By Dave Panske
OSHKOSH, Wis. (June 24) – Once Hunter Marriott took the green, the battle was for second Friday at Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway.
Marriott checked out on the rest of the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds in topping the $5,000 to win main event at The Battle at the Zone, the second leg of the Cheesehead Triple Crown.
Seventy-four Modifieds vied and total car count for the night was a whopping 163.
Steve Schneider and Marriott sat on the front row and Marriott grabbed the lead at the start and immediately started to open a lead on the field.
Kelly Shyrock pulled behind Schneider in third with Brian Mullen, Thursday night Clash at the Creek winner, Benji LaCrosse and Brian Drexler behind. The race was fast and clean with Marriott increasing his lead and plenty of tight racing behind.
What proved to be the lone caution appeared on lap 25 and bunched the field on Marriott. The restart showed much the same as Marriott, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, powered ahead once again and cruised to the $5,000 payday.
Schneider withstood heavy pressure from Shyrock over the final laps and captured the runner-up spot. There was plenty of hard racing in the field to the finish with Troy Jerovetz moving up to finish fourth. Weekly point leader Marcus Yarie made his way from mid pack to finish fifth.
Travis Van Straten captured his second straight IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Cheesehead headliner in a feature that stayed green after a restart on the initial lap.
Scott Besaw outran a field of 28 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods in a 20-lapper that ran caution-free.
Feature results – 1. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.; 2. Steve Schneider, Chilton; 3. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa; 4. Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay; 5. Marcus Yarie, Wausau; 6. Shawn Kilgore, New Franken; 7. Brian Mullen, Seymour; 8. Josh Long, Little Suamico; 9. Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay; 10. Tom Berry Jr., Boone, Iowa; 11. Mike Mullen, Suamico; 12. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 13. Johnny Whitman, DePere; 14. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.; 15. Tim Lemirande, Middleton; 16. T.J. Smith, Menasha; 17. Brian Drexler, Oshkosh; 18. Lance Arneson, Abrams; 19. Brian Irvine, Oelwein, Iowa; 20. Dale Mathison, Clearwater, Minn.; 21. Kyle Brown, State Center, Iowa; 22. Russ Reinwald, Iron Ridge; 23. Jon Snyder, Ames, Iowa; 24. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa.