Nottestad Takes Season Opener
JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, May 7, 2016) Racing has returned to the serene countryside of Jefferson County. The 2016 chase for the championship kicked off on Saturday night at Jefferson Speedway with Dale Nottestad of Cambridge staking his claim as title contender by winning the Serenity Concepts 50 lap Late Model main event. Nottestad methodically picked his way to the front of the stout field to drivers, taking the lead at the midway point of the feature and driving away to pick up the victory.
John Ovadal Jr and Shaun Scheel paced the field to green with Scheel holding the early advantage on lap one. Ovadal remained to his inside until a caution on lap four slowed the pack. Scheel restarted on the point followed by Ovadal in second and Trent Erdman in third. As racing resumed, Nottestad began his trek through the top five. Nottestad grabbed the fifth spot from Michael Grueneberg on lap seven. Two laps later, Nottestad drew even with Brent Edmunds for fourth. Nottestad claimed the position on lap 12 and set his sights on Erdman in third. Nottestad and Erdman began to fight for the spot on lap 17 while Ovadal began to work over Scheel at the front of the pack. Some bumping and banging between Scheel and Ovadal allowed Nottestad and Erdman to close the gap on the leaders on lap 18. A second and final caution waved on lap 20. Scheel restarted on the point with Ovadal right behind in second and Nottestad now up to third. Nottestad quickly went to work on Ovadal for second once the green flew. Nottestad cleared for the second position on lap 22 as he pulled up behind Scheel. On lap 25, Nottestad dove under Scheel as they raced into turn one. Nottestad took sole possession of the top spot as they came to line to complete that lap. Nottestad immediately began to open up a healthy advantage while Scheel went back to making sure his mount stayed in front of Ovadal. At the checkers, it was Nottestad for the win followed by Scheel, Ovadal, Erdman and Edmunds.
An exciting finish to the 30 lap Sportsman feature ended with Jim Tate Jr of Doylestown in victory lane with the win. Tony Ciano and Jim Taylor led the field to green as they battled side by side for control of the lead. Ciano eventually took control on lap three with Tate quickly moving up to battle Taylor for second. Tate took the runner up position for himself on lap four with Terry Wangsness in tow for third. On lap five, Tate drew even with Ciano as he looked to lead. Tate cleared for the top spot on lap seven when he slid up in front of Ciano exiting turn two. Wangsness again stayed in Tate’s tracks as he claimed second from Ciano on lap nine. Wangsness charged up behind the new leader as he began to hound Tate’s rear bumper. Wangsness continued to search for an opening to get alongside Tate. That opening appeared on lap 22 as Wangsness pulled up alongside Tate on his inside. Wangsness completed the pass on lap 24 as Tate tried to regroup. Tate pulled back up behind Wangsness to make on last bid to regain the lead. As they raced into turn one on the final lap, contact between the two competitors resulted in Wangsness washing up the racing surface. Tate allowed Wangsness to collect his mount as they flew down the backstretch. Tate drove under Wangsness through turns three and four. They raced side by side on the exit of turn four as they drag race to the stripe was on. At the checkers, it was Tate by inches over Wangsness to claim the win. Ciano finished third with Bobby Selsing and Robert Hansberry Jr rounding out the top five.
Former many time track champion, Mark English of Edgerton claimed the season opening 20 lap International feature event. Seth Green took the early lead from the pole on lap one with Jason Uttech and Merek Pankow fighting for second behind him. An early caution on lap two led to Green and Pankow pacing he field back to the green flag. Green returned to the lead as racing resumed with English now up to battle Pankow for second. English moved past Pankow on lap seven as he set his sight on Green at the front. English drove under Green on lap nine, taking control of the point a lap later. English opened up a good lead while Neil Higgins moved up to battle Green for second. Higgins took the spot away on lap 14 with James Bell and Seth Reamer right behind him. Bell took second from Higgins on lap 17 brining Reamer along for third. Reamer tried to get by Bell in the closing laps, but couldn’t complete the pass. At the stripe, it was English for the win followed by Bell, Reamer, Higgins and Green.
Chester Williams of Waukesha scored the victory in the 25 lap Hobby Stock main event. Terry Ciano and Jim Wolf made up row one at the start. Ciano took control of the lead exiting turn two on the first lap. Phil Wuesthoff got by Wolf for second on lap four with Lucas Buckingham in tow for third. Dustin Ward got to third on lap six and quickly went to work on Wuesthoff for second. Ward took the spot away on lap nine and closed the gap on the leader, Ciano. On lap 11, Ward dove under Ciano entering turn three. Ward cleared for the lead a lap later down the back stretch. Ciano made contact with Ward’s rear bumper as they entered turn three on lap 12. The contact loosened Ward’s bumper as it began to drag on the racing surface. The new leader was shown the black flag for safety reasons, but the bumper came all the way off on lap 14 to force the caution. Ciano was handed the lead once again for the restart with Buckingham now second and Williams in third. Williams moved around Buckingham for second on the restart and quickly pulled up behind Ciano. Williams drove to the low side of Ciano, pulling even and grabbing control on lap 17. Williams drove away to claim the win with AJ Lloyd stealing the second spot from Ciano in the final laps. Buckingham and Cody Buchs completed the top five.
