Chesmore dominates main event at Jefferson Speedway!

By Jeanne & Larry Starr

June 10, 2000; Jefferson, WI. – Dan Chesmore of Janesville claimed top honors, in the 35 lap main event, on Wisconsin’s Action Track. Starting from the outside of row 7, in the Taco Johns sponsored main event, Chesmore was well behind the first lap crash, when the pole sitter looped it between turns 3 and 4. For the, complete, restart Scott Bleecker of Jefferson was at the point with Chesmore up to 12th.

As the green flag flew, Ryan Ley of Rome pulled ahead, claiming the early lead. Caution came again, on lap 4, when a pair of cars tangled in turn 3, collecting at least half of the field. Ley was at the point for the restart with Bleecker still sitting in 2nd and Chesmore up to 4th. Chesmore motored under Jim Sault of Rome and Bleecker to claim 2nd by lap 6, closing the gap with Ley. Any advantage Ley may have had evaporated on lap 10, when the caution flew for debris on the track. On the restart it was Ley at the point, with Chesmore right on his back bumper. Chesmore moved to the inside on the restart, battling Ley for 2 laps, before pulling ahead on lap 12.

As Chesmore pulled ahead, Ley found himself locked in battle, for 2nd, with Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson. Bishofberger made his way past Ley on lap 13, looking a long way ahead to Chesmore. The gap closed on lap 23, when a spin in turn 3 brought out the final caution of the race. On the restart Chesmore held off the challenger, as he guided the way to the checkered flag. At the stripe it was Chesmore for the win, followed by Bishofberger, Ley, Tom Dorn of Ft. Atkinson and Sault.

Chesmore set the fast mark in qualifying, with a 15.910 second circuit of the quarter mile and Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson claimed the coins, in the “NAPA Service Centers” 8 lap “Dash for Cash.”

Claiming victories in 10 lap heat races were Butch Mierendorf of Waterloo, Chris Purdy of Milton and Mike Taylor of Stoughton.

Transferring to the feature lineup, from the 20 lap Last Chance race were Beau Sanden of Janesville, Mike Taylor of Stoughton, Chad Stevens of Beloit and Duane Deppe of Waterloo.

In International division action Darnell Mepham handled all comers in the 20 lap feature. Starting from the outside of row 4, Mepham began his trek to the point, as rookie driver Derrick Bettenhausen of Cambridge pulled out to the early lead. Bettenhausen stayed at the point for 10 laps, as Mepham battled his way past Scott Uttech of Beaver Tam for the 2nd spot. Mepham made his way to 2nd on lap 9, closing with Bettenhausen in his bid for the lead.

Bettenhausen surrendered the spot on lap 10 as Mepham cruised to the front and never looked back. As Mepham guided the way to the checkered flag, current point leader Brent Nottestad made his way to 2nd, working to close the gap. As they streaked past the checkered flag the night belonged to Mepham followed by Nottestad, Aaron Rude of Cambridge, Uttech and Bettenhausen.

Nottestad set the fast mark in qualifying with a 16.028 second tour of the quarter mile.

Victories, in 10 lap heat races, went to Tim Woollen of Madison and Mike Bingham of Jefferson.

Moving to the feature lineup from the 10 lap Last Chance race were Rick Neerland of Ft. Atkinson, Jerry Efferding of Cottage Grove, Woollen and Mike Dixon of Omro.

In Sportsman Division action Dave Oswald of Cottage Grove notched another feature win, in the 25 lap main event. Starting from the inside of row 7, Oswald started his move to the front as Noel Ramge of Hellenville grabbed the early lead. Ramge led the way for 15 laps before Curt Thompson of Palmyra moved to the inside on lap 15, making his bid for the lead, with Oswald right behind for the 2nd spot. It took two more laps, before Thompson surrendered the point to Oswald, on lap 18. Oswald’s drive to the checkered was interrupted, on lap 20, when a blown engine brought out the only caution of the race. At the stripe it was Oswald for the win, followed by Thompson, Jeff Kohlhoff of Watertown, Bob Selsing of Ft. Atkinson and Ramge.

Kohlhoff set the fast qualifying pace with a 15.796 second loop of the quarter mile.

Claiming victory, in 10 lap heat races, were Chris Ehrhart of Deerfield, Kevin Thompson of Palmyra and Josh Courtney of Janesville.

Moving through the Last Chance race to the feature lineup, were Kevin Thompson of Palmyra, Dustin Ward of Beaver Dam, Chad Reimer of Oconomowoc and Chuck Egli of Waterloo.

