By Edward Anschutz
SEYMOUR, Wis. (May 27, 2022) – One hundred and seventy-six racers checked in to do battle Friday at Outagamie Speedway.
Cody Schroeder raced to the lead early during the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature. Schroeder looked poised to earn a Kim Parsons Memorial Trophy as he sped away from his competitors. Several cautions kept the field bunched but at every turn Schroeder was in command until the caution flew with five laps remaining.
Rookie Jayden Schmidt was able to slip under Schroeder on the restart to take the lead. Schmidt never looked back to score his first Modified win at the speedway, to the delight of the hometown crowd. Johnny Whitman made a late-race charge to place second, Marcus Yarie battled all race long to take third, Brian Mullen was fourth and Schroeder completed the top five.
In the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods it was Ryan Schmidt pacing the opening circuits. Schmidt set sail, leaving the battle for second between Matthew Radtke and Jeff Schmuhl.
Schmidt built up a straightaway advantage until a caution with three laps remaining bunched the field. Schmuhl used this to his advantage, putting his racecar on the cushion as Schmidt ran the middle groove.
On the final lap, the duo raced door-to-door. As they came to the checkers it was Schmuhl with the high-side moment carrying him to a last lap pass for the win. Schmidt had to settle for second, Radtke was third, Tim Sheppard took fourth and Cole Czarneski placed fifth.
‘Mighty’ Mike Mullen went wire-to-wire to score the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win. Mullen jumped from his front row starting spot and to the lead on the opening lap. Several cautions bunched the field but no one had anything for the no. 99 car as he cruised to the win. Kyle Frederick made a late charge to place a solid second, Josh Mroczkowski took third, Brandon Czarapata placed fourth and Wyatt Blocked rounded out the top five.
Thomas Schulte dominated the time-shortened Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature. Schulte distanced himself from the field until lap 14 when a crash on the backstretch stopped the race. It was determined that the damage to the wall couldn’t be repaired in a timely matter, so the race was called.