Weinfurter, Volm strike again in Stars to Legends at State Park Speedway


Travis Volm of Mosinee won the second Feature at the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour event at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, July 18. (Contributed photo)
WAUSAU – The Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) Stars to Legends Tour as presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner, made its second appearance at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, July 18, and the result was much the same as the first event, with Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids and Travis Volm of Mosinee emerging as the two Feature event victors.
All in all, it was a special night at the track, with it also being Father Grubba book signing night, as he premiered his new book 67, featuring the racing seasons of Dick Trickle and Tom Reffner.
The first 35-lap main found Putch Bentley of Iron River, Mich., and Brett Breitenfeldt of Wausau setting the pace from their front row starting positions.
Bentley would take the upper hand, moving into a three-car length lead. Monte Gress of Neillsville moved into second position on lap 3, gaining ground on leader Bentley.
Tour point leader Weinfurter settled into the third spot with eight laps in the books. Mark Mackesy of Wausau, who is second in Tour points, was already up to fourth position from his eighth starting spot with 10 laps in the books.
His trek to the front didn’t end there either, as just like he was shot out of a cannon, Mackesy motored by the three leaders in just a lap’s time to take the lead.
Meanwhile, Volm was on the move as well, grabbing the second position on lap 16 and quickly closing to the bumper of Mackesy. The two raced nose to tail for the next seven laps when lapped traffic came into play, allowing Volm to sneak by.
That’s when the fireworks began, as on a caution slowing green flag restart, the two who were testing each other’s body panels, made harder contact, with leader Volm spinning.
With neither driver admitting guilt, both were sent to the rear of the field, and with just 11 laps remaining, their chances for a win were gone.
Capitalizing on the late-race incident was none other than Weinfurter, who inherited the lead on the restart and held it the rest of the way.
With Weinfurter crossing the finish line first, it was Chad Butz of Green Bay, Nick Roehl of Fond du Lac, Bentley in his best run of the year, Greg Back of Ringle, and Harley Jankowski of Sparta following in his tire tracks.

Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids won the first Feature at the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour event at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, July 18. (Contributed photo)
The second 35-lap Feature found Curt Tillman of Rockton, Ill., on the Pole, but it was outside front row starter, Mackesy bolting into the early lead.
Mackesy increased his margin, while Volm from the third spot broke from the field and immediately put pressure on Mackesy. The two set a torrid pace, and without the benefit of a caution flag, got into lapped traffic rather early, which set the stage for some crafty maneuvers by the two drivers.
At the halfway point, it was still Mackesy and Volm in front, but Bentley Trucking fast qualifier Mitch Stankowski of Wausau was on the move, grabbing the third spot on lap 20.
Lapped traffic again came into play, and Volm slipped by Mackesy with a nifty move, taking the lead with 10 laps to go.
Volm would remain in that position, surviving a late race restart to take the win by five car lengths over Mackesy.
Stankowski held on to the third position at the stripe, with Dillon Mackesy of Wausau, Roehl and Butz making up the Top 6 finishers.
A high-caliber field of 20 CWRA Tour race cars participated during the night, as growth for the Tour continues.
A great crowd was on hand for the event, along with a number of well-known drivers, including Dave Marcis, Tom Reffner, Johnny Sauter, Joe Kryzkowski, Tim Sauter, Al Schill, Conrad Morgan, who were among those who enjoyed the evening’s festivities.
Classic race cars from previous eras of racing were also on display throughout the night, as original and replica racing machines of Tom Reffner, Dick Trickle, Rich Somers, John Boegeman, Marv Marzofka, Bob Dalsky, and the famous Chicken Coupe, driven by Lyle Nabbefeldt, were on hand.
Much of the same can be expected in the next CWRA Stars to Legends Tour as presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner event, Thursday, August 8, which will be Mike Miller night at State Park Speedway.
Miller, a prolific winner of events throughout the United States, including at State Park, will be on hand signing autographs and mixing and mingling with a group of celebrities and special guests that are expected to attend.
SUMMARY
35 lap Feature one 1. Jeff Weinfurter, Wis. Rapids, WI., 2. Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI., 3. Nick Roehl, Fond du Lac, WI., 4. Putch Bentley, Iron River, MI., 5. Greg Back, Ringle, WI., 6. Harley Jankowski, Sparta, WI., 7. Dillon Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 8. Darek Gress, Neillsville, WI., 9. Mitch Stankowski, Wausau, WI., 10. Derrick Van Dreel, Kellner, WI., 11. Monte Gress, Neillsville, WI., 12. Mike Sievers, Wis. Rapids, WI., 13. Travis Volm, Mosinee, WI., 14. Mark Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 15. Curt Tillman, Rockton, WI., 16. Brett Breitenfeldt, Wausau, WI., 17. Frank Nitzke, Berlin, WI., 18. Rachel Kallas, Winneconne, WI., 19. Dakota Blakeslee, Rudolph, WI., 20. Brian Henry, Omro, WI.
