May 28, 2006; Seymour, WI - N.E.W. DIRT was finally able to open their 23rd season at the Seymour Speedway under a beautiful Sunday over the Memorial Day weekend. A very nice crowd watched 147 cars compete for the first time under the new lights on the fast 1/3 mile oval.

Photo Highlights

Sunday night's WISSOTA Late Model feature was a battle between former Seymour Speedway track champions #7 Tim Buhler and #9 Tom Naeyaert. Buhler held off Naeyaert to take his second feature win in three nights of racing in NE Wisconsin tracks. #1M Scott Mullen, #8m Jay Matthias and #54 Benji LaCrosse each vied for position in the IMCA Modfied feature event Sunday night at Seymour Speedway.  LaCrosse was able to get around the corner ahead of Mullen and Matthias and went on to win the season opener at Seymour. Pulaski drivers showed their strength in the IMCA Stock Car main event with #36 Larry Karcz, Jr. holding off #56 Jason Czarapata after several restarts in the feature event. The familiar #4k Jerry Kope of Oshkosh was the man to beat in the Street Stock main event. Mishicot’s Kyle Kudick, also #4, brought his mount up for the challenge, but had to be sidelined with heavy smoke. 4-Cylinder hotshoe #118 Tim Jorgenson, Oneida, held off a hard charging Tony Everard of Green Bay in the closing laps of their 20-lap main event Sunday night.

After an initial false start, the WISOTA late model feature ran flag to flag. Tim Buhler and Tom Naeyaert took off from the front row and pulled away from the field. The pair ran nose to tail the entire distance with Buhler hugging the inside line and Naeyaert trying the outside. Naeyaert was able to pull alongside a couple times as they wove through traffic, but Buhler held off the challenges to pick up his first feature win of the year and first at The Speedway since August 19, 2001. Naeyaert, a former 3 time division champion, took the runner up finish followed by Pete Parker, Mike Stangl, Randy Markwardt and Rod Snellenberger.

Jay Matthias took charge of the IMCA Modified main at the start with Scott Mullen, Benji LaCrosse, Lance Arneson and Russ Reinwald right behind. One caution on lap 8 slowed the race for a stalled car and Matthias took command on the restart with LaCrosse moving into the runner up spot. LaCrosse moved into the lead on lap 7 with Reinwald moving into 3rd. Dan Deau was now in 4th with Jared Siefert coming from deep in the field to fifth.

With 5 laps left, lapped traffic came into play with LaCrosse able to

Move through with little problem. The cars bunched behind had to weave through while moving for position. Siefert moved by Reinwald on lap 17, but ran out of laps to run down the leader.

LaCrosse took the win with Siefert second. Reinwald, making his first ever run at the track was third. Matthias was fourth, Deau fifth and last years rookie of the year, David Werbelow, rounding out the top six.

Larry Karcz, Jr and defending division champion, Jason Czarapata, took off at the start of the IMCA Stock Car main followed by Troy Jerovetz, Nathan Persha, Darren Otto and Jesse Colwell. A possum caution on lap 8 was the only slow down of the contest and Karcz and Czarapata again picked up the battle for the lead. Czarapata was able to pull alongside for a lap, but Karcz took control and held the top spot for the rest of the way, winning his first feature of the season with Czarapata right behind. Rod Snellenberger won a tough battle for third place over Jamie Colwell, Jerovetz and Jesse Colwell.

Jerry Kope took the lead in the Street Stock finale with Harley Simon, Bill Kelsey, Todd Everard, Dereck Lecker and Kyle Kudick.

After cautions on laps 6 & 7, Kudick moved into the runner up spot and started to challenge Kope on the outside. On lap 8, Kudick’s mount started to smoke heavily and on the following lap received the black flag just as he moved into the lead. A final caution on lap 11 bunched the field for the last time with Kope still holding the lead. Kope pulled away over the final laps to win his first feature of the season ahead of a tight battle for second. Simon, Mike Woodke, Lecker and defending champion, Jeremy Wiitala ran close to the finish. Woodke took the runner up spot after coming from the rear of the field after an opening lap spin. Simon held off Wiitala for third with Lecker and Bill Kelsey rounding out the top six.

The 4 Cylinders took the track for the final race of the night with Phil Martzahl taking the lead over Joe Schwister, Justin Arneson, Tony Everard, and Matt Oreskovich. Martzahl held the lead through a couple cautions and until Tim Jorgensen moved by on lap 8. Everard followed into second one lap later and hounded the leader to the finish. Jorgenson took his first feature win of the season with Everard and Martzahl behind. Andy Kleczka, Schwister and Brad Willoquette rounded out the top six,

Racing will continue every Sunday night at he Seymour Speedway through the summer with racing at 5 PM.

SUMMARY

IMCA MODIFIED
20 Lap Feature 1.Benji LaCrosse, Luxemburg 2. Jared Siefert, Green Bay 3. Russ Reinwald, Iron Ridge 4. Jay Matthias, DePere 5. Danny Deau, Little Suamico 6. David Werbelow, Shawano
10 Lap Consy First l. Siefert 2. Brian Joske, Green Bay 3. Eric Mullen, Seymour
Second l. Brandon Czarapata, Kaukauna 2. Brian Drexler, Oshkosh 3. Ed Stehula,
8 Lap Heats First l. LaCrosse 2. Reinwald
Second l. Tim Van De Hei, Green Bay 2. Mike Mullen, Seymour
Third l. ,Deau 2. Matthias

WISSOTA LATE MODEL
20 Lap Feature 1. Tim Buhler, Greenbush 2. Tom Naeyaert, Shawano 3. Pete Parker, Kaukauna 4. Mike Stangl, Lindsey 5. Randy Markwardt, Sheboygan 6. Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski
8 Lap Heats First l. Naeyaert 2. Parker
Second l. Buhler 2. Jeff Curtain, Shawano

STREET STOCK
20 Lap Feature l. Jerry Kope, Oshkosh 2. Mike Woodke, Freedom 3.Harley Simon, Seymour 4. Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay 5. Dereck Lecker, Appleton 6. Bill Kelsey, Sobieski
10 Lap Consy First l. Eric Arneson, Oconto Falls 2. Brian Koch, Freedom 3. Mitch Landvick, Oconto Falls
Second l. Wiitala 2. Dan McAllister, Little Suamico 3. Dave Drawenek, Kaukauna
8 Lap Heats First l. Fred Davister, Luxemburg 2.Kelsey
Second l. Simon 2. Tony Peebles, New London
Third l. Kyle Kudick, Mishicot 2. Tim Reichenberger, Oshkosh
Fourth l. Woodke 2. Kope

IMCA STOCK CAR
20 Lap Feature l. Larry Karcz, Jr, Pulaski 2. Jason Czarapata, Pulaski 3. Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski 4. Jamie Colwell, Wrightstown 5. Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay 6. Jesse Colwell, Wrightstown
10 Lap Consy l. Jeremy Christians, Horicon 2.Tony Schlei, 3. Mike Gilson, Greenleaf
8 Lap Heats First l. Jerovetz 2. Dan Nelson, Brillion
Second l. Karcz 2.Rick Mahlberg, Denmark
Third l. Darren Otto, Green Bay 2. Czarapata

4 CYLINDER
20 Lap Feature l. Tim Jorgensen, DePere 2. Tony Everard, Green Bay 3. Phil Martzahl, Freedom 4. Andy Kleczka, Suamico 5. Joe Schwister, Seymour 6. Brad Willoquette, Green Bay
8 Lap Heats First l. Matt Oreskovich, Clintonville 2. Jorgensen
Second l. Willoquette 2. Chad Guyette, Black Creek