Anvelink, Spaceks, Paul &
Seehafer win at Monster Hall!
By Matt Bablick
June 27, 2003; Unity, WI. - Monster Hall Raceway held its
annual Midseason Championship races on Friday in front of a very enthusiastic crowd. The
drivers all seemed to step it up a notch in hopes of taking home some of the hardware
handed out to the top finishers in each of the six classes. After the on-track wars had
been waged, the winners were Nick Anvelink in the WISSOTA Late Models, Jeff Spacek in the
WISSOTA Modifieds, Randy Spacek in the WISSOTA Super Stocks, Mike Paul in the WISSOTA
Street Stocks and Al Seehafer in the WISSOTA Midwest Mods.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were the first to take to the
track at feature time with Paul Niznik and Al Seehafer on the front line. Niznik jumped to
the early lead with Seehafer and Scott Anderson close behind. The field slowed for the
first time on lap six for a get-together between Mickey Nosser and Shane Halopka. On the
restart Seehafer got a good run and got by Niznik for the lead. Two laps later Scott
Anderson and Duane Dunbar worked their way past Niznik for fourth before the caution flew
on lap 11 for a spin in turn four. After the restart Al Seehafer found the fast line in
the middle of the track and ran away with the win followed by Anderson and Dunbar. Halopka
and Duane Geboy both had strong runs and come home fourth and fifth.
The WISSOTA Street Stocks pulled out next and ran a caution free race. A number of drivers
fought their way through lapped traffic during the 15 lap event. Track point leader Rod
Herman and Mike Paul made up the front row. The two were side by side for the first few
laps before Paul found a good line up high and took the lead from Herman on lap three.
Butch Kummer was close behind until Roger Walker charged up on the high side to challenge
him for third.
Meanwhile, Dan Gullikson quietly made his way through the field and
began to pressure John Gouldon for fifth. Up front, Paul stretched his lead to nearly a
straightaway and he work through lapped traffic by lap eight. Walker and Gullikson
overtook Kummer for third and fourth. Then they closed on Herman and ran three wide with
him for an entire lap before they finally clearly Herman on lap 11. Paul claimed the
impressive Street Stock victory followed by Dan Gullikson, who ran side by side with
Walker the last four laps before finally pulling ahead by a bumper at the line. Rod Herman
ran a smooth race and took fourth followed by Butch Kummer and Mike Warga.
Randy Spacek came into the WISSOTA Super Stock feature looking for a clean sweep on the
evening and he started on the pole alongside Paul Erikson. Spacek shot to the early lead
on the start but was pressured hard by Erikson, who tried to get under him out of the
corners but never got enough of a run to make it stick. Kevin Adams, in third, ran the
bottom of the track trying to reel in the leaders before Curt Myers and Lance Leu
pressured him for the spot. The caution flew on lap seven for debris on the track, and
when the field came up to speed on the restart, Adams shot past Erickson for second.
Myers saw an opening and he dove under Erikson for third place on lap
11. The caution flew again on lap 13 after Jamie Strebig got turned around in turn four.
Lance Leu took his #14L to the pits during the caution and surrendered fifth before
returning at the the tail of the field. Spacek once again led the field to the green flag
followed by Adams, Myers and Erikson. Spacek continued to run smooth, fast laps and came
home with the win and the clean sweep. Adams came across the the line second with Myers
third, after coming from ninth. Erikson finished fourth followed by Jim Willner, who had a
fine run in fifth.
The WISSOTA Modifieds were the next to roll on to the track. Jeff Spacek was on the pole
and, like his brother, sought a clean sweep in his division. On the start Spacek took the
lead followed by Luke Schilling and Jed Moore. The field was just opening up when the
caution flew on lap four for a spin in turn three. When the race returned to green flag
status, Spacek ran the middle groove and opened up a five car length lead over Schilling.
Tim Isenberg climbed from deep in field to challenge Moore for third place. On lap 11
Isenberg drove to the bottom of the track and made the pass for third. Paul Knauf then
drove past Moore on lap 13. Out front Spacek had all kinds of room over Schilling, who was
comfortably in second. Third place was up in the air, however; Isenberg and Knauf ran
wheel to wheel for several laps before Isenberg pulled slightly ahead to secure third.
Behind them, there was a battle for fifth between Jed Moore and Kent Baxter. In the end
Spacek came away with the win and and the track point lead. Schilling had another
impressive run and took home second in front of Isenberg and Knauf. Moore made a last lap
pass on Kent Baxter for fifth.
Next up were the WISSOTA Late Models. The front row starters were Chris Oertel and Nick
Anvelink. Anvelink went to the high side to secure the early lead ahead of Oertel and
Steve Isenberg, who quickly came from sixth to challenge for second on lap two. The field
was slowed for the first time when the caution flew on lap four. Nick Anvelink led the
field to the green and jumped to a four length lead over Oertel, who was challenged by
Isenberg for the runner-up spot. Terry Anvelink held off the charge of A.J. Diemel before
the caution flew on lap nine for Diemel, who got turned around in turn three. After the
race went green again on lap 10, the field began to sort out with Nick Anvelink leading a
three car battle for second that was eventually won by Steve Isenberg. Oertel and Terry
Anvelink continued to run wheel to wheel for third. Troy Kuyoth, after starting deep in
the field, made his way to sixth place on lap 23. He put his car on the cushion and made
pass on Corby Metzgar for fifth. As the field came to the checkers, Nick Anvelink had the
lead position and the second generation racer came home with the first place trophy.
Isenberg capped off a solid run in second ahead of Oertel and Terry Anvelink.
Kuyoth took fifth after his lap pass on Metzgar.
The final race of the evening was in the Two-Man Cruiser division. Gary and Ben Mann
started from the pole alongside Gary Schubert and Rich Delis. The first lap was a scary
one when the #54 car of Scott and Bill Davis got sideways on the backstretch and slammed
into the wall. On the complete restart, the Mann brothers' car took the point, but on lap
three the #44 car of Olson and Loos dove to the inside of the leaders and went on to take
the win followed by the #01 of Wildmann and Luepke and the #13 of the Manns in third. |
