Van Oudenhoven edges Conrad, takes over point lead By Tom Goff FRRC/WIR Media Director BUCHANAN – Rookie driver Brandon Conrad led every lap of Thursday night’s Fox River Racing Club’s super late model feature, except the one that counted the most. With lightning flashing in the skies above Wisconsin International Raceway, the rookie driver from Freedom, who started on the pole, outdueled Kyle Calmes for the lead on lap one, but didn’t have quite enough at the end to hold off Jeff Van Oudenhoven in an exciting side-by-side finish. Van Oudenhoven, the three time FRRC champ, won by less than a fender in the 35-lap feature on Werner Electric Supply Night literally run between the raindrops. Afterwards, Van Oudenhoven, who has won two of the last three features, was impressed and with the job that Conrad has done so far in his first season in super lates and almost apologetic that he made Conrad settle for second. “I’ve got to say Brandon Conrad is a class act,” said Van Oudenhoven in victory lane. “Sorry, Brandon, I took that win away, but I’ll tell you what that’s a win for him and for a rookie, he’s been running outstanding. All of his sponsors should be pretty proud.” At the end, Van Oudenhoven wasn’t sure who had won. “No. I really didn’t (know I had won),” Van Oudenhoven said. “I was trying to focus because you come down the front straightaway and you want to stay clear of him to keep the momentum.” After starting outside of the fifth row, Van Oudenhoven quickly made his way through the field, but it was tough because there were no caution flags to bunch the field. That allowed Conrad to get away in clean air and build up a 1.25-second lead by the time Van Oudenhoven got by Gregg Haese for second on lap 24. But Van Oudenhoven, who also won the Red Race two weeks ago, whittled away at the lead, trimming a few tenths off on each lap. By lap 32, he was within two car-lengths of Conrad. On the final lap, Conrad gave Van Oudenhoven just enough room for the veteran to squeeze under him going through turns three and four. When they exited the final corner, their cars were nearly dead even, but Van Oudenhoven took the low groove to win by maybe a foot. The margin of victory on the cars transponders which are used for scoring was 0.00. Haese finished third, followed by Tim Rothe and Tom Gee, Jr., rounding out the top five. The win allowed Van Oudenhoven to leapfrog over Gee Jr. and Terry Baldry from third to first place in points with 363. Gee is second with 359 and Baldry third with 344. Conrad moved from 10th to tied for eighth with Tanner Bohlen in points. They each have 310. In the only other feature event that was run because of the rain, Randy Theimer also broke away from the field early and led every lap to win the 20-lap super stock feature. Theimer finished almost two seconds ahead of Jeff Treml, followed by Larry Raygo, Dylan Wenzel and Neal Sannes. The late model, Wisconsin sport truck, sizzlin’ 4 and figure 8 features were rained out, although the late models, trucks and sizzling 4’s did get in their heat races. Summary Super late models 35-lap feature: 1, Jeff Van Oudenhoven, Kimberly; 2, Brandon Conrad, Freedom; 3, Gregg Haese, Manitowoc; 4, Tim Rothe, Stephensville; 5, Tom Gee Jr., Sobieski; 6, Nate Van Wychen, Kaukauna; 7, Bobby Kendall, Montello; 8, Maxwell Schultz, Reedsville; 9, Ty Majeski, Seymour; 10, Terry Baldry, Omro; 11, Kyle Calmes, Freedom; 12, Andy Monday, Appleton; 13, Tanner Bohlen, Hortonville; 14, Brett Piontek, Green Bay; 15, Steve Apel, Slinger; 16, Michael Anthony, Appleton; 17, Pete Vanderrmolen Jr., Oshkosh; 18, Tyler Bauknecht, Reedsville; 19, Randy Schuler, Mequon; 20, Lowell Bennett, Neenah; 21, T.J. Smith, Menasha. 