Gregorich Wins Five of Six Super Late Features! Weinfurter, Opelt and Cochrane in the winner’s circle! By Mary Langreck

June 16, 2007; Marshfield, WI: - Saturday night racing at the Marshfield Super Speedway June 16 offered everything a race fan could possibly ask for, brought to you by Opelt Sand & Gravel-G&S Trucking and WDLB. From hair-raising, car smashing accidents to heart pounding, three-wide action, viewers had to watch carefully to keep up with the proceedings of the night. Jason Weinkauf brought his super late model machine to the speedway for the first time this season and topped the qualifying for the night. Brian Back earned the super stock top honors in qualifying. Four-cylinder driver Kyle Opelt took first in qualifying and the feature events. The Junkyard Warrior best qualifying lap was turned by Kyle Rasmussen.

Photo Highlights

Another trip to the winner's circle... as Eugene Gregorich Jr. (#14) celebrates with his son after winning his fifth feature in six nights of racing in Super Late Model action at Marshfield Speedway. Dean Lapointe (#15) and Elliott Weiler (#01) thrilled the fans with a side by side duel for the lead early in the Super Late Model feature. Brian Weinfurter (#24) came away with the win in the Super Stock main event. Defending 4 cylinder champion Kyle Opelt snagged another feature win. Kyle Opelt (#23) and Derek Hauser (#9) show fans some close racing during one of the 4 cylinder preliminary events. Roger Cochrane (#8) made the trip to victory lane after topping the Junkyard Warrior feature.

Despite the fact that he started at the back of the pack, Eugene Gregorich Jr., literally ripped his 5th feature win this year away out of the hands of his fellow racers. In the CarQuest Super Stock feature, Brian Weinfurter earned the checkered. After a treacherous start in the 4-Cylinder Feature, Kyle Opelt was able to work his way up from the pack and nab his third feature win this season. And Roger Cochrane battled it out in the Junkyard Warrior Feature to take home top honors.

While the CarQuest Super Late Model feature started out promising with some nice action out front, race fans had no idea what was in store later in the race. Dean LaPointe took the lead right out of the gates, but Elliott Weiler inched the lead away in the second lap. The two racers went back and forth for several laps, with Weiler gaining some advantage in the straight-aways and losing it in the corners. But while fans were watching action up front, Gregorich was pulling tricks out of his sleeve, flying up the pack. He first tried some three-wide action in lap seven. But, hopefully, fans didn’t blink because they would have missed Gregorich, in lap ten, taking the race three-wide from the outside for the lead. It seemed hard to believe, and the crowd roared, as he hammered his car into the corners to take the advantage over the former leaders. And once Gregorich had the lead, he pulled away from the rest of the pack and dominated for the rest of the race. Fast timer Jason Weinkauf had been steadily working his way to the front. With only seven laps remaining, he began to pressure his brother, Chris Weinkauf for the third spot. Jason took the position in short order and set his sites on the machine of Ben Pettis. With only five laps left, Jason Weinkauf overtook the second spot and began to chase down Gregorich. The laps would wind down too soon, with Jason Weinkauf reaching Gregorich’s rear-bumper at the checkered. Gregorich won, earning the Beway Race Products feature win award. Jason Weinkauf finished second, Pettis third, Chris Weinkauf fourth and Jay VanDerGeest fifth.

In the beginning of the CarQuest Super Stock feature, there was plenty of movement up front. Travis Zvolena and Mike Gwidt were side by side for first place. But in the second lap, Gwidt had taken the lead. Brian Weinfurter took second from Zvolena on the inside groove. Then he set his sites on Gwidt and worked his way on the outside and took top place in turn three of lap four. Once he had the lead, he sailed away from the other racers. Then, most of the excitement for fans was in the race for third. In lap 11, Brian Back had made it to fourth place and he was on the chase to take third from Gwidt. For several laps, Back tried both the high and low grooves. But Gwidt out-raced him, matching every move to defend his spot. With four laps to go, the two were side by side in the back stretch and Back even nosed ahead of Gwidt a few times. But, in the end, Weinfurter had the checkered and the Krings Motorsports of Arpin feature win award and the RZ Builders bonus payout. Rick Grunden had second, Gwidt had third, Back had to settle for fourth and Zvolena took fifth.