In Hobby Stock action John Remsik of Sun Prairie notched his first career feature win, in the 20 lap main event. Starting from the outside of row one, Remsik claimed the lead and never looked back, guiding the field flag-to-flag to notch his first victory. As they took the checkered it was Remsik for the win followed by Ken Scott of Rio, Dennis Gaserude of Oregon, Jim Pfeifer of Ft. Atkinson and Bill Bush of Jefferson.

In the, 8 lap, grudge Match, pitting WJJO’s Johnny Danger and Greg Bear against Jefferson Speedway’s Randy Kamenick, Bear was declared the winner after Kamenick and Danger tangled on the white flag lap.

Next week Jefferson Speedway hosts the WJVL 35, with a 35 lap Late Model feature plus the first running of the Bump and Run.

Gates open at 4:00, qualifying at 5:30 and racing at 7:30 sharp. Jefferson Speedway is on Highway 18 between Cambridge and Jefferson Wisconsin.

Late Model Feature Finish:
Laps: 35
1. 27 – Dan Chesmore (Janesville)
2. 76 – Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
3. 77 – Ryan Ley (Rome)
4. 2 – Tom Dorn (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 4 – Jim Sault Jr. (Rome)
6. 68 – Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
7. 44 – Roger Behlke (Jefferson)
8. 82 – Chad Stevens (Beloit)
9. 52 – Duane Deppe (Waterloo)
10. 22 – Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
11. 6 – Ken Piotrowski (Milton)
12. 98 – Scott Bleecker (Jefferson)
13. 11 – Beau Sanden (Janesville)
14. 16 – Luke Westenberg (Palmyra)
15. 11 – Russ Goodwin (Beloit)
16. 106 – Chris Purdy (Milton)
17. 7 – Bill Leindecker (Janesville)
18. 41 – Mike Taylor (Stoughton)

FAST QUALIFIER
27 – Dan Chesmore (Janesville): 15.910 seconds

FAST DASH: 8 Lap
76 – Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)

LAST CHANCE: Lap
11 – Beau Sanden (Janesville)
41 – Mike Taylor (Stoughton)
82 – Chad “Squirt” Stevens (Beloit)
52 – Duane Deppe (Waterloo)

Heats: 10 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 12 – Butch Mierendorf (Waterloo)
2) 106 – Chris Purdy (Milton) 3) 41 – Mike Taylor (Stoughton)

International Feature: Laps: 20
1. 12 – Darnell Mepham (Ft. Atkinson)
2. 25 – Brent Nottestad (Cambridge)
3. 9 – Aaron Rude (Cambridge)
4. 74 – Scott Uttech (Beaver Dam)
5. 10 – Derrick Bettenhausen (Cambridge)
6. 48 – Mike Drays (Milton)

FAST QUALIFIER
25 – Brent Nottestad (Cambridge): 16.028 seconds

LAST CHANCE: lap –
24 Rick Neerland (Ft. Atkinson)
39 Jerry Efferding (Cottage Grove)
39 Tim Woollen (Madison)
11 – Mike Dixon (Omro)

Heats: lap: (Winners Only)
1) 39 – Tim Woollen (Madison)
2) 17 – Mike Bingham (Jefferson)

Sportsman Feature: Laps: 25
1. 31 – Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)
2. 6 – Curt Thompson (Palmyra)
3. 98 – Jeff Kohlhoff (Watertown)
4. 42 – Bob Selsing (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 17 – Noel Ramge (Hellenville)
6. 21 – Rich Titus (Jefferson)

FAST QUALIFIER
98 – Jeff Kohlhoff (Watertown): 15.796 seconds

LAST CHANCE: lap
99 – Kevin Thompson (Palmyra)
9 – Dustin Ward (Beaver Dam)
19 – Chad Reimer (Oconomowoc)
22 – Chuck Egli (Waterloo)

Heats: lap: (Winners Only)
1) 6 – Chris Ehrhart (Deerfield)
2) 9 – Kevin Thompson (Palmyra)
3) 21 – Josh Courtney (Janesville)

Hobby Stock Feature:
Laps: 20
1. 83 – John Remsik (Sun Prairie)
2. 39 – Ken Scott (Rio)
3. 18 – Dennis Gaserude (Oregon)
4. 11 – Jim Pfeifer (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 17 – Bill Bush (Jefferson)
6. 66 – Nick Golich (Hebron)

FAST QUALIFIER
57 – Jason Ayers (Stoughton): 17.200 seconds

LAST CHANCE: lap
93 – Jim Blucher (Madison)
1 – Brett Carson (Johnson Creek)
55 – Terry Wangsness (Whitewater)
72 – Chris Matz (Watertown)

Heats: 8 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 72 – Chris Matz (Watertown)
2) J10 – Jim Williams (Milton)
3) 18 – Dennis Gaserude (Oregon)

Bubble Gauntlet (Round One): Terry Tucker and Dennis Gaserude, in the Gauntlet car.