For Rapids City Times

WAUSAU – Wisconsin Rapids’ Jeff Weinfurter capitalized on a late race restart to finish first in a CWRA Stars to Legends Tour feature held July 18 at State Park Speedway in Wausau.

The first 35-lap main saw Putch Bentley, Iron River, MI, and Brett Breitenfeldt, Wausau, setting the pace from their front row starting positions. Bentley took the upper hand, moving into a three car-length lead.

Monte Gress, Neillsville, moved into the second position on lap three, gaining ground on leader Bentley. Tour point leader, Weinfurter settled into the third spot with eight laps in the books. Mark Mackesy, 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 Mackesy motored by the three leaders in one lap to take the lead.

Meanwhile, Volm was on the move, grabbing the second position on Lap 16, 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; on a caution slowing green flag restart, the two made harder contact, with leader Volm spinning.

With no one admitting guilt, the drivers were sent to the rear of the field and with just 11 laps remaining.

Weinfurter inherited the lead on the restart and held it the rest of the way, finishing first. He was followed by Chad Butz, Green Bay; Nick Roehl, Fond du Lac; Bentley; Greg Back, Ringle; and Harley Jankowski, Sparta.

Travis Volm, Mosinee, took the second 35-lap feature.

Weinfurter leads in CWRA Stars to Legends Tour as of July 18, with 469. Mackesy follows with 442, and Chad Butz, Green Bay, with 424.

The next CWRA Stars to Legends Tour event will be held Aug. 8 at State Park Speedway.