Champions Crowned at Jefferson Speedway

JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, September 6, 2014) While Dale Nottestad of Cambridge was busy putting the finishing touches on his second straight Late Model championship, it was Edgerton’s Casey Johnson flexing his muscle en route to visiting victory lane for the sixth time this season by winning the Havill-Spoerl Season Championship 60 lap feature. Nottestad used four feature victories to propel himself into becoming the back to back track champion joining an elite club of drivers that have accomplished that feat.

It was Stephen Scheel and Tyler Peterson making up row one as the action got started. Scheel took the early lead with Luke Westenberg up to second. Noel Ramge slipped past Westenberg on lap five with Jason Erickson now running fourth. A spin in turn two collecting several competitors brought out the first caution on lap 13. Once racing resumed, Scheel got loose entering turn one allowing Ramge to draw even for the top spot. After a brief battle, Ramge took command of the lead while Erickson and Johnson got by Westenberg for third and fourth respectively. Johnson claimed the third spot from Erickson on lap 22 while Scheel began to challenge Ramge for the spot he once occupied at the front. After making contact several times, Scheel and Ramge got together entering turn three forcing both to slow to a stop to force the second yellow of the race. Both drivers were relegated to the rear on the restart handing the point to Johnson with Erickson close behind in second. As racing resumed, Michael Grueneberg began to challenge Erickson for second, claiming the position on lap 36. Johnson continued to stretch his advantage as the laps ticked away. One final caution on lap 57 erased Johnson’s big lead and set up a three lap shootout to the finish. But Johnson had the field covered as he took the checkers first to secure the win. Grueneberg was second followed by Erickson, Chris Quam and Trent Erdman.

Robert Hansberry Jr of Beloit captured the 35 lap Sportsman feature event while Mark Deporter hung on to a slim margin in the standings to claim the championship. Adam Bleskan and Peter Gillis led the field to the drop of the green flag. After three attempts to get the race underway, Hansberry dropped to the low side of Bleskan as they raced three wide for the lead. Hansberry emerged with the top spot on lap three bringing Jim Tate Jr along for second. The top two began to break away from the pack while Deporter kept his closest rival in the standing, Jason Thoma, close by. Thoma made his way to third on lap nine with Deporter staying in his tracks for fourth. With ten laps to go, Tate began to apply heavy pressure to Hansberry for the top spot. But Hansberry was able to keep Tate at bay to see the checkers first and pick up the victory. Tate was second with Thoma, Deporter and Jay Kalbus rounding out the top five. When the dust settled, Deporter held a 23 point advantage in the standings to claim his second Sportsman track championship.

Waupun’s Seth Reamer used a late race pass to net the victory in the 25 lap International feature event. Jamie Shelley, Peter Shelley and Josh Lenz raced three wide for the lead to open up the action. Lenz took the initial lead with Dan Birkett following into second. On lap three, Birkett slipped past Lenz to take over the top spot with Neil Higgins following into second. On lap 15, Higgins drew even with Birkett for the lead with Reamer now up to third. Reamer continued to watch the battle for first between Higgins and Birkett until Birkett reclaimed possession of the top spot. Reamer quickly pounced on Higgins to claim second and pull alongside Birkett. After a side by side battle, Reamer moved out front alone on lap 21. Mike Lambert made a late race charge to second, but Reamer was already well on his way to claiming the win. Lambert finished second followed by Birkett, Higgins and Jamie Shelley. Watertown’s Chris Chenoweth held on to claim the 2014 International track championship.

A wild finish to the 30 lap Hobby Stock feature saw Dustin Ward claim the win while Bobby Selsing Jr picked up his second straight track championship in the division. Jared Vike led early from the pole with Jim Wolf in second. Lucas Buckingham drove around the outside of Wolf to claim second with AJ Lloyd in tow for third. Lloyd and Buckingham split as they flew past Vike and into a battle for the lead. On lap eight Buckingham pulled down in front of Lloyd to lead while Ward took over third with Selsing close behind. Ward drove alongside Lloyd on lap ten, taking second and sliding up next to Buckingham as they raced out of turn four. After a three lap fight, Ward took over the top spot from Buckingham with Selsing eventually claiming second. Ward ran uncontested to the checkers, but as he came to the stripe to pick up the win, he lost his right front wheel and crashed hard into the turn one wall. Ward exited his machine and grabbed the checkered flag as he ran around the quarter mile speedway for his victory lap. Selsing finished second followed by Lloyd, Buckingham and Ken Scott.

Bill Sweeney of Edgerton picked up the clean sweep on the evening after winning the 25 lap Road Warrior feature event. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the point lead of Chris Gottschalk of Jefferson as he was crowned the 2014 champion. Bryan Gottschalk led lap one with Jeff LeFave up to second and Bill Reynolds in third. Reynolds moved past LeFave on lap six bringing Gottschalk and Sweeney along for third and fourth respectively. After a caution on lap eight, Reynolds moved past Bryan Gottschalk to take over the top spot. Chris Gottschalk and Sweeney followed into second and third as they battled for position. They raced side by side up behind Reynolds at the front. Sweeney slid past Gottschalk and alongside Reynolds looking to lead. Sweeney cleared for the point with three laps to go and hung on to claim the win. Reynolds was second followed by Chris Gottschalk, Bryan Gottschalk and Craig Henning.

