Johnson Battles to Win in River’s Edge 50
JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, May 21, 2016) Casey Johnson of Edgerton survived the war of attrition and battled his way to the front of the River’s Edge Meat Market and Catering 50 lap Late Model feature en route to picking up the victory. The win is Johnson’s first of the young season at Wisconsin’s Action Track.
Don Gaserude and Jerry Eckhardt paced the field to green with Eckhardt grabbing control of the lead on lap one. Shaun Scheel followed Eckhardt around the high side of Gaserude to second. On lap two, Eckhardt lost control of his mount, spinning in front of the field in turn two and collecting several competitors to force the first caution period of the race. Scheel restarted the event on the point followed closely by Gaserude in second and Stephen Scheel in third. On lap seven, Stephen Scheel slipped by Gaserude for second as he pulled up behind his brother, Shaun. After a quick caution on lap 11, The Scheel brothers showed the way while Johnson and defending champion, Dale Nottestad began to shadow the top five. On lap 19, while leading the race, Shaun Scheel’s machine went up in smoke to bring out the third caution. Shaun was forced to retire from the event handing the lead over to Stephen Scheel with Gaserude back up to second. As racing resumed, Johnson and Nottestad began their trek through the top five making their way to the front. Johnson made his way up to third just before caution number four slowed the action when Trent Erdman and Michael Grueneberg got together down the back stretch collecting Jason Erickson. Johnson powered past Gaserude once racing resumed. Johnson pulled up to the rear bumper of Stephen Scheel as he searched for an opening. Nottestad moved into third on lap 37 while Johnson hunted the lead. On lap 38, Johnson peeked to the low side of Scheel, but couldn’t make it stick. He tried again a lap later with better results. The duo slammed doors as they entered turn one with ten laps to go. They continued to rub fenders down the back chute and into turn three. Johnson got his ride out front on lap 41, but Scheel wasn’t about to give up that easily. Scheel got under Johnson as they slammed doors once again entering turn one. After trading paint several time, Johnson gained control of the lead for good on lap 43 with Nottestad taking a turn battling with Scheel. Nottestad completed the pass for second on lap 46, but Johnson was already well on his way to the checkers to pick up the win. Nottestad came home second followed by Scheel, John Ovadal Jr and Gaserude.
Robert Hansberry Jr of Beloit scored the win in the 30 lap Sportsman feature event. Jim Taylor grabbed the early lead on lap one from the outside of the front row. Tim Coley and Chris Chenoweth fired up into a battle for second behind Taylor on lap two. Coley cleared for second on lap three as he drove up alongside Taylor looking to lead. After battling for a few laps, Coley took over the top spot on lap nine. Chenoweth moved up to fight for second with Taylor on lap 14, with Taylor regaining control of the position. Hansberry slipped past Chenoweth on lap 15 and pulled even with Taylor a lap later. Hansberry cleared Taylor allowing Chenoweth to slide up next him as well. But contact between the two resulted in the sole caution period of the race forcing both to drop to the rear of the field. Coley restarted on the point with Hansberry close by in second. Once racing resumed, Hansberry drew even with Coley as they raced into turn one. After a three lap fight for the lead, Hansberry moved out front on lap 20. Bobby Selsing followed into second as he moved up to challenge the new leader. But Hansberry remained in control to see the checkers first for the win. Selsing was second with Jay Kalbus, Terry Wangsness and Coley rounding out the top five.
Janesville’s James Bell hung on to capture the 20 lap International feature event. Joe Cross led early with Seth Green in tow for second. On lap three, Green drove to the high side of the early leader while Bell watched from third. A lap later, Bell made it a three way fight for first, taking control on lap five with Neil Higgins following into second. Higgins began to pressure the new leader while Kyle Stark and Seth Reamer made their way forward. Reamer got by Stark and pulled up next to Higgins on lap 16. With two laps remaining, Reamer got by Higgins on the high side and crossed over trying to get under the leader, Bell. Reamer drew even with Bell as they raced down the back stretch on the final lap. But Bell held the advantage as they flew to the stripe, picking up the feature win. Reamer was second with Higgins, Stark and Mark English completing the top five.
AJ Lloyd of Machesney Park, IL, was awarded the win in the 25 lap Hobby Stock feature event. Jim Wolf grabbed the lead on lap one. Terry Ciano moved past Jared Vike for second on lap three with Dustin Ward in tow for third. After a caution on lap four for fluid on the racing surface, Ward got by Ciano for second and drew even with Wolf looking to lead. Ward cleared for first on lap seven with Lucas Buckingham in this tracks for second. Lloyd, Dave Trute and Ciano raced three wide for third on lap ten with Trute emerging in the position. On lap 16, the caution flew when the leader experienced mechanical failure. Ward was forced to retire for the evening handing the lead over to Buckingham with Trute close behind in second. As racing resumed, Trute went to work on Buckingham, driving into the lead with seven laps to go. Lloyd moved up to battle Buckingham for second while Trute drove away to see the checkers first. Lloyd beat Buckingham to the line followed by Chester Williams and Ciano. Following post-race inspection, Trute was forced to vacate his finishing position, handing the win to Lloyd.
Kenny Storkson completed a last lap pass to net the win in the 15 lap Road Warrior feature. David Pautsch Jr took the early lead on lap one. Tim Ellis motored up next to Pautsch, taking the lead for himself with Bill Reynolds in tow for second. Reynolds quickly drove up alongside Ellis, with Bryan Gottschalk watching from third. Gottschalk and Ellis made contact entering turn one on lap five, allowing Reynolds to move into the lead. Gottschalk took over second with Bill Sweeney moving into third. On lap eight, contact between Gottschalk and Sweeney resulted in a wreck in turn two involving Ellis as well. As racing resumed, it was Reynolds and Storkson at the front of the field with only seven laps to go. Reynolds returned to the lead with Storkson sticking to his rear bumper. Storkson shadowed Reynolds until the final lap when he got a good run on the low side. The duo drifted high as they exited turn four with Storkson beating Reynolds to the line for the win. Sweeney came home third followed by Mike Storkson and Pautsch.