8-lap heats: First: 1, Bennett; 2, Kendall. Second: 1, Calmes; 2, Van Wychen. 6-lap dash: 1, Piontek; 2, Gee Jr. Fastest qualifier: None (field set by average qualifying times due to rain). Late models 20-lap feature: Rained out. 8-lap heat: 1, Brett Wenzel, Manitowoc; 2, Sawyer Effertz, Darboy. 6-lap dash: 1,Brent Strelka, Freedom; 2, Tim Springstroh, Freedom. Fastest qualifier: Cory Kemkes, Appleton 20.787 seconds. Wisconsin sport trucks 20-lap feature: Rained out. 8-lap heats: First: 1, Brett Van Horn, Green Bay; 2, Tyler Nettekoven. Second: 1, Bryan Monday, Appleton; 2, Taylor Vandermoss, Darboy. Fastest qualifier: T. Vandermoss 16.294 seconds. Super stocks 20-lap feature: 1, Randy Theimer; 2, Jeff Treml, Greenleaf; 3, Larry Raygo, Omro; 4, Dylan Wenzel, Fremont; 5, Neal Sannes, De Pere; 6, Rick Wenzel, Fremont; 7, Denny Crass, Rosecrans; 8, Erik Turner, Two Rivers; 9, Mark Truckey, Freedom; 10, Trevor Howard, Kaukauna. 8-lap heats: First: 1, Rachel Meyerhofer, Kaukauna; 2, Andy Meyerhofer, Kaukauna. Second: 1, D. Wenzel; 2, Turner. Fastest qualifier: None (field set by average qualifying times due to rain.) Sizzlin’ 4’s 15-lap feature: Rained out. 8-lap heats: First: 1, Ethan Beattie, Little Chute; 2, Pat Braun, Kaukauna. Second: 1, Devin Yaeger, Appleton; 2, Roger Braun, Kaukauna. Figure 8’s 15-lap feature: Rained out. Point standings Super late models: 1, Van Oudenhoven 363; 2, Gee 359; 3, Baldry 344; 4, Monday 328; 5, Piontek 325; 6, Rothe 323; 7, Schultz 319; 8 (tie), Conrad and Bohlen 310; 10, Kendall 303. Late models: 1, Mike Meyerhofer Jr., Hilbert, 407; 2, Strelka 378; 3,Kemkes 363; 4, Brad Anthony, Appleton, 353; 5, Effertz 342; 6 (tie) Brandon Reichenberger, Appleton and Springstroh 337; 8, Alex Stumpf, Woodville, 329; 10, Travis Willing, Appleton 300. Wisconsin sport trucks: 1, Kyle Quella, Appleton, 389; 2, Van Horn 374; 3, Todd Kostichka, Green Bay, 351; 4, Jason Plutz, Appleton, 350; 5, Monday 349; 6, Jake Boldig, Kaukauna, 333; 7, Brian Vixmer, St. Peter, 320; 8 (tie), Nettekoven and Kylie Vandermoss, Darboy, 274; 10, T. Vandermoss 261. Super stocks: 1, Raygo 225;2, D. Wenzel 224; 3, Turner 199; 4, Sannes 178; 5, Denny/Matt Crass 170; 6, Randy Rahn, Brillion, 171; 8, Treml 169; R. Wenzel 166; 10, Truckey 135. Sizzlin 4’s: 1, Cory Romenesko, Kaukauna, 240; 2, Randy Sonkowsky, Combined Locks, 231; 3 (tie), Ethan Beattie and Cody Huven, Green Bay, 226; 5, Braison Bennett, Neenah, 222; 6, P. Braun 209; 7, Steve Van Oudenhoven, Two Rivers, 202; 8, R. Braun 197; 9, Cody Booth, Oshkosh, 196; 10, Matthew DeWilde, Appleton, 186. Figure 8’s: 1, Jared Baughman, Kaukauna, 250; 2,Willy Van Camp, Appleton, 230; 3, Terry Van Roy, Darboy, 205; 4, Mike Meyerhofer Jr., Hilbert; 140; 5, Ryan Krol, Sherwood, 125. Attendance: 2,000.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 20:49:29 +0000
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