Chesmore, Nottestad, Oswald and Bush Victorious in Mid-Season Championships at Jefferson Speedway!

By Jeanne & Larry Starr

July 8, 2000; Jefferson, WI. -Dan Chesmore of Janesville extended his point lead with his victory in the Smith Motors, Midseason Championship 60 lapper on Wisconsin’s Action Track. Starting from the outside of row 7 Chesmore began his drive to the front as Duane Deppe of Waterloo pulled out to the early lead. As Chesmore wound his way through the field Deppe worked to hold of Mike Taylor of Stoughton.

Caution came on lap 15 for a spin coming out of the fourth turn. On the restart it was Deppe at the point, with Chesmore up to the 5th spot. Chesmore moved under Chad Stevens of Beloit for 4th as the green flag flew. Luke Westenberg of Palmyra surrendered 3rd on lap 16. Motoring under Taylor for the 2nd spot on lap 17, Chesmore set his sights on Deppe. Deppe fought hard, holding off Chesmore for two laps before surrendering the point on lap 19. From there it was Chesmore guiding the way to the checkered flag.

The field closed for cautions on lap 29 for a spin, lap 31 for debris and lap 41 for a spin. Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson had made his way to the 4th spot before the lap 41 caution, trying to move up to challenge Chesmore. Bishofberger motored around Chris Purdy of Milton for the 3rd spot, on lap 48, closing with Taylor for 2nd.

The battle for 2nd resulted in the final caution of the race, on lap 53, when Taylor and Bishofberger tangled in the 2nd turn. On the restart it was still Chesmore at the point followed by Purdy, Westenberg and Deppe. As the final laps ticked off, Chesmore stretched his lead, as the battle for 4th raging far behind him. At the stripe it was Chesmore for the win, followed by Purdy, Westenberg Denny Stair of Sullivan and Roger Behlke of Jefferson.

Bishofberger set the fast qualifying pace, with a 14.797 second circuit of the quarter mile.

Ken Olson of Ft. Atkinson claimed the money in the Smith Motors Dash for Cash.

Victories, in 10 lap heat races, were claimed by ken Piotrowski of Milton, Taylor and Scott Null of Lake Mills.

Moving to the feature lineup from the 20 lap Last Chance race were Olson, Beau Sanden of Janesville, Jerry Parker of Palmyra, Jasper Gronert of Jefferson, Stair and Randy Cusick of Ft. Atkinson.

Joining the Last Chance race, from the 10 lap Consolation race were Rex Weston of Lake Mills and Gene Olson Jr. of Jefferson.

In International class action Brent Nottestad of Cambridge logged another night in the win column in the 25 lap main event. Starting from the outside of row 7, Nottestad began his trek to the checkered flag as Derek Bettenhausen of Cambridge pulled out to the early lead. Bettenhausen opened up a strong lead, showing a 10 car length advantage by lap 6, as Nottestad battled his way from the back. The initial advantage vaporized as a spin in turn 3 brought the only caution of the race on lap 10.

On the restart Nottestad was up to the 9th spot as Bettenhausen again pulled ahead of the field. Motoring under Bobby Moore of Edgerton, for 4th, on lap 13, Nottestad charged past Chris Quam of Stoughton and Mike Dietzen of Milwaukee to claim 2nd on lap 15. Nottestad reeled in Bettenhausen by lap 16, making the winning pass on lap 17. As they flew past the checkered flag it was Nottestad for the win, followed by Bettenhausen, Quam, Darnell Mepham of Ft. Atkinson and Pete Weston of Ft. Atkinson.

Nottestad set the high mark in qualifying with a 15.934 second orbit of the quarter mile.

Claiming victories, in 8 lap heat races, were Ken Edmundson of Lima Center and Mike Drays of Milton.

In Sportsman Division action the current point leader, Dave Oswald of Cottage Grove, extended his lead with a clean sweep in the sportsman division. Starting from the outside of row 7, Oswald started the long drive to the front, as Shane Radtke of Hellenville pulled out to the early lead. Caution came out on lap 12 when a car hit the wall in turn 4. On the restart it was Radtke at the point with Oswald up to 7th.

Oswald pulled under the battle for 6th, on lap 13, claiming the 5th spot. Motoring past Dylan Schuyler of Dousman for 2nd, by lap 20, Oswald closed with Radtke. Radtke held on until lap 24, before Oswald inched ahead to make the winning pass. The race slowed once more, on lap 25 for a spin on the front stretch. Oswald guided the way from the restart to the checkered followed by Radtke, Mark Deporter of Ft. Atkinson, Jeff Kohlhoff of Watertown and Schuyler.

Oswald’s fast qualifying pace was a 15.742 second tour of the quarter mile speed plant.

Claiming victories, in 10 lap heat races, were Dustin Ward of Beaver Dam, Bob Selsing of Ft. Atkinson, and Oswald.

