Neil Knoblock of Wausau won the first 40 lap Main event at the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, Aug. 8. (Contributed photo)

The CWRA Stars to Legends Tour as presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner, was back at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, Aug. 8, as the Mike Miller race was held.

With the usual two Feature format, it was Neil Knoblock of Wausau in his first start on the Tour, and Tour Point leader Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids taking the 40 lap Main event wins.

Top Rookie contender Harley Jankowski of Sparta and newcomer to the Tour, Nathan Steif of Wausau, made up the front row for the first 40 lap Feature event.

With barely a lap in, Paul Paine of Mound, Minn., got out of the racing groove and into the tire barrier in turn three, causing the event’s first caution. Paine was OK after the hard hit, but done for the night.

When action resumed, it was Jankowski taking the lead, but the top two point getters, Weinfurter and Mark Mackesy of Wausau were already putting the pressure on for the lead.

After a spin by Nick Roehl of Fond du Lac slowed action, Mackesy found himself on the front row for the double-file restart, immediately vaulting into the lead.

Weinfurter was second but found Knoblock, in his first Tour start, already on his bumper. Disposing of Weinfurter with 10 laps in the books, Knoblock wasted no time going after leader Mackesy.

With another lap gone by, Knoblock grabbed the top spot, a position he would not relinquish the rest of the way.

Plenty of close action however was taking place behind the leader, as Bentley Trucking Fast Qualifier Travis Volm of Mosinee was moving toward the front from his 14th starting position, securing the fourth spot by the half-way point of the race.

That’s where his run would end, however, as Knoblock stretched his lead to eight-car lengths at the checkered, with Weinfurter eventually securing the second spot and Mackesy placing third at the finish. Rounding out the Top 6 finishers were Volm, Chad Butz of Green Bay and Dillon Mackesy of Wausau.

The second 40-lap Feature found Putch Bentley of Iron River, Mich., in the Pole position starting spot. He immediately took the lead from outside front row starter Kirby Kurth of Wisconsin Rapids, who was in his first appearance of the year, moving out to a five car-length lead.

A spin from Darek Gress of Neillsville, which resulted in tapping the turn one wall, caused the race’s first caution. Gress was OK, but enough damage resulted that his evening of racing was finished.

Once action resumed, it was Bentley remaining at the point, with Kurth hanging tough in second.

Pressure was coming from Butz, and Monte Gress of Neillsville, however, with no less than eight cars battling for position.

Another yellow flag condition occurred for a Mitch Stankowski of Wausau and Dillon Mackesy wall banger that slowed action once again.

The restart had Bentley leading, but both Jeff Weinfurter and Butz swooped by the surprised driver, taking over the one and two positions.

Battles behind the leaders were taking place, with the first Feature winner, Knoblock, Bentley, Mark Mackesy and Volm trying to move up.

At the half-way point it was still Weinfurter and Butz leading the way, and they would maintain those positions the remaining 20 laps, taking the checkered flag four car lengths in front of the field. Mark Mackesy won the battle for third at the finish, while  Volm, Bentley and Jankowski rounded out the Top 6.

Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids won the second 40 lap Main event at the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour at State Park Speedway in Wausau Thursday, Aug. 8. (Contributed photo)

A great crowd turned out for the event honoring long-time racer and winner through the years at State Park Speedway, Mike Miller, who presented all the night’s winners their hardware for winning.

Mike himself also received a plaque, from CWRA and the track, commemorating his great racing career, starting back in the 1970s, and going all the way through the early 1990s.

A field of 21 CWRA cars participated in the racing on the night, and the month of August will be busy for the CWRA Tour, with action taking place at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield Aug. 17, and the Tour Championship at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover Aug. 23.

SUMMARY

40 lap Feature one 1. Neil Knoblock, Wausau, WI., 2. Jeff Weinfurter, Wis. Rapids, WI., 3. Mark Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 4. Travis Volm, Mosinee, WI., 5. Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI., 6. Dillon Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 7. Darek Gress, Neillsville, WI., 8. Mike Sievers, Wis. Rapids, WI., 9. Monte Gress, Neillsville, WI., 10. Dakota Blakeslee, Rudolph, WI., 11. Kirby Kurth, Wis. Rapids, WI., 12. Putch Bentley, Iron River, MI., 13. Frank Nitzke, Berlin, WI., 14. Nate Steif, Wausau, WI., 15. Mitch Stankowski, Wausau, WI., 16. Harley Jankowski, Sparta, WI., 17. Derrick Van Dreel, Kellner, WI., 18. Nick Roehl, Fon du Lac, WI., 19. Curt Tillman, Rockton, IL., 20. Brett Breitenfeldt, Wausau, WI., 21. Paul Paine, Mound, MN.

