WILMOT, Wis. — Opening night of the Kenosha County Fair saw a horse-drawn hitch lead the National Anthem ceremonial lap and a driver nicknamed “Tiny Horse” capture the final race of the evening at Wilmot Raceway Wednesday night.
Ryan “Tiny Horse” Johnson won his second 20-lap feature for the B&L Office Furniture powered by American Tire & Auto Repair of Kenosha and Lindenhurst Bandit 4-cylinder stock cars this season.
Terry Davis took the initial lead with Johnson working his way up quickly into second from eighth-starting spot just prior to a red flag on the second circuit to check a driver who had hit the wall.
On the restart, Johnson shot in front until a caution on lap five erased his lead. Devon Dixon appeared the class of the field coming from 12th-starting spot to take the lead on the inside down the backstretch overtaking Johnson on the restart.
A caution with seven laps remaining saw a lot of scrambling in the middle of the field, but Dixon appeared to have it wrapped up until two laps to go when a lapped car broke his rhythm sending him way wide over the berm in turn one allowing a quick freight-train of cars to slip underneath.
Johnson led the low line with David McKellips in tow running second. Dixon recovered ending up third. Ryan Andrews came on like being shot out of a cannon working all of the way from 25th in the last row of the field to finish fourth. Davis ended up fifth.
Matt Vandervere became the fourth different feature winner in the 20-lap Lift Pro Powered by Gandrud Chevrolet Hepfner Racing Products Wings 604 Winged Sprints headliner. Vandervere led flag to flag, but not until he stopped on the frontstretch following the four-wide salute lap.
Behind Vandervere, who had as much as a half straightaway lead, Brian Kristan took second, catching third place finishing Tommy Sexton in the final laps.
The hotly contested 20-lap Unified Street Stock feature win went to Blake Kreuser who came up from sixth to take the win.
Cameron Kuxhouse took the initial lead in the 20-lap IMCA modified feature. On lap three, Kuxhouse shot too high in turn one going over the cushion, with Jason Conrad powering into the lead. On lap six, following a yellow, Kuxhouse went to the inside of Conrad with the two going wheel to wheel.
Steve Mueller worked his way to the front after starting sixth on lap nine and appeared heading for back-to-back wins. Suddenly with two laps to go Mueller got caught in traffic and was forced outside, nearly going down the track exit lane.
Defending champion Joel Seegert, who started eighth, came through the scramble to become the fourth different feature winner in as many starts for the modifieds this season. Joel Crowbridge came from seventh to second. Mueller recovered to take third.