Golden Sands Speedway Race Report

It's an Iverson Invasion of Golden Sands  as Champions Clash in 2006 Season Opener! By Jeffrey Sachse

April 21, 2006; Plover, WI - The 2006 season opener at Golden Sands Speedway proved to be an evening filled with thrills and spills.  The thrills were provided by the some hard racing on a cool damp evening in Central Wisconsin, as fans and drivers flicked to the third-mile high banked oval to witness the first racing event of the 2006 season.

Photo Highlights

The night started with a wild flip during qualifying in the Pure Stock division as Gary Harklauu wound find himself upside down outside the racetrack on the backstretch.  He was not injured in the accident. Jamie Iverson (#97) made the long trip from Michigan payoff with a victory in the Super Late Model main event. Jeff Kendall (#00) works past Joe Krzykowski for second in the Super Late Model main event. Defending track champion Mark Eswein (#71) fends off a challenge by Kenny Richards (#9) for the third spot on the final lap of the Super Late Model feature. A two-car tangle during the Super Late Model semi-feature left Kurt Guralski (#1) upside down after hitting the wall hard.  He was not injured. Mike BHrooks placed himself in victory lane after topping the Super Stock main event. Randy Storlie led much of the Super Stock feature before Mike Brooks (#25) worked into the top spot in the closing stages of the race. Defending Super Stock champion Tim Plowman (#80) set a new qualifying record for the division and became the first driver in the class to turn in a qualifying lap under 13 seconds. Mike Gwidt (#25) collected the checkered flag in the Pure Stock feature contest. Andrew Hintz (#7) set fast time in the Pure Stock class. Dallas Kralovetz (#21) dominated 4 cylinder action this evening, winning the feature race and earlier in the evening setting a new track record in qualifying for the division.

Before feature race time fans had already seen two spectacular accidents.  The first of which occurred in the Hobby Stock class during qualifying when visiting racer Gary Harklauu had his throttle stick during his qualifying lap.  He would lose control of his car coming off turn two, hit the backstretch hill and launch through the air.  Harklauu would when hit several of the speedway billboards before flipping upside down.  Fortunately Harklauu was uninjured in the accident, but the same could not be said of his racing machine.  Needless to say he was done for the evening.

Another spectacular crash occurred during the second Super Late Model heat as the cars of Kurt Guralski and Pat Williams touched coming off turn three. Normally a minor contact, the pair had unfortunately touched tires which resulted in Guralski's car going airborne.  He would sail into the wall at full speed before flipping onto his roof.  The car momentarily caught fire, but quick work by the safety workers controlled the situation while the young driver scrambled form his ride, unhurt.

While the evening's accident's were spectacular in themselves, the racing action was not to be outdone.  In the Super Late Model contest, three area track champions did battle for supremacy.  Jamie Iverson of Escanaba, Michigan made a long trek to Golden Sands Speedway and made that effort payoff with a victory in the headline event.  Iverson, the 2005 track champion at Norway Speedway managed to fend off multi-time Dells Motor Speedway titlist Jeff Kendell and multi-time Golden Sands Speedway champion Mark Eswein.  The three champions did battle throughout the non-stop contest, never separated by more than a couple car lengths. 

In Super Stock action Mike Brooks would use the outside groove to sail into the lead in the closing stages of their main event.  Last seasons point runner-up in the Pure Stock division, Michael Gwidt, would race to the checkered flag in the divisions feature contest. Rounding out the evening was a sweep in the 4 cylinder class by young 14 year old Dallas Kralovetz.  The youngster would set fast time setting a new track qualifying record for the class and then sweep through the field in the feature contest to record the victory.

The Super Late Model headliner saw veteran Smokin' Joe Krzykowski on the pole of the event with Iverson to his outside.  Kendall and Eswein would make up the second row of the race as the green flag fell.  Iverson got the opening jump taking over the top position as the field reached the stripe on the opening round.  Krzykowski would slip into the second spot ahead of Kendell and Eswein as the first four began to move away slightly from the field.

Kendall would work in Krzykowski in turn two on lap four, with Eswein making a similar move on the next lap to secure third.  Krzykowski would slowly fade back into the field as the event quickly clicked off the first 10 circuits.

