Eckhardt Earns Win at Jefferson Speedway
by Andrew Schaller
JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, September 01, 2012) Johnson Creek’s Jerry Eckhardt grabbed control just past the halfway point of the 50 lap Late Model main event and held on to get the victory. The win marked Eckhardt’s second feature win of the 2012 campaign with only one more week left in the regular season.
Chris Quam and Stephen Scheel paced the field to green with Quam taking control of the point on lap one and Eckhardt charging up alongside Scheel for second. After battling for a few laps, Eckhardt slid into sole possession of the second spot on lap six while Quam continued to show the way. The field slowed on lap nine for the first of four cautions when Dylan Schuyler spun on the front stretch. As racing resumed, Eckhardt launched his bid for the lead as he began to challenge Quam on the low side. Eckhardt drew even on lap 16 as the pair of drivers began a battle that lasted several circuits. Quam and Eckhardt fought wheel to wheel, with each driver taking a turn sticking his nose out front. On lap 28, Eckhardt shot out of a cannon as he exited turn two as he rocketed into the lead. Two cautions on laps 29 and 33 changed nothing in the top five with Eckhardt out front and Quam in his mirror. On lap 35, Ty James drove to the high side of Bruce Lee to claim third and pull up behind Quam. A final caution on lap 45 set up a five lap shootout to the finish. On the restart, James used the outside groove to get by Quam for second while Eckhardt drove out to a commanding lead. At the checkers, it was Eckhardt for the win followed by James, Quam, Lee and Casey Johnson.
Jefferson’s Jason Thoma got the front of the field early in the 30 lap Sportsman feature and hung on to pick up the win. Mike Heelein and Jeff Schultz made up the front row for the start as they battled side by side to open up the action. On lap two, Schultz moved into the lead as Heelein back into a three wide fight for second between Thoma and Will Rece. Thoma emerged with the position a lap later with Rece taking over the third spot. On lap three, Thoma dove under Schultz looking to lead. After a brief battle, Thoma took over the top spot on lap five with Rece in tow for second and Mark Deporter following into third. Thoma began to move out to a comfortable lead until a caution on lap 14 erased his advantage. As racing resumed, Rece began to apply pressure to the leader, looking to the low side of Thoma. Rece continued to harass Thoma lap after lap, but Thoma stayed strong on the point all the way to the checkered flag for the win. Rece settled for second followed by Deporter, Seth Lootans and Schultz.
Seth Reamer of Marshall picked his way to the front of the field and drove off to win the 20 lap International feature event. Josh Kubicz grabbed the early lead from the pole with Devon Dixon up to second on lap one. Kubicz held off Dixon’s advances while Reamer made his way up to third by lap four. Matt McKinney joined Reamer, and together they made their way past Dixon for second and third respectively on lap five. Reamer continued forward as he drew even with Kubicz on lap seven, taking over sole possession of the lead a lap later. Reamer began to pull away from the pack while Kubicz and McKinney fought for second. A caution slowed the pace on lap 13, but as racing got back underway, Reamer returned to a healthy advantage while McKinney ran second. Kyle Stark made a late race charge into the top five, but could only get up to third as the checkers waved signaling Reamer’s win. McKinney was second with Stark, Mike Lambert and James Bell completing the top five.
Jimmy Robinson of Orfordville got to the front of the 25 lap Hobby Stock feature and came home with the win in the event. Jason Deppe led lap one with Wayne Buchs riding in second. Buchs quickly moved past Deppe to take over the lead on lap four with Robinson up to third. Robinson got around Deppe on lap six as he set his sights on Buchs at the front of the field. Robinson pulled up behind Buchs on lap eight as he charged to the outside of the leader. Robinson cleared for the lead a lap later as he began to stretch his advantage. A caution on lap 14 erased his large lead, but after the restart he reclaimed his advantage while Buchs tried to hold off Dustin Ward for second. The battle for the runner up spot continued to heat up as Bobby Selsing and James Helmer joined Buchs and Ward and the sparks began to fly. Some contact on lap 20 allowed Selsing to move into second. But before he could begin to run down the leader, more contact with Helmer ended in a caution when Helmer spun entering turn one. Selsing and Helmer were forced to the rear for the final five laps allowing Buchs and Ward to renew the fight for second with Robinson still showing the way. Robinson remained in control over the final laps to see the checkers first with Ward nipping Buchs at the line for second. Fourth went to Kale Peterman with Deppe rounding out the top five.
Tim Ellis of South Beloit, IL, held off a hard charging Bill Sweeney to win the 15 lap Road Warrior feature. Chad Olds and Chester Williams led the field to green. On the opening lap, Ellis joined the front row starters as they raced three wide into turn three. Ellis and Williams emerged side by side for the lead on lap two with Rob Lange and Bill Reynolds fighting for third. Ellis cleared for the top spot on lap three with Lange in tow for second. Lange pressured Ellis out front until Sweeney joined the fight and moved into second. With three laps to go, Sweeney took his shot at the leader as he searched for way past. Ellis and Sweeney raced door to door past the white flag to begin the final circuit. At the checkers, it was Ellis by a slim margin over Sweeney to get the win with Reynolds, Travis Schneeberg and Lange completing the top five.
