August 29, 2004; Seymour, WI - You know the season is winding down when the point chases start to be finished. That was the case Sunday night at the Seymour Tri Oval Raceway as two of the 5 divisions crowned their 2004 champions. The IMCA divisions ended their points a week early because of Boone.

Photo Highlights

Maplewood Shell WISSOTA Late Model #10 Pete Parker won the LM feature race Sunday night at Seymour. Scott Mullen is joined by flagman, Tracy Thrun, after capturing his second division track championship sunday night. Budweiser IMCA Modified #54 Benji LaCrosse caught up to feature race leader #66 Jared Siefert and passed on the bottom of the clay oval on Sunday night at Seymour.  LaCrosse went on for the Budweiser IMCA Modified win.  Siefert later retired from the race. IMCA Stock Car feature leader #33 Brandon Czarapata had his hands full with #10s Rod Snellenberger on the last lap of the Bay- Tek IMCA Stock Car feature race.   Snellenberger was credited with the win at the line. Travis Van Straten picked up his first checker of the seaosn winning his heat race in IMCA Stock Car action sunday night. Mike Pierrard of Green Bay walked off with his first career division feature Sunday night at the Tri Oval. Feature race leader #21 Michael King Jr. holds the inside line on #25 Mike Pierrard midway through the feature event, but Pierrard was too much for King and passed on the outside, and went on for the win.  King was forced to settle for second place. 4-Cylinder #17 Greg Banker held his line against #01 Jasper Drengler in the closing laps of their feature race Sunday night at Seymour.  Banker finished just ahead of Drengler at the checkered flag.

Starting off the feature portion of the program were the Street Stocks with Alan Schluetter taking the lead for the first 3 laps before Joe Johnson took charge. Johnson was pulling away a bit until the engine seized up on lap 8, causing a near pile up out of turn 2. Ron Otto inherited the top spot with Brian Koch in second. Three laps later, the pair caused another caution battling for the top spot. Mike Pierrard, Harley Simon, Mike King and Schluetter lined up for the restart. King took off on the outside and flew into the lead on the green , but Pierrard could not be shaken and he pulled back into the top spot 3 laps later. Pierrard was able to hold off King to collect his first career feature win. King, in his first run of the year, took second. Simon was third followed by Phil Hiles, Jamie Van Ooyen and point leader, Darren Otto.
The Bay-Tek IMCA Stock Cars were next, with the title on the line, a 2 point margin between Brandon Czarapata and Jeremy Christians.

Bob Czarapata took the lead at the start with Chris Lange, Barry Van Straten, Rick Mahlberg and Rod Snellenberger behind. Snellenberger moved right to the front and took over the lead on lap 6. Two laps later, point leader, Czarapata moved into the runner up spot and on lap 12, Kyle Fredrick made it a three way battle for the lead. They ran three wide for several laps with Czarapata finally edging into the lead on lap 14. Fredrick and Snellenberger were together running for second. On lap 18, contact in the lead bunch put Fredrick to the back and left a two lap sprint to the finish. Czarapata, Snellenberger, Jason Czarapata, Christians, Jamie Colwell and Travis Van Straten were set up for the final battle.
Czarapata was hugging the inside line and Snellenberger was running high.

Czarapata was ahead to collect the white but they were even in the first turn. They were still side by side into the tri oval, and Snellenberger was able to get off the corner slightly quicker and at the line, nipped Czarapata by inches to record his 5th feature win of the season. Czarapata was second followed by Jason Czarapata, Christians, Colwell and Van Straten. With the second place finish, Brandon Czarapata clinched his second straight division championship by a 409-405 margin over Christians.

The Budweiser IMCA Mods were next with their title chase also to be decided between Scott Mullen and Benji LaCrosse.

Jared Siefert flew from the third row into the lead on the first laps a pulled away from the start. Several cautions over the first 7 laps prevented him from losing the field. After the third caution on lap 7, Benji LaCrosse had moved up from mid pack and took over the top spot. Siefert continued to pressure the leader until suddenly pulling out of the race on lap 11. Dan Deau, Travis Spaulding, Scott Mullen, Brad Rohloff and Brian Mullen were running behind. LaCrosse was opening a slight lead when the final caution closed the field on lap 15. Scott Mullen moved into the runner up spot on the green, but LaCrosse held the lead to the finish for his 4th win of the season. Mullen crossed in second followed by Spaulding, Deau, Brian Mullen and Mike Wedelstadt.

It was a case of winning the battle and not the war as Lacrosse picked up his second straight feature win but Scott Mullen won his second career division title, his first coming in 2001, by a 405-397 margin over LaCrosse. Mullen was also crowned champion at Luxemburg on Friday night.

The Maplewood Shell WISSOTA Late Model main started a field of 21 cars with Pete Parker pulling off the pole into the lead at the drop of the green. Parker was pulling away from the field with action behind for the runner up spot. Gordie Seegert was holding the spot with Nick Anvelink, Terry Casey, Terry Anvelink, M.J. Hintz and point leader, Tim Buhler behind.

