6/15/2024
Beaver Dam Raceway
Strickler Strong for $3,000
Beaver Dam, WI (June 15th, 2024) - Night one of Beaver Dam Raceway’s big IMCA Modified Twin 25’s event went off with a bang, with Kyle Strickler picking up the win on the first night, and pocketing $3,000 in the process. A 25-lap feature combined with a tricky track, made for one heck of a feature, and one heck of a win for the Highline Tickler, Kyle Strickler.
129 cars filled the pits for night one, with 16 EK Machine Unified Street Stocks, 19 Sorce Services Grand Nationals, 25 N&S Towing IMCA Stock Cars, 27 Rich’s Truck & Auto Repair IMCA Sport Modifieds, and 42 Shepy’s Auto Body IMCA Modifieds ready to do battle. 9 states were represented, with drivers from Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan, and North Carolina all in the pits.
Many heat races and b-mains ensued, with Kyle Genett and Phillip Wuesthoff picking up the EK Machine Unified Street Stock heat races; Daniel Schumacher and Todd Ascherien won the Sorce Services Grand National hea races; the N&S Towing IMCA Stock Car heat races were won by Alex Crapser, Matt Rechek, and Jeff Steenbergen; Rich’s Truck & Auto Repair IMCA Sport Modified heat races went to Cole Stichter, Kolton Roehl, and Chris Kuchta, while Nick Schultz picked up the b-main; Dan Roedl, Cole Czarneski, Tony Wedelstadt, Scotte Lemke, and Ethan Braaksma took home the top spot in the final heats for the Shepy’s Auto Body IMCA Modifieds with Skyler Woods and Brandon Schmitt picking up b-main victories.
Kyle Genett and Phillip Wuesthoff lead the first feature to the green in the EK Machine Unified Street Stocks. The top two would get an even start, but Genett was able to perfect turns 3 and 4 on the first lap to lead. Wuesthoff in second quickly came under pressure from Kenny Richards in third. The two drivers got to fighting, going pound for pound with each other before Richards broke through on lap 10. Richards slowly started to close in on Genett for the lead but couldn’t get close enough with the time he had remaining, and Kyle Genett went flag to flag to pick up the win, and $750. Richards would come home a close second. Third went to Wuesthoff, fourth to James Fletcher, and Dale Kreuziger rounded out the top five. Little did everyone know at the time, Genett would be disqualified for being underweight at the scales post-race, promoting Richards to the win.
Daniel Schumacher and Todd Ascherien kept the front row occupied in the Sorce Services Grand Nationals feature. Ascherien got the jump and started to put a gap on the field fast, while Schumacher fell in line in second. Jeff Muehlbauer in third came under pressure from Aaron Streblow in fourth. Streblow made quick work of Muehlbauer for third, setting his sights on Schumacher for second. Streblow flew by Schumacher on lap 9 for the second-place spot. The field would stay spread out before yellow flew for the first time in the race. That packed the field back together for the restart and brought a fast Streblow right to the front. Ascherien got the jump on the restart but quickly was reeled in by Streblow. The top two swapped positions for the remaining laps, but it was Todd Ascherien who snatched the lead with a last-lap pass, picking up $750 along with the win. Streblow brought home second, with Dustin Weiss coming home third. Jeff Richards and TJ Smith found themselves fourth and fifth at the line.
The N&S Towing IMCA Stock Cars pulled up on track next, with Alex Crapser and Matt Rechek on the front row. Rechek got the jump and led the field by the end of lap 1. The #21CZ of Cole Czarneski found himself in third, and quickly right at the back of the front two. Rechek, Crapser, and Czarneski fought for the lead for a few laps before Rechek got an advantage and started to run off. Czarneski quickly surged through to second before yellow flew for the first time. Jeff Steenbergen shined on the restart, picking up the third-place spot over Crapser. The top three would once again go to battle with each other before another yellow spoiled the fun. A big swap on the restart lap saw Rechek maintain the lead, Steenbergen second, and Kenny Richards third. Steenbergen had a look at Rechek for the lead before yellow flew once again. Heartbreak would ensue during the restart, as a few laps in, Rechek and Steenbergen would come together, ending both of their runs at the front prematurely. Richards inherited the lead and took off with it, while Brandon Schmitt and Timothy Warner found themselves second and third. Schmitt had several looks for the lead past Richards but never was able to get the job done. Kenny Richards never looked back and picked up the $1,000 win. It looked set for Schmitt to take second, but the #20 got loose in turn 4 and spun out. Schmitt watched a podium disappear in front of him, with Warner passing him to finish second, and Crapser, after never losing hope, finished third.
