Two first time Wilmot Raceway feature winners and a four-time victor in 2023 highlighted the Open Wheel Special Saturday, August 26.
Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove snapped a winless drought at Wilmot which saw him finish second seven times combined while competing in both 410 and 360 winged sprint cars. Schmidt took over the lead from Matt Vandervere of Zion, IL with 10 laps to go in the 25-lap Midwest Sprint Association(MSA) 360-Winged Sprint Car main event.
A pair of red flags slowed the early progress in the MSA main. The first came on lap three when heat race winner Lance Fassbender of Burnett got caught in traffic while attempting to move through the field ending up flipping high into the air end over end down the front straightaway heading into turn one. Fassbender was transported to a local hospital for a checkup, but gave a double thumbs up to fans as he was put into the ambulance.
Oconomowoc’s Logan Julien held the lead from his front row starting spot through the first stoppage. On the restart, Vandervere shot to the outside cushion shooting from third to first. A second red two laps later for Chris Larson of Franksville catching the inside berm in turn two and flipping on his side.
The stoppage erased a sizeable lead Vandervere had opened up quickly. Vandervere sifted through lapped traffic with Schmidt right in tow. Vandervere maintained top spot until spinning on the high side in turn three while attempting to maneuver heavy lapped traffic brought out the final caution with ten laps to go.
Schmidt inherited the lead on the restart going on to a satisfying win. Plymouth’s Brandon McMullen, who won the earlier MSA sprint feature at Wilmot back in May, finished second. Cascade’s Brandon Berth took third in a tight three-way battle with fourth place finisher Anthony Knierim of Franksville and fifth place Kevin Karnitz of West Bend fifth. Vandervere ended up 16th.
“When I saw the lineup in the pits, I was standing next to Matt and asked him, hey, you run here all the time, where should I go,” Schmidt said, joined by his family in victory lane. “Matt said, I run the high side. Just follow me. I did, and I don’t know if I would have been able to get around him if I caught up to him. It was too bad he spun, but I do have to thank him for the advice. It’s really great to finally get a win here at Wilmot.”
The Badger Midget 25-lap Feature win went to Jack Routson of Waterman, IL. Routson and fellow front row starting Adam Taylor of Wheatefield, IN battled back and forth after an aborted opening lap start attempt due to a spin.
Rouston’s win was by a second and a half as the front runners worked lapped traffic. Taylor, who won the last time Badger was at Wilmot in May, took second. Watertown’s Derek Doerr was third edging out fourth place Kyle Stark of Marshall by less than a car length. Sun Prarie’s Todd Kluever was fifth.
“I didn’t have any brakes at the end,” admitted Routson after making it with help to stop the car as he came to Wilmot’s victory lane for the first time. “It was a great battle with Adam and everything just came around right for us with the traffic.”
The 15-lap Modified Feature win went to Eagle’s Steve Mueller for the fourth time at Wilmot this season and his sixth main win overall this year.
Bart Sievert of West Allis took the initial lead as Mueller and Chris Carlson of Racine went three-wide into turn one. Mueller shot to the inside down the back straightaway on the second circuit, going on to the win. Carlson overtook Sievert for second but could not reel in Mueller. Sievert finished third. Greenfield’s Ryan Mech was fourth.
The Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Cars feature was postponed due to curfew. It will be run as part of twin main events for the Bandits on Labor Day weekend, Saturday, Sept. 2.
Bandit heat winners were Silver Lake’s Brandon Walters and Rick Zifko of Aurora, IL.
Wilmot Raceway resumes action on Saturday, September 2, with CK Contractors/Auto Meter Powered by Gandrud Performance Parts Wisconsin Wingless Sprints, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bandits. Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with on track activity getting underway about 5:30 p.m. Races are slated to start at 6:45 p.m.
September 2 grandstand admission is $15.00 for adults ages 12 & over, $5.00 for ages 7-11, with ages 6 & under admitted free.
Pits open at 3 p.m. with pit passes being $30.00.
For updated Raceway information check the trackside raceline at 262-862-2090, the track website WilmotRaceway.com or the official Wilmot Raceway Facebook Page.