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Smokin' Joe Krzykowski Remains Hot at Golden Sands Speedway, Hamel Takes
Battered Machine to Super Stock Checkered!
By Jeffrey Sachse |
July 22, 2005;
Plover, WI - A
large crowd was on hand for Team Shierl Night at the Golden Sands Speedway, with a full
pit area and the popular Bus Races taking place the packed house was ready for an evening
of action at Central Wisconsin's Power Playground. The fans were not disappointed as
the evening was a wild one.
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Joe's been smokin! The past four weeks Joe
Krzykowski has earned three feature wins and a pair of fast qualifying efforts in the
Super Late Model division.
Burton Brown (#07) made a last lap passing
attempt on Joe Krzykowski (#77) but spun while trying to take the lead.
Joe Krzykowski (#77) works past Jason Weinkauf (#76) on his way to winning the
Super Late Model feature.
Jeff Weinfurter (#3) captured the Super Late
Model semi-feature contest.
Fast time and a feature win is not bad in
anyone's book. Joe Krzykowski (#77) accomplished both again this evening.
Scott Hamel (#78) took a hard hit in the side of his race car but that didn't keep
him from making it to victory lane after the Super Stock feature.
Scott Hamel (#78) works by Dan Braun (#34) for the lead in the Super Stock feature.
Fluid on the racing surface resulted in a tangle among the leaders. Dan
Braun's machine ended up atop the backstretch hill during the Super Stock feature.
Wes Coon (#51) collected fast qualifying honors
in the Super Stocks.
Visiting racer Jim Robinson (#33) earned the
victory in the Pure Stock division. 
Current Pure Stock point leader Brad Guralski
(#16) set fast time for the evening.
Winners tonight in the 2-Man Cruiser cars
included the teams of Kelly/Resheske (#1896); Green/Wheelock (#73) and Boyer/Poinek (#68). |
The Super Late Model feature race was Smokin' Joe Krzykowski
keep up to his namesake as he was Smokin' the competition once again this evening.
He would capture his third feature race in the past four weeks after fending off a last
lap passing attempt by Burton Brown. In the Super Stock division Scott Hamel would
take his battered racing machine to the checkered. Hamel survived a late race tangle
and drove his sheet metal altered race car to victory lane. In the Pure Stock
division visiting racer Jim Robinson would make a late race pass to earn the main event
win on his first appearance of the season at the raceway.
Former track champion Burton Brown and rookie Gregg Ruffalo brought
the field to the green flag for the Super Late Model main event. Brown would surge
out front contest using the high line around the raceway, while Ruffalo was challenged for
his runner-up position by the field behind him.
A multi-car gathering near the tail of the field collected several
cars necessitating the first caution on lap two. When the race resumed Brown was
back to the lead with the pack attempting to sort itself out thereafter.
Allen Check and Brandon Selle had reached the second and third spots
by lap seven and were giving attempting to close the gap on Brown. Jason Weinkauf,
working the high line managed to work past Selle and move alongside Check to challenge for
the second position by lap ten.
Meanwhile fast qualifier Joe Krzykowski had rumbled through the field
reaching the fifth position. Kryzkowski's cause was further helped when Check and Selle
exchanged paint resulting in a spin by Check moments later. While Check and Selle
would resume from the tail of the field, the incident moved Krzykowski into the third slot
behind Brown and Weinkauf.
Krzykowski would get under Weinkauf with an inside pass on lap 17 to
gain the second position prior to the third caution of the event which occurred when Mark
Mackesy spun in turn two on lap 18.
Brown would bring the field back to the green with Krzykowski and
Weinkauf hot on his tail. Krzykowski worked the high groove of the track to pull alongside
Brown and the pair engaged in a side by side battle for the lead over the next several
laps. Krzykowski would slowly inch ahead leading for the first time on lap 24.
On the next lap the caution flag flew for the fourth time as Troy
Nelson has mechanical difficulties and collected the machine of Steve Holzhausen as the
pair were doing battle for fourth. Neither driver would be able to continue due to damage
to their rides.
The racing action resumed with Krzykowski working to hold off a hard
charging Brown and Weinkauf waiting in the third spot for an opportunity to work toward
the lead. Keith Bohmsach and visiting driver Dan Jung, making his first ever
appearance at the raceway held down the balance of the top five.
Racing continued unhindered until three laps were left in the contest
when Jeff Weinfurter spun in turn four after contact with Selle resulting in a final
showdown and setting up a shoot-out to the checkered.
