Erickson Opens Title Defense With Victory

by Andrew Schaller
JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, May 05, 2012) Fort Atkinson’s Jason Erickson kicked off his 2011 Late Model Title defense in style on Saturday night by capturing the Radio Doctor 50 lap Late Model feature on season opening night at Wisconsin’s Action Track. On a night in which he also laid claim to quick time in qualifying, Erickson looked to start a quest to add a rare fifth championship to his racing resume in the 2012 campaign.

Bob Kahler and Bruce Lee paced the field of hot shoes to the green flag as Kahler took early control on lap one. Trent Erdman charged up to second behind Kahler as Lee dropped back to third.

Erdman began to apply heavy pressure to the early leader as the pair of drivers stretched their lead over the field. Caution flew on lap ten closing the pack back together for the restart with Kahler showing the way followed by Erdman in second and Chris Quam riding in third. The two leaders once again opened up a large advantage as racing resumed while Kyle Jarlsberg made his way into the top five. Jarlsberg cleared for the third position at the midway point of the event as he set his sights on the duo out front. Jarlsberg caught them on lap 30 as he began to work the low side of Erdman for second. Jarlsberg completed the pass for second on lap 32 and began to challenge Kahler for the point. Jarlsberg finally got a good run underneath the leader as he drew even with 11 laps remaining. Jarlsberg cleared for the top spot just before the caution waved on lap 41. After another brief caution on the restart, Casey Johnson slipped past Kahler and pulled Erickson along with him for third. Another caution on lap 47 set up a shootout to the finish. As the green flew once again, Johnson took a peek under Jarlsberg. The pair of competitors touched as they entered turn one sending Jarlsberg spinning. The resulting caution forced both drivers to the rear of the field for the restart, handing the point over to Erickson with Kahler back in second. Erickson cruised through the final circuits to see the checkers first and pick up his first feature of 2012. Kahler came home second followed by Quam, Jerry Eckhardt and John Ovadal Jr.

Jim Tate Jr of Deforest picked up his first career Sportsman feature victory in the 30 lap event. Jim Taylor took the early lead on lap one with fellow front row starter Adam Bleskan falling into second. Kody Hubred crept up on the low side, drawing even with Taylor on lap three. Hubred claimed the top spot a lap later as he began to stretch is advantage. Mark Deporter made his way up to second by lap seven with Tate in tow for third. Hubred continued to show the way with Deporter and Tate right behind has they began to bunch up for the top spot. Tate got past Deporter for second on lap 13 and quickly began to work over Hubred at the front. A lap later, Tate and Hubred were door to door while Deporter and quick qualifier Kyle Chwala battled side by side behind them for third. Tate continued to inch forward until finally claiming sole possession of the point on lap 16. Deporter eventually got past Hubred for second, but Tate was already well on his way to the win. At the checkers, it was Tate by a wide margin followed by Deporter, Chwala, Will Rece and Hubred.

Kyle Stark of Waterloo picked up right where he left off the 2011 season as he captured another 20 lap International feature win on opening night for the 2012 season. Matt McKinney led early on while Neil Higgins and Devon Dixon battled for second. Stark wasted little time making his way into the top five, finding himself in third by lap four. Stark quickly got around Dixon for second as he set his sight on McKinney. Caution waved on lap nine and before the green returned, McKinney pulled into the pit area handing the lead to Stark. As racing resumed, Stark checked out from the field on his way to the checkers for the win. Dixon settled for second with Mark English, Mike Lambert and James Bell rounding out the top five.

Bobby Selsing of Edgerton charged to the front and claimed the 25 lap Hobby Stock season opening feature event. Jim Wolf and Jamie Tate battled side by side for the opening five laps until Tate grabbed the advantage and the lead on lap six. Lucas Buckingham used the outside line to pull alongside Tate with Jimmy Robinson charging up on the inside. Robinson emerged with the top spot with Selsing in tow for second. The top two broke away from the pack as Selsing began to look for a way past the new leader. Selsing got a good run on lap 15, as he took the top spot for himself a lap later. James Helmer made a late race charge up to second, but Selsing could not be caught as he cruised to the stripe to pick up the win. Helmer finished second followed by Robinson, Zach Schmidt and Tony Ciano.

Jefferson’s Rob Lange claimed the first Road Warrior feature of 2012 by winning the 15 lap race. Rodger Stephenson quickly made his way to the front of the field with Bill Sweeney looking to follow. On lap four, Sweeney cleared for second bringing Lange along with him for third. Lange moved past Sweeney a lap later as he looked to close on the early leader. Lange found himself on Stephenson’s rear bumper at the midway point of the event. After trying for several laps, Lange got a run on the low side of Stephenson as they drew even on lap 14. The duo fought wheel to wheel over the final lap with Lange nipping Stephenson at the line by inches to pick up the win. Bill Reynolds finished third with Sweeney in fourth and Matt McKinney in fifth.

Tiffany Desjarlais of Columbus grabbed the win in the 20 lap Bandit feature event. Erik Bennett took the lead from the pole on lap one with Cory Jansen right behind for second. After the sole caution on lap three, Desjarlais raced up to third with Keith Erickson right behind. Desjarlais drove to the outside and pulled alongside Bennett for the lead. Desjarlais cleared on lap eight, this time with Phil Wuesthoff in tow. Desjarlais held off all challenges over the final circuits to grab the win. Wuesthoff was second followed by Bennett, Dustin Yanke and Jansen.

