Bartz pockets top payday at Shawano

Feature, Modified, Northern SportMod, Stock Car

Jordan Bartz put her name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible list with her $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win Saturday at Shawano Speedway. (Photo by Backwoods Captures)

By Joe Orsini

SHAWANO, Wis. (June 24, 2023) – Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds rolled out to race for $1,000 to win Saturday at Shawano Speedway and Jordan Bartz raced straight to victory lane to claim the check.

Bartz utilized the momentum on the high side of the oval to grab the opening lap lead from her outside front row starting spot. Lucas Lamberies put on a show behind her, moving from eighth to fourth by lap three and then to third by lap four.

A caution seven laps in slowed the pace and saw Bartz lead Marcus Yarie, Lamberies, Konnor Wilinski and Brekken Kleinschmidt back to green. As Yarie and Lamberies fell into a battle for second, Bartz looked to put some distance on the pair as they raced side-by-side.

That breathing room was short-lived as Lamberies cleared Yarie on lap eight and put immediate pressure on the 12 of Bartz. The leader refused to wilt under fire and held on for the win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility.

Lamberies crossed the line second but failure to report for tech inspection resulted in a disqualification from the race. Yarie was officially be scored second, Wilinski third, Mike Schmidt fourth and Jason Czarapata completed the top five.

The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division might boast the nickname The Class Too Tough To Tame but Travis VanStraten might prove to be the exception to that rule.

Jordan Barkholtz shot from the outside of the second row to lead the opening lap but all eyes were on the 2T of VanStraten as the veteran used the opening laps to move from 10th to third before caution flew with two laps complete.

The early restart had Barkholtz lead Mitch Stankowski, VanStraten, Shawn Wagner and Dan Michonski back to green. VanStraten utilized the restart to wrestle second away from Stankowski By lap five, VanStraten had worked past the leader while Dylan Stedjee raced his way into third while Kyle Frederick ran the bottom line up to fourth.

A series of cautions kept the field close with Stedjee and Frederick trading second back and forth on dueling restarts. The final restart with five laps to go had Stedjee take the spot for good but laps ran out before he could mount a late charge.

VanStraten tamed the division for the fourth time in five weeks while Stedjee settled for second, Frederick third, Barkholtz fourth and Michonski closed out the top five.

Tyler Sobiesczyk came into the night having won three in a row at Shawano, an accomplishment that earns a driver the “hot shoe” moniker.

The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main started with Sobiesczyk chasing four in a row but the early excitement saw Forrest Kernen jump from the third row to lead the opening lap. Behind Kernen, Travis Rhoades and pole sitter Steve Kloesterman fell into a door-to-door brawl for second.

The towel was thrown in on that fight when caution flew with five laps completed. The scoring tower showed Kernen in the lead followed closely by Rhoades, Kloesterman, Andy Klosterman, and Max Oreskovich. The ensuing restart saw trouble for the 75 of Oreskovich as he pulled off on lap eight while still running fifth.

Kernen, Andy Kloesterman and Sobiesczyk fell into a three-way battle for the top spot. On lap 11 Sobiesczyk locked up second and by lap 15 he found fresh air at the front of the field. Sobiesczyk cruised to his fourth consecutive win, Kernen was second, Andy Kloesterman third, Rhoades fourth and Logan Fleischman rounded out the top five.

Shawano Speedway is back in action Saturday, July 1 with the Tribute to Veterans Night. Racing kicks off at 6 p.m.

Tyler Sobiesczyk extended his streak to four with the Saturday night Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win at Shawano Speedway. (Photo by Backwoods Captures)

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