Oreskovich, Wilinski, Bethke win 1st features of season

Konnor Wilinski ended a season of frustrations with his first feature win of 2017 in the IMCA Modified feature at the Shawano Speedway on Saturday. Kevin Bethke also broke through for his first IMCA Sport Mod win of the year, while Brett Swedberg won his second straight Late Model feature. Travis Van Straten scored his sixth IMCA Stock Car feature after having to come through the last chance qualifier just to make the show, and Clintonville teen Max Oreskovich secured the first feature win of his young career with a Mighty Four win.

Late Models

Swedberg, Mike Mullen and Chris Engels went three wide for the lead on the opening lap of the Late Model feature with Swedberg holding the lead at the start-finish line. He took to the high line and sped off.

Mike Mullen pursued as Ron Berna raced to third. Swedberg, Mullen and Berna set a blistering pace and separated themselves from the rest of the field. Late in the race, as the leaders worked through lapped traffic, Mullen had a look to the inside of Swedberg but could not muster a pass for the lead.

Swedberg would go on to win the race followed by Mullen, Berna, Engels and Troy Springborn.

IMCA Modifieds

Shawn Frelich led early on in the IMCA Modified feature as Wilinksi tried to find a way past. On lap four, Wilinski was able to get to the inside of Frelich entering turn three and made the pass for the lead. Marcus Yarie and Jerry Wilinski soon joined Konnor in the top three.

Driving the highest line on the track, Konnor Wilinski was too tough to beat and went on to win the race. Yarie, Jerry Wilinski, Jason Czarapata and Mark Weisnicht rounded out the top five.

IMCA Stock Cars

In IMCA Stock Car action Kurt Olson raced to the lead on the opening lap. Olson was pestered early on by Brandon Czarapata before Czarapata pulled pitside. As Olson led, Van Straten worked his way through the field after starting 16th. On lap nine of the race, Van Straten got to the inside of Olson to take the lead.

Van Straten led the rest of the way for his sixth win of the year. Olson, Trent Nolan, Dan Michonski and Mitch Stankowski finished second through fifth.

Sports Mods

Third-generation racer Jayden Schmidt led the first two laps of the Sport Mod feature before Brock Saunders took the lead on lap three. Schmidt returned the favor and took the lead back on lap four. Saunders would wrestle back the top spot on the following lap though.

As the top two cars duked it out, Bethke began working his way through the field. Bethke caught Saunders on lap seven and made the pass for the lead on lap eight. Bethke would lead the rest of the race en route to his first win of the year. Jordan Bartz, Jason Jach, Saunders and Schmidt completed the top five.

Mighty Fours

Josh Slewinski took the lead on lap one of the Mighty Four feature. Oreskovich, a rookie, pursued Slewinski lap after lap. As the checkered flag flew, Slewinski was the first car across the line.

Slewinski, however, was disqualified in post-race inspection.

Therefore, Oreskovich was awarded the win. Lucas Hacker, Calvin Stueck, Dallas Kralovetz and Brad Wedde rounded out the top five.

Shawano Speedway

July 8

Race Summary

Late Model Feature: 1. 3S-Brett Swedberg, (6); 2. 99-Mike Mullen, (4); 3. 66-Ron Berna, (5); 4. 33E-Chris Engels, (2); 5. 81S-Troy Springborn, (7); 6. 17M-Josh Moesch, (3); 7. 56R-Tim Rothe, (14); 8. 5P-Luke Postl, (8); 9. 29H-Tony Habeck, (9); 10. 48H-Carl Hidde, (11).

Heat 1: 1. Mullen, (2); 2. Springborn, (1); 3. Moesch, (3).

Heat 2: 1. Swedberg, (4); 2. Engels, (5); 3. Berna, (6).

