5/16/2021
Luxy Speedway
LaCrosse Tops Mod Field at The ‘Burg Lid Lifter
131 total cars took the green flag at the season opening COVID Crusher Part II event at the ‘Burg Speedway. The action was feisty as the fast paced show set the tone for the season to follow.
Wyatt Block set the pace early in the Village Kitchen IMCA Modified feature from his pole position starting spot. Johnny “The Hitman” Whitman and Benji LaCrosse gave immediate chase to the leader. While LaCrosse and Whitman fought for the second spot Block tried to take advantage and open a gap. Once LaCrosse was able to get by Whitman he set his sites on tracking down the race leader. Just before the halfway point LaCrosse found the grip to get to the top spot and shuffled Block into second. The yellow flew right after that and grouped the field with LaCrosse leading the way. Block and Whitman set up for the restart in second and third while defending track champion, Josh Long, found himself in fourth. Whitman used the restart to his advantage and worked around Block to secure the second position, Lucas Lamberies was able to jump into third on the restart as well. The laps wound down and Whitman was unable to overtake the 54 machine of LaCrosse. At the checkers Block settled for fourth, Lambries third, Whitman second, and LaCrosse captured the win.
The Quietwoods RV IMCA Stock Car feature proved once again the class deserves the nickname “Too Tough To Tame”. Defending 2020 division champion “Chummy” Eric Arneson had the luck of the draw to pull the pill for the pole position. He looked prime to start his title defense while rocketing to the lead at the drop of the green flag. The early laps saw Arneson face a heavy challenge from the 9K car of Shawn Havel but was able to fend off the challenge and hang on to the top spot by the thinnest of margins. Meanwhile the battle was shaping up behind the race leaders as Devin Snellenberger, Travis VanStraten, and Benji LaCrosse (pulling double duty on the night) waged a three way battle for third. Snellenberger eventually grabbed third with LaCrosse sliding into fourth. Both were able to dispatch Havel and Snellenberger set his 21X ride to chasing down Arenson. The closing laps saw Arenson and Snellenberger run door to door high side and low side lap after lap until Snellenberger was able to slide in front of Arneson into the point position. Arneson gave chase but at the line had to settle for second while Snellenberger took the opening night Kim Parsons Memorial Trophy home with the win after charging hard through the field from his 11th place starting spot. LaCrosse settled for third and Havel hung on to round out the top four.
The IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature saw the start marred with a red flag as multiple cars tangled together heading through the first set of corners. After the melee was sorted out the field looked to restart minus five cars. When the race started pole sitter, Jacob Zellner shot out to the lead while Jarred VanLaanen gave a hot pursuit. While those two battled for the top spot Ryan Schmidt and Cody Rass steadily worked through the field from 10th and 12th starting spots. The hard charging duo stalked the leaders and Schmidt worked the high side to the lead position while Rass snuck by to secure second. VanLaanen dropped back and staged a side by side battle with Chris Budzban over the last half of the race for fifth. Budzban won that battle at the line. Jayden Schmidt captured the fourth spot to begin his title defense, while Zellner finished a strong third, Rass secured a hard fought second, and Schmidt left with the win.
Adam Crapser drew the best possible number to secure the pole position to start his title defense in the Unified Dirt Street Stock feature. Crapser was able to edge second year driver Garrett Geyer at the drop of the green. Shanon Guelette quickly worked from his sixth starting spot into second while Dave “The Hammer” DeGrave steadily moved through the field into third. Guelette found his way to the bumper of Crapser but just didn’t have enough for the race leader as Crapser won the first feature of the season. Guelette hung on for second, DeGrave third, and Ben Schulte completed the top four.
Kenneth Becker led the opening lap of the Quietwoods RV Murder Hornet feature but quickly gave up the top spot to outside pole sitter, Brain Watzka. Scott Schlafke, Justin Finlan, and Clint Malueg waged a spirited, three way battle for third behind the race leaders. Schlafke eventually captured that spot and set sail after the lead pair. Schlafke was able to get by Becker into second and then proceed to trade the lead and some paint with Watzka as the two played a little rough at the front of the field. Schlafke was able to lock up the top spot and secured the win after starting deep in the field, Brett Deprez worked up from 12th to be able to make a late race pass for second, Watzka came home third, and Malueg completed the top four.
The ‘Burg Speedway will be back in action on Sunday June 6th with a 5:00 start time. Y100 will be on hand with a live broadcast before the races as we kick the month off with the Y100 This IS Country Night at The Races! Be sure to join us as we will have lots of great racing action and even more fun with this event!
Article Credit: Joe Orsini
