Swedberg narrows gap in Late Models point race

Defending Late Models track champion Brett Swedberg brought the crowd to its feet with a last-lap pass on Troy Springborn to win his third feature of the season Saturday at Shawano Speedway.

Swedberg’s win, coupled with a seventh-place finish by point leader Ron Berna, moved Swedberg to within two points of the lead with only two nights of racing remaining.

In the other features, Mike Mullen scored his first IMCA Modifieds win of the year, Travis VanStraten extended his point lead with his ninth IMCA Stock Cars feature win, Clintonville teenager Jason Ebert won his second IMCA Sport Mods feature of the season, and Mighty Fours rookie Max Oreskovich continues to impress with his third consecutive win and fourth overall.

Late Models

Doug “The Blaze” Blashe fired into the lead to start the Late Models feature. Troy Springborn shot passed Chris Engels on lap 2 to move to second. With Blashe right up on the wall and Springborn down low, the duo raced side by side for the lead for two laps before Springborn pulled ahead on lap 5 to take the lead. On lap 7, Brett Swedberg passed Blashe to move into second. For the next 12 laps Springborn held a slim advantage over Swedberg as the pair raced through lapped traffic. As the white flag waived, Swedberg was on the back bumper of Springborn. Entering turn one on the final lap, Swedberg got a look to the inside of Springborn. The pair scurried down the backstretch side by side for the lead. The pair were still even up through turns three and four. Exiting turn four the pair made contact as Swedberg found the advantage and beat Springborn to the finish line. Nick Anvelink, Blashe, and Engels rounded out the top five.

IMCA Modifieds

The IMCA Modifieds feature was paced on lap 1 by veteran Paul Thorpe before 76-year-old Jerry Muenster made an inside pass for the lead on lap 2. JJ Anderson soon moved to second and set his sights on Muenster. Anderson took to the outside of Muenster and grabbed the lead on lap 4. After starting in 10th, Mike Mullen moved up to second on lap 8 and quickly put the pressure on Anderson for the lead. On lap 10 Mullen made the pass on Anderson, but Anderson returned the favor on lap 11. On lap 12, though, Mullen put his machine back out front and never looked back. Anderson followed Mullen across the line for second. Jerry Wilinski worked his way up to third and took over the point lead for the first time this season. Konnor Wilinski finished fourth after starting in 19th. Jamie Schmidt completed the top five.

IMCA Stock Cars

Pole-sitter Carl King led the opening lap of the IMCA Stock Cars feature before Brad Rohloff took over out front. On lap 4 Justin Jacobsen moved to second and began to close the gap on Rohloff. Jacobsen battled past Rohloff on lap 6 to take the lead. Travis VanStraten and Kurt Olson went side by side for second on lap 8. VanStraten moved into second by himself on the following lap and soon caught Jacobsen. VanStraten put the move on Jacobsen for the lead on lap 10. Though Jacobsen applied pressure, VanStraten would not be denied victory. Jacobsen, Trent Nolan, Mike Schmidt and Nate Michonski finished second through fifth, respectively.

IMCA Sport Mods

Bryce Clements assumed the lead at the start of the IMCA Sport Mods feature and held the top spot before Wyatt Block got to the inside to take the lead on lap 5. Jordan Barkholtz began to pressure Block on lap seven. As Block and Barkholtz battled for the lead, 11th-place starter Jason Ebert worked his way toward the front of the field. On lap 12 Ebert found his way by Barkholtz for the second spot, but Barkholtz battled right back past Ebert on lap 14. On lap 16 it was still Block leading with Barkholtz and Ebert right on his back bumper, while 14th-place starting Lucas Lamberies joined the top four. On lap 17 Ebert slipped past Block to grab the lead. He was chased across the line by Block, Lamberies, Barkholtz, and Brock Saunders.