Iverson's lead was a precarious one as Kendall continued to pressure for the top spot, on several occasions nosing under Iverson coming off turn two.  In the meantime Eswein began looking to the high side looking for an opportunity to advance.  Brandon Selle found himself in fourth behind the lead trio fending off the pressure of Kenny Richards who held down the fifth spot.

By the halfway point Iverson still clung tenaciously to the lead with Kendall and Eswein giving chase, all running within inches of one another.  Richards has moved up to secure the fourth position and began to reel in the lead trio.

As the final 10 laps began Iverson got a brief break from the challenges as Eswein began to work over Kendall.  This allowed Iverson to move out to a one car length advantage, his biggest lead of the evening.  Further back Jason Weinkauf was making progress through the pack.

With four laps to go the action began to intensify again as Kendall reeled in Iverson.  Meanwhile Richards worked the high line to nose ahead of Eswein for the third spot as the pair raced side by side.  Eswein would fight back reclaiming third by a matter of inches at the white flag.   Out front Kendall moved up to Iverson's rear bumper waiting for a slip which would give him a shot at victory.  The slip never came however with Iverson claming his first career victory on the high-banked third mile oval.  Kendall would settle for second.  Eswein nipped Richards for third at the line with Richards taking fourth after a strong run.  In a side by side duel to the finish Weinkauf would edge out Krzykowski for the final top five position. Krzykowski, Frank Nitzke, fast qualifier Chris Weinkauf, Allen Check and Selle would complete the top ten finishers.

David Pagels and Randy Storlie brought the field to the green flag for the 25 lap Super Stock main event.  Storlie shot to the initial lead as Pagels fought to hold second.  A wiggle by Pagels dropped him quickly back in the field as Brian Weinfurter and Mike Brooks would squirt past.

A multi-car tangle involving Pagels, Collin Wilcott, Denny Crass and fast qualifier and new track record holder Tim Plowman would slow the pace on lap six.  Storlie would charge back to the lead as Brooks began to work past Weinfurter.  Brooks working the high line to perfection motored past Weinfurter for second and moments later rolled alongside Storlie to joust for the top spot. A spin by fourth running Wilcott with ten laps to go bunched the field and placed Storlie back at the lead..

Storlie set the pace back to the green flag with Brooks, Weinfurter and Wes Coon and Brian Back in the top five positions.  Brooks and Back would prove to be the big movers over the final laps.  Brooks jumped to the high side of Storlie with six laps to go and worked into the top spot.  Deeper in the field, Back was darting through traffic in effort to reach the front.  Back reached the runner-up spot with three laps to go, but Brook's pace would allow him to take the checkered with a two car length advantage.  Back would lay claim to second followed by Coon, Storlie and Weinfurter.

Pure Stock feature racing saw Todd Kuehl pace for the first four laps of the event before Gwidt would take over the lead position.  Gwidt would then motor around the raceway building an advantage on his rivals throughout the remainder of the event. Dean Zakrezwski would work into the second spot late in the contest and close slightly on Gwidt but Gwidt would take to the checkered with a comfortable margin.  Zakrezwski would settle for second ahead of Kuehl, Troy Engman and Dean Aschbacher.

The night concluded with the 4 cylinder contest and Kralovetz, at age 14, showed the patience of a veteran as he methodically advanced positions throughout the contest.  Matt Hansen would hold down the top spot until challenged by both Kevin Teske and Kralovetz on lap six.  A wiggle by Hansen allowed Teske to spring to the lead with Kralovetz hanging on Teske's every move.

On the next lap Kralovetz worked his way past Teske taking command of the contest and pacing the final half of the event.  Teske, Kevin Eckes, Jousha Opper and Mike Oehmichen completed the top five runners.

Next week, Friday Night, April 28th, will be another full night of racing action featuring four divisions of racing action.  Fans will have a chance to view the cars up close trackside during a meet and greet session giving them a chance to view all the  Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and 4 Cylinders in attendance up close and meet the drivers who wheel them.

Golden Sands Speedway  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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