The Rich’s Truck & Auto Repair IMCA Sport Modifieds found themselves up next, with Cole Stichter and Kolton Roehl on the front row. Stichter got the jump on the field, keeping the lead on the start. Elijah Koenig turned attention to him, beginning to move toward the top two, taking the second spot by the end of lap two. The top side was favorable for Koenig, gaining big time on Stichter for the lead. Lap seven was the best for Koenig, taking the lead in a commanding fashion. Coy Vlies was on the move, up to third by lap seven as well. Vlies set his sights on Stichter for second and began to pressure him for the second spot before the yellow flew. The top three, Vlies, Koenig, and Stichter fought it out on the restart, swapping the top spot numerous times, with the racing getting fairly physical at points in the race. Matthew Radtke worked his way into third past Vlies, making a late race charge. Chaos ensued late in the race, as multiple cars found themselves stopped, forcing a red flag. Once the field got itself figured out, the one-to-go sign was given. Stichter led the field back to green, but quickly came under pressure from Vlies and Koenig. Trouble struck for Vlies, who, going through turn two, got it loose in front of the field and went around. Thankfully no one plowed into him, but his night was over. Stichter was strong on the restart, but Koenig was better, taking over the lead once again. Moving into second was Radtke, as Stichter fell to third. Elijah Koenig distanced himself from the field and came home to pick up the $1,000 payday. Radtke brought home the second spot with Derek Fehling third after a late race charge.
The feature everyone was waiting for finally pulled out onto the track. $3,000 on the line, 25 laps, and 24 drivers all ready to settle it was now up. Dan Roedl and Cole Czarneski lined up on the front row, ready to do whatever it took to win. Czarneski took the early lead before the caution flew. The field got back together and went back to racing with a complete restart. This time, Roedl got the jump, leading the pack through lap one. Czarneski was second and began to track down the #33X. Eyes turned to Kyle Strickler, who had already moved from his seventh-place starting spot up to third. The battle heated up outside the top three, with Scotte Lemke, Ethan Braaksma, and Tim Ward all duking it out for fourth. Czarneski tracked down Roedl for the lead, ripping the top while Roedl catfished the bottom. Strickler closed down on both of them and by lap ten, was a factor for the lead. Czarneski made the move for the lead on lap eleven but was not allowed to run away, as Strickler chased him down. Strickler made the move down low on lap twelve to take the lead, as Czarneski attempted to close down on him. Caution flew on lap fifteen, bunching the pack back together. The green came back out, and trouble for Roedl struck, as he fell down the order, promoting Ward to third. Ward set his sights on Czarneski for second-place and quickly went to work. Ward got the spot and set his pursuit to Strickler in the lead. Czarneski began to fall down the order, allowing Braaksma to move into third, with a chasing Benji LaCrosse moving into fourth. Braaksma and LaCrosse would have an all-out war for the remaining laps, swapping sliders for the final podium spot. Out front though, it was the North Carolina native Kyle Strickler who was the best on the day, earning a $3,000 win. Ward came home second with Braaksma third.
Night 2 of the Twin 25’s is next up, with the Grand Nationals saying goodbye, and the Midwest Legends Dirt Series Presented by Legends.Direct saying hello. All information on that event plus future races can be found on wismotorsports.net and the Beaver Dam Raceway Facebook page.
Article Credit: Zack Krueger
Submitted By: Zack Krueger