BUTZ BOLTS TO WHITE RACE WIN
KAUKAUNA, Wis. (July 8, 2022) – Chad Butz has been opening eyes in the last few seasons of his still blossoming career. Thursday night may have been a break-out moment for the young racer out of Green Bay as he captured a win in the 45-lap White Race presented by Vanderloop Equipment and Ken’s Sports.
Butz sliced through the field and wrestled the lead away from Alex Stumpf with nine laps remaining. He felt the win was a bit of retribution after coming contending for a win in the Red Race back in June.
“Not tonight, we weren’t going to let this one slip away like the Red Race,” Butz said. “It feels good to get the win.”
Stumpf assumed an early lead over Kyle Calmes, but was unable to build an advantage as Calmes applied plenty of pressure. Behind them Taylor Vandermoss and Jordan Thiel battled for Third until Vandermoss appeared to clip the grass in turn one and went into a half spin bringing out the yellow on lap five.
A mad scramble ensued after the restart with Thiel trying to hold off the likes of Sawyer Effertz, Lowell Bennett and a host of others. Effertz grabbed Third on lap nine, bringing Lowell Bennett and Gabe Sommers along. Butz slipped through into Sixth on the next lap.
Another caution fell as the furious racing from Seventh on back reached a head. After another scramble exiting turn four, Bobby Kendall was left with no room and ended up in the outside retaining wall, bringing his night to an unfortunate end. Fast Qualifier Jeff VanOudenhoven also sustained damage as he was behind Kendall during the lap 11 incident.
For the third time Stumpf outgunned Calmes on the restart. Effertz eventually cruised around Calmes and put some heat on Stumpf. Another caution fell again for an incident involving Randy Schuler and Corey Manders, whose night would also meet an unfortunate ending.
Curiously, Effertz elected to stay in the outside lane for the lap 15 restart behind Stumpf, allowing Gabe Sommers to take a front row spot for the restart. The decision proved to pay off as Stumpf and Effertz immediately moved back into First and Second. As the laps started to click off, drivers were given some space to work, and it was Butz who started to make his moves.
With 21 laps remaining Butz cruised around the outside of Kyle Calmes. He then hunted down Effertz and engaged in battle. On lap 29 Butz found space, again on the outside, and grabbed the spot from Effertz. He slowly started to close the gap on Stumpf.
On lap 32 Butz began to peek to the inside. After testing the waters a few times, he made his power move with nine to go. Butz and Stumpf made contact on several occasions as they jousted for track position. Eventually Butz muscled his way past into the lead and set sail.
Behind Butz, Stumpf went on to finish Second for the fourth week in a row. Sommers was Third, Effertz was Fourth, and Dalton Zehr held on for a Top Five spot.
VAN WYCHEN RETURNS TO LATE MODEL VICTORY LANE
Nate Van Wychen got to the lead at the right time of the 20-lap Late Model main event and never looked back as he left the field in an intense battle behind.
It looked as though the event was going to be hotly contested right from the drop of the green as Travis Rodewald and Matt Wittman raced side by side for the first two laps. Behind them Todd Verhagen appeared to make contact with the outside wall, leaving Justin Woller and others trying to avoid. Woller saved himself from spinning to the infield, but found the outside wall in turn three, ending his race.
After the restart Rodewald and Van Wychen took over the top two spots. Van Wychen saw the inside line open up and capitalized on lap five. As he began to build his lead, Bryan Monday and JJ Vanderloop closed in on Rodewald.
An incredible battle from Second on back broke out for the remainder of the race. Monday and Rodewald jousted for Second with Vanderloop and Fast Qualifier Brent Strelka side by side behind them. Chase Randerson and Bryan Henry would close the gap, as well.
Monday finally snatched the Second spot by a car length at the checkered flag, well behind Van Wychen, who was on cruise control. Rodewald was Third, and Strelka nipped Vanderloop at the line for Fourth.