Moving to the feature lineup from the 15 lap Last Chance Race were Dan Schmidt of Farmington, Rick Coppernoll of Madison, Joe Wendorf of Jefferson and Tom Collins of Lake Mills.

In Hobby Stock action Bill Bush of Jefferson logged his first feature win, in the 25 lap main event. Starting from the outside of row 2, Bush fell behind Lincoln Keeser of Milton at the start. Bush battled Keeser for 6 laps before finding the opening that he needed.

Pulling to the point on lap 7, Bush never looked back as he guided the way to the checkered flag. As they flew past the checkered flag it was Bush for the win followed by Keeser, Roger Stephenson of Cambridge, Jim Pfeifer of Ft. Atkinson and Tim Noble of Janesville.

Pfeifer set the fast qualifying pace with a 17.155 second loop of the quarter mile.

Claiming victories, in 8 lap heat races, were Brett Carson of Ft. Atkinson, Kevin Quale of Ft. Atkinson and Chris Matz of Watertown.

Joining the feature lineup, from the 12 lap Last Chance race were Quale, Gerald Chapman of Juneau, Ernie Witte of Johnson Creek and Carson.

Next week Jefferson Speedway presents the Great American Trailer Race, following a full racing program in all 4 divisions. 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: 60
1. 27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville)
2. 106 Chris Purdy (Milton)
3. 16 Luke Westenberg (Palmyra)
4. 4 Denny Stair (Sullivan)
5. 44 Roger Behlke (Jefferson)
6. 62 Scott Null (Lake Mills)
7. 52 Duane Deppe (Waterloo)
8. 82 Chad Stevens (Beloit)
9. 11 Russ Goodwin (Beloit)
10. 2 Tom Dorn (Ft. Atkinson)
11. 25 Randy Cusick (Ft. Atkinson)
12. 68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
13. 98 Scott Bleecker (Jefferson)
14. 22 Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
15. 41 Mike Taylor (Stoughton)
16. 76 Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
17. 11 Beau Sanden (Janesville)
18. 97 Jim Jarlsberg (Cambridge)
19. 2 Jerry Parker (Palmyra)
20. 77 Ryan Ley (Rome)

FAST QUALIFIER
#76 Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson): 14.797 seconds

FAST DASH: 8 Lap
68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)

CONSI: 10 Lap:
35 Rex Weston (Lake Mills)
37 Gene Olson Jr. (Jefferson)

LAST CHANCE: 20 Lap
68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
11 Beau Sanden (Janesville)
2 Jerry Parker (Palmyra)
22 Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
4 Denny Stair (Sullivan)
25 Randy Cusick (Ft. Atkinson)

Heats: 10 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 6 Ken Piotrowski (Milton)
2) 41 Mike Taylor (Stoughton)
3) 62 Scott Null (Lake Mills)

International Feature: Laps: 25
1. 25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge)
2. 10 Derek Bettenhausen (Cambridge)
3 4 Chris Quam (Stoughton)
4. 2 Darnell Mepham (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 53 Pete Weston (Ft. Atkinson)
6. 89 Ed Wolf III (Watertown)

FAST QUALIFIER
#25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge): 15.934 seconds

Heats: 8 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 59 Ken Edmundson (Lima Center)
2) 48 Mike Drays (Milton)

Sportsman Feature:
Laps: 30
1. 31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)
2. 18 Shane Radtke (Hellenville)
3. 28 Mark Deporter (Ft. Atkinson)
4. 98 Jeff Kohlhoff (Watertown)
5. 33 Dylan Schuyler (Dousman)
6. 42 Bob Selsing (Ft. Atkinson)

FAST QUALIFIER
#31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove): 15.742 seconds

LAST CHANCE: 15 lap
19 Dan Schmidt (Farmington)
36 Rick Coppernoll (Madison)
3 Joe Wendorf (Jefferson)
8 Tom Collins (Lake Mills)

Heats: 10 laps: (Winners Only)
1) 9 Dustin Ward (Beaver Dam)
2) 42 Bob Selsing (Ft. Atkinson)
3) 31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)

Hobby Stock Feature: Laps: 25
1. 17 Bill Bush (Jefferson)
2. 99 Lincoln Keeser (Milton)
3. 88 Roger Stephenson (Cambridge)
4. 11 Jim Pfeifer (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 71 Tim Noble (Janesville)
6. 39 Ken Scott (Rio)

FAST QUALIFIER
#11 Jim Pfeifer (Ft. Atkinson): 17.155 seconds.

LAST CHANCE: 12 lap
76 Kevin Quale (Ft. Atkinson)
7 Gerald Chapman (Juneau)
02 Ernie Witte (Johnson Creek)
1 Brett Carson (Ft. Atkinson)

Heats: 8 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 1 Brett Carson (Ft. Atkinson)
2) 76 Kevin Quale (Ft. Atkinson)
3) 72 Chris Matz (Watertown)