Monster Hall Raceway Back In Action After Rainout!
By Matt Bablick

May 7, 2004; Unity, WI. - After suffering a rainout the previous week MonsterHall Raceway returned to action this past Friday with a full race program. Despite frigid temperatures the drivers and their fans came out in full force to enjoy some of the best racing action in the area.

Defending track champion Luke Schilling won his first feature of the season in his WISSOTA Modified. Adam Hensel bested hi rivals in the WISSOTA Super Stocks.

Butch Kummer came out on top of the closest finish of the night in the WISSOTA Street Stocks. Mickey Nosser made it two in a row in his WISSOTA Mid-West Modified. The WISSOTA Mid-West Modifieds were the first to pull trackside with Mickey Nosser on the pole alongside Joe Bablick. Nosser used the bottom of the track to pull into the lead ahead of Halopka and Bablick. In the opening laps Nosser was able to put two car lengths between himself and Halopka. Meanwhile Bablick settled in to third ahead of Bargender and a close battle for fifth between Mann, Alburtis and Poyda. Halopka used a slightly higher line to pull up behind Nosser on several occasions but Nosser was able to get his lead
right back. Nosser lead the entire 15 lap event and picked up his second straight feature win. Halopka stayed within striking distance of Nosser the entire race but had to settle for second. Bablick capped off another good run finishing third. Bargender had his car hooked up on the bottom groove and it payed off with a fourth place finish. Rookie, Ben Mann rounded out the top five with a solid run.

The Wissota Street Stocks were up next with Butch Kummer and Cory Crapser making up the front row. On the start Kummer drove his car deep into turn one and came out of turn two with the lead. The struggle for second however, was just heating up as Crapser worked the bottom to hold off Walker who chose the middle groove. This battle for position allowed Kummer to drive away from his pursuers and build up a three car length lead. Walker and Crapser ran side by side for several laps before Walker was able to find some bite on the high side and complete the pass on lap nine. A
caution on lap 11 put Walker and Crapser on the back bumper of Kummer and set up a four lap dash to the checkers. Kummer again chose the preferred groove down low while Walker and Crapser searched for a way around him for the lead. Meanwhile, Brock Wright worked his way through the pack into fourth with Lindner and Bangart close behind. On the final lap Walker got his nose under Kummer going in to turn three and the two were side by side for the lead just as the caution flew. Kummer had led the last completed lap and grabbed the win in one of the best races of the season. Walker finished second and was one of the only cars able to work the high side of the track. Crapser was in the hunt for the win as well but had to settle for third ahead of Brock Wright and Steve Bangart.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks lined up next with Adam Hensel and Scott Johnson setting the pace for the event. Hensel immediately snatched the lead while Spacek shot into second and set his sights on the lead. By lap three Bunkelman worked his way from the fourth row right into third with Schwantes and Erickson tight on his bumper. Bunkelman then slid up the track allowing Schwantes to dart below him and get by for third. Hensel held on to the lead as the race passed the halfway mark with Spacek just inches behind working several different lines searching for a way around him. After a lap 16 caution Hensel and Spacek continued their fierce battle for the lead. The struggle for third place was just as intense as
Schwantes held the position with Erickson, Stender, and Bunkelman trading positions back and forth between each other in the closing laps. A lap 19 caution set up the the always popular green white checker finish to an already exciting race. Hensel again fought off the charge of Spacek after the restart and came away with the win. Schwantes blasted his way into the top three early and stayed there until the checkers flew. Erickson came out on top of the battle for fourth ahead of Stender.

The Main Event of the evening was a 20 lap Feature in the WISSOTA Modifieds. Dan Conrady drew the pole position with Rob Genett lined up to his right. The race got off to a shaky start as it took four attempts to finally get underway and when it finally got going it was non-stop action all the way through. Conrady took the early lead and by lap six had built up a near straightaway advantage over Moore who had started from the ninth position. Behind Moore there was another
battle brewing between Mark Baxter, Schilling and Kent Baxter. Conrady found himself in lapped traffic just after the halfway mark which allowed Moore an opportunity to close the gap but couldn't get within striking distance. Scgilling pulled up behind Moore on lap 15 and they both began another charge to the back bumper of Conrady who was maneuvering around lap traffic. This allowed Schilling to get a run below Conrady and make the pass for the lead with two laps to go. Schilling made his way through more lapped cars while in the lead and was first across the line followed by Moore who made the pass for second with one lap to spare.

Conrady dominated the majority of the race but had problems in lap traffic and still managed a third place finish. Kent Baxter had an impressive run as he climbed from deep in the field to finish fourth. Dave Baxter ran up front for the entire
event and ended up with a top five finish. Scott Duvall was the Hard Charger of the race coming from last place on an early caution to finish sixth.

The final race of the evening was in the Two-Man Cruiser Division. Ron/John Kunninger started from the pole alongside Davis/Fitzgerald. The race got off to a wild start when Becker/Thieme car rolled over on the backstretch. When the race resumed Ron/John Kunninger took the lead while working the bottom groove with Davis/Fitzgerald running the high side.
Davis/Fitzgerald were able to hold off the charge of Ron/John Kunninger after running side by side for several laps. Schubert/Delis pressured the leaders late in the race but couldn't find an opening to make the pass. Kuene/Fuchs came across the line fourth ahead of Schmidt/Podratz.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Modifieds:

Feature - Luke Schilling, Jed Moore, Dan Conrady, Kent Baxter, Dave Baxter, Scott Duvall, Ray Karl Jr., Jason
Nordhougen, Chris Oertl, Paul Knauf
Heat 1 - D. Baxter, Genett, M. Baxter, Schilling, Conrady
Heat 2 - Duvall, Karl, Knauf, Moore, K. Baxter

WISSOTA Super Stocks:

Feature - Adam Hensel, Randy Spacek, Bill Schwantes, Paul Erickson, Mark Stender, Jim Willner, Mike Duhr,
Lance Leu, Robby Bunkelman, Scott Geiger
Heat 1 - Hensel, Schwantes, Stender, Duhr, Johnson
Heat 2 - Erickson, Bunkelman, Geiger, Spacek, Willner

WISSOTA Street Stocks:

Feature - Butch Kummer, Roger Walker, Cory Crapser, Brock Wright, Steve Bangart, Scott Miller, Lee Christjohn, Dave Teitz, Zack Kauth, Jim Marshall
Heat 1 - Walker, T. Lindner, Crapser, Bangart, Teitz
Heat 2 - Kummer, Christjohn, Wolfe, Wright, Marshall

WISSOTA Midwest Mods:

Feature - Mickey Nosser, Shane Halopka Jr., Joe Bablick, Randy Bargender, Ben Mann, Jim Poyda, Mark Alburtis
Heat 1 - Halopka, Nosser, Poyda, Bablick, Alburtis

Two-Man Cruisers:
Feature - Scott Davis/Joe Fitzgerald, Ron Kunninger/John Kunninger, Gary Schubert/Rich Delis, Dave Kuene/Brian Fuchs, Matt Schmidt/Tom Podratz
Heat 1 - Davis/Fitzgerald, Ron/John Kunninger, Schubert Delis