A great side by side battle ended with Tyler Deporter of Fort Atkinson picking up the win in the 15 lap Bandit feature event. Tara Belz and Michelle Heimann led the field to green. Chris Jones tried to make it a three wide fight for first on the opening lap with the attempt ending in a caution. Deporter and Belz restarted on row one with Deporter grabbing control on the restart. Chad Olds used the high groove to move forward, catching the leader on lap six. Deporter and Olds raced wheel to wheel for the remainder of the race with neither willing to give an inch to the other. They drifted high exiting turn four on the final circuit allowing Deporter to nip Olds at the line. A loose Olds clipped Deporter as they crossed the line sending the winner hard into the turn one wall. But Deporter was unhurt as he scored the win with Olds, Ryan Ostenson, Bill Kohn and Jeremy Bredeson rounding out the top five.
Next Saturday, May 28, is a full program of racing including Legends and Bandoleros and highlighted by the Newville Auto Salvage 50 lap Late Model feature. Time trials begin at 5pm with racing at 7pm. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Jefferson and Cambridge on Hwy 18. Please visit www.jeffersonspeedway.com for more information.
Jefferson Speedway Race Summary-
Late Model-
Feature Results- 1) Casey Johnson, Edgerton 2) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 3) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 4) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 5) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson 6) Luke Westenberg, Jefferson 7) Ed Wolff III, Watertown 8) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 9) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 10) Michael Grueneberg, Madison 11) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 12) Bob Kahler, Caledonia (IL) 13) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 14) Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva 15) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 16) Kody Hubred, Cambridge 17) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 18) Rich Schumann Jr, Portage
Fast Qualifier- Casey Johnson—14.121 seconds
Last Chance- Kody Hubred, Tyler Peterson, Kyle Smith, Ed Wolff III
Heat Winners- 1) Kyle Smith 2) Don Gaserude 3) Jerry Eckhardt
Sportsman-
Feature Results- 1) Robert Hansberry Jr, Beloit 2) Bobby Selsing, Johnson Creek 3) Jay Kalbus, Watertown 4) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 5) Tim Coley, Madison 6) Tony Ciano, Janesville 7) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 8) Jim Tate Jr, Doylestown 9) Dan Schmidt, Watertown 10) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 11) Ed Jackson, Madison 12) Boyd Eichelkraut, Stoughton 13) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 14) Josh Madell, Mayville 15) Tim Belz, Sun Prairie
Fast Qualifier- Bobby Selsing—15.078 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Jim Tate Jr 2) Chris Chenoweth
International-
Feature Results- 1) James Bell, Janesville 2) Seth Reamer, Beaver Dam 3) Neil Higgins, Watertown 4) Kyle Stark, Waterloo 5) Mark English, Edgerton 6) Josh Marx, Dousman 7) Seth Green, Janesville 8) Mike Lambert, Fort Atkinson 9) Keith Bell, Brodhead 10) Joe Cross, Sun Prairie 11) Jason Uttech, Watertown 12) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 13) Adam Schook, Palmyra 14) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 15) Chris Angrick, Jefferson 16) Brandon Johnson, Elkhorn
Fast Qualifier- Seth Reamer—15.870 seconds NEW TRACK RECORD
Heat Winners- 1) Seth Green 2) Seth Reamer
Hobby Stock-
Feature Results- 1) AJ Lloyd, Machesney Park (IL) 2) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 3) Chester Williams, Waukesha 4) Terry Ciano, Janesville 5) Cody Buchs, Mazomanie 6) Jared Vike, Sussex 7) Jim Wolf, Watertown 8) Brandon Angileri, Beloit 9) Chuck Egli, Stoughton 10) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 11) Korey Bengsch, Fond du Lac 12) Dustin Ward, Waterloo 13) Mike Manley, Fort Atkinson 14) Dan Snyder, Stoughton 15) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson 16) Dave Trute, New Lisbon
Fast Qualifier- Dave Trute—15.731 seconds
Last Chance- Phil Wuesthoff, Korey Bengsch, Mike Manley, Brando DeLacy
Heat Winners- 1) Mike Manley 2) Chuck Egli 3) Dustin Ward
Road Warrior-
Feature Results- 1) Kenny Storkson, Edgerton 2) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 3) Bill Sweeney, Aztalan 4) Mike Storkson, Evansville 5) David Pautsch Jr, Roscoe (IL) 6) Todd Dillinder, 7) Bryan Gottschalk, Fort Atkinson 8) Tim Ellis, Loves Park (IL) 9) Matt Weber, Fort Atkinson 10) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson
Fast Qualifier- Bryan Gottschalk—16.737 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Tim Ellis 2) Chris Gottschalk
Bandit-
Feature Results- 1) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson 2) Chad Olds, Whitewater 3) Ryan Ostenson, Beloit 4) Bill Kohn, Madison 5) Jeremy Bredeson, Deforest 6) Keith Erickson, Columbus 7) Michelle Heimann, Sun Prairie 8) DJ Hill, Watertown 9) Tara Belz, Sun Prairie 10) Chris Jones, 11) Bart Brockman,
Fast Qualifier- Chad Olds—14.151 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) DJ Hill 2) Chad Olds