The final event of the evening was the 20 lap Bandit main event which was claimed by Josh Lenz of Lake Mills. Jordan Lamb took the initial lead with Michael Heimann up to second. Lamb’s lead didn’t last long as Heimann moved past on lap three with Lenz taking over third. Lenz got by Lamb on lap six and drove to the high as he looked to take over the point. Lenz drew even with Lamb on lap nine, clearing for the lead a lap later. Heimann slipped back into a battle for second with Keith Erickson and Phil Wuesthoff. Erickson emerged with the spot, but Lenz was already well on his way to picking up the win. Erickson settled for second followed by Robby Robinson, Heimann and Michelle Kriigel.
Next Saturday, September 8, is Season Championship Night presented by Havill Spoerl. Extended feature laps in all divisions including a 65 lap Late Model feature will highlight a night in which champions will be crowned in all six divisions. 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) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 2) Ty James, Oconomowoc 3) Chris Quam, Stoughton 4) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 5) Casey Johnson, Stoughton 6) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 7) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 8) Noel Ramge, Helenville 9) Brady Liddle, Oregon 10) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson 11) Zack Riddle, Brooklyn 12) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 13) Doug Hahn, Whitewater 14) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 15) Joe Wendorf, Jefferson 16) Matt Berger, Loves Park (IL) 17) Kyle Jarlsberg, Jefferson 18) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills
Fast Qualifier—n/a
Consi- Zack Riddle, Matt Berger
Last Chance- Zack Riddle, Noel Ramge, Matt Berger, Joe Wendorf
Heat Winners- 1) Shawn Gusolus 2) Brandon Pendleton 3) Tim Lange
Sportsman-
Feature Results- 1) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 2) Will Rece, Stoughton 3) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 4) Seth Lootans, Kenosha 5) Jeff Schultz, Elkhorn 6) Jim Tate Jr, Deforest 7) Mike Heelein, Evansville 8) Kody Hubred, Cambridge 9) Kyle Chwala, Lake Mills 10) Brady Lilly, Milton 11) Tory Bagley, Stoughton 12) Alan Dorn, Columbus 13) Kenny Au, Jefferson 14) Jason Kubicz, Whitewater 15) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson
Fast Qualifier- Kyle Chwala—14.867 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Jason Thoma 2) Jim Tate Jr
International-
Feature Results- 1) Seth Reamer, Marshall 2) Matt McKinney, Fort Atkinson 3) Kyle Stark, Waterloo 4) Mike Lambert, Madison 5) James Bell, Janesville 6) Josh Kubicz, Whitewater 7) Devon Dixon, Janesville 8) Chris Chenoweth, Jefferson 9) Mike Storkson, Evansville 10) Neil Higgins, Watertown 11) Mark English, Edgerton 12) Dylan Buckingham, Whitewater 13) Jimmie Pankow, Jefferson 14) John Handeland, Belleville
Fast Qualifier- James Bell—16.422 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Neil Higgins 2) Mike Lambert
Hobby Stock-
Feature Results- 1) Jimmy Robinson, Orfordville 2) Dustin Ward, Waterloo 3) Wayne Buchs, Mazomanie 4) Kale Peterman, Iron Ridge 5) Jason Deppe, Waterloo 6) Chester Williams, Waukesha 7) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 8) Mike Held, Columbus 9) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 10) Jim Wolf, Watertown 11) Bobby Selsing, Edgerton 12) James Helmer, Beaver Dam 13) Gary Paulick, Union Grove 14) Crystal O’Gorman, Lake In The Hills (IL) 15) Duane Deppe, Waterloo 16) Jeff Templin, 17) Matt McLaughlin, Friendship 18) Tony Ciano, Janesville
Fast Qualifier- Bobby Selsing—15.837 seconds NEW TRACK RECORD
Heat Winners- 1) Jeff LeFave 2) Jason Deppe
Road Warrior-
Feature Results- 1) Tim Ellis, S.Beloit (IL) 2) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 3) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 4) Travis Schneeberg, Cottage Grove 5) Rob Lange, Jefferson 6) Chester Williams, Waukesha 7) Dan Birkett, Jefferson 8) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 9) Chad Olds, Whitewater 10) Tadd Douglas, Jefferson 11) Matt McKinney, Fort Atkinson
Fast Qualifier- Bill Sweeney—16.886 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Chester Williams 2) Rob Lange
Bandit-
Feature Results- 1) Josh Lenz, Lake Mills 2) Keith Erickson, Columbus 3) Robby Robinson, Orfordville 4) Michael Heimann, Waunakee 5) Michelle Kriigel, Sun Prairie 6) Josh Marx, Jefferson 7) Erik Bennett, Beloit 8) Cory Jansen, Lake Geneva 9) Dustin Yanke, Fort Atkinson 10) Jordan Lamb, Fort Atkinson 11) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 12) Tiffany Desjarlais, Columbus 13) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 14) Bryan Gottschalk, Jefferson 15) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson 16) Josh Rusch, Fort Atkinson 17) Scott Kingswan,
Fast Qualifier- Josh Marx—14.291 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Jordan Lamb 2) Tiffany Desjarlais