IMCA Modified Feature: 1. 6-Konnor Wilinski, (2); 2. 58-Marcus Yarie, (8); 3. 9-Jerry Wilinski, (6); 4. 56C-Jason Czarapata, (12); 5. 18W-Mark Weisnicht, (10); 6. 69W-Tony Wedelstadt, (16); 7. 75A-Lance Arneson, (5); 8. 5M-Eddie Muenster, (7); 9. 88X-Shawn Frelich, (1); 10. 21F-Kevin Feck, (9).

Last Chance Qualifier: 1. 69W-Tony Wedelstadt, (1); 2. 77-Mike Wedelstadt, (7); 3. 85-Craig Bartz, (4); 4. 31SC-Joe Schwister, (3); 5. 03-Cody Hudson.

Heat 1: 1. 31S-Trevor Spaulding, (2); 2. 5M-Eddie Muenster, (4); 3. 42S-Jamie Schmidt, (3).

Heat 2: 1. 88X-Shawn Frelich, (1); 2. Arneson, (3); 3. Czarapata, (6).

Heat 3: 1. 6-Konnor Wilinski, (2); 2. 9-Jerry Wilinski, (4); 3. Yarie, (5).

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. 2T-Travis Van Straten, (16); 2. 94O-Kurt Olson, (3); 3. 25X-Trent Nolan, (8); 4. 1M-Dan Michonski, (10); 5. 07X-Mitch Stankowski, (11); 6. 19-David Hoerning, (5); 7. 35S-Vern Stedjee, (6); 8. 03R-Brad Rohloff, (4); 9. 10TR-Tom Riehl, (14); 10. 1330- Justin Jacobsen, (9).

Last Chance Qualifier: 1. Van Straten, (3); 2. 07-Mike Schmidt, (7); 3. 17S-Harley Simon, (1); 4. 25U-Luke Uttecht, (2); 5. 81X-Josh Mroczkowski, (6).

Heat 1: 1. Stankowski, (7); 2. Stedjee, (5); 3. 76W-Tyler Wendt, (1).

Heat 2: 1. Olson, (3); 2. 2K-Gary Kasperek, (6); 3. Jacobsen, (9).

Heat 3: 1. Rohloff, (3); 2. 33C-Brandon Czarapata, (8); 3. Hoerning, (5).

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. 09B-Kevin Bethke, (7); 2. 12B-Jordan Bartz, (6); 3. 7X-Jason Jach, (5); 4. 5S-Brock Saunders, (4); 5. 24-Jayden Schmidt, (1); 6. 72E-Jason Ebert, (19); 7. 19X-Brian Besaw, (10); 8. 02C-Bryce Clements, (11); 9. X15-Les Yaeger, (13); 10. 98R-Jordan Reinke, (15).

Heat 1: 1. Bethke, (8); 2. 0L-Lucas Lamberies, (10); 3. 32R-Adam Rodemeier, (2).

Heat 2: 1. 09H-Kelsy Hayes, (4); 2. Jach, (6); 3. 91X-Jordan Bakholtz, (8).

Mighty Four Feature: 1. 75O-Max Oreskovich, (4); 2. 17H-Lucas Hacker, (8); 3. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (9); 4. 21K-Dallas Kralovetz, (5); 5. 37W-Brad Wedde, (13); 6. X2-Hollie Welch, (1); 7. 43B-Michael Brehmer, (7); 8. 18K-Grant Kastning, (16); 9. 11X-Jason Stueck, (17); 10. 5G-Branden Goeser, (12).

Last Chance Qualifier: 1. Kastning, (3); 2. 11X-Jason Stueck, (1); 3. 8-Tony Everard, (7); 4. 4N-Brad Nelson, (12); 5. 11P-Josh Peterson, (2).

Heat 1: 1. Brehmer, (5); 2. 45-Scott Blanke, (8); 3. Kralovetz, (4).

Heat 2: 1. Welch, (1); 2. Hacker, (5); 3. 115-DJ Jorgenson, (3).

Heat 3: 1. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (6); 2. Goeser, (8); 3. Oreskovich, (3).