KING OF THE SUPER STOCKS
Mike King may have won from the pole of the 20-lap Super Stock main, but the win was far from easy. King surrendered the lead to TJ Smith, recaptured it on a lap 13 restart, and held him off for the win.
At the drop of the green King battled past fellow front-row starter Jeff Treml. Eventually Smith worked his way to the front via the outside line. Both Josh Mueller and Andy Casavant did the same to make their way into the Top Five.
Smith slipped around the outside of King on lap 13, but his time in the lead was short lived as the yellow fell when Cody Vanderloop’s machine spilled smoke and parts down the front stretch.
The restart brough mayhem as Smith went sideways, gathered his machine back up and left Mueller and Casavant hooked behind. They disengaged with Mueller getting back to Fourth. King was able to get away from Smith in the madness, but Smith closed in and began to challenge with three laps remaining. However, King kept the advantage and cruised to the win. Smith was Second, Trevor Howard slipped through the wild restart to finish Third, Mueller was Fourth, and Shane Krueger charged to a Fifth Place finish.
VAN HANDEL BESTS SPORT TRUCKS
After being close on a few occasions in 2022, it was Jason Van Handel’s turn to grab the checkered flag in the Sport Truck 20-lap feature.
Kylee Vandermoss grabbed an early lead and set up in the top spot for the first eight laps. Meanwhile Van Handel was cruising toward the front. He took Second on lap eight then passed Vandermoss on the outside on lap nine.
As Van Handel built his advantage, Bobby Wautier started his march to the front. Wauter passed both Cody Vanderloop and Vandermoss on lap 12. He then caught Van Handel with four laps remaining. The lead duo was in heavy lapped traffic.
Wautier, seeking his fourth straight feature win, made a last ditch effort on the outside of Van Handel in the final set of turns. However, he couldn’t make the move stick and Van Handel outdueled him to the checkered flag. Cody Vanderloop was Third, Kasey Vanderloop charged through the field to finish Fourth, and Vandermoss rounded out the Top Five.
RIVEST SCORES AGAIN IN SIZZLIN 4s
It may not have been as dominant as the Red Race, but Brody Rivest’s 20-lap Sizzlin’ 4 White Race win was just as impressive. Rivest patiently picked his way through the field and made a move past Issac Therrien to take the lead with two laps to go.
Cody Booth paced the field early in the main, with his teammate Ricky Kaufert joining the mix in the second half of the race. The duo raced side by side for several laps until Kaufert eventually surged past on the outside. He brought Therrien and Rivest along, as well.
Therrien and Rivest put the pressure on Kaufert and grabbed the top two spots on lap 15. Rivest then sized up Therrien before deciding to make his move to the inside. On lap 18 Rivest dived to the bottom and beat Therrien to the inside line entering turn one.
Rivest went on to grab the win with Therrien in Second, Kaufert in Third, Booth in Fourth and Kurt Schweitzer Fifth.
VAN ROY FIRES OFF FIGURE 8 WIN
Terry Van Roy had no worries when some flames broke out under his car in Victory Lane after winning the 13-lap Figure 8 main.
Van Roy always seems to know just what’s happening – as he commented a small transmission leak was the culprit. He also knew how to be in the right place at the right time to grab the win. Shaun Bangart appeared to be in control until his left rear tire went down on the final lap, handing the lead and win to Van Roy.
Craig Krueger pulled past Bangart at the checkered to steal Second. Ethan Beattie and Jake Smet rounded out the Top Five.
MCKEEVER ROCKS THE ROVALS AGAIN
Austin McKeever stole the lead of the Rockin’ Roval 10-lap main event and held off Mitch Opsahl to win his second straight feature.
UP NEXT…
Kurz Industrial Solutions brings the action next Thursday with Big Wheel races for the kids taking place before the racing event, scheduled at 6:30. The Super Late Models, Late Models, Super Stocks, Wisconsin Sport Trucks, WIR ¼-Mile Late Models, Sizzlin’ 4s and Figure 8s will be on the card.