, Tim Rothe passed Bennett for second. The bad luck would continue for Bennett after his car coasted to a stop on lap 16, ending his night and bringing out a caution. This would set up a four-lap dash to the finish. On the restart, Nick Anvelink moved into the second spot. Parker rode the outside groove to his second victory in a row. Anvelink took second for the second straight week. Rothe finished in third, Troy Springborn fourth and Tom Naeyaert fifth. IMCA Modifieds Weisnicht took the lead on the first lap of the IMCA Modifieds feature. The race was stopped on lap 2 when Tony Wedelstadt’s car took a hard right turn into the front stretch wall near the end of pit lane. The incident ended Wedelstadt’s night and sent track worker Loren Rouse to the hospital as well. Once the race was restarted, Weisnicht continued to lead the field, with Jerry Wilinski and Marcus Yarie in hot pursuit. At the midpoint of the race, Weisnicht still held the edge out front. Wilinski, Yarie, Jared Siefert and Mike Mullen were locked in a furious battle for positions behind him. Weisnicht led the entire 20-lap feature to secure his first feature win of the season. Yarie battled to second, Mike Mullen finished third, Siefert took fourth, and Wilinski came home fifth. IMCA Stock Cars The IMCA Stock Car feature saw Gary Kasperek grab the lead on the opening lap. He would hold it until the third lap when Ray DePew overtook Kasperek. DePew led for two laps before Nate Michonski powered to the lead on lap 5. By lap 7 it was a four-car battle for the lead as Czarapata, Travis VanStraten and Mike Schmidt joined Michonski at the front of the field. Michonski ran the top side of the track, while Czarapata chose the inside lane. The duo raced side by side for the lead on laps 8 and 9. VanStraten stayed right on the back bumper of the lead pair looking for room. Czarapata was able to pass Michonski on the inside coming off turn two on lap 13, and VanStraten and Schmidt continued to pester the lead pair. At the end it was Czarapata winning his first Shawano Speedway feature of the year. VanStraten passed Michonski for second on the final lap. Schmidt finished in fourth. Shawn Wagner finished fifth after taking the challenge and starting in last. IMCA Sport Mods Lamberies shot from his sixth-place starting position into the lead on lap 1 of the IMCA Sport Mod feature. Wyatt Block, Tracy Wassenberg and Joey Taycher chased Lamberies for the lead until a lap 14 caution slowed the field. On the ensuing restart, Block got too high in turns one and two and hit the wall, ending his night and bringing out another yellow flag. On lap 15, Taycher raced past Wassenberg for second. Over the final five laps, Taycher pressured Lamberies for the lead as they ran side by side for more than one lap. In the end, though, Lamberies expertly ran the outside line to his second consecutive victory. Taycher had to settle for second, and Wassenberg took third. Brock Saunders and Jordan Bartz rounded out the top five. Mighty Fours Kastning led wire to wire to win his first Mighty Four feature of the season. Brad Wedde held off Josh Slewinski to take second. Tanner Westphal and Scott Blanke finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Spectator Eliminators Brian Welch returned to victory lane in four- and six-cylinder spectator eliminators. Mike Sortino out-duelled Dave Stoffer to win the V8 spectator eliminators. This week Jerry “Medina” Smith and Cubbly Lamberies will be honored Saturday at Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame night. Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. More information is available online at www.shawanospeedway.net.