A pair of second time winners and a first timer highlighted feature winners for the Wilmot Raceway Memorial Weekend Open Wheel Spectacular Saturday, May 27.
Blake Nimee of Oswego, IL captured his second Bumper to Bumper Interstates Racing Association (IRA) feature win at Wilmot in a hotly contested 30-lap main event to finish the night.
Nimee took the lead from the opening lap shooting in front from his front row starting berth. The only caution came at the midway point which closed a sizeable lead Nimee had built up while working lapped traffic. The final five laps was a tight back and forth battle with Bill Balog of Hartland and Jordon Goldesberry of Springfield, IL.
Goldesberry shot to the inside of turn two as Nimee gave up his inside line with three laps to go. The two went wing to wing splitting traffic through turns three and four with Nimee retaking the point. Nimee used a higher line on the closing laps to score the win. Balog caught Goldesberry on the final lap for second. Goldesberry finished third. Brenham Crouch of Lubbock, Texas came from ninth starting spot to finish fourth. Kewaskum's Russel Borland was fifth.
"It's very special to win here at Wilmot," said Nimee, whose first Wilmot victory came in 2015. "I was committed to running the bottom, but I knew I couldn't stay there if I was going to hold off Bill and Jordon. It means a lot to win any time in the IRA because it's tough competition. To win here means a lot because our race shop is close by."
Plymouth's Brandon McMullen won his second 25-lap Midwest Sprint Association (MSA) 360-sprint feature in a row at Wilmot. McMullen took the lead from early front runner Lance Fassbender with nine laps to go just after the only caution of the feature one lap earlier. McMullen was able to pull away for the win. Rob Pribnow of Lomira caught Fassbender in a tight battle for second on the final lap. Fassbender finished third. Katelyn Krebsbach of Plymouth was fourth. Ben Schmidt of Howards Grove fifth.
"Lance was sticking to his line and was tough, plus Rob was coming up," said McMullen, who won the MSA feature last season at Wilmot. "I really like running here and thank Wilmot Raceway for having us. I am looking forward to coming back in August."
Adam Taylor of Wheatefield, IN led every lap of the 25-lap BADGER Midget feature to score the win in a borrowed car. Four cautions failed to bother Taylor as he maintained the lead each time. Daltyn England of Springfield, IL finished second. Sun Prairie's Todd Kluever was third. Marshall's Kyle Stark fourth. Jace Sparks of Crystal Lake, IL fifth.
"I have to thank Mike, the car owner, who called me after I trashed my regular car at Sun Prairie last week," said Taylor. "The car ran super. I am looking forward to coming back in August, but I hope to be in my own car then although driving this one again wouldn't be bad either."
Wilmot Raceway hosts a two-day Monster Truck show next on Saturday and Sunday, June 3 and 4. The Saturday evening program has the grandstand gates opening at 4 p.m. with the track party from 5 until 6:30 p.m. and the show getting underway at 7 p.m. On Sunday the grandstand opens at 2 p.m. with the track party from 2 until 3:30 p.m. and the show starting at 4 p.m.
For advance tickets or information, contact the Monster Truck Show promoters at monstertruckthrowdown.com.
The next oval track action at the Raceway is planned for Saturday, June 10 with CK Contractors/AutoMeter WingLess Sprints, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Cars. For the Wilmot Raceway schedule and information check the track raceline at 262-862-2090, the official website wilmotraceway.com or the track Facebook page.
- Dakoda Tennyson on Jun 13, 2023
- Article Date: 5/29/2023 by Mike Babicz