Reuvers rounds up another win at Raceway Park

 By Corey Butler Jr.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Donny Reuvers won his fourth Country Joe Homes Late Model feature of the year at Raceway Park Sunday.

Starting in the fourth row, Reuvers methodically worked his way through the field finding the right openings at the right time to get by car after car.  Reuvers found himself in the lead with 12 laps to go by passing Gary Petrash; who had a large lead early in the race, before a lap six caution brought the field together.  Petrash was able to stay within striking distance of Reuvers, but was never able to mount a serious challenge.  A few laps later, Matt Goede worked himself into third by getting under Tony Brewer going down the front straight. 

Tim Lewis was able to hold off a bevy of hard charging cars late in the 25-lap Turtle’s Bar & Grill Hobby Stock main event.  A caution late in the race, involving the lapped car of Sharie Brewer and fourth place running Bryan Turtle, was the only delay in the race.  The caution setup a five-lap dash with Mark Hawes and Steve Marschall lining up behind Lewis.  Just as Marschall had done before the caution, he worked to the outside of Lewis challenging him for the lead.  However, he was not able to stick to his line exiting turn four, allowing Lewis to drive away and win and Hawes to get by and claim second at the finish.  Marschall settled for third.

Dan Dimmick took the lead on the second lap in the Coca-Cola Short Tracker feature and never relinquished it in the final 18 circuits.  Dimmick, once leading, built a sizable lead that continued to expand until the drop of the checkered flag.  Matt Schaar moved into second early in the race, pulling away from the field, but found the distance between he and Dimmick expanding as the race went on.  Eric Larson was able to move into third place, but also could not mount a challenge for the car leading him.

Donny Little took the lead from the outside pole during the first circuit of the Lupient Chevrolet of Belle Plain Bombers and never looked back.  Little dominated the race as he pulled well ahead of the rest of the field.  Zack Kersting was able to move into second, but could not chip away at the lead that Little had built.  Last week’s winner, Chevy Miller, finished third.

In the first of two Miller Lite Figure 8 features, Kevin Rutten took the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back, as he flirted with disaster in the “Crossroads of Doom.”  Rutten was able to maneuver through the “X,” avoiding numerous cars, as he was by his lonesome with a large lead.  Dave Nogle and J.R. Gesswein ran second and third, respectively, trying to gain on Rutten.  However, with two laps remaining, Gesswein went around in turn three, allowing for Matt Dickey to claim third place at the finish line.

The second Miller Lite Figure 8 feature saw Troy Tuma visit victory lane for the first time in the 2006 season at Raceway Park.  Just like in the first feature, the leader built a sizable lead without any challenger behind them, with the exception of dodging cars in the “X.”  Gesswein bounced back from the first feature misfortune and claimed second place honors.  Adam Radiske rounded out the top three.

The Great North Legends put on a show under the green flag, yellow flag and red flag.  The action was swift and forceful as the drivers were all eager to get to the front. The man up front for 19 of the 20 laps was Tom Silver, who was passed in the last two turns of the race by Kim Krause.  Josh Kleve was also able to get by, negating Silver to a third place finish.  With 10 laps to go in the race, Ryan Johnson went for a wild ride in turns three and four as a three wide battle resulted in his car jumping another cars tire and catapulting him side over side and up the banking and off the end of the track, coming to a rest after colliding with the catch fence.  He made it out of the incident just fine, but the same could not be said about his machinery.

Don’t forget to join us next Sunday for Cars for Courage Night, featuring the Country Joe Homes Late Models, Turtle’s Bar & Grill Hobby Stocks, Coca-Cola Short Trackers, Lupient Chevrolet of Belle Plaine Bombers and Miller Lite Figure 8’s.  Also on tap are kids rides and a celebrity race featuring media personalities from all over the Twin Cities.

June 4, 2006 Results

Coca-Cola Short Trackers
Heats:  Matt Schaar; Dan Dimmick
Feature:  1. Dan Dimmick 2. Matt Schaar 3. Eric Larson

Turtle’s Bar & Grill Hobby Stocks
Heat:  Tim Lewis
Feature:  1. Tim Lewis 2. Mark Hawes 3. Steve Marschall

Country Joe Home Late Models
Heats:  Jerry Ziemiecki; Donny Reuvers
Feature:  1. Donny Reuvers 2. Gary Petrash 3. Matt Goede

Lupient Chevrolet of Belle Plaine Bombers
Heat: Charity Schneider
Feature:  1. Donny Little 2. Zack Kersting 3. Chevy Miller

Miller Lite Figure 8’s
Feature #1:  1. Kevin Rutten 2. Dave Nogle 3. Matt Dickey
Feature #2:  1. Troy Tuma 2. J.R. Gesswein 3. Adam Radiske

Great North Legends
Heats:  Kim Krause; Josh Kleve
Feature:  1. Kim Krause 2. Josh Kleve 3. Tom Silver