35 Lap Feature two 1. Volm, 2.M. Mackesy, 3. Stankowski, 4. D. Mackesy, 5. Roehl, 6. Butz, 7. Weinfurter, 8. D. Gress, 9. Sievers, 10. Van Dreel, 11. M. Gress, 12. Back, 13. Jankowski, 14. Tillman, 15. Bentley, 16. Blakeslee, 17. Kallas, 18. Nitzke, 19. Breitenfeldt, 20. Henry.
Bentley Trucking Group Qualifying 1. Stankowski
AR Bodies
10% off Product certificate 5th place Feature one Greg Back
8th place Feature two Darek Gress
Bentley Trucking $100 cash Fast Qualifier Mitch Stankowski
Coleman Racing Products
$50 Product certificate “Brake of the Race” Feature one Travis Volm
$50 Product certificate “Brake of the Race” Feature two Mike Sievers
Diamond Racing Wheels $50 certificate 1st Feature Jeff Weinfurter
$50 certificate 2nd Feature Travis Volm
Don’s Auto and Truck Checkers $25 cash Jeff Weinfurter
or $25 cash Travis Volm
Wreckers $50 cash Brian Henry
Howe Racing Ent.
$50 Product certificate Hard Charger Feature one Chad Butz 12th-2nd
$50 Product certificate Hard Charger Feature two Jeff Weinfurter 15th-7th
QA-1 Prec. Products $50 certificate Feature one Monte Gress, 11th
$50 certificate Feature two Monte Gress, 11th
Tiry’s Race Engines
$100 off certificate Feature one Dillon Mackesy, 7th
$100 off certificate Feature two Jeff Weinfurter, 7th
CWRA Stars to Legends Tour point standings as of 7/18/19
1. #3 Jeff Weinfurter, Wis. Rapids, WI., 469
2. #12 Mark Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 442
3. #8 Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI., 424
4. #8 Harley Jankowski,(R) Sparta, WI., 405
5. #107.5D Darek Gress, Neillsville, WI. 374
6. #76 Travis Volm,(R) Mosinee, WI., 350
7. #93 Dillon Mackesy,(R) Wausau, WI., 347
8. #19 Mitch Stankowski, (R) Wausau, WI., 346
9. #18 Frank Nitzke, Berlin, WI., 323
10. #52 Nick Roehl,(R) Fond du Lac, WI., 312
11. #12 Putch Bentley, Iron River, MI., 289
12. #5 Mike Reichenberger, Appleton, WI., 288
13. #107.5 M Monte Gress, Neillsville, WI., 286
14. #12 Derrick Van Dreel, Kellner, WI., 277
15. #70 Rachel Kallas, Winneconne, WI., 265
16. #6 Mike Sievers, Wis. Rapids, WI., 252
17. #14Brett Breitenfeldt, Wausau, WI., 237
18. #6 Greg Back, Ringle, WI., 233
19. #2 Darren Jackson, Wis. Rapids, WI., 208
20. #27 Paul Paine, Mound, MN., 208
21. #64 Rob Christen,(R) Holmen, WI., 153
22. #7 Joey Pontbriand, Norway, MI., 153
23. #93 Andrew Morrissey, Deerfield, WI., 150
24. #7 Brian Henry, Omro, WI., 133
25. #55 Jesse Pokczyk, Friendship, WI., 132
26. #40 Curt Tillman, Rockton, IL., 122
27. #32 Steve Lichtfeld, Pardeeville, WI., 118
28. #8 Greg Matthews, Wis. Rapids, WI., 111
29. #54 Chad Devine, Appleton, WI., 92
30. #25 Alyssa Larson (R) Green Bay, WI., 86
31. #50 Hunter Stenson, Wis. Dells, WI., 84
32. #1 Eugene Gregorich, Jr., Amherst Jct, WI., 82
33. #79 Dan Lindsley, Norway, WI., 82
34. #55 Dakota, Blakeslee, Rudolph, WI., 73
35. #2 Tod Stenson, Wis. Dells, WI., 69
36. #63 Jason Stark, (R) Sparta, WI., 67
37. #6 Thayran Rezin, Tomah, WI., 65
38. # 44 Mike Lichtfeld, Portage, WI., 65
39. #2 Ted Griffith, Wis. Dells, WI., 59.
40. #25 Jesse Bernhagen, Neillsville, WI., 53
41. #360 Daron Fish, Wis. Dells, WI., 50
42. #33 Mike De Angelo, Gwinn, MI., 48
43. #2 Rick Shone, Lyndon Station, WI., 32
44. #33 Jay Potter, Rome, WI., 31
45.#376 Pete Moore, Columbus, WI., 30
46. #06 Dave Neitzke, Eureka, WI., 29
47. #41 Scott Stanchina, Kingsford, MI., 0