By: Paul Reichert
August 5, 2022
There is always a little more pressure and intensity on the drivers when a division runs a bigger feature race than the one they usually run. The longer feature means that the drivers need to show a little more patience with a little more time to work their way to the front of the pack. The pot of the gold at the end of the extra distance feature is a little more money added to the purse for the main event. On this Friday night at Tomah-Sparta Speedway the Hornets had their big night of racing with the 3rd Annual Hornet Hustle. $300 awaited the winner of the 20 lap main event, and it would go back to Baraboo with Michael Hennessy, Jr.
Jeffrey Von Ruden got the better of Shawn Breese at the start of the 20 lap Hornet Hustle feature for the Command Post Saloon Hornets. Von Ruden was leading his first feature laps while fending off a hoard of challengers also seeking the $300 winner’s purse. Shawn McCarthy used the outside lane to power around Von Ruden to move into the lead on lap four. This was the first race at ‘Daytomah’ for McCarthy since his wicked crash in the Hornet feature six weeks ago. Soon there would be an unexpected challenger to McCarthy’s lead as the race was reaching the halfway mark. Michael Hennessy, Jr. dove low entering turn three and shot past McCarthy for the lead as he took the crossed flags. The fight for third was the best battle on the track between Paul Finch and Mason Morphey. The battle erupted when Morphey turned Finch in turn two to bring out the yellow flag with three laps to go. The restart did not get very far when another car made hard contact with McCarthy that resulted in ‘The Joker’ ending up on his roof in turn two. The good news was that McCarthy was a-okay after another scary wreck. Jamie Pearson and the Thurk brothers tried to make it a race with Hennessy, Jr. over those final three laps, but Hennessy, Jr. pulled away to score the biggest win of his racing career.
Rose Borntreger roared by Amanda Brockhouse to lead at the start of the Wisconsin Fastrac Legends feature. While Borntreger was leading her first ever laps in a Legends feature, Adam Hansen was on the move to catch the young up and coming racer. Hansen powered around Borntreger in turn two to take over the lead on lap four. Next to go for the top spot was Texas racer Gavin Richardson as he surged past Hansen to become the new race leader on lap five. The action was slowed on lap seven when Ayrton Brockhouse and Andrew Borntreger tangled on the front straight and sat up against the wall. Yellow quickly came back after the restart when Tim Brockhouse touched the leader and spun Richardson out in turn one. That incident would benefit Colin Stocker as he assumed the top spot on the restart and began to pull away from the field. Jason Richardson drove past Hansen for second place with five laps to go. Richardson could not make a dent in Stocker’s lead as he made his second trip to TACU Credit Union Victory Lane in three races. Ayrton Brockhouse put on a stellar showing at Tomah in all three races to claim the points championship.
In the Wisconsin Mighty Bandos Traveling Series feature, Easton Riedner charged through the field from his fifth starting spot to take command of the main event. As Riedner was opening up a sizable lead, the rest of the field was trying to sort itself out and see if another driver would try to challenge Riedner. Coming from the last row of the field, fast qualifier Danny Mann bobbed and weaved his way through traffic before he shot by Axel Oldenhoff for the number two position on lap nine. Mann was trying everything he could to eat up the deficit, but Riedner was long gone as the 11 year old captured his first career Bandolero feature win.
Jesse Vian shot past Rick Devito on the outside to take the lead early in the going in the Modified feature. Weston Marthaler stuck to the outside lane to take over second after getting by both of the DeVito brothers. Marthaler immediately started to close the gap on Vian and waited for the right moment to go for the lead. That would happen on lap four when Marthaler found an opening under Vian down the back straight to assume the top spot. While Marthaler was pulling away from the field, Vian had his hands full doing everything he could to hold off Larry DeVito to maintain second. DeVito tried to look for an opportunity to go low on Vian, then tried to find a glimmer of a shot to power by Vian on the outside.
In the TACU Credit Union Six Shooter feature, Devin Glass drove by Josh Myer to take the lead in his season debut. TIm Murphy, Sr. was quickly making his way through traffic before catching and passing Glass to become the new top dog on lap two. Another driver on his way to the front was Dustin McCracken after starting towards the back of the field. McCracken moved into the runner-up spot on lap three and surged by Murphy, Sr. on the outside to settle into the top spot on lap four. The lone yellow of the race was displayed on lap eight for Jon Beanken’s car resting against the outside wall in turn four. McCracken went right back to work opening his lead on the restart, while Chuck Muller and fast qualifier Seth Gnewikow got into a hard fought battle over second. There was no stopping McCraken as he drove away with his second straight feature win.
Action continues next Friday, August 12 as the Sportsmen, Hobby Stocks, Hornets, Six Shooters and the High School Racing Association will be competing on the track. After qualifying takes place, the kids get another chance to ride in an actual stock car during the Pre-Race Kids’ Rides. Gates open at 5:00, qualifying goes on the clock at 6:00 and racing at ‘Daytomah’ fires up at 7:30.
Call the track office at 608-461-1920, visit our web site at tomahspartaspeeway.com or check out the track’s Facebook page for more information about Tomah-Sparta Speedway and the 2022 schedule of events.
