By Greg Aregoni
LUXEMBURG, Wis. (June 6) – A first career feature win is always exciting but when you have three first-time winners in one night it make for a classic evening of racing. That’s just what was provided for race fans at Luxemburg Speedway Friday night.
Hunter Parson earned his first career feature win in an Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod. Luke Lemmens has won IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features at Thunderhill but never at Luxemburg until now. Aaron Zellner won his first career IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature after demolishing his front end two weeks ago.
Twenty laps was the distance in the SportMod feature. The race saw only one leader as the 15-year-old Parsons ran in front green to checkers. Parsons led through a lap three caution and pulled away from the field. A final caution with two laps remaining set up a green, white, checker finish.
Parsons cleared the competition and picked up the win but not without a late race charge from Chris Budzban. Budzban fell short as Parsons picked up his first career feature win ever. Kelsy Hayes finished a strong third in front of Brandon Long and Andy Kleczka.
Two weeks ago, Zellner raced about 50 feet before demolishing the front end of his racer. Fast forward to Friday night and he was sitting in victory lane after his first career Hobby Stock feature win.
Zellner opened as the leader from the drop of the green flag. Wes Salentine proceeded to run the back bumper for the next 15 laps. Salentine stayed within striking distance and sometimes made moves to the inside but never made contact. A classy race was provided by the duo with great racing side-by-side at times. Zellner clicked off the laps and picked up the win in front of Salentine. Dan Van Pay raced to a late third place finish. Cory Cotter and Marcus Moede rounded out the top five in the caution-free feature.
Rick Dix opened up the Stock Car feature with the lead on lap one. Lemmens showed up on lap two and powered into the lead. Lemmens withstood heavy pressure from Troy Muench through the first half of the race.
A couple cautions with eight laps remaining kept the field close. Lemmens again was able to lead the charge ahead of the crowd and picked up his first career Luxemburg win. Rod Snellenberger grabbed second with a couple laps remaining and grabbed the point lead after Brandon Czarapata had a flat tire early in the race. Rob Waechter snuck by Troy Muench on the final corner for third. Evan Madden had another impressive fifth place finish.
No stranger to victory lane, Benji LaCrosse picked up the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature win.
There is always the discussion as who the top IMCA Modified driver is. Whether you base it on championships past or present. With the best competition in the area at Luxemburg Friday night, LaCrosse proved he is still the man to beat. Eric Mahlik opened up strong as he led the opening five laps.
Mechanical issues sidelined the leader and Josh Long was handed the reins. Long showed the way as LaCrosse came from 12th starting to the front. LaCrosse pulled off multiple three-wide passes on his way to the front. LaCrosse shot outside and kept his momentum right past Long and into the lead.
A caution on the next lap allowed the field one more chance with six laps remaining. LaCrosse pulled away from the field on the restart and never looked back. Jason Czarapata made a late race move to get passed Long for second. Brian Mullen finished fourth, beating out James Tebon.
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