CALMES SHADES VAN OUDENHOVEN, WINS WIR RED RACE
(Muenster first repeat feature winner of the season)
(KAUKAUNA, WI) June 7 – Freedom’s Kyle Calmes sweated out several caution periods and some stiff challenges from Appleton’s Jeff Van Oudenhoven to win the opening round of the 47th running of the Red, White and Blue state championship series. The night’s events were presented by L & S Electric.
Escanaba’s Robby Iverson jumped into the lead at the drop of the green of the 50 lap super late model feature. Iverson surrendered the lead to Green Bay’s Chad Butz on lap three. An amber flew one circuit later when Iverson tangled with another racer in turn four. When racing resumed Kyle Calmes and Dennis Prunty pressured Butz, with Prunty taking over the 2nd spot by lap seven. Prunty went to pass Butz for the lead but bobbled on the frontstretch on lap 11 and pulled a miraculous save but dropped two spots in the process.
By lap 14 Van Oudenhoven joined Butz and Calmes and a three car tussle emerged for the lead. The trio’s hot battle was quickly cooled off on lap 16 when a four car melee coming out of turn two ensued. The track was blocked and as the red flag was flown. Drivers involved included Kris Kelly, Tim Springstroh, Cory Kemkes and Pete Vandermolen were caught up in the wreck.
Back under green Calmes inherited the lead with Van Oudenhoven slipping past Butz for 2nd. By lap 20 another amber flew after Steve Apel made contact with Mickie Schallie, sending Schallie’s racer into a spin. When racing resumed Calmes maintained the lead as Van Oudenhoven maintained second with Prunty a close third. As the laps clicked off the top three broke away from the field as the trio ran nose-to-tail for the next several laps. Calmes began pulling away from his two foes with twenty laps remaining.
With 13 lap remaining Schallie blasted into Brad Anthony driving into turn one, drawing another amber. With 13 laps remaining Calmes kept his lead, keeping Van Oudenhoven at bay to collect the win.
“This is a tough crowd out here – one of the toughest super late model fields in the state,” said Calmes in victory lane. “My first Red, White and Blue win. It feels great. I tell ya what Chad Butz sure did a good job and I really had to wrestle the lead away from him. He’s gonna be real good down the road.”
Van Oudenhoven, a former Red, White and Blue champion, settled for second followed by another Red, White and Blue champ Maxwell Schultz, Prunty and the defending R, W & B champion Bobby Kendall.
The attrition rate was rough as only 14 of the original 24 cars that started were running at the finish.
Green Bay’s Eddie Muenster snatched the lead from Nathan Van Wychen on lap four and sweated out two caution periods to win the late model feature. Muenster became the first repeat winner in the division as the veteran second-generation driver captured the opening night win.
“I like racing with both Nathan and Braison so we had some fun up there tonight,” said Muenster. “I’ve got to improve on my qualifying a little bit. I never was a real good qualifier. We’re gonna work on it.”
Trailing Muenster at the checkers were Van Wychen, Brett Wenzel, fast timer Jesse Bernhagen and Mike Meyerhofer.
Earlier in the night Bernhagen notched his third straight fast qualifying effort.
Appleton’s Kylee Vandermoss captured her first sport truck feature of the season. Vandermoss became the third different winner in the division in as many weeks.
Third generation driver Evan Sannes of De Pere became the third feature winner in as many weeks in the super stock division. Hot on his heels at the checkers were veteran George Schwalbach, Phil Lehl, Randy Theimer and Larry Raygo.
Appleton drivers Cory Kemkes and Travis Willing split the twin WIR ¼ mile late model features, respectively.
Sheboygan’s Brody Rivest made the trip from the Lakeshore worthwhile as Rivest became the first repeat winner of the season in the Sizzlin’ 4’s.
Hometown driver Craig Krueger won the evening’s finale Figure 8 feature.
