Opening night of the Kenosha County Fair at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. produced two new 2023 feature winners, a pair of trifecta 2023 winners, and several fires as part of the hot racing action.
Brian Kristan of Zion, IL scored his first feature win since 2018 by taking top honors in the 20-lap DWells Automotive 604 Crate Powered Winged Sprints in their first ever event held at Wilmot. Kristan took the lead from early pacesetter Ellie Hensley of Trevor on lap 8. Hensley took the initial lead after an aborted start of the main event when Salem's Daniel Graumenz did a slow roll in turn four.
Cautions with 7 laps to go and 2 laps to go kept the top five tight together in the battle to make history as the first winner for this type of cars. Kristan held off the late charges from runner-up CJ Malueg of Johnsburg, IL who finished less than a car length back. Malueg established a track record in qualifying with a clocking of :14.354 seconds. Zach Raidart of Gurnee, IL was third. Hensley finished a personal best for any type of race car feature in fourth. Greg Olsen of Round Lake Heights, IL was fifth.
"This was a lot of fun," said Kristan, joined in victory lane by family, friends and his crew. "First feature win since 2018 and with a car we pulled out of the trailer a week ago to get it on the race track for the first time in two years. I will be back on September 16 when these kinds of cars run again. The racing was really competitive and I hope the fair fans enjoyed it."
Genoa City's Nick Simons who leads the Modifieds season point standings captured his second 20-lap feature in a row and third of the year at Wilmot. A red appeared four laps into the main when Burlington's Jason Condrad in his modified debut developed an engine fire.
N. Simons, who took the initial lead from his front row starting berth, maintained the point despite several challenges as laps remained green until a final yellow flew with two circuits left setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Again, N. Simons weathered the storm going on to the win with a fast finishing second place Mike Simons of Genoa City, Nick's younger brother, crossing the finish line less than a car length behind. Eagle's Steve Mueller was third. Sheboygan's Joel Seegert fourth. Tom Neubauer of Round Lake, IL fifth.
"I had to put a spare bullet(engine) in it after the win two weeks ago, and it tuned up just right," said N. Simons, who gave himself an early birthday present(birthday August 18), referring to the August 5 win when the engine blew as he took the checkered. "I will check it our and see if everything is right and we will be ready to go August 26. This was fun and it's always fun running on fair night for the great fans."
Rob Maule of Hebron, IL scored his third 20-lap street stock feature win of the season leading from start to finish in what seemed like a marathon. Six yellow flag periods along with a red slowed the race's progress. The most scary incidents were a engine fire under the hood of Pell Lake's Dustin Holland in turn one on lap 6, and a second fire in Milwaukee's Josh Nees Sr.'s car in turn three during a caution on lap 11. Neither driver was injured.
The final yellow came with two laps to go setting up a green-white-checkered sprint to the finish. Maule kept the front spot to the finish with Kenosha's Blake Kreuser coming from a restart early in the race to take second. Pleasant Prairie's Josh Gehrig was third. Robby Olson of Lindenhurst, IL fourth. Salem's Brandon Mertes fifth.
"I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to finish," admitted Maule, who leads the division season point standings. "I have to thank all of these kids who support me along with our sponsors and my wife, Brooke, who keeps me focused. It was a challenge with everyone who ran up front with me racing clean. I can't wait until we're back Labor Day weekend on September 2."
The Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Car 20-lap feature saw one of the most unique finishes and unusual victory lanes in the long history of Wilmot Raceway and the Kenosha County Fair. Sheboygan's Brody Rivest crossed the checkered in first, came around turns one and two on what he thought was the "cool down lap." Wheatland's Patrick Riley caught the turn one inside berm flipping completely over with a brief fire. Rivest head "red" on the raceceiver safety radio and stopped thinking it was for Riley. Then the track safety team came up to Rivest's car with fire extinguishers as he had a small fire too.
Prior to the post-race excitement, Union Grove's Garrett Ehleiter had lead the initial six laps including a yellow on lap 2. On lap 6, the front pack went five-wide down the backstretch with Scott Ellis of Lake Villa, IL breaking through into the lead. Just prior to the last caution with 11 laps complete, Rivest shot into the lead as Scott Ellis spun high in turn one while leading. During the last yellow, Scott Ellis pitted with mechanical problems.
Rivest maintained the lead going on to the win in his first appearance at Wilmot in two years. Salem's Ryan Johnson was second in a three-way battle at the finish. Pleasant Prairie's Scott Carpenter took third. Mt. Pleasant's David McKellips fourth. Silver Lake's Brandon Walters celebrated his birthday finishing fifth improving eight spots from 13th on the starting grid.
If that was not enough, as Rivest was pushed into victory lane, he developed another fire in the engine which was quickly extinguished. "Wow. This is unbelieveable. We thrashed to put this car together so we could run at the fair because we really like running here," said Rivest, noting he had been sidelined from racing due to health issues. "I hope we can get the engine fire issues sorted out and be back."
For the latest point standings and schedule information, check the official track website wilmotraceway.com. For updates check the track raceline 262-862-2090 or the official Wilmot Raceway Facebook page.