Kyle Stark of Waterloo picked up his second straight feature win the Bandit division after winning the 25 lap feature event. Noah Pankow led early with Adam Schook in second. Schook entered into a battle with Pankow for the lead on lap two while Stark tried to break into the top five. Schook cleared for the top spot on lap six with Nick Schmidt up to second and Stark in tow for third. Schmidt went to work on Schook, taking the lead for himself on lap 13 with Stark in his tracks for second. Stark drove to the high side of Schmidt as they battled door to door for the lead. Stark claimed the position on lap 19 and drove off to get the win. Schmidt was second with Schook, Brandon DeLacy and Josh Marx completing the top five. Nick Schmidt was crowned the 2014 Bandit track champion, his second straight in the division.

Next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13, is the 34th annual Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson Speedway. Double features highlight the two day program in all divisions as the Big 8 Late Model Series makes it’s return. All the information can be found at www.jefffersonspeedway.com.

Jefferson Speedway Race Summary

Late Model-

Feature Results- 1) Casey Johnson, Edgerton 2) Michael Grueneberg, Madison 3) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 4) Chris Quam, Stoughton 5) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 6) Brandon Pendleton, Helenville 7) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 8) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 9) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 10) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson 11) Steve Dobbratz, Rio 12) Noel Ramge, Helenville 13) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 14) Kyle Taylor, Deerfield 15) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 16) Brett Wenzel, Manitowoc 17) Luke Westenberg, Jefferson 18) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 19) Craig Phillips, Edgerton 20) Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva

Fast Qualifier- Casey Johnson—14.513 seconds

Consi- Brett Wenzel, Ryan Zielski

Last Chance- Steve Dobbratz, Craig Philips, Brett Wenzel, Kyle Taylor

Heat Winners- 1) Ed Kubicz 2) Tyler Peterson 3) Steve Dobbratz 4) Chris Quam

Sportsman-

Feature Results- 1) Robert Hansberry Jr, Beloit 2) Jim Tate Jr, Deforest 3) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 4) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 5) Jay Kalbus, Whitewater 6) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 7) Steven Sauer, Waterloo 8) Jeff Schultz, Elkhorn 9) Tim Coley, Madison 10) Jason Kubicz, Whitewater 11) Adam Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 12) Peter Gillis, Watertown 13) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 14) Joe DeCubellis, Lake Geneva

Fast Qualifier- Robert Hansberry Jr—15.245 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Jason Kubicz 2) Terry Wangsness

International-

Feature Results- 1) Seth Reamer, Waupun 2) Mike Lambert, Madison 3) Dan Birkett, Jefferson 4) Neil Higgins, Watertown 5) Jamie Shelley, Edgerton 6) Jason Uttech, Watertown 7) John Handeland, Belleville 8) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 9) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 10) Joe Cross, Sun Prairie 11) Keith Bell, Brodhead 12) Josh Lenz, Lake Mills 13) Chandale Swartout, Janesville 14) Aaron Randle, Janesville 15) Peter Shelley, Edgerton

Fast Qualifier- Seth Reamer—15.541 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Peter Shelley 2) Jason Uttech

Hobby Stock-

Feature Results- 1) Dustin Ward, Waterloo 2) Bobby Selsing Jr, Edgerton 3) AJ Lloyd, Loves Park (IL) 4) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 5) Ken Scott, Rio 6) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 7) Wayne Buchs, Mazomanie 8) Dylan Buckingham, Whitewater 9) Cody Buchs, Mazomanie 10) Jim Wolf, Watertown 11) Boyd Eichelkraut, Stoughton 12) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 13) Jared Vike, Sussex 14) Bill Bush, Watertown 15) Justin Thomas, Jefferson 16) Rick Coppernoll, Cottage Grove

Fast Qualifier- AJ Lloyd—15.741 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Jeff LeFave 2) Lucas Buckingham

Road Warrior-

Feature Results- 1) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 2) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 3) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson 4) Bryan Gottschalk, Jefferson 5) Craig Henning, Helenville 6) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 7) Kenny Storkson, Evansville 8) Chad Olds, Whitewater 9) Tom Dorn, Fort Atkinson 10) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 11) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson

Fast Qualifier—Bill Sweeney- 16.838 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Kenny Storkson 2) Bill Sweeney

Bandit-

Feature Results- 1) Kyle Stark, Waterloo 2) Nick Schmidt, Oak Creek 3) Adam Schook, Whitewater 4) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson 5) Josh Marx, Dousman 6) Paul Reagles, Colgate 7) Trent Rueth, Jefferson 8) Dale Kiley-Schaefer, 9) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 10) Todd Buckley, Slinger 11) Scott Dixon, Janesville 12) Dennis Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 13) Lyle Phillips, Edgerton 14) McKayla Adams, Madison 15) Sueter Bennett, Franksville 16) Devon Dixon, Janesville 17) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson 18) Chris Wangrow,

Fast Qualifier- Kyle Stark—16.959 seconds NEW TRACK RECORD

Heat Winners- 1) Noah Pankow 2) Devon Dixon