Chris Gottschalk of Fort Atkinson claimed the 20 lap Road Warrior feature event. Tim Ellis led early with Bill Reynolds up to second and Gottschalk in third. Gottschalk, Reynolds and Ellis raced three wide for the lead on lap five. Gottschalk cleared for the position on lap six with Reynolds moving into second. Kenny Storkson moved up to challenge Reynolds for second on lap nine. Storkson took the spot on lap 12 with Bill Sweeney in his tracks. Gottschalk remained in control to see the checkers first for the win. Storkson held off Sweeney for second with Reynolds and Bryan Gottschalk rounding out the top five.
Watertown’s DJ Hill hung on to pick up the win in the 20 lap Bandit feature. Tara Belz and Ryan Ostenson led the field to green with Belz in early command. Belz stayed out front through a caution on lap six with Hill on her heels in second. Hill moved out front on the restart while Belz dropped back to battle Ostenson for second. Jeremy Bredeson drove around the outside to pick up the second spot just before the second caution waved on lap 12. Hill and Bredeson led the field back to green as they battled for the top spot. Hill held the advantage while Bredeson continued to work the high side. Bredeson motored back up alongside Hill on the final lap. At the stripe, it was Hill by inches over Bredeson for the win. Ostenson came home in third followed by Tyler Deporter and Belz.
Next Saturday, May 14, is a full program of racing including the American Ethanol Super Truck Series and highlighted by the Rivers Edge Meat Market and Catering 50 lap Late Model feature. 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) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 2) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 3) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 4) Trent Erdman, Fort Atkinson 5) Brent Edmunds, Monticello 6) Stephen Scheel, Lake Mills 7) Luke Westenberg, Jefferson 8) Michael Grueneberg, Madison 9) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 10) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 11) Bruce Lee, Cambridge 12) Kody Hubred, Cambridge 13) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson 14) Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva 15) Scott Patrick, Dousman 16) Casey Johnson, Edgerton 17) Bob Kahler, Caledonia (IL) 18) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson
Fast Qualifier- Jason Erickson 14.173 seconds
Last Chance- Casey Johnson, Kyle Smith, Bob Kahler, Scott Patrick
Heat Winners- 1) Bob Kahler 2) Stephen Scheel 3) John Ovadal Jr
Sportsman-
Feature Results- 1) Jim Tate Jr, Doylestown 2) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 3) Tony Ciano, Janesville 4) Bobby Selsing, Johnson Creek 5) Robert Hansberry Jr, Beloit 6) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 7) Jay Kalbus, Watertown 8) Tim Coley, Madison 9) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 10) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 11) Dan Schmidt, Watertown 12) Josh Madell, Mayville 13) Tim Belz, Edgerton 14) Adam Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 15) Ed Jackson, Madison 16) Dan Silberhorn, Fond du Lac 17) Lucas Hernandez, Waunakee 18) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 19) Boyd Eichelkraut, Stoughton
Fast Qualifier- Robert Hansberry Jr 14.833 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Tim Coley 2) Tony Ciano
International-
Feature Results- 1) Mark English, Edgerton 2) James Bell, Janesville 3) Seth Reamer, Beaver Dam 4) Neil Higgins, Watertown 5) Seth Green, Milton 6) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 7) Josh Marx, Dousman 8) Jason Uttech, Watertown 9) Jamie Kohn, Madison 10) Adam Schook, Whitewater 11) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 12) Keith Bell, Brodhead 13) Mike Lambert, Fort Atkinson
Fast Qualifier- Seth Reamer 15.936 seconds NEW TRACK RECORD
Heat Winners- 1) Seth Green 2) Mark English
Hobby Stock-
Feature Results- 1) Chester Williams, Waukesha 2) AJ Lloyd, Loves Park (IL) 3) Terry Ciano, Janesville 4) Lucas Buckingham, Whitewater 5) Cody Buchs, Mazomanie 6) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 7) Chuck Egli, Stoughton 8) Jim Wolf, Watertown 9) Jared Vike, Sussex 10) Korey Bengsch, Fond du Lac 11) Rick Coppernoll, Stoughton 12) Brandon DeLacy, Stoughton 13) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 14) Ricky Sanwick, Janesville 15) Jamie Tate, Doylestown 16) Jon Benninger, Windsor 17) Dustin Ward, Waterloo 18) Brandon Angileri, Beloit
Fast Qualifier- Cody Buchs 15.839 seconds
Last Chance- Brandon DeLacy, Jon Benninger, Ricky Sanwick, Jamie Tate
Heat Winners- 1) Ricky Sanwick 2) Brandon Angileri 3) Dustin Ward
Road Warrior-
Feature Results- 1) Chris Gottschalk, Fort Atkinson 2) Kenny Storkson, Edgerton 3) Bill Sweeney, Aztalan 4) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 5) Bryan Gottschalk, Jefferson 6) Tim Ellis, Rockford (IL) 7) Anthony Accardi, Madison 8) David Pautsch Jr, Roscoe (IL) 9) Matthew Melchiori, Fort Atkinson
Fast Qualifier- Kenny Storkson 16.633 seconds
Heat Winner- Chris Gottschalk
Bandit-
Feature Results- 1) DJ Hill, Watertown 2) Jeremy Bredeson, Deforest 3) Ryan Ostenson, Beloit 4) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson 5) Tara Belz, Sun Prairie 6) Bill Kohn, Madison 7) Eric Pearson, Beloit 8) Chad Olds, Whitewater 9) Nick Schmidt, Watertown 10) Brody Chilvers, Milton
Fast Qualifier- Chad Olds 14.445 seconds
Heat Winners- 1) Ryan Ostenson 2) Tyler Deporter
