Rothe Victorious on Werner Electric Night

June 16, 2011

By: Sandy Shultz

(KAUKAUNA, WI)  Tim Rothe took the lead from Mike Gardner on lap eight of the late model feature and never looked back, winning his first feature event of the 2011 season.  Rothe started the race from the sixth position, passing Lowell Bennett, Tom Gee Jr., and Austin Luedtke.  A restart on lap eight allowed Rothe to work his way past Gardner, after Brett Piontek and Chris Grimes got together in turn two.  As Rothe and Gardner raced single file, Jeff Van Oudenhoven moved through the field, after starting 14^th.  Caution slowed the field with nine laps to go, as Luedtke spun in turn two.  The double file restart bunched up the field and brought out another caution as Gee Jr, Mark Schroeder, and Terry Baldry made contact coming out of turn four.  With three laps to go, Van Oudenhoven moved into third position, passing Bennett for the spot.  Rothe finished .355 seconds ahead of Gardner.  Van Oudenhoven finished third, followed by Bennett and Doug Mahlik.  Van Oudenhoven remains atop the point standings, 25 points ahead of Bennett.

Eric Hopfensperger finished 1.527 seconds ahead of Brandon Conrad to win the limited late model feature.  Hopfensperger started on the pole and lead all 20-laps.  Conrad started the race from fifth position, working his way past Andrew Kluck, Tim Springstroh, and Cory Kemkes.  Mike Meyerhofer Jr. finished third, followed by Gary Natrop and Springstroh.  Natrop remains the points leader, with Meyerhofer in second position, just 13 points behind.

John Roeser continued his domination of the Sport Trucks, winning his fourth feature of the season.  Roeser blew past leader Jacob Boldig on lap thirteen.  Roeser pulled away, finishing 2.637 seconds ahead of Boldig.  Jake Carpenter finished third, followed by Dylan Ihde and Taylor Vandermoss.  Roeser extended his points lead to 61 points over Jason Plutz. 

Neal Sannes led all but one lap of the 20-lap Super Stock feature, finishing .529 seconds ahead of Dylan Wenzel.  Wenzel challenged Sannes for the lead for most of the race, as the two race side-by-side.  Larry Raygo finished third, followed by Andy Casavant and Ed Howard.  The point standings are now tied, as the driving duo of Casavant and Greg Hauser have lost their advantage over Wenzel.  

Cody Huven won the 15-lap Sizzlin’ Four feature.  Huven took the lead on lap two, finishing 1.258 seconds ahead of Roger Braun.  Evan Beattie finished third, followed by Tim Richter, and Steve Van Oudenhoven.  Cody Kippenhan remains the points leader, just 11 points ahead of Huven.

Mike Meyerhofer Jr. led just one lap of the Figure Eight feature, but it was the final lap as he battled three wide with Dan Gracyalny and Terry Van Toy around the final corner.  Meyerhofer finished 1.232 seconds ahead of Gracyalny.  Craig VandeWettering finished third followed by Van Roy and Jeff Wohlrabe.  Gracyalny holds a 20 point lead over VandeWettering  in the point standings.

Next Thursday is Weld Specialty Supply night at Wisconsin International Raceway, with a full night of racing.