Mighty Fours

Travis Welch snagged the lead on lap one of the Mighty Fours feature and led until rookie Max Oreskovich tracked him down and took the lead on lap 10. Oreskovich would go on to win the race followed by Scott Blanke, Calvin Stueck, Welch, and Brody Rivest.

Shawano Speedway

Aug. 19

Race Summary:

Late Model Feature: 1. 3S-Brett Swedberg, (5); 2. 81S-Troy Springborn, (4); 3. 15A-Nick Anvelink, (6); 4. 1B-Doug Blashe, (1); 5. 33E-Chris Engels, (2); 6. 27H-Justin Hirt, (8); 7. 66-Ron Berna, (7); 8. 20R-Joe Reuter, (3); 9. 98N-Tom Naeyaert, (9); 10. 17M-Josh Moesch, (15).

Heat 1: 1. Anvelink, (4); 2. Blashe, (2); 3. Springborn, (3).

Heat 2: 1. Swedberg, (3); 2. Berna, (7); 3. Engels, (2).

IMCA Modified Feature: 1. 99X-Mike Mullen, (10); 2. 94-J.J Andersen, (6); 3. 9-Jerry Wilinski, (9); 4. 6-Konnor Wilinski, (19); 5. 42S-Jamie Schmidt, (12); 6. 95-Brian Joski, (16); 7. 79M-Jerry Muenster, (4); 8. 88X-Shawn Frelich, (3); 9. 18W-Mark Weisnicht, (14); 10. 69W-Tony Wedelstadt, (11).

Heat 1: 1. 5M-Eddie Muenster, (6); 2. 58-Marcus Yarie, (7); 3. 41B-Michael Bailey, (2).

Heat 2: 1. 9-Jerry Wilinski, (8); 2. 32-Rob Krull, (4); 3. Andersen, (5).

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. 2T-Travis VanStraten, (10); 2. 1330-Justin Jacobsen, (7); 3. 25X-Trent Nolan, (9); 4. 07-Mike Schmidt, (8); 5. 33M-Nate Michonski, (11); 6. 18-Kevin Hebbe, (12); 7. 1M-Dan Michonski, (22); 8. 35S-Vern Stedjee, (5); 9. 10TR-Tom Riehl, (6); 10. 16-Asa Doxtator, (3).

Heat 1: 1. Stedjee, (5); 2. VanStraten, (7); 3. Schmidt, (6).

Heat 2: 1. Nolan, (6); 2. Doxtator, (4); 3. 33M-Nate Michonski, (7).

Heat 3: 1. 1M-Dan Michonski, (6); 2. 03R-Brad Rohloff, (4); 3. Jacobsen, (5).

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. 72E-Jason Ebert, (11); 2. 2JR-Wyatt Block, (5); 3. 0L-Lucas Lamberies, (14); 4. 91X-Jordan Barkholtz, (9); 5. 5S-Brock Saunders, (4); 6. 12B-Jordan Bartz, (8); 7. 03R-Kyle Raddant, (7); 8. 02C-Bryce Clements, (1); 9. 09B-Kevin Bethke, (6); 10. 24-Jayden Schmidt, (3).

Heat 1: 1. Raddant, (6); 2. Saunders, (4); 3. Barkholtz, (7).

Heat 2: 1. Block, (3); 2. Schmidt, (2); 3. Clements, (1).

Mighty Four Feature: 1. 75O-Max Oreskovich, (7); 2. 45-Scott Blanke, (9); 3. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (11); 4. 26W-Travis Welch, (2); 5. 46-Brody Rivest, (12); 6. 11X-Jason Stueck, (5); 7. 43B-Michael Brehmer, (10); 8. 17H-Lucas Hacker, (8); 9. 15C-Cole Thomas, (15); 10. 88B-Kevin Bice, (1).

Heat 1: 1. Rivest, (7); 2. Oreskovich, (5); 3. Welch, (2).

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

Heat 3: 1. 5S-Calvin Stueck, (6); 2. Blanke, (5); 3. 18K-Grant Kastning, (4).