Dart, Brumlic & Lemieux make late race drives to claim victory at Thunderhill Raceway
By Edward Anschutz
(Sturgeon Bay, WI) May 31, 2014 – Raced fans were on the edge of their seat all night long with thrilling finishes, as drivers did battle on a superb racing surface. Tom “Tuffy” Brumlic out dueled Dylan Heilmann to score his first IMCA Stock Car feature win at Thunderhill Raceway. Other feature winners were Todd Dart (IMCA Modified), Ryan LeMieux (IMCA Sport Mod), Derek Moede (IMCA Hobby Stock) and Billy LeMieux (Street Stock)
Action was halted in the first feature of the night with a red flag as Todd Wagner hit the wall head on in turn 2. Wagner emerged unscathed but his 23w Street Stock suffered heavy damage.
Mike Wietor paced the opening laps of the IMCA Stock Car headliner before Dylan Heilmann swept through using the low groove to take the lead. Heilmann distanced himself from the from the pack as Charlie Kroll and Tom Brumlic worked through traffic. Brumlic worked to second using the high side to real in the leader. With each driver running a different groove, the stage was set for a great battle. Brumlic pulled even with Heilmann as the duo raced door to door.
Brumlic was able to find a bit more speed running the cushion and grabbed the lead for good by the midway point . Brumlic set sail, going unchallenged the remainder of the caution free contest. Heilmann edged out Kroll by a bumper for second, point leader Shawn Havel and Dave Bouche rallied late after starting deep in the field to finish in the top five.
IMCA Modified action saw James Tebon jump out to an early lead, surprising to many fans as Tebon’s car started on fire during his qualifying race. Tebon was able to pull away as Sean Jerovetz and Todd Dart slugged it out for the runner up spot. Dart was able to secure second at the midway point, setting his sights on the leader. Dart road the high groove, with Tebon down low.
With 4 laps remaining Dart was able to sling-shot past Tebon to take the lead. Dart was able to keep the rest of the field at bay in scoring his first win of the season. Considering how Tebon’s night started, second was pretty solid. After his big payday last weekend, Sean Jerovetz brought home third, Fridaynight feature winner Troy Jerovetz was fourth and Greg Gretz was fifth. The race went caution free.
The saying “Race motors always run the best before they blow up” held true for the IMCA Sport Mod winner. Rick LeMieux raced to the point, leading lap 1. Second year racer Jacob Zellner zoomed by a lap later to take the lead. Point leader “Rocket” Ryan LeMieux began his march through the field and into third, right behind Randy LeMieux Jr. Zellner pulled away as the LeMieux’s challenged each other. A caution wiped away the lead midway through the feature.
This was the break Ryan needed as he methodically worked around Zellner and to the lead. Once up front the car began to show small signs of smoke. Ryan raced to a sizable advantage only to see it disappear with 3 laps remaining, as Zellner lost the handle on his racer which brought out the caution. LeMieux had another puff of smoke from his engine on the restart as Randy and Chris Budzban came chasing. Ryan kept the lead but coming for the checkers out of turn 4 the engine started to blow up, Ryan held it to the floor and was able to pick up the win. The smoke was so bad you couldn’t see half the track after the race was over. It was his second feature win of the weekend after winning Friday night at Luxemburg. Budzban was able to secure second, LeMieux Jr. third, Jarred VanLaanen brought home fourth with Bernie Reinhardt fifth.
Billy LeMieux continued his dominance in the Street Stock division with his 3rd feature win of the season. Kevin Luedtke passed Aaron Thornton on lap 5 for the lead. Luedtke had the best chance to end LeMieux’s streak but a caution on lap 9 wiped out what seemed to be an insurmountable lead. LeMieux used the restart to his advantage, working past Thornton and Luedtke en route to victory. Luedtke still salvaged a good point night with second, Thornton had a solid third, Geno Sternard was fourth and Mike Sargent placed fifth.
Scott Boulanger found redemption after being disqualified last week, he took the lead away from CJ Weckler with 6 laps remaining to win the IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Derek Moede was second, point leader Jeremy Jauquet came home third followed by Weckler and Marcus Moede.
FEATURE & HEAT RESULTS
20 LAP KELSEY RACING IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE: 1.Todd Dart, Algoma; 2. James Tebon, Algoma; 3. Sean Jerovetz, Sobieski Corners; 4. Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay; 5. Greg Gretz, Kewaunee
HEAT 1: Gretz; Sean Jerovetz
HEAT 2: Dart; Troy Jerovetz
20 LAP OLSON FABRICATION IMCA STOCK CAR FEATURE: 1.Tom Brumlic, Denmark; 2. Dylan Heilmann, Green Bay; 3. Charlie Kroll, Forestville; 4. Shawn Havel, Algoma; 5. Dave Bouche, Algoma
HEAT 1: Mike Wietor, Green Bay; Kroll
HEAT 2: Heilmann; Dave Bouche
20 LAP LAVINE’S ICE IMCA SPORT MOD FEATURE: 1. Ryan LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; 2. Chris Budzban, Luxemburg; 3. Randy LeMieux Jr., Sturgeon Bay; 4. Jarred VanLaanen, Green Bay; 5. Bernie Reinhardt, Sturgeon Bay
HEAT 1: Rick LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay; Jacob Zellner, Luxemburg
HEAT 2: VanLaanen; Josh Massart, Brussels
15 LAP LACKIE RENTALS IMCA HOBBY STOCK FEATURE: 1. Scott Boulanger, Duvall; 2. Derek Moede, Casco; 3. Jeremy Jauquet, Luxemburg; 4. CJ Weckler, Sturgeon Bay; 5. Marcus Moede, Algoma
HEAT 1: Jauquet; Dave Schmidt, Casco
HEAT 2: Derek Moede; Boulanger
15 LAP REES’S AUTO BODY STREET STOCK FEATURE: 1 Billy LeMieux, Sturgeon Bay.; 2. Kevin Luedtke, Sturgeon Bay; 3. Aaron Thornton, Maplewood; 4. Geno Sternard, Sturgeon Bay; 5. Mike Sargent, Sturgeon Bay
HEAT 1: Jeremy Dubois, Algoma; Luedtke
HEAT 2: Thornton; Jimmy Anderson, Forestville
