Wendt claims Watertown Bowl 50 at Jefferson Speedway!
By Jeanne & Larry Starr
August 14, 1999; Jefferson, WI. – Andy Wendt of Watertown claimed top honors in the Watertown Bowl 50, on Demolition Derby night at Jefferson Speedway.
Starting from the outside of row 4, Wendt started his drive to the front, in the action packed 50 lapper, as Jim Sault Jr. of Palmyra pulled out to the early lead. The race started with a, first lap, caution, setting up a complete restart, with Sault at the point and Wendt still running 8th. Wendt was up to the 6th spot by lap 2, when a spin, in turn 4, brought out the second caution of the race.
On the restart, Wendt moved to the outside, of Bill Leindecker of Janesville, for 4th. Leindecker, was working the inside of Jefferson’s Jasper Gronert, for the 3rd spot. Leindecker claimed 3rd, on lap 4, moving ahead to challenge Luke Westenberg of Palmyra for 2nd. Wendt stayed in the fray, still working the high grove, above Leindecker.
On lap 12, the yellow flew again, for a pair of cars spinning in turn 1. On the restart it was Sault at the point, with Leindecker 2nd and Wendt up to 4th. Leindecker motored under Sault for the lead on lap 13, with Wendt following for the 2nd spot. Wendt closed with Leindecker, moving to the inside, but Leindecker seemed fond of the top spot and was not eager to leave it.
The pair battled, side by side, for the lead, before Wendt claimed the point on lap 22. As Wendt guided the way to the checkered flag, with Leindecker close behind, Randy Cusick of Ft. Atkinson made his way up to the third spot. At the stripe it was Wendt for the win, followed by Leindecker, Cusick, Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson and Nick Wendt of Watertown.
Roger Behlke of Jefferson set the fast qualifying pace, with a 14.742 second tour of the quarter mile.
Bishofberger claimed the honors in the 8 lap fast dash.
Claiming victory, in 10 lap heat races, were Butch Mierendorf of Waterloo, Scott Bleeker of Jefferson and Russ Goodwin of Beloit.
Transferring to the feature, through the 20 lap Last Chance race were Bruce Clark of Watertown, Denny Stair of Sullivan, Bleeker, Mike Taylor of Stoughton and Bart Reinen of Jefferson.
In International class action, Justin Nottestad powered to victory in the 20 lap main event. Starting from the inside of row 7, Nottestad started the long drive to the front, avoiding trouble in the many cautions that plagued the race.
At the green flag, four cars tangled, coming out of turn 4, landing in the front stretch sand barrier to bring out the first caution of the race, and set up a complete restart. When the green flag returned, Scott Uttech of Beaver Dam claimed the early lead, guiding the way for 7 laps, before Nottestad made his way through the field, motoring under Uttech for the point. Lap 9 saw another car in the sand, bringing out the second caution of the race.
The caution came twice more, on lap 9, before a successful restart; the first for a fuel cell dragging and the second for, you may have guessed, two more cars in the sand. On the restart, Brent Nottestad motored under Uttech, for the second spot closing with Justin Nottestad, in the battle for the lead, before the final caution came on lap 10. On the restart it was Justin Nottestad holding off his brother Brent, as he guided the way to the checkered flag. At the stripe it was Justin Nottestad for the win, followed by Brent Nottestad, Rick Neerland of Ft. Atkinson, Matt Nickel of Madison and Mike Cusick of Edgerton.
Justin Nottestad set the fast qualifying pace, with a 15.912 second circuit of the quarter mile.
Claiming victory, in 10 lap heat races, were Mike Dietzen of Milwaukee and Neerland.
Moving to the main event, via the 10 lap Last Chance race, were Tory Adams of Madison, Mike Dietzen of Milwaukee, Mark English of Edgerton and Mike Hoppe of Milwaukee.
In Sportsman division action Chad “Squirt” Stevens battled his way to the front of the 25 lap main event. Starting from the inside of row 6, Stevens started the long drive to the front, as Mark Deporter of Ft. Atkinson pulled out to the early lead. Deporter opened up a strong lead, through the early going, as Stevens and defending track champion Dave Oswald of Cottage Grove battled their way through traffic. Deporter’s’ lead vaporized, on lap 13, when a blown engine engulfed the entire front straight in smoke.
On the restart it was Deporter at the point, with Stevens up to the 5th spot. Stevens motored under Kevin Thompson of Palmyra, for 2nd, on lap 16, looking ahead to Deporter. Again Deporter had opened up a strong lead, and looked as if he was headed for the win. All of that changed on lap 19, when a car hit the wall, collecting 4 more cars and bringing out the final caution of the race. On the restart, Stevens lost a spot to Oswald, coming back on the inside to reclaim 2nd, and close with Deporter. Stevens claimed the stop spot on lap 23, with Oswald coming to the inside in his bid for the point. Oswald edged ahead on lap 24, only to see Stevens move back to the lead, before the checkered flag. At the stripe it was Stevens, for the win, followed by Oswald, Deporter, Thompson and Jeff Kohlhoff of Watertown.
