Johnson Scores Season Opener

JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, April 27, 2013) Stoughton’s Casey Johnson opened the defense of his 2012 Jefferson Speedway Late Model crown in style after capturing the Ice Breaker 50 lap feature. The two time champ in Jefferson’s premier division kicked off the season by motoring to the front of the field and holding off a couple of hard chargers to grab the victory.

Ryan Zielski and Bruce Lee paced the pack as the green flag flew to get things underway. Zielski took the early lead on lap one as Dale Nottestad slid up to second past Lee. Lee continued to drop back after Dylan Schuyler and Johnson made their way into the top four. The first of four cautions waved on lap six when Chad Stevens got turned around. As racing resumed, Johnson slipped under Schuyler looking for third while Nottestad began to work over Zielski on the point. Nottestad pulled even with the leader on lap 13 as Johnson claimed the third position and pulled up behind the duo at the front. The second caution on lap 15 reset the field with Zielski out front and Nottestad lurking in second. Johnson made a move to the low side of Nottestad as the green flew again. The leaders bunched up in turn four allowing Johnson to get by Nottestad for second and draw even with Zielski for the lead. Johnson pulled alongside Zielski through turns one and two on lap 23. Johnson completed the pass for the lead exiting turn four on the same lap with Nottestad looking to follow into second. Johnson began to open up a large advantage while Nottestad and Zielski battled side by side. Nottestad grabbed control of second on lap 33 as Dan Jung moved up to challenge Zielski next. But contact between the two on lap 36 resulted in Zielski spinning to bring out caution number three and erase Johnson’s big lead. After the fourth and final caution two laps later, Nottestad set up to make his move on Johnson with Zack Riddle watching from third. Johnson maintained his advantage as the laps began to wind down with Riddle working on Nottestad for second. Riddle made the pass for the runner up position with eight laps remaining, but Johnson was in control on his way to the win. Riddle finished second with Nottestad, Schuyler and Shaun Scheel rounding out the top five.

Defending Sportsman champion, Jim Tate Jr of Deforest, picked up where he left off the 2012 season as the dominated the field to pick up the 30 lap feature win. Steven Sauer took the initial lead on lap one from the pole with Mark Deporter in second and Kody Hubred third. Hubred got by Deporter for second on lap five with Jason Thoma and Tate in two for third and fourth respectively. On lap 10, Thoma made his move on Hubred as he dove to the inside. The pair of drivers battled door to door for second while Tate watched from fourth. Thoma cleared for the spot on lap 11 with Tate in tow for third. Thoma closed in on Sauer at the front as he looked to take over the top spot. Contact between Thoma and Sauer on lap 16 resulted in Sauer spinning to bring out the sole caution of the race. The incident forced both competitors to the rear of the field for the restart, handing the lead over to Tate with 14 laps to go. As racing resumed, Tate charged out to a commanding lead with Deporter back up to second. Tate cruised to the checkers to pick up the win with Deporter, Jason Dunn, Kyle Chwala and Greg Staude.

Another defending champ laid claim to the season opening feature event for his division as Mike Lambert of Madison claimed the 20 lap International feature win. Neil Higgins took control of the top spot as the green flag flew to begin the action. Dylan Buckingham ran in second while Mark English moved into the top three on lap four. Lambert stayed in the tracks of English as English looked to the low side of Buckingham for second. English cleared on lap seven with Lambert in tow for third. English began to zero in on Higgins for the top spot, pulling up to his rear bumper at the half way point of the race. Before English could make his move, Lambert dove to the bottom of the speedway, drawing alongside English for second. Lambert claimed the second spot with four laps to as he set his sights on Higgins for the lead. As they raced past the white flag, Lambert charged under Higgins entering turn one. The duo raced wheel to wheel down the backstretch on the final circuit, each looking to gain an advantage. As they came to the stripe, Lambert owned a slight advantage to score the win with Higgins be forced to settle for second. Casey Strese came home third followed by Chris Chenoweth and Seth Reamer.

The always entertaining Hobby Stocks did not disappoint at this year’s season opener, ending with Dustin Ward of Columbus in victory lane. Mike Manley and Jamie Tate brought the field to the green. On the opening circuit, Lucas Buckingham dropped to the low side and motored into the lead bringing Andy Raley along for second. The top two began to breakaway slightly until the caution slowed their pace on lap eight. On the restart, Ward moved to the high side as he slid all the way up to second behind Buckingham. Ward crossed over to the low groove and pulled alongside the leader on lap 12. Ward made the pass for the lead a lap later, but Buckingham fought back to reclaim the position on lap 14. Ward tried the outside of Buckingham this time as he drew even with Bobby Selsing watching from third. Selsing made it a three wide fight for the lead down the back stretch on lap 16 with Ward emerging with the spot. Selsing slipped by Buckingham for second a lap later and set his sights on Ward. Selsing continued to stalk the new leader until finally getting a good run on the low side with one to go. Selsing and Ward raced side by side down the backstretch on the final lap, but Ward kept his momentum up on the high side as he crossed the stripe first to get the win. Selsing was second followed by Dave Trute, Buckingham and Chester Williams.

Watertown’s Bill Reynolds used a late race pass for the lead to get the victory in the 20 lap Road Warrior feature event. Chris Gottschalk took the early lead on lap one with Chester Williams moving into second followed by Tim Ellis in third. Ellis looked to the high side of Williams on lap seven, claiming second a lap later with Reynolds following in his tracks for third. Reynolds quickly made his way around Ellis for second and he looked to close on Gottschalk out front. Reynolds shortened the gap between himself and the leader lap after lap until finally catching him with five laps remaining. Reynolds peeked under Gottschalk and shot past for the lead on lap 16. Reynolds hung on to see the checkers first for the win with Gottschalk, Bill Sweeney, Ellis and Rob Lange rounding out the top five.

