Teenager Conquers Wilmot Foes

WILMOT, Wis. — Father’s Day Weekend Family Night at Wilmot Raceway proved special for five main event winners on Saturday.

Clayton Rossmann captured his third 20-lap CK Contractors/AutoMeter Wisconsin Wingless Sprints feature win this season at Wilmot. Rossmann held the lead from the drop of the green through a red flag when Bryce Andrews got upside down in turn three. 

Rossmann and Ryan Marhsall, along with Zach Raidart were in a three-way battle going side by side several times with Rossmann and Marshall exchanging the lead. A final yellow with three laps to go had it Rossmann, Marshall and Raidart, which is the way they finished. Chris Klemko had a late charge to take fourth.  Derek Crane was fifth.

“I went over the high side once and decided that wasn’t going to work,” said 17-year-old Rossmann, who will be a senior at Zion High School in the fall. “I saw the car was hooked up on the low side, so I decided to stay there and it worked. It’s a nice win for my dad (Pat Rossmann), family and whole crew on Father’s Day weekend. I am looking forward to running the John Hajduk 21H car next week with USAC here at Wilmot along with my regular car. I’m excited.”

Joel Seegert won his second 20-lap modified feature at Wilmot, and first in three years, but it was not easy.  Mike Simons and Steve Mueller battled along with Seegert through a series of six cautions which continually slowed the pace. 

With three laps to go, Seegert shot to the inside coming out of turn four to overtake M. Simons and go on to the win. M. Simons was second. Joel Crowbridge finished third.

The Pfeifer Trailer Sales IRA Lightning Sprints had twin 20-lap features. Mark Heinert won the first main, able to maintain the lead through a single caution with five laps to go. 

At the checkered, it was Heinert winning his second feature of the season at Wilmot. Nick Petska was second and John Kirk third.

The second feature was red flagged twice, once on lap two  when Shawn Steinpas got upside down in turn three and a second seven laps in when Ron Curasi flipped coming out of turn two and Mitchell Reich rolled onto his side to avoid the incident. 

Max Brannam, a recent high school graduate, held the early lead. Adam Schroeder overtook the top spot using the outside cushion in turn three four laps into the main. Schroeder maintained the lead through the second red-flag period. With nine laps to go, Kiedrowski took the lead pulling away to the win. At the finish it was Kiedrowski with his first Wilmot win since 2018.  Schroeder held on for second. M. Brannam third.

Josh Sipes made his first trip to Wilmot worth it as he won his heat race and followed it up by leading every lap of the 20-lap Bandit 4-Cylinder Stock Car feature.