Next Saturday is a full program of racing in all divisions highlighted by the Newville Auto Salvage 50 lap Late Model feature as well as Best Appearing Car Contest in all divisions. Time trials begin at 5pm with racing at 7pm sharp. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Cambridge and Jefferson and Hwy 18. Please visitwww.jeffersonspeedway.com for more information.

Jefferson Speedway Race Summary

Late Model-

Radio Doctor 50 lap feature results- 1) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 2) Bob Kahler, Caledonia (IL) 3) Chris Quam, Stoughton 4) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 5) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 6) Doug Hahn, Whitewater 7) Tyler James, Oconomowoc 8) Tommy Pecaro, Markesan 9) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 10) Brady Liddle, Madison 11) Brandon Pendleton, Helenville 12) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 13) Kyle Jarlsberg, Jefferson 14) Casey Johnson, Stoughton 15) Steven Scheel, Lake Mills 16) Steve Dobbratz, Rio 17) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 18) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson

Fast Qualifier- Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson—14.219 seconds

Last Chance- Steven Scheel, Jerry Eckhardt, Doug Hahn, Brandon Pendleton

Consi- Tyler Peterson, Tory Adams

Heat Winners- 1) Rob Myers 2) Brandon Pendleton 3) John Ovadal

Sportsman-

Feature Results- 1) Jim Tate Jr, Deforest 2) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 3) Kyle Chwala, Lake Mills 4) Will Rece, Stoughton 5) Kody Hubred, Cambridge 6) Steven Sauer, Waterloo 7) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 8) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 9) Tory Bagley, Edgerton 10) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 11) Jeff Schultz, Elkhorn 12) Adam Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 13) Ryan Oldenhoff, Fort Atkinson 14) Kenny Au, Jefferson 15) Dan Schmidt, Farmington 16) Jason Kubicz, Whitewater

Fast Qualifier- Kyle Chwala, Lake Mills—14.865 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Ryan Oldenhoff 2) Terry Wangsness

International-

Feature Results- 1) Kyle Stark, Waterloo 2) Devon Dixon, Janesville 3) Mark English, Edgerton 4) Mike Lambert, Madison 5) James Bell, Brodhead 6) Neil Higgins, Watertown 7) Peter Shelley, Edgerton 8) Dan Birkett, Fort Atkinson 9) Seth Reamer, Columbus 10) 19 John Handeland, Jefferson 11) Keith Bell, Brodhead 12) Josh Kubicz, Whitewater 13) Darren Brown, Jefferson 14) Mike Storkson, Madison 15) Dylan Buckingham, Whitewater 16) Chris Chenoweth, Fort Atkinson 17) Devin Wild, Jefferson 18) Matt McKinney, Fort Atkinson

Fast Qualifier- Kyle Stark, Waterloo—16.120 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Mike Storkson 2) Mark English

Hobby Stock-

Feature Results- 1) Bobby Selsing, Fort Atkinson 2) James Helmer, Beaver Dam 3) Jimmy Robinson, Orfordville 4) Zack Schmidt, Johnson Creek 5) Tony Ciano, Janesville 6) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 7) Andy Raley, Fall River 8) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 9) Jim Wolf, Watertown 10) Jamie Tate, Deforest 11) Duane Deppe, Waterloo 12) Gary Paulick, Union Grove 13) Larry Moen, Sun Prairie

Fast Qualifier- James Helmer, Beaver Dam- 16.164

Heat Winners- 1) Jim Wolf 2) Bobby Selsing

Road Warrior-

Feature Results- 1) Rob Lange, Jefferson 2) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 3) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 4) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 5) Matt McKinney, Fort Atkinson 6) Tim Ellis, S.Beloit (IL) 7) Travis Schneeberg, Cottage Grove 8) Jason Haas, Jefferson 9) Rory Hardy, Oregon 10) Jimmie Pankow, Jefferson 11) John Handeland, Jefferson 12) Scott Pauls, Deerfield

Fast Qualifier- Scott Pauls, Deerfield—16.841 seconds

Bandit-

Feature Results- 1) Tiffany Desjarlais, Columbus 2) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 3) Erik Bennett, Beloit 4) Dustin Yanke, Fort Atkinson 5) Cory Jansen, Lake Geneva 6) Josh Lenz, Lake Mills 7) Art Blakely, Madison 8) Josh Marx, Jefferson 9) Ken Storkson, Footville 10) Taylor Schmude, Cambridge 11) Michael Heimann, Waunakee 12) Mitch Brockway, Ixonia 13) Brett Carson, Fort Atkinson 14) Brad Birzer, Ixonia 15) Jordan Lamb, Fort Atkinson 16) Mike Swanson, Whitewater 17) Terry Ciano, Janesville 18) Keith Erickson, Columbus

Fast Qualifier- Taylor Schmude, Cambridge—14.337 seconds

Last Chance- Josh Lenz, Jordan Lamb, Brad Birzer, Mike Swanson

Heat Winners- 1) Josh Lenz 2) Ken Storkson 3) Phil Wuesthoff