Mike Budleski tops CWRA Late Model field
in Friday night program!

By Amy Kolo

May 8, 1998; Plover, WI: - Great racing action took place during the power playgrounds first Friday night race of the season. The Late Model feature started with Smokin’ Joe Kryzkowski in the lead. Smokin’ Joe was able to maintain his lead and pull away from the pack. Fast runner Kirby Kurth started to gain on Smokin’ Joe, with Mike Budleski hot on Kurth’s heels.

Mike Budleski won the wheel to wheel duel, with Joe Krzykowski, to earn his first CWRA Late Model feature win of the year at Golden Sands Speedway.

The three leaders battled it out until a caution came out on lap 12 between the Weinfurter brothers, Jeff and Greg. Smokin’ Joe was able to maintain his lead after the green. But by lap 17, Budleski was able to sneak around Kurth. Didn’t last long, on the very next lap Kurth regained the second position, but by lap 20 Budleski overtook Kurth. Then once again on lap 21 Budleski stole back his second position. For the next few laps it was Kurth then Budleski, the Budleski the Kurth.

Finally on lap 24. Budleski was able to stay in the second position and started working on Smokin’ Joe. On lap 25 Budleski took the first position away from Smokin’ Joe. The pair battled it out for the remaining five laps. It looked like the Late Model fast dash. Budleski finished with the win, Smokin’ Joe in second, and on the very last lap Rex Rossier was able to take the third position away from Kurth.

Judd Brandl took the lead with just three laps left in the Super Stock feature race.  The win helped to put Brandl into the points lead in the class.  Larry Braunsky held the lead most of the way, just like last week, only to have Brandl steal the win!!

Dave Pagels pulled ahead during the Super Stock feature, with Putzy Braunsky and Andy Simmonis right behind. By lap 6, Braunsky was able to take the lead. Braunsky gained about two car lengths from the rest of the pack. Simmonis got around Pagels for the second position, and the fast runner, a former dirt racer, Judd Brandl was hot on Pagels heels.

Brandl first passed Pagels and then started working on Simmonis. By lap 17 Brandl was able to make it around Simmonis. With Braunsky so far ahead from the pack, it looked like he was going to take the checkered. But just like the past Sunday race, with only three laps to go, Braunsky was once again passed. Braunsky lead 17 out of the 25 laps in the whole feature, but fast runner Judd Brandl was able to surpass him and take the win. Braunsky finished second, with super truck Chad Brundidge in third.

Todd Radtke took his turn in victory lane, his first of 1998 by winning the Pure Stock feature event. Radtke held off a late charge by Shawn Stelzer to grab the win.

Slicing and Dicing in the Pure Stock Feature! The Pure Stocks love to bang one another to fight their way up to the top. Roland Kuhn started in the lead but by lap 6, Todd Radtke banged his way into the top position, Kuhn started falling back as Marv Flick fell into second, and of course fast runner Shawn Stelzer was right there to join the party.

Stelzer was able to get around Flick for the second position. Jim Stratton stuck in the back started making his way up to fight for the lead. Radtke held onto the first position, and Stelzer finished second. Stratton was able to get around Flick on the white flag lap and finished with the third position.

They're crusin' !  Gene Wedde and Bob Cayer earned the first Cruiser feature of the year at Golden Sands Speedway.  One driver works the brake and steers, while the co-pilot works the gas.  It's the ultimate in racing teamwork!!

The most exciting race of the evening had to be the Cruisers! Cruisers are cars in which it takes a driver to steer and brake with a passenger controlling the gas pedal. The entire race had 13 cars. There was so much spinning, crashing, and infield driving that the crowd cheered for more. Partners Gene Wedde and Bob Cayer were able to work together and avoid most of the crashes. They finished first. Partners Rodney Feltz and Fran Esser took the second position and partners Jeff Severt and Scott Gress took the third position.

They may not be pretty, but they are fun!! The crowd enjoyed the new cruiser class and so did  the second and third place finishers. Driving the second place car was the team of Feltz & Esser (#6), while Severt and Gress (left) took third.

Race Summary

Semi-Feature: 1.) Mark Macksey; 2.) Jason Weinkauf; 3.) Robert Stolze; 4.) Jeremy Lepak; 5.) Dean Lapointe
Consolation: 1.) Weinkauf; 2.) Jack Greenwood; 3.) Scott Beyer; 4.) Chad Devine
First Heat: 1.) Weinkauf; 2.) Lapointe; 3.) Beyer
Second Heat: 1.) Brian Back; 2.) Monte Gress; 3.) Brian Lambie
Third 10 Lap Heat: 1.) Budleski; 2.) Garret Fait; 3.) Bobby Turzinski

Semi-Feature: 1.) Scott Hamel; 2.) Jim Cormack; 3.) Alan Sansky; 4.) Jim Marquard; 5.) Matt Wisz
Consolation: 1.) Dale Robinson; 2.) James Wojcik; 3.) Paul Meronk
First Heat: 1.) John Pleuss; 2.) Robinson; 3.) Wesley Krause
Second Heat: 1.) Mike Doughty; 2.) Sansky; 3.) Bruansky
Third Heat: 1.) Szymkowiak; 2.) Simonis; 3.) Back

Semi-Feature: 1.) Anney Turzinski; 2.) Cal Greening; 3.) Brian Stroik; 4.) Michael Brooks
First Heat: 1.) Stroik; 2.) Cal Greening; 3.) Truzinski
Second Heat: 1.) Brooks; 2.) Flick; 3.) Marlowe Greening
Third Heat: 1.) Radtke; 2.) Stelzer; 3.) Stratton