Van Straten earns 100th victory at Shawano Speedway

On July 14, 2001, IMCA Stock Car Rookie Travis Van Straten scored his first career feature win at the Shawano Speedway. Sixteen years later Van Straten, now one of the top IMCA Stock Car racers in the nation, scored his 100th feature win at Shawano.

It was the seventh win of the year for the three-time defending track champion. In other action, Nick Anvelink won his third Late Model feature, Marcus Yarie won his second IMCA Modified feature, Jordan Barkholtz won his fourth IMCA Sport Mod feature and Lucas Hacker secured his second Mighty Four feature.

Late Models

Troy Springborn took the lead at the start of the Late Model feature and quickly began to separate himself from the rest of the pack. Behind Springborn, Joe Reuter battled past Doug Blashe for second. As green flag laps ticked off, Anvelink steadily worked his way toward the front, first passing Ron Berna, then Blashe and Reuter to get to second.

By the time Anvelink got to second, Springborn had built nearly a straightaway lead. A caution after lap 17, though, would wipe away Springborn’s lead. On the next lap Anvelink made an inside pass for the lead and would show the way to the checkered flag. Springborn, Berna, Reuter and Brett Swedberg finished second through fifth.

IMCA Modifieds

In IMCA Modified action, Jamie Schmidt snagged the lead on lap one in front of Trevor Spaulding. Before long, Yarie raced his way to second. On lap seven, Yarie got to the inside of Schmidt and took the lead.

Schmidt kept Yarie in his sights for the remainder of the race, but Yarie would not be denied victory. Schmidt finished in second. Mike Mullen finished in third after starting the race 16th. Lance Arneson and Spaulding completed the top five.

IMCA Stock Cars

Josh Mroczkowski led early on in the IMCA Stock Car feature as Dan Michonski quickly moved to second after starting 10th. Michonski took the lead away from Mroczkowski on lap five. As Michonski led, Van Straten and Trent Nolan worked through the field and joined the top three by lap 10. Michonski, Van Straten and Nolan went three-wide for the lead on lap 12 with Van Straten taking the top spot.

Van Straten would lead the rest of the way for his historic 100th career feature win. Michonski finished second, Trent Nolan third, twelfth-place starter Barry Van Straten was fourth, while Mike Schmidt crossed the line in fifth.

IMCA Sport Mods

Andy Kleczka jumped into the lead on the opening lap of the IMCA Sport Mod feature before Wyatt Block took to the high side of the track and took the lead away on lap two of the race. Kleczka continued to follow in Block’s path as Barkholtz began slicing through the field after starting in 10th. On lap seven, Barkholtz got underneath Kleczka as the pair battled side by side for second. On lap 14, Barkholtz finally completed the pass for second. As Block continued to lead, Barkholtz set out to run him down.

As Block continued to circle the track in the outside groove, Barkholtz worked primarily down low on the track. Entering turn one on the final lap, Block got into the wall, allowing Barkholtz to slip past and take the win. Kleczka, Lucas Lamberies, Kyle Raddant and Jason Ebert rounded out the top five.

Mighty Fours

The Mighty Four feature saw Hacker hold the wire-to-wire lead for the win. It was not easy though, as Hacker had to survive multiple restarts and challenges from the likes of Max Oreskovich, Scott Blanke and Aaron Milavitz. Following Hacker to the finish line was Milavitz, Calvin Stueck, Tanner Westphal and Scott Blanke.

Shawano Speedway

July 29

Race Summary

Late Model Feature: 1. 15A-Nick Anvelink, (8); 2. 81S-Troy Springborn, (2); 3. 66-Ron Berna, (6); 4. 20R-Joe Reuter, (3); 5. 3S-Brett Swedberg, (7); 6. 1B-Doug Blashe, (1); 7. 98N-Tom Naeyaert, (9); 8. 33E-Chris Engels, (5); 9. 5P-Luke Postl, (11); 10. 47P-Chris Pepin, (14).

Heat 1: 1. Swedberg, (2); 2. Springborn, (4); 3. Engels, (3).

Heat 2: 1. Berna, (1); 2. Anvelink, (6); 3. Blashe, (5).

IMCA Modified Feature: 1. 58-Marcus Yarie, (8); 2. 42S-Jamie Schmidt, (2); 3. 99X-Mike Mullen, (16); 4. 75A-Lance Arneson, (5); 5. 31S-Trevor Spaulding, (1); 6. 88-Jeremie Hedrick, (12); 7. 21F-Kevin Feck, (7); 8. 56C-Jason Czarapata, (13); 9. 9-Jerry Wilinski, (11); 10. 69W-Tony Wedelstadt, (14).

Heat 1: 1. Feck, (5); 2. 6-Konnor Wilinski, (6); 3. Spaulding, (2).

Heat 2: 1. Schmidt, (2); 2. 5M-Eddie Muenster, (4); 3. Wilinski, (6).

Heat 3: 1. 94-JJ Andersen, (5); 2. 79M-Jerry Muenster, (3); 3. Hedrick, (7).

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. 2T-Travis Van Straten, (11); 2. 1M-Dan Michonski, (10); 3. 25X-Trent Nolan, (9); 4. 77V-Barry Van Straten, (12); 5. 07-Mike Schmidt, (8); 6. 10TR-Tom Riehl, (5); 7. 16-Asa Doxtator, (22); 8. 03R-Brad Rohloff, (4); 9. 81X-Josh Mroczkowski, (3); 10. 17SHarley Simon, (2).

Heat 1: 1. 1330-Justin Jacobsen, (5); 2. Michonski, (6); 3. 77V-Barry Van Straten, (8).

Heat 2: 1. 2T-Travis VanStratten, (6); 2. Riehl, (4); 3. Simon, (3).

Heat 3: 1. Mroczkowski, (3); 2. Nolan, (5); 3. 35S-Vern Stedjee, (4).

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. 91X-Jordan Barkholtz, (10); 2. 121-Andy Kleczka, (1); 3. 0L-Lucas Lamberies, (9); 4. 03R-Kyle Raddant, (6); 5. 72E-Jason Ebert, (7); 6. 12B-Jordan Bartz, (8); 7. 09B-Kevin Bethke, (5); 8. 5S-Brock Saunders, (19); 9. 98R-Jordan Reinke, (2); 10. X15-Les Yaeger, (12).

Heat 1: 1. Kleczka, (1); 2. Raddant, (5); 3. Barkholtz, (7).

Heat 2: 1. 2JR-Wyatt Block, (4); 2. Lamberies, (7); 3. Ebert, (6).

Mighty Four Feature: 1. 17H-Lucas Hacker, (2); 2. 99-Aaron Milavitz, (8); 3. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (11); 4. 29W-Tanner Westphal, (10); 5. 45-Scott Blanke, (3); 6. 5G-Branden Goeser, (9); 7. 43B-Michael Brehmer, (6); 8. X2B-Brian Welch, (12); 9. 131N-Dalton Nelson, (18); 10. 37W-Brad Wedde, (7).

Heat 1: 1. Blanke, (4); 2. Goeser, (6); 3. Brehmer, (5).

Heat 2: 1. 75O-Max Oreskovich, (3); 2. Westphal, (6); 3. 18K-Grant Kastning, (4).

Heat 3: 1. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (6); 2. Hacker, (3); 3. 11X-Jason Stueck, (4).