RESULTS
Command Post Saloon Hornets
Hornet Hustle (20 laps): 1. Michael Hennessy, Jr. 2. Jamie Pearson, 3. Kendon Thurk, 4. Ben Thurk, 5. Bryan Wallace, 6. Jeffrey Von Ruden, 7. Andrew Gardner, 8. Shawn Breese, 9. Mason Morphey, 10. Amelia Marshall, 11. Justin Marshall, 12. Paul Finch, 13. Tristan Finnegan, 14. James Hendricks, Jr., 15. Zach Oliver, 16. Samantha Linnehan, 17. Shawn McCarthy, 18. Austin Hinze
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Tristan Finnegan, 2. Justin Marshall, 3. Jeffrey Von Ruden, 4. Shawn Breese, 5. James Hendricks, Sr., 6. Austin Hinze
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Bryan Wallace, 2. Andrew Gardner, 3. Paul Finch, 4. Kendon Thurk, 5. Jamie Pearson, 6. Samantha Linnehan
Heat #3 (8 laps): 1. Shawn McCarthy, 2. Zach Oliver, 3. Ben Thurk, 4. Mason Morphey, 5. Amelia Marshall, 6. Michael Hennessy, Jr.
Qualifying: 1. Mason Morphey 18.581, 2. Paul Finch 18.660, 3. Ben Thurk 18.689, 4. Jamie Pearson 18.719, 5. Michael Hennessy, Jr. 18.818, 6. Samantha Linnehan 18.959, 7. Zach Oliver 18.985, 8. Andrew Gardner 19.092, 9. Amelia Marshall 19.224, 10. Bryan Wallace 19.242, 11. Shawn McCarthy 19.262, 12. Kendon Thurk 19.335,13. Jeffrey Von Ruden 19.633, 14. Shawn Breese 19.651, 15. Justin Marshall 19.734, 16. James Hendricks, Sr. 19.968, 17. Tristan Finnegan 20.250, 18. Austin Hinze 21.168
Wisconsin Fastrac Legends presented by Legends Direct
Feature (15 laps): 1. Colin Stocker, 2. Jason Richardson, 3. Ayrton Brockhouse, 4. Adam Hansen, 5. Gavin Richardson, 6. Amanda Brockhouse, 7. Jeff LeFave, Jr., 8. Rose Borntreger, 9. Tim Brockhouse, 10. Andrew Borntreger
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Andrew Brontreger, 2. Rose Borntreger, 3. Adam Hansen, 4. Amanda Brockhouse, 5. Jeff LeFave, Jr.
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Gavin Richardson, 2. Tim Brockhouse, 3. Aytron Brockhouse, 4. Colin Stocker, 5. Jason Richardson
Qualifying: 1. Ayrton Brockhouse 16.764, 2. Colin Stocker 16.765, 3. Tim Brockhouse 16.858, 4. Jason Richardson 16.892, 5. Gavin Richardson 16.907, 6. Andrew Brontreger 16.942, 7. Adam Hansen 17.269, 8. Rose Borntreger 17.287, 9. Amanda Brockhouse 17.437, 10. Jeff LeFave, Jr. 18.609
Wisconsin Mighty Bandos Traveling Series presented by Legends Direct
Feature (15 laps): 1. Easton Riedner, 2. Danny Mann, 3. Axel Oldenhoff, 4. Bentley Thompson, 5. Mason Oleson, 6. Ace Oldenhoff, 7. Chris Flynn, 8. Etahn Jensen, 9. Casie Brabant, 10. Colton Roe Pershall
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Mason Oleson, 2. Casie Brabant, 3. Ace Oldenhoff, 4. Ethan Jensen, 5. Chris Flynn
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Easton Riedner, 2. Danny Mann, 3. Bentley Thompson, 4. Axel Oldenhoff, 5. Colton Roe Pershall, 6. Ayden Brockhouse
Qualifying: 1. Danny Mann 18.646, 2. Ayton Brockhouse 18.762, 3. Alex Oldenhoff 18.954, 4. Easton Riedner 18.955, 5. Bentley Thompson 19.218, 6. Colton Roe Pershall 19.231, 7. Mason Oleson 19.263, 8. Ethan Jensen 19.707, 9. Ace Oldenohff 20.211, 10. Chris Flynn 20.544, 11. Casie Brabant 20.660
Modifieds
Feature (15 laps): 1. Weston Marthaler, 2. Jesse Vian, 3. Larry DeVito, 4. Rick DeVito
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Weston Marthaler, 2. Larry DeVito, 3. Jesse Vian, 4. Rick DeVito
Qualifying:. 1. Weston Marthaler 16.094, 2. Larry DeVito, 16.200, 3. Jesse Vian 16.950, 4. Rick DeVito 17.067
TACU Credit Union Six Shooters
Feature (15 laps): 1. Dustin McCracken, 2. Chuck Muller, 3. Seth Gnewikow, 4. Mike Gratz, 5. Tim Murphy, Sr., 6. Chris Brown, 7. Devin Glass, 8. James Muller, 9. Austyn Blank, 10. Josh Myer, 11. Greg Brown, 12. Jon Beanken, 13. Ashley Tauscher. 14. Charles Vian, Jr. (DQ)
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Josh Myer, 2. Ashley Tauscher, 3. James Muller, 4. Jon Beanken, 5. Devin Glass, 6. Austyn Blank
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Dustin McCracken, 2. Seth Gnewikow, 3. Greg Brown, 4. Chris Brown, 5. Chuck Muller, 6. Tim Murphy, Sr., 7. Mike Gratz
Qualifying: 1. Seth Gnewikow 19.116, 2. Dustin McCracken 19.316, 3. Mike Gratz 19.585, 4. Chuck Muller 19.814, 5. Greg Brown 19.870, 6. Tim Murphy, Sr. 20.014, 7. Chris Brown 20.079, 8. James Muller 20.224, 9. Austyn Blank 20.523, 10. Ashley Tauscher 20.705, 11. Jon Beanken 20.949, 12. Josh Myer 21.022, 13. Devin Glass 22.222
