Championship Battles Settled at Jefferson Speedway

JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, September 7, 2013) Defending Late Model champ Casey Johnson flexed his muscle on the way to winning the 65 lap season championship feature presented by Havill Spoerl Automotive Family. While Johnson won the evening, it was Dale Nottestad of Cambridge who put the finishing touches on his 2013 Late Model track championship on the final night of the regular season at Wisconsin’s Action Track.

Jerry Eckhardt and Kyle Smith paced the field of 20 of the finest Late Model pilots to the drop of the green flag. The duo battled door to door over the opening circuits until a caution on lap six slowed the action. Smith was scored as the leader as he restarted on the point with Eckhardt in second and John Ovadal Jr riding in third. On lap seven Eckhardt got loose in turn two allowing Ovadal to slip past for second just before the second of four cautions waved. When racing got back underway, the leaders remained single file with Smith out front and Ovadal searching for an opening to get by. On lap 19, Johnson launched his bid for the lead as he entered the top five. Lap 20 saw Johnson take fourth from Stephen Scheel. Johnson claimed third a lap later from Eckhardt as he continued to pick off cars lap after lap. Johnson was around Ovadal for second on lap 22 and looking for more as he pulled up behind Smith. Johnson got a good run on the low side of the leader as they exited turn two on lap 24. A lap later, Johnson was in control by himself. After another caution on lap 29, Zack Riddle entered the picture as he took third place from Ovadal. By lap 38, Riddle was in second as Johnson enjoyed a large advantage. Nottestad claimed third on lap 42 and began to close in on Riddle. With seven laps remaining, Riddle and Nottestad made contact entering turn one resulting in Riddle spinning for the final caution of the race. Both were forced to the rear of the field on the restart handing second to Kyle Jarlsberg. But Johnson stayed strong on the point as he cruised to the checkers for the win. Jarlsberg was second followed by Smith, Trent Erdman and Tory Bagley. Nottestad was crowned the 2013 Late Model track champion despite missing one week of action due to an illness.

Jason Thoma of Jefferson grabbed the win in the 35 lap Sportsman feature after a late race caution netted him the lead. Terry Wangsness and Jim Taylor led the field to green as they fought for control of the lead. After a great side by side battle, Wangsness gained the top spot on lap six with Mark Deporter in tow for second. Deporter quickly went to work on Wangsness, moving to the low side and drawing even on lap seven. Deporter claimed possession of the lead on lap ten as Steven Sauer tried to follow into second. Sauer made the pass on lap 12 as he set his sights on the new leader. Sauer pulled alongside Deporter on lap 16, clearing for the lead a lap later and bringing Jim Tate Jr along for second. Tate began to search for an opening to get himself out front as Sauer tried to hold him off. Lap after lap, Sauer maintained control of the lead with Tate applying the pressure. On lap 29, with Tate under Sauer battling for the lead, the duo touched trying to avoid a lapped car forcing both to spin and bring out the caution with six laps to go. Thoma was awarded the lead with Robert Hansberry lining up in second. Thoma held off Hansberry in the closing laps to score the win with Deporter in third and Wangsness in fourth. Sauer rebounded to complete the top five. Tate, of Deforest, claimed his second consecutive Sportsman championship in only his second season of competition in the division.

In International action, it was Chris Chenoweth of Watertown scoring the win in the 25 lap feature event. Tytus Helgestad led early from the front row with Josh Kubicz second and Keith Bell third. Bell maneuvered past Kubicz for second on lap four and moved up to challenge Helgestad out front. On seven, Bell pulled up next to Helgestad looking to lead. Bell made the pass just before the first of two cautions slowed the field. As racing resumed, Joe Cross got by Helgestad for second with Neil Higgins looking to follow in his tracks. Higgins claimed third and charged alongside Cross on lap 11. Higgins made the pass and continued forward under Bell as they fought for first. Higgins cleared for the top spot on lap 15 while Chenoweth motored to the low side of Bell for second. Chenoweth slid up next to Higgins on lap 17, clearing for the lead two laps later with Mike Lambert trying to follow. A caution with four laps remaining set up a shootout to the finish with Chenoweth showing the way in front of Higgins and Lambert. But Chenoweth was unchallenged over the final laps on his way to the checkers for the win. Higgins hung on for second followed by Lambert, Seth Reamer and Cross. Mike Lambert of Madison picked up his second consecutive championship in the International division.

Cody Buchs of Stoughton waited on the final night of the regular season to capture his first feature win in the 30 lap Hobby Stock main event. Crystal O’Gorman and Kevin Henderson led the field to green with O’Gorman leading lap one. Mike Manley and Jim Wolf battled side by side for second as they slid up next to O’Gorman making it a three wide fight for the lead. Manley emerged with the position as Scott Riemer charged up alongside him on lap three. Riemer found himself on the point a lap later as the sole caution of the race slowed the action. Riemer restarted as the leader with Manley now second and Buchs lurking in third. As racing resumed, Buchs charged by Manley for second and moved up to challenge Riemer out front. Buchs made quick work of Riemer, claiming the lead on lap nine while Phil Wuesthoff and Dustin Ward battled for third behind them. Ward used the outside groove to move up to second on lap 16 with Bobby Selsing Jr in tow for third. Buchs continued to enjoy a healthy advantage while Selsing pressure Ward for second. With five laps to go, Selsing drew even with Ward as the pair of drivers waged war for the runner up position. In the end, it was Buchs picking up the victory while Selsing claimed second. Rounding out the top five were Ward, Kyle Stark and Wuesthoff. Bobby Selsing Jr of Edgerton was crowned as the Hobby Stock champion for 2013.