Dave Schmidt of Cudahy rounded out the night’s events by capturing the 20 lap Bandit main event. Starting on the outside of row one, Schmidt grabbed the early lead on lap one from pole sitter Josh Lenz. Lenz tried to hang on to second despite heavy pressure from Derek Dixon. Dixon pulled alongside Lenz on lap four, claiming the spot a lap later. Dixon began to cut into Schmidt’s lead, finally catching him with five laps to go. Dixon pressed Schmidt hard over the final five laps, but Schmidt hung on to cross the stripe first and get the win. Derek Dixon was second followed by Devon Dixon, Keith Erickson and Bud Riedner.

Next Saturday, May 4, is a full program of racing in all six division with time trials at 5pm and racing at 7pm. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Jefferson and Cambridge on Hwy 18. Please visitwww.jeffersonspeedway.com for more information.

Jefferson Speedway Race Summary

Late Model-

Ice Breaker 50 lap Feature Results- 1) Casey Johnson, Stoughton 2) Zack Riddle, Brooklyn 3) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 4) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson 5) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 6) Ty James, Oconomowoc 7) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 8) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 9) Roger Behlke, Jefferson 10) Brandon Pendleton, Watertown 11) Tory Bagley, Stoughton 12) Chad Stevens, Orfordville 13) Dan Jung, Iron Ridge 14) Craig Phillips, Edgerton 15) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 16) Ryan Zielski, Ixonia 17) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 18) Jody Krueger, Edgerton

Fast Qualifier- Zack Riddle—14.340 seconds

Last Chance- Roger Behlke, Kyle Smith, Tory Bagley, Craig Phillips

Heat Winners- 1) Kyle Smith 2) Kyle Jarlsberg 3) Jody Krueger

Sportsman-

Feature Results- 1) Jim Tate Jr, Deforest 2) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 3) Jason Dunn, Sun Prairie 4) Kyle Chwala, Lake Mills 5) Greg Staude, Helenville 6) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 7) Seth Lootans, Kenosha 8) Steven Sauer, Waterloo 9) Kody Hubred, Utica 10) Adam Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 11) Brandon Skolaski, Evansville 12) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 13) Tiffeny Desjarlais, Columbus

Fast Qualifier- Jim Tate Jr—14.999 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Steven Sauer 2) Kyle Chwala

International-

Feature Results- 1) Mike Lambert, Madison 2) Neil Higgins, Watertown 3) Casey Strese, Johnson Creek 4) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 5) Seth Reamer, Waupun 6) Dan Birkett, Jefferson 7) Dylan Buckingham, Whitewater 8) Jamie Shelley, Edgerton 9) Mark English, Edgerton 10) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 11) Josh Kubicz, Whitewater 12) Mike Storkson, Evansville

Fast Qualifier- Mike Lambert—16.333 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Neil Higgins 2) Jamie Shelley

Hobby Stock-

Feature Results- 1) Dustin Ward, Columbus 2) Bobby Selsing, Fort Atkinson 3) Dave Trute, New Lisbon 4) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 5) Chester Williams, Waukesha 6) James Helmer, Beaver Dam 7) Jamie Tate, Deforest 8) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 9) Jim Wolf, Watertown 10) Mike Manley, Fort Atkinson 11) Scott Riemer, Brookfield 12) Craig Mertes, Antioch 13) Russ Nicholson, Stoughton 14) Andy Raley, Fall River 15) Brandon Mertes, Antioch 16) Tony Ciano, Janesville

Fast Qualifier- Chester Williams—15.995 seconds

Last Chance- Bobby Selsing, Dave Trute, Jim Wolf, Scott Riemer

Heat Winners- 1) Craig Mertes 2) James Helmer 3) Lucas Buckingham

Road Warrior-

Feature Results- 1) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 2) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson 3) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 4) Tim Ellis, S.Beloit (IL) 5) Rob Lange, Jefferson 6) Travis Schneeberg, Cottage Grove 7) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge 8) Chester Williams, Waukesha 9) Chad Olds, Whitewater 10) Jared Larson, Jefferson 11) Brett Carson, Fort Atkinson 12) Jordan Lamb, Fort Atkinson 13) Dianna Kalbus, Watertown 14) Kenny Storkson, Evansville

Fast Qualifier- Rob Lange—16.756 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Brett Carson 2) Bill Reynolds

Bandit-

Feature Results- 1) Dave Schmidt, Cudahy 2) Derek Dixon, Janesville 3) Devon Dixon, Janesville 4) Keith Erickson, Columbus 5) Brandon Riedner, Waunakee 6) Josh Lenz, Lake Mills 7) Jason Dull, Machesney Park (IL) 8) Robby Robinson, Orfordville 9) Dennis Johnson, Lake Mills 10) Nick Schmidt, Oak Creek 11) Zack Damon, Madison 12) Josh Marx, Jefferson 13) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 14) Kyle Riedner, Waunakee 15) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson

Fast Qualifier- Nick Schmidt—14.385 seconds

Last Chance- Zack Damon, Kyle Riedner, Tyler Deporter, Noah Pankow

Heat Winners- 1) Brandon Riedner 2) Josh Lenz