When the green flag flew Krzykowski worked the high groove, leaving
Brown the bottom of the raceway. Brown, taking advantage of the opportunity would
move alongside Krzykowski with two laps to go. As the pair diced for the top spot on
the final lap, the pair touched coming off turn two with Brown spinning into the infield.
Krzykowski was able to right his machine without losing momentum and would reach
the finish line a half car length ahead of Weinkauf. Brown would limp across the
line as the tail of the field, and outside the top ten at the finish.
Jung, a former Modified driver at Slinger Super Speedway was rewarded
for his steady performance with a third place finish. Frank Nitzke, who captured the
main event last week would rally during the final laps of the race to gain fourth and
Bohmsach completed the top five finishers.
The Super Stock main event would also have some dramatic late race
happenings. Dan Braun and Matt Raykowski would square off the the opening laps of
the Super Stock feature with Braun taking command. Mike Brooks and Scott Hamel would
surge into second and third as the early laps of the contest quickly past.
Hamel would get under Brooks for the second position on lap six when
Brooks slid up the raceway. Braun running a strong race managed to keep Hamel in his
tire tracks until lap seventeen when Hamel would work under Braun for the top spot.
Brooks would make a similar move on the next lap to go to second while Braun maintained
the third spot.
The race would change dramatically with six laps to go in the
contest. One of the machines had dropped fluid on the racing surface and as the
yellow flag was about to appear the leaders slipped coming off turn two. Second
running Brooks has tagged Hamel who then shot across the track in front of Braun.
Braun hit Hamel hard in the side and the pair continued to slide up the embankment on the
backstretch. The cars behind darted everywhere and most were able to avoid further
contact.
When the dust settled Braun would be unable to continue, but the
rides of both Hamel and Brooks were still capable of running. The order was reset
with Hamel, Brooks, Wally Kallman, Wes Coon and defending division champion Tim Plowman in
the top five.
One final slowdown occurred when Collin Wilcott and Galen Manternatch
collided in turn two with four laps to go. The green flag would fly again with Hamel
leading the way. Brooks who still held second suddenly fell off pace and left the
raceway giving the second spot to a surprised Kallman. Over the final circuits Hamel
was able to continue his pace in his rugged machine to take the victory. Coon the
evening's fastest qualifier would work alongside Kallman on the final lap, charging hard
out of turn four Coon would reach the stripe in second by a matter of inches.
Kallman would take third ahead of Plowman and Randy Storlie who made up the top five
runners.
In the Pure Stock main event last week's feature winner Dean
Zakrezwski had worked past Marcus Marti for the top spot with fast qualifier Brad Guralski
and visiting racer Jim Robinson following a mid race caution. Guralski attempted to
make a pass on Zakrezwski with four laps to go but nearly slid off the top of the
raceway on the backstretch allowing Robinson to work into the second spot.
Robinson then worked under Zakrezwski as the pair raced side by side
around the high-banked third mile oval. Slowly Robinson was able to edge ahead and
he would reach the checkered with the victory. Guralski made a last lap charge would
sneak by Zakrezwski for second. Zakrezwski steeled for third followed by
Marti and Andrew Hintz in the top five slots.
A very large turnout of 2-Man Cruisers resulted in three contests
being held. Winners of the races were the teams of Kelly/Resheske, Green Wheelock
and Boyer/Poinek.
The next weekend will see two nights of racing action taking place on
the high-banked third mile oval. First up during the Friday evening program the Wisconsin
Challenge Series making it's final appearance of the season on the high-banked third mile
on Friday evening July 29th, featuring many of the Midwest's finest Super Late Model
racers. The highlight of the evening will be a 100 lap main event. A pair of
30 lap qualifying races will set the field for the big event. The show will also
feature Wisconsin Sport Trucks and 2-Man Cruisers. Time trails will be at 6:30 p.m. and
the first race taking place at 7:45 p.m.
Then on Sunday Afternoon, July 31st, will be a special 10th
Anniversary Party event. The show will present Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure
Stocks and 4 cylinders. Fans will be able to take advantage of reduced admission
thanks to special carload pricing. Time trials will take place at 12:30 p.m. and
racing will get underway at 2:00 p.m.
Between the two racing program, on Saturday Afternoon July 30th a car
show will take place with many custom street rods and show cars on display on the race
track grounds. Timed events will also take place on the racing surface.
Golden Sands Speedway "Central Wisconsin's Power Playground" is located
between Wisconsin Rapids and Plover, Wisconsin on Highway 54. For additional
information please call (715) 423-4660 or consult the track website at www.goldensandsspeedway.com
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complete RACESTAT Race Results Click Here! |