Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway
August 23, 2013
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A.J. DIEMEL OUTRUNS MITCH MC GRATH FOR THE FOURTH ANNUAL GEORGE SCHEFFLER MEMORIAL VICTORY AT OSHKOSH
Larry Richards Win Popular In Hales Corners Reunion Night Grand National Main

OSHKOSH, WI (August 23) – It didn’t matter where you looked on Friday evening at Oshkosh Speedzone because anywhere you looked you were looking at success. Honoring the memory of the late George Scheffler, a record setting evening took place at the third-mile clay oval. A field of 42 WDLMA Late Models had checked into the pit area establishing a record for the Scheffler Memorial which had been previously held at the Manitowoc County Expo Raceway.

The 4th Annual event was the first appearance for the Memorial race at Oshkosh Speedzone and the only appearance of the high horsepower Late Models this season at the raceway. Fans were treated to a battle of wits between Mitch McGrath who had paced much of the main event and A.J. Diemel. It was Diemel that managed to slip past McGrath in lapped traffic and then hold off a late race rally by McGrath and last year’s Scheffler Memorial winner Jimmy Mars for the victory and a $5,000 payday.

A big payday was also in store for Sean Jerovetz taking the $1,000 top prize that went along with tonight’s main event win in the Automotive Supply Company Modifieds. Sean was able to turn back repeated challenges by Marcus Yarie as the pair ran side by side for a dozen laps before Sean was able to gain the upper hand. The win also gave Sean sole possession of first place heading into the final night with his cousin Troy Jerovetz now trailing by five points in the standings.

Larry Richards completed the list of winners this evening outrunning Tim Doehling for the victory in the Outlaw Chassis Grand National division. The win for Richards who started his racing career at the now closed Hales Corners Speedway proved very popular on a reunion night of fans and racers who attended events at the former Hales Corners Speedway which was converted to commercial retail buildings several years ago.

It took qualifying, five heats and three B-mains to set the field of 22 for the feature contest which contained many of the best Late Model pilots in Wisconsin. Just making the 30 lap George Scheffler Memorial Main event was a fete in itself and a $5,000 prize would lie in wait for the victor.

Mitch McGrath and T.J. Dohlun brought the race up to speed with the green flag waving in the air. McGrath gained the upper hand leaving Dohlun following in his tire tracks. Diemel wasted little time in joining the action at the front reaching third with a pass of Tom Naeyaert on lap three.

Diemel continued his charge moving up to battle for second spot, while deeper in the field last year’s Scheffler Memorial winner Jimmy Mars was working his way forward.

A spin by Jim Schmidt in turn two on the ninth lap forced the only slowdown of the contest.

The race resumed and McGrath went back to setting the pace with Diemel moving by Dohlun for the second spot. At the halfway point Nick Anvelink the 2011 winner of the Scheffler Memorial event moved into the third spot while Mars continued his march forward having reached the top five.

The leaders began to encounter heavy lapped traffic and Diemel was able to use a lapped car as a pick to slip under McGrath coming off turn four on lap 19 stealing the lead.

Diemel would build a small cushion on McGrath before opting to drop down to the inner line as the race entered its final laps. With three laps to go Mars scrambled into the third position and began to run down the lead pair by time was quickly running out.

Over the final laps Diemel drove a flawless race reaching the checkered flag six car lengths ahead of McGrath. Mars would settle for third with Anvelink fourth. Justin Ritchie a regular in Modified action at Oshkosh Speedzone completed the top five finishers.

In Automotive Supply Company Modified action Eric Scribner sat on the pole for the 20 lap contest, but it was Speedzone regular John Schultz taking the lead on the opening lap. The only slowdown of the event was a spin by Benji LaCrosse after another car had contact with him on lap two sending LaCrosse spinning.

The race resumed with Yarie working under Schultz for the top spot. Sean Jerovetz was also on the moving using the high line around the track to power past Schultz for second moments later.

On lap four the battle for supremacy began. With Yarie hugging the low line and Jerovetz working the high side. The pair would run wheel to wheel around the track for the next dozen laps, tossing the lead back and forth with neither driver able to clear for solid control of the top spot.

Brian Mullen would watch the duel from the third position but he was unable to work his way into the lead battle.

Jerovetz got the break he needed when Yarie nicked the infield tires through turns one and two allowing Jerovetz to clear Yarie. Jerovetz then dropped to the inner groove with Yarie now trying to claw his way back up to challenge Jerovetz for the top spot.

As the race would down the trio of Jerovetz, Yarie and Mullen would wind up nose to tail but without an error on his part Jerovetz was able to keep the field behind him and they could only watch as he flashed beneath the checker flag and taking with it the $1,000 prize.

Yarie would claim second with Mullen, LaCrosse following. Mitch McGrath who was pulling double duty in both late models and modified earning his second top five finish of the evening earning fifth in the mod main.

The Outlaw Chassis Grand National division also saw just a single caution slow the pace of their feature when exhaust systems parts were found on the front stretch on lap three. Tim Doehling and Troy Weich would hold down the top spots while Larry Richards was charging from deep in the field pulling off successful three wide passes while rim riding the raceway.
Richards continued to use his momentum on the topside to reach the third spot by lap five and setting his sights on Weich who was turning in one of his best performances of the season.