During the super late model six-for-six dash former Red, White and Blue champion Casey Johnson got caught up in a wreck with Brent Strelka and Sawyer Effertz. His pit crew, with help from other teams, hastily made repairs so Johnson took the green finishing last but earning points.
Next Thursday night, June 14 will bring the opening round of the popular “Winnegamie Home Builders Association Pavement Pounder” series featuring the local dirt sport modifieds. It’s also Weld Specialty Gas & Equipment Scout night with all scouts in uniform admitted free of charge. The Racing gets underway at 6:45 p.m. You can check frrcracing.net for more information or follow the club’s Facebook page.
SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Kyle Calmes, Freedom; Jeff Van Oudenhoven, Appleton; Maxwell Schultz, Reedsville; Dennis Prunty, Knowles; Bobby Kendall, Montello; Andy Monday, Appleton; Steve Apel, Slinger; Travis Dassow, West Bend; Chad Butz, Green Bay; Alex Stumpf, Woodville; Sawyer Effertz, Darboy; Kris Kelly, Vulcan, MI; Randy Schuler, Mequon; Brent Strelka, Freedom; Brad Anthony, Suamico; Mickey Schallie, Darboy; Robby Iverson, Norway, MI; Taylor Vandermoss, Appleton; Tim Springstroh, Freedom; Cory Kemkes, Appleton; Pete Vandermolen, Oshkosh; Mike Egan, Slinger; Lowell Bennett, Neenah; Casey Johnson, Edgerton
SEMI FEATURE – Springstroh; Schuler; Egan; Kelly
HEATS 1) Schuler; Kelly 2) Bennett; Springstroh 3) Dassow; Stumpf
DASH – Kendall; Effertz
FAST TIME: Johnson, 19.247
LATE MODEL FEATURE- Eddie Muenster, Green Bay; Nathan Van Wychen, Kaukauna; Brett Wenzel, Two Rivers; Jesse Bernhagen, Markesan; Mike Meyerhofer, Hilbert; Braison Bennett, Neenah; Bryan Monday, Appleton; Mike King, Appleton; Matt Wittman, Appleton; RD Yeager, Appleton
HEATS 1) Wenzel; King
DASH- Van Wychen; Bryan Monday
FAST TIME: Bernhagen 20.104
WIR 1/4 MILE LATE MODEL FEATURE 1 – Cory Kemkes, Appleton; Tom Spierowski, Neenah; Pete Berken, Appleton; Travis Willing, Appleton; Kelsy-Ann Hayes, Sturgeon Bay
FEATURE 2 – Willing; Spierowski; Hayes; Todd Baumann, Kaukauna; Jerry Schneider, Kaukauna
Kemkes 14.913
SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Evan Sannes, De Pere; George Schwalbach, Menasha; Phil Lehl, Appleton; Randy Theimer, Kaukauna; Larry Raygo, Omro; Dave Meyerhofer, Kaukauna
HEAT – Raygo; Sannes
FAST TIME: Rachel Meyerhofer, Brillion 15.759
SIZZLIN’ 4 FEATURE – Brody Rivest, Sheboygan; Ben Schulte, Bucktown; Andy Miller, Appleton; Pat Braun, Kaukauna; Heather Wolfgram, Oshkosh
HEATS 1) Tyler Lind, Grand Chute; Isaac Bray, Norway, MI 2 Braun; Mike Klein, Appleton
FAST TIME – Rivest 17.614
SPORT TRUCKS FEATURE – Kylee Vandermoss, Appleton; Nathan Brantmeier, Neenah; Tanner Fickel, Neenah; Bobby Wautier, Denmark; Cody Vanderloop, Appleton
HEATS 1) Dom Sokolik, Fond Du Lac; Vanderloop 2) Kyle Quella, Appleton; Jason Plutz, Neenah
FAST TIME – Fickel,16.593
FIGURE 8 – Craig Krueger, Kaukauna
