GRIESBACH BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST FRRC WIN OF 2023

BUCHANAN, Wis. (July 6, 2023) – Second Place might be good for some, but for Grant Griesbach it gets old quickly.  On Thursday night Griesbach would not suffer another runner-up finish as he held off Lowell Bennett to capture the Schmitty’s Tickets Super Late Model 35-lap feature presented by Vanderloop Equipment at Wisconsin International Raceway.

Griesbach slid to Second early, stole the lead from Michael Anthony on lap seven then held off the advances of Lowell Bennett and last week’s winner Jordan Thiel.

The outside lane moved early with Anthony pulling Griesbach and Kyle Calmes into the Top Three by the third lap.  Eventually Griesbach went to work and found his way past Anthony by lap seven.

A wild incident on that lap saw Louis Goss spin but continue on. With confusion over whether or not a caution was imminent, several drivers checked up creating a melee involving Anthony, Braison Bennett, and Sawyer Effertz.  Of the three Effertz was able to return, although his machine was battered in the incident.

On the restart Griesbach escaped Brent Strelka and began to build his lead.  Lowell Bennett eventually found his way past Strelka and Thiel continued to make his moves in the first ten laps.  At halfway Thiel took Third and looked to track down the lead duo.

Griesbach maintained a healthy, but not insurmountable lead over Bennett as Thiel closed in.  On lap 26 Thiel closed in on the bumper of Bennett and a three-car scrap for the win was on.

During the final circuits Bennett took several runs to try to challenge Griesbach. Thiel did the same, pulling even with Bennett late. However, Bennett was able to power past and hold the spot. He gave Griesbach one final challenge with two to go, but could not take the win away.

It was Griesbach’s first win of the season, which helped him stay in the title hunt. Bennett was Second, Thiel Third, Andy Monday made a late charge to Fourth and Strelka rounded out the Top Five.

SPIEROWSKI SCORES FIRST LATE MODEL WIN

TJ Spierowski came up about three feet shy of his first win one week ago in the 20-lap Fox City’s Towing Late Model feature. This week he was not denied.

Spierowski took the lead at the drop of the green and held off late challenges from JJ Vanderloop and Brent Strelka to take the win.

Grabbing the lead from fellow front-row starter Scott Wolf, Spierowski began to build his advantage in the opening laps.  Behind him, Brandon Reichenberger took Second and was followed by Brian Henry into Third.

At lap seven Strelka and Vanderloop were on the move as they caught Henry. Strelka made contact with Henry exiting turn two, but both were able to straighten their cars out with Vanderloop darting past into Third. One lap later the only caution of the race fell for a spin by Wolf.

On the restart Spierowski was able to discard the challenge of Reichenberger and regain the lead.  Vanderloop and Strelka soon found themselves in Second and Third.

The biggest challenge of the race came just past the midway point when Vanderloop looked to make a move into the lead. Spierowski was able to defend, leaving Vanderloop to get on the brakes to avoid an incident.  Strelka slipped past into Second.  Despite closing in, he was unable to challenge Spierowski for the win.

Vanderloop was Third, Reichenberger Fourth and Henry rounded out the Top Five.

BENNETT AND SPOO SPLIT WIR ¼-MILE LATE MODEL WINS

Braison Bennett and Rick Spoo split wins in a wild night on the quarter-mile for the Pete’s Auto WIR ¼-Mile Late Models.  Bennett took the first 15 lapper while Spoo captured the second.

Russ Lorbiecki paced the field early in the first feature before Dan Thompson grabbed the lead on lap five.  A caution fell for a chain reaction that claimed Lorbiecki and Chad Devine on lap seven. Thompson then escaped on the restart.

Behind him Spoo was in Second, until contact between he and Ty Fietzer sent both to the back. That gave Bennett the outside line for the restart, and he capitalized by taking the lead. Fast qualifier Tim Bauman followed to Second and challenged Bennett, but had to settle for Second. Henry Neerdaels, Thompson, and Bob Duchow completed the Top Five.

In the second feature an early yellow fell when Bennett and Neerdaels came together entering turn three. Neerdaels was unable to continue.  On the restart Fietzer grabbed the lead with Spoo following to Second.

Spoo hounded Fietzer for the opening half of the race, then grabbed the lead at halfway. Again Tim Bauman was on the move and took Second with four to go.  He took several looks to the outside of Spoo in the final three laps, but had to settle for Second again. Feitzer was Third, Thompson Fourth and Bennett Fifth.

TREML GETS SECOND SUPER STOCK WIN OF ‘23

Jeff Treml held off a late charge from Cody Vanderloop in the 20-lap Novus Auto Glass Super Stock feature to score his second win of the campaign.

Treml secured the lead at the drop of the green and was followed closely by Clint Evans and Mitch Meyerhofer. Meanwhile Vanderloop was on the move into the Top Five.

A restart on lap four saw Vanderloop come to life, making moves around the outside.  He cleared Evans with four laps to go and set his sights on the leader. However, Treml worked the inside line to perfection and was able to hold off the advancing Vanderloop at the checkered flag. Evans was Third, Meyerhofer Fourth, and Trevor Howard was Fifth.

CODY VANDERLOOP SCORES SPORT TRUCK WIN

Despite coming up just short in the Super Stocks, Cody Vanderloop could not be denied a win on the night as he captured the 20-lap Wisconsin Sport Truck feature.

Logan Mahoney took control of the race early and began to build a lead.  On lap five he exchanged the lead with Own Voight, but then started to pull away from the pack. At this time Vanderloop and Jason Vanhandel were moving into the Top Five.

At the halfway point Vanderloop turned it up. He took Second from Voight, then began to chase down Mahoney. On lap 17 he caught the leader and made the winning pass. Mahoney came across the line Second, Vanhandel was Third, Voight took Fourth, and Kylee Vandermoss was Fifth.

SCHOMMER CELEBRATES FIRST W

It was a popular win in the 20-lap Roundabout Bar & Grill Sizzlin’ 4s as Eli Schommer took the first checkered flag of his career. He was congratulated by several drivers afterward.

Arianna Beattie took an early lead by fending off Schommer in the opening laps.  In fact, Schommer bobbled and fell back to Third behind Corey Lorrigan.  However, as the laps clicked off Schommer built up speed and made his move back to the front.

Schommer got back to Second on lap 13, caught Beattie on lap 17 then made the pass one lap later.  Beattie held close, but could not challenge back at the end. She went on to finish Second with Lorrigan in Third, Leon Frahm Fourth, and fast qualifier Jordan Fickel in Fifth.

BEATTIE HONORS TVR WITH ANOTHER FIGURE 8 WIN

Ethan Beattie took his second win of the season in the Marty Nussbaum Racing Figure 8 13-lap feature.

Tyler Vanderbloemen led early until Matt Bauer stole the lead on lap three. Beattie then muscled his way past Vanderbloemen into Second. A caution fell as Vanderbloemen then was stuck in the grass. 

On the restart Beattie powered past Bauer and secured the lead for good. He didn’t look back on his way to the win in the Terry Van Roy tribute car. Bauer was Second, Craig Krueger was Third, Josh Anthony Fourth, and Russ Lorbiecki was Fifth.

NEXT WEEK…

Kurz Industrial Solutions presents the White Race. The Super Late Models, Late Models, Super Stocks, Wisconsin Sport Trucks, Sizzlin 4s, Figure 8s and Rovals will be in action. Racing begins at 6:30.