On lap six Richards drew even with Weich and moments later took over the number two position. Doehling continued to lead and had established a small cushion on his rivals but with Richards now in second the gap slowly disappeared.

At the halfway point in the contest Doehling’s advantage was gone and the pair would race side by side for the lead with Doehling working the inside line while Richards stuck with his preferred outside groove. For the next seven laps the pair traded the lead before Richards finally established himself in the top spot as the pair encountered lapped traffic with three laps to go.

Unhindered by lapped cars Richards sailed to the checkered flag grabbing the victory. Doehling held firmly to second followed by Weich, Don Sorce Jr. and Terry Van Roy.

There remains three events left on the 2013 racing schedule at Oshkosh Speedzone. Next Friday Night however will conclude the 2013 championship chase. The August 30th show presented by LaSure’s Banquet Hall, which hosts the Speedzone awards banquet will showcase all five weekly divisions. The evening will feature Automotive Supply Company IMCA Modifieds, Hansel Trucking IMCA Northern Sport Modifieds, Outlaw Chassis Grand Nationals, Total Power Sales Street Stocks and Ellington Mutual Insurance Dirt Devils. Over 100 cars are expected for the final point showdown.

Fans can print out the 2013 season schedule by visiting the track website at www.oshkoshspeedzone.net . When visiting the website fans are encouraged to sign-up for the free track newsletter which features weekly updates throughout the season along with photos, videos, interviews and more. Oshkosh Speedzone can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thespeedzone.

Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway is a 1/3 mile semi-banked clay oval located at the Sunnyview Expo Center which resides near the intersection of Highways 76 and County Trunk Y in Oshkosh.

WDLMA LATE MODELS:
30 Lap Feature: 1.) A.J. Diemel; 2.) Mitch McGrath; 3.) Jimmy Mars; 4.) Nick Anvelink; 5.) Justin Ritchie; 6.) T.J. Dohlun; 7.) Tim Buhler; 8.) Ricky Weiss; 9.) Tom Naeyaert; 10.) Troy Springborn; 11.) Russ Scheffler; 12.) Rick Scheffler; 13.) Todd Jensema; 14.) Ron Berna; 15.) Brad Mueller; 16.) Brett Swedberg; 17.) Jeff Curtin; 18.) Pete Parker; 19.) Mark Rose; 20.) Jim Schmidt; 21.) Al Atkinson; 22.) Jim Letizia; 23.) Ron Strokia; 24.) Tim Rothe
First 12 Lap B-Main: 1.) Rick Scheffler; 2.) Curtin; 3.) Rose; 4.) Jim Zdroik; 5.) Steve Petrie Jr
Second 12 Lap B-Main: 1.) Berna; 2.) Strokia; 3.) Schmidt; 4.) Wayne Block; 5.) Aaron Holiday
Third 12 Lap B-Main: 1.) Swedberg; 2.) Letizia; 3.) Pete Parker; 4.) Todd Frank; 5.) Derek Janke
First Heat: 1.) Russ Scheffler; 2.) McGrath; 3.) Springborn;
Second Heat: 1.) Diemel; 2.) Weiss; 3.) Jensema
Third Heat: 1.) Anvelink; 2.) Buhler; 3.) Mueller
Fourth Heat: 1.) Naeyaert; 2.) Rothe; 3.) Atkinson
Fifth Heat: 1.) Dohlun; 2.) Mars; 3.) Ritchie

AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY COMPANY MODIFIEDS:
Feature (Top 15): 1.) Sean Jerovetz; 2.) Marcus Yarie; 3.) Brian Mullen; 4.) Benji LaCrosse; 5.) Mitch McGrath; 6.) Troy Jerovetz; 7.) Mike Wedelstadt; 8.) Brian Drexler; 9.) Tim Lemirande; 10.) John Schultz; 11.) Joe McGrath; 12.) T.J. Smith; 13.) Eric Scribner; 14.) Kurt Moeller; 15.) Chris Engels
First Consolation: 1.) Moeller; 2.) Don Scheffler; 3.) Jerry Muenster; 4.) Scott Besaw; 5.) Matt Klenz
Second Consolation: 1.) Engels; 2.) Mike Klenz; 3.) Dustin Jackson; 4.) Kevin Baldry; 5.) Clayton Howe
First Heat: 1.) Craig Priewe; 2.) J. Schultz; 3.) Dennis Schultz
Second Heat: 1.) Yarie; 2.) Mullen; 3.) M. McGrath
Third Heat: 1.) LaCrosse; 2.) Lemirande; 3.) J. McGrath
Fourth Heat: 1.) S. Jerovetz; 2.) Wedelstadt; 3.) Scribner

OUTLAW CHASSIS GRAND NATIONALS:
Feature (Top 10): 1.) Larry Richards; 2.) Tim Doehling; 3.) Troy Weich; 4.) Don Sorce Jr.; 5.) Terry Van Roy; 6.) Roger Lee; 7.) Don Schumacher; 8.) Nick Strobbe; 9.) Charlie Sancinati; 10.) Nick Schumacher;
First Heat: 1.) D. Schumacher; 2.) Richards; 3.) John Schultz III
Second Heat: 1.) Tom Schneider; 2.) Van Roy; 3.) Mark Kuhfuss
Third Heat: 1.) Lee; 2.) Doehling; 3.) Sorce Jr.