Late Model Rookie A.J. Diemel Surprise Winner at Seymour! By Dave Panske

June 9, 2002; Seymour, WI - Finally, a perfect night for racing Sunday night at the Tri Oval.

The track was smooth and fast all night. Weekly record car count with 138 cars in five divisions. Potawatomi was the night sponsor and came in big after a schedule change this week. Added $4000 in bonus money to the purse.

Photo Highlights

A.J. Diemel, (#58) in only his third night driving the WISSOTA Late Model, held off three time defending champion, Troy Springborn to win his first feature Sunday night at Seymour Tri-Oval Raceway. Greg Gretz (#24) used the outside line to perfection and race to his first career division feature win Sunday night at the Tri- Oval.

The mods kicked off the feature portion of the big night. Mike Hintz led the opening circuit before Scott Boyea took over and set the pace to the first caution on lap 7. Jay Schraufnagel took 2 laps after the restart to take over the top spot and led the rest of the ways to collect his second feature win of the year here.

The story of the night had to be Brian Mullen's run to finish second in the main. Entering the night as the point leader, Mullen had a meeting with the wall in his heat race. The crew made the repairs just in time for him to make the second consy, which he won. He started the main in the 15th spot and worked up to 9th when the left rear tire got cut and came off. Causing the caution on lap 7. A quick pit stop put him to the back for the restart. He hooked up on the outside going three and four wide to get to the front and settled for the runner up finish.

Mike Klenz took third with Boyea taking fourth over Mike Wedelstadt and Travis Spaulding.

Nick Anvelink took charge of the WISSOTA late model main holding the top spot until A.J. Diemel worked into the top spot on lap 10. Following the lone caution of the race on lap 12. Troy Springborn took over the runner up spot on the re start and hounded the rookie to the finish. Lapped traffic came into play over the final laps.

Springborn took to the outside on the final lap, and the pair ran wheel to wheel to the finish line with Diemel taking his first career feature win in only his third night behind the wheel of the machine he only runs at the Tri Oval. Springborn was a close second with Pete Parker wrestling third away from Anvelink with 3 laps left. Randy Markwardt took fifth and Tom Naeyaert rounded out the top six. A field of 21 cars was on hand tonight.

Jeff Vlies moved from the second row into the lead of the Stock Car feature on the first lap and started to open a lead over the field. Scott Karcz, Travis Van Straten, Brandon Czarapata and Greg Gretz were right behind. Gretz took to the outside as the field stayed bunched at the front for the entire race.

On lap 13, Gretz powered into the top spot for good with Benji LaCrosse, Jason Czarapata and Jeremy Christians moving up to join the action for the lead. LaCrosse was making a bid for the top spot on lap 15, but Czarapata made a run at him from third. That race allowed Gretz to take his first career division feature win with Czarapata inching ahead of LaCrosse for the runner up finish. Christians was 4th with Vlies holding on to finish fifth, and Van Straten rounded out the top six.

Darren Otto slipped int5o the lead of the Street feature and started to pull away from the field to a comfortable lead before a caution, the first of three, erased the lead and put Phil Hiles, Tom White and Mike Coel right behind. Otto held the top spot and did so after the final 2 cautions late in the race to win his first feature of the season on his sponsors night. Hiles, Coel and White rounded out the top four spots with point leader, Jeremy Wiitala taking fifth and Gregg Siebold rounding out the top 6.

Marty Vande Hei outlasted 27 other drivers to win his first Compact division feature over Joe Jackels and Tyler Rassmussen.

SUMMARY

IMCA MODIFIED
20 Lap feature l. Jay Schraufnagel, Beaver Dam 2. Brian Mullen, Seymour 3. Mike Klenz, Sobieski 4. Scott Boyea, Green Bay 5. Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville 6. Travis Spaulding, Greenville
12 Lap Consy First l. Spaulding 2. Julie McDermid, Hortonville
Second l. Brain Mullen 2. Brad Rohloff, Pulaski
10 Lap Heats First l. Mike Hintz, Green Bay 2. Sean Jerovetz, Little Suamico
Second l. Joel Schmit, Green Bay 2. Jeremy Jacobs, Algoma
Third l. Wedelstadt 2. Dave Andrews, Green Bay
Fourth l. R.M. Van Pay, Green Bay 2.Klenz

WISSOTA Late Model
20 Lap Feature l. A.J. Diemel, Bonduel 2. Troy Springborn, Shawano 3. Pete Parker, Kaukauna 4. Nick Anvelink, Navarino 5. Randy Markwardt 5. Randy Markwardt, Sheboygan 6. Tom Naeyaert, Shawano
8 Lap Heats First l. Springborn 2. Nick Anvelink
Second l. Parker 2. Diemel
Third l. Terry Anvelink, Navarino 2. Markwardt

STREET STOCK
20 Lap Feature l. Darren Otto, Pulaski 2. Phil Hiles, Appleton 3. Mike Coel, Green Bay 4. Tom White, Oconto 5. Jeremy Wiitala, Green Bay 6. Gregg Siebold, Denmark
12 Lap Consy l. Darci Czarapata, 2, Siebold 3.Shawn Van Ooyen, Appleton 4. Rick Naparalla, Pulaski
8 Lap Heats First l. Lance Arneson, Oconto 2, Otto
Second l. Dave Drawenek, Kaukauna 2. Bob White, Jr, Green Bay
Third l. Tom White 2. Coel

IMCA STOCK CAR
20 Lap Feature l. Greg Gretz, Kewaunee 2. Jason Czarapata, Pulaski 3. Benji LaCrosse. Luxemburg 5. Jeremy Christians, Horicon 5. Jeff Vlies, Algoma 6. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville
12 Lap Consy l. Tom Van De Hei, Green Bay 2. John Heinz, Green Bay 3. Chad Wilcox, Pulaski 4. Jerry Wilinski, Seymour
8 Lap Heats First l. Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski 2. Shawn Kilgore, Kewaunee
Second l. Kyle Fredrick, Gillett 2. Jason Czarapata
Third l. LaCrosse 2. Van Straten

4 BANGERS
15 Lap feature l. Marty Vande Hei, Green Bay 2, Joe Jackels, Kaukauna 3. Tyler Rassmussen, Gillett