A lone caution appeared on lap 13 and bunched the field on the leader. Casey pulled high and took over the runnerup spot on the restart and pulled right up on the leader. Parker maintained the lead and was able to pull ahead a bit over the final couple of laps to win his first feature of the season on the Tri Oval. Casey was the second. Nick Anvelink, Terry Anvelink, A.J. Diemel and Seegert rounded out the top six.

Greg Dey led the opening lap of the 4 Cylinder main before Greg Banker took charge and started to pull away from the field. After a lap 3 restart, Banker pulled away from the field leaving the battle for second place. Ben Daoust, Matt Oreskovich, Matt Maleport, Jasper Drengler and Matt Gilson stayed bunched up to the finish. Banker won his second straight feature with point leader, Drengler, taking the runner up spot. Oreskovich, Maleport, Daoust, and Gilson round out the top six spots.

A special Street Stock Stock Car challenge race closed the night with Kyle Fredrick winning the event after a race long battle with Brandon Czarapata. Travis Van Straten and Brian Karcz were next. Phil Hiles led the Street Stock finishers in 5th followed by Shawn Van Ooyen. It was the second year in a row the Stock Cars won the event. Next weekend will be the final for the 2004 season.

Sunday night, September 5th will be the final regular program of the season with the Maplewood Shell WISSOTA Late Model, Street Stock and 4 Cylinder points to be decided. The mods and Stocks will also run but in non-sanctioned, NO claim events.

Then, the doubleheader weekend concludes on Labor Day Monday, September 6th, with the Tri Oval Changeover event. The WDLMA Late models will return after being rained out earlier this season for a big 30 lap feature. They will be joined by the other 4 divisions as well, all running non-sanctioned, NO claim events. The event posts a $20,000 total purse. Pits open at 2 PM with the draw cut off at 4 PM. There is NO entry fee, regular pit passes will apply. Racing will start at 5 PM. The grandstand will open at 3:30. Admission will be $12.00 for adults, $8.00 for students and seniors, kids 12 and under are FREE with an adult. If you attend the program on Sunday night, present your rain check stub at the ticket booth on Monday night and save $2.00 off your adult admission.

It will be a grand way to close out the 2004 season here in Northeastern Wisconsin, and possibly your last chance to see a race on the unique 1/3 mile Tri Oval.

SUMMARY

BUDWEISER IMCA MODIFIED
20 Lap feature l. Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg 2, Scott Mullen, Seymour 3. Travis Spaulding, Greenville 4. Dan Deau, Little Suamico 5. Brian Mullen, Seymour 6. Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville
8 Lap Heats First l. Brad Rohloff, Pulaski 2. Jerry Wilinski, Seymour
second l. Brian Mullen 2. LaCrosse
Third l. Wedelstadt 2. Deau

MAPLEWOOD SHELL WISSOTA LATE MODEL
20 Lap Feature l. Pete Parker, Kaukauna 2. Terry Casey, New London 3. Nick Anvelink, Navarino 4. Terry Anvelink, Navarino 5. A.J. Diemel, Navarino 6, Tim Buhler, Glenbulah
8 Lap Heats First l. Casey 2. Tom Naeyaert, Shawano
Second l. Troy Springborn, Shawano 2. Nick Anvelink
Third l. Diemel 2. Parker
6 Lap Doxbies Dash l. Randy Markwardt, Sheboygan 2. Buhler

STREET STOCK
20 Lap Feature l. Mike Pierrard, Green Bay 2. ,Mike King, Little Chute 3. Harley Simon, Seymour 4. Phil Hiles, Appleton 5. Jamie Van Ooyen, Appleton 6. Darren Otto, Pulaski
12 Lap Consy l. Jon Mignon, Brillion 2./ Rick Naparalla 3. Darci Czarapata, Pulaski 4. Joe Van Ooyen, Appleton
8 Lap Heats First l. Pierrard 2. King
Second l. Joe Johnson, Seymour 2. Mike Woodke, Appleton
Third l. Bill Kelsey, Pulaski 2. Dan Rihm, Green Bay
Fourth l. Dan Ambrosius, Seymour 2. Otto

BAY-TEK IMCA STOCK CAR
20 Lap Feature l. Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski 2. Brandon Czarapata, Horicon 3.Jason Czarapata, Pulaski 4. Jeremy Christians, Horicon 5. Jamie Colwell, Greenleaf 6. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville
12 Lap Consy l. Tyler Rassmussen, Gillett 2. Nathan Persha, Iron Ridge 3. Brian Karcz, Pulaski 4. B.J. Giese, Kaukauna
8 Lap Heats First l..Chris Lange, Green Bay 2. Larry Karcz,Jr, Pulaski
Second l. Snellenberger 2. Rick Mahlberg, Denmark
Third l. Colwell 2. Kyle Fredrick, Gillett
Forth l. Van Straten 2. Bob Czarapata, Pulaski

4 CYLINDER
15 Lap Feature l. Greg Banker 2. Jasper Drengler 3. Matt Oreskovich 4. Matt Maleport 5. Ben Daoust 6. Matt Gilson
8 Lap Heats First l. Maleport 2. Rick Cleven
Second l. Banker 2. Oreskovich