Bill Reynolds of Watertown got the front of the 25 lap Road Warrior feature and drove away to get the win. After a caution on lap one, Kenny Storkson took the early lead in front of Reynolds and Mike Storkson. Reynolds claimed second and continued forward alongside Kenny Storkson as they raced for the lead. Reynolds claimed the top spot on lap four with Chris Gottschalk in tow for second. After applying heavy pressure to the new leader, Gottschalk began to experience mechanical difficulties as they fell off the pace. Rob Lange took over the second spot as Reynolds now enjoyed a large lead. The leaders ran the remainder of the race single file with Reynolds showing the way to the finish. At the checkers, it was Reynolds for the win followed by Lange, Bill Sweeney, Tadd Douglas and Kenny Storkson. Bill Sweeney of Edgerton claimed the 2013 Road Warrior track championship.

In the final race of the evening, Brandon DeLacy of Fort Atkinson dominated the 25 lap Bandit feature to claim the win. Josh Rusch fired into the lead on lap one with DeLacy already taking to the high side to move forward. DeLacy charged around the outside of Rusch on lap two and immediately began to pull away from the pack. Point leader Nick Schmidt made his way to second on lap 11 followed by Josh Marx. Caution on lap 13 erased DeLacy’s large advantage. But as racing resumed, DeLacy remained in control of the lead while Schmidt tried to hold off Marx for second. At the checkers it was DeLacy out front followed by Schmidt, Marx, Dustin Yanke and Tommy Pfeifer. Nick Schmidt of Oak Creek was crowned the 2013 Bandit track champion.

Next weekend, September 13-14, is the 33rd annual Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson Speedway. The Big 8 Late Model Series makes its return to battle the local stars on the quarter mile speed plant. Time trials begin at 5pm on Friday with the first race at 7:30pm. Saturday’s portion begins with the first race at 7pm. More information can be found at www.jeffersonspeedway.com. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Jefferson and Cambridge on Hwy 18.

Jefferson Speedway Race Summary

Late Model-

Feature Results- 1) Casey Johnson, Stoughton 2) Kyle Jarlsberg, Jefferson 3) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 4) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 5) Tory Bagley, Stoughton 6) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 7) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 8) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 9) Chris Quam, Stoughton 10) Noel Ramge, Helenville 11) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 12) Zack Riddle, Brooklyn 13) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 14) Brandon Pendleton, Helenville 15) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 16) Kyle Taylor, Deerfield 17) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson 18) Luke Westenberg, Jefferson 19) Roger Behlke, Jefferson 20) Ryan Zielski, Ixonia

Fast Qualifier- Dale Nottestad—14.609 seconds

Last Chance- Luke Westenberg, Ryan Zielski, Kyle Taylor, Noel Ramge

Heat Winners- 1) Jody Krueger 2) Ryan Zielski 3) Chris Quam

Sportsman-

Feature Results- 1) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 2) Robert Hansberry, Beloit 3) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 4) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 5) Steven Sauer, Waterloo 6) Seth Lootans, Kenosha 7) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 8) Jay Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 9) Jim Tate Jr, Deforest 10) Russ Nicholson, Madison 11) Jason Kubicz, Whitewater

Fast Qualifier- Jason Thoma—15.336 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Terry Wangsness 2) Jim Tate Jr

International-

Feature Results- 1) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 2) Neil Higgins, Watertown 3) Mike Lambert, Madison 4) Seth Reamer, Waupun 5) Joe Cross, Sun Prairie 6) Jamie Shelley, Edgerton 7) Casey Strese, Johnson Creek 8) Tytus Helgestad, Jefferson 9) Josh Kubicz, Whitewater 10) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 11) Jason Uttech, Watertown 12) Keith Bell, Brodhead 13) Dan Birkett, Jefferson 14) Peter Shelley, Edgerton

Fast Qualifier- Mike Lambert—16.532 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Peter Shelley 2) Seth Reamer

Hobby Stock-

Feature Results- 1) Cody Buchs, Stoughton 2) Bobby Selsing Jr, Edgerton 3) Dustin Ward, Columbus 4) Kyle Stark, Waterloo 5) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 6) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 7) Ken Scott, Rio 8) Scott Riemer, Brookfield 9) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 10) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 11) Jim Wolf, Watertown 12) Crystal O’Gorman, Lake In The Hills (IL) 13) Mike Manley, Fort Atkinson 14) Tony Ciano, Janesville 15) Kevin Henderson, 16) Anthony Lloyd, Loves Park (IL) 17) Wayne Buchs, Mazomanie 18) Randy Strasburg, Fort Atkinson 19) Chester Williams, Waukesha

Fast Qualifier- Kyle Stark—15.832 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Scott Riemer 2) Cody Buchs

Road Warrior-

Feature Results- 1) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 2) Rob Lange, Jefferson 3) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 4) Tadd Douglas, Jefferson 5) Kenny Storkson, Evansville 6) Mike Storkson, Evansville 7) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 8) Chad Olds, Whitewater 9) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson 10) Tom Dorn, Fort Atkinson 11) Jordan Lamb, Fort Atkinson

Fast Qualifier- Rob Lange—16.785 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Kenny Storkson 2) Bill Sweeney

Bandit-

Feature Results- 1) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson 2) Nick Schmidt, Oak Creek 3) Josh Marx, Dousman 4) Dustin Yanke, Fort Atkinson 5) Tommy Pfeifer, Fort Atkinson 6) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson 7) Dennis Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 8) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 9) Josh Rusch, Fort Atkinson 10) Brandon Johnson, 11) Matt Rusch, Fort Atkinson 12) Brian Cook,

Fast Qualifier- Dustin Yanke—14.321 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Josh Rusch 2) Tyler Deporter