40 Lap Feature two 1.Weinfurter, 2. Butz, 3. M. Mackesy, 4. Volm, 5. Bentley, 6. Jankowski, 7. M. Gress, 8. Stankowski, 9. Sievers, 10. Roehl, 11. Blakeslee, 12. Nitzke, 13. Kurth, 14. Breitenfeldt, 15. Steif, 16. Knoblock, 17. D. Mackesy, 18. Van Dreel, 19. D. Gress, 20. Tillman, DNS. 21. Paine, DNS.

Bentley Trucking Group Qualifying 1. Volm

1st CWRA Vintage Dash 1. #18 Dan Navrestad

2nd CWRA Vintage Dash1. #88 John Gilbertson

AR Bodies

10% off Product certificate 5th place Feature one Chad Butz

5th place Feature two Putch Bentley

Bentley Trucking $100 cash Fast Qualifier Travis Volm

Coleman Racing Products

$50 Product certificate “Brake of the Race” Feature one Neil Knoblock

$50 Product certificate “Brake of the Race” Feature two Dillon Mackesy

Diamond Racing Wheels $50 certificate 1st Feature Neil Knoblock

$50 certificate 2nd Feature Jeff Weinfurter

Don’s Auto and Truck Checkers $25 cash Neil Knoblock

or $25 cash Jeff Weinfurter

Wreckers $50 cash Paul Paine

Howe Racing Ent.

$50 Product certificate Hard Charger Feature one Neil Knoblock 11th-1st

$50 Product certificate Hard Charger Feature two Jeff Weinfurter 11th-1st

QA-1 Prec. Products $50 certificate Feature one Nick Roehl, 18th

$50 certificate Feature two Derrick Van Dreel, 18th

Tiry’s Race Engines

$100 off certificate Feature one Derrick Van Dreel, 11th

$100 off certificate Feature two Dillon Mackesy, 11th

CWRA Stars to Legends Tour point standings as of 8/8/19

1. #3 Jeff Weinfurter, Wis. Rapids, WI., 565

2. #12 Mark Mackesy, Wausau, WI., 530

3. #8 Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI., 510

4. #8 Harley Jankowski,(R) Sparta, WI., 467

5. #76 Travis Volm,(R) Mosinee, WI. 434

6. #107.5D Darek Gress, Neillsville, WI. 431

7. #93 Dillon Mackesy,(R) Wausau, WI., 408

8. #19 Mitch Stankowski, (R) Wausau, WI., 405

9. #18 Frank Nitzke, Berlin, WI., 378

10. #52 Nick Roehl,(R) Fond du Lac, WI., 364

11. #12 Putch Bentley, Iron River, MI., 357

12. #107.5M Monte Gress, Neillsville, WI. 354

13. #12 Derrick Van Dreel, Kellner, WI. 322

14. #6 Mike Sievers, Wis. Rapids, WI. 318

15. #5 Mike Reichenberger, Appleton, WI. 288

16. #14 Brett Breitenfeldt,Wausau, WI. 283

17. #70 Rachel Kallas, Winneconne, WI. 265

18. #27 Paul Paine, Mound, MN. 246

19. #6 Greg Back, Ringle, WI. 233

20. #2 Darren Jackson, Wis. Rapids, WI. 208

21. #40 Curt Tillman, Rockton, WI. 163

22. #64 Rob Christen, Holmen, WI. 153

23. #7 Joey Pontbriand, Norway, MI. 153

24. #93 Andrew Morrissey, Deerfield, WI. 150

25. #7 Brian Henry, Omro, WI. 133

26. #55 Dakota Blakeslee, Rudolph, WI. 132

27. #55 Jesse Pokczyk, Friendship, WI. 132

28. #32 Steve Lichtfeld, Pardeeville, WI. 118

29. #8 Greg Matthews, Wis. Rapids, WI. 111

30. #54 Chad Devine, Appleton, WI., 92

31. #25 Alyssa Larson,(R) Green Bay, WI. 86

32. #50 Hunter Stenson, Wis. Dells, WI. 84

33. #1W Eugene Gregorich, Jr., Amherst, Jct, WI. 82

34. #79 Dan Lindsley, Norway, MI., 82

35. #7-11 Neil Knoblock, Wausau, WI. 74

36. #2 Tod Stenson, Wis. Dells, WI. 69

37. #63 Jason Stark, (R) Sparta, WI. 67

38. #6 Thayran Rezin, Tomah, WI. 65

39. #44 Mike Lichtfeld, Portage, WI 65

40. #2 Ted Griffith, Wis. Dells, WI. 59

41. #85 Kirby Kurth, Wis. Rapids, WI. 56

42. #28 Jesse Bernhagen, Neillsville, WI. 53

43. #8 Nate Steif, Wausau, WI. 51

44. #360 Daron Fish, Lyndon Station, WI. 50

45.#33 Mike De Angelo,, Gwinn, MI. 48

46. #2 Rick Shone, Lyndon Station, WI. 32

47. #33 Jay Potter, Rome, WI. 31

48. #76 Pete Moore, Columbus, WI. 30

49. #06 Dave Neitzke, Eureka, WI. 29

50. #41 Scott Stanchina, Kingsford, MI. 0