The 4-Cylinder feature got off to a rough start. In only turn one of the very first lap, an accident sent the field, which was still tight together, scrambling to avoid collisions. Danny Zahn and Derk Hauser were not so lucky. They had started the race fourth and fifth place respectively, but were towed away after the collision. On the restart, Brad Conant took the lead, but he wouldn’t reign for long. By lap three, JJ Flick took it from him on the back stretch. The leader changed again in lap four when Kyle Opelt took it on the outside groove in turn three. Opelt and Flick moved away from the rest of the pack. Flick spent the rest of the race trying to catch Opelt. But fate wasn’t in his corner and Opelt came away with his third feature win this season and the West Side Service of Auburndale feature win award. Flick held on to second, Jeremiah Strauss finished third, Ricky Brandl fourth and Steven Hauser in fifth.

There was drama for the Junkyard Warriors before the feature even started. In the last heat for the event, there was a three-wide situation. Mike Denny was unlucky to be in the middle of that sandwich because a crash resulted and sent him into the wall. An ambulance was called to the track and he was taken to the hospital.

Once the feature got underway, it was smooth racing. Jonathan Zuelke took the lead in the first lap but Roger Cochrane then snatched it from him in the third lap. Kyle Rasmussen took third place in the fourth lap but wasn’t satisfied and also nabbed second in the fifth lap. Cochrane won the race, Rasmussen took second, Zuelke third, Marc Baldwin fourth and Matt Phelps fifth.

Next Saturday, June 23rd is Mid-Season Championships, brought to you by TJ’s Auto & 8th Street Auto, WI Rapids. Red hot racing includes CarQuest Super Late Models with B&B Engines $500 Bonus Payout, CarQuest Super Stocks, 4-Cylinders, and Pure Stocks. Pit gates open at 3:30, grandstand gates open at 5 p.m., Miller Lite time trials at 5:30, racing starts at 7 p.m. Marshfield Super Speedway is located 3.5 miles west of Marshfield on County Road H with weekly Saturday night stock car racing April through September. Adult grandstand admission is just $10.00, Students ages 10-15 yrs. $5.00 and under 10 yrs FREE with a parent. The family ticket is $25.00. Rain date for Sunday two hours earlier. FREE grandstand admission to all scouts in uniform.

June 23rd is Hometown Night At The Races for Owen, Withee, Thorp, Gilman, Stanley, Boyd and Glen Flora. Any race fan from any town listed for June 23rd, will be able to show their picture ID that states they live in one of those towns, and receive FREE admission to that night’s races.

Everyone 16 yrs and older may sign up FREE every race night to win the PT Cruiser Convertible Pace Car. Sponsored by: WDEZ 101.9, Brickner Family Dealerships, Abby Gas Service, King’s Campers, Subway, CarQuest, The Home Front.


$250.00
Additional prize money will be added to each of three super stock race nights during the 2007 Marshfield Super Speedway race season compliments of RZ Builders LLC of Loyal.
June 9th, July 21st, August 11th
Payout:
The top three eligible feature finishers will receive $50.00 in addition to the payout. The race winner will then draw a number and that position plus the three following will receive $25.00 in addition to the payout (these drivers must also be eligible).

Eligibility:
Prior to the first Challenge night the driver must at least race one night at Marshfield Super Speedway with the super stocks during the 2007 season. Prior to the second Challenge night the driver must at least race two nights at Marshfield Super Speedway with the super stocks during the 2007 season (previous Challenge night does not count towards eligibility). Prior to the third Challenge night the driver must at least race three nights at Marshfield Super Speedway with the super stocks during the 2007 season.

Points:
All races will be CWSSA Sanctioned points races.

Point Fund:
There will be a point fund payout for the points accumulated for eligible drivers on those nights. After the final Challenge night, the point fund will payout: 1st - $200.00, 2nd $150.00, 3rd $100.00

In addition to the Triple Challenge, RZ Builders LLC is adding $50.00 to the weekly payout. First place in the feature $25.00, then the winner will draw a number and that position will receive the other $25.00.