Kyle Munro of Ft. Atkinson set the fast mark in qualifying, with a 15.758 second orbit of the quarter mile speed plant.
Claiming victory, in 10 lap heat races, were Tom Collins of Lake Mills, Dylan Schuyler of Dousman, Chris Ehrhart of Deerfield and Bob Selsing of Ft. Atkinson.
Chris Jackson of Edgerton and Collins moved to the Last Chance race through the 10 lap Consolation race.
Rounding out the feature lineup, from the 15 lap Last Chance race, were Josh Courtney of Janesville, Roger Stephenson of Cambridge, Schuyler, Shane Radtke of Rome and Rich Titus of Jefferson.
In Hobby Stock action, Eric Severson of Rio led the, caution free, 20 lap main event flag-to-flag. Starting from the outside of the front row, Severson pulled ahead at the green and never looked back, powering all the way to victory lane. At the stripe it was Severson for the win, followed by Dan Schmidt of Watertown, Dennis Gaserude of Oregon, Trent Erdman of Ft. Atkinson and Nick Golich of Hebron.
Ken Scott of Rio set the fast qualifying pace, with a 16.959 second loop of the quarter mile.
Claiming victory, in 8 lap heat races, were Ron Coppernoll of Dane, Chris Matz of Watertown and Golich.
Moving to the feature lineup, from the 12 lap Last Chance race, were Matz, John Shane of Waukesha, Jim Blucher of Madison and Randy Strasburg of Ft. Atkinson.
Rounding out the night’s program was the Demolition Derby, where Joe Knuesel survived the carnage to claim the top prize.
Next Week Jefferson Speedway presents the WFAW/Voss Sentry Foods Winners Circle Challenge, pitting feature winners from throughout the season against each other in a single race, along with a full racing program, in all divisions, and the Women’s Challenge Race.
Gates open at 3:30 p.m., qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m. sharp. Jefferson Speedway is located between Cambridge and Jefferson on highway 18.
Results – Watertown Bowl 50
Late Model Feature Finish: Laps: 50
1. 18 – Andy Wendt (Watertown)
2. 7 – Bill Leindecker (Janesville)
3. 25 – Randy Cusick (Ft. Atkinson)
4. 76 – Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 46 – Nick Wendt (Watertown)
6. 62 – Scott Null (Lake Mills)
7. 44 – Roger Behlke (Jefferson)
8. 27 – Dan Chesmore (Janesville)
9. 43 – Denny Stair (Sullivan)
10. 7 – Bruce Clark (Watertown)
11. 4 – Jim Sault Jr. (Palmyra)
12. 6 – Bart Reinen (Jefferson)
13. 16 – Luke Westenberg (Palmyra)
14. 22 – Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
15. 41 – Mike Taylor (Stoughton)
16. 55 – Eric Gerlach (Palmyra)
17. 35 – Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
18. 98 – Scott Bleeker (Jefferson)
FAST QUALIFIER – 44 – Roger Behlke (Jefferson): 14.743 sec.
FAST DASH: 8 Lap – 76 – Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
LAST CHANCE: 20 Lap
7 – Bruce Clark (Watertown)
43 – Denny Stair (Sullivan);
98 – Scott Bleeker (Jefferson)
41 – Mike Taylor (Stoughton)
6 – Bart Reinen (Jefferson)
Heats: 10 lap:
1) – 12 – Butch Mierendorf (Waterloo)
2) – 98 – Scott Bleeker (Jefferson)
3) – 11 – Russ Goodwin (Beloit)
International Feature: Laps: 20
1. 15 – Justin Nottestad (Cambridge)
2. 25 – Brent Nottestad (Cambridge)
3. 24 – Rick Neerland (Ft. Atkinson)
4. 7 – Matt Nickel (Madison)
5. 28 – Mike Cusick (Edgerton)
6. 2 – Matt Frey (Cambridge)
FAST QUALIFIER – 15 – Justin Nottestad (Cambridge): 15.912 sec.
LAST CHANCE: 10 lap
128 – Tory Adams (Madison)
71 – Mike Dietzen (Milwaukee)
92 – Mark English (Edgerton)
52 – Mike Hoppe (Milwaukee)
Heats: 10 lap:
1) – 21 – Mike Dietzen (Milwaukee)
2) – 24 – Rick Neerland (Ft. Atkinson)
Sportsman Feature: Laps: 25
1. 82 – Chad “Squirt” Stevens (Beloit)
2. 31 – Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)
3. 28 – Mark Deporter (Ft. Atkinson)
4. 99 – Kevin Thompson (Palmyra)
5. 98 – Jeff Kohlhoff (Watertown)
6. 6 – Chris Ehrhart (Deerfield)
FAST QUALIFIER – 30 – Kyle Munro (Ft. Atkinson): 15.758 sec.
LAST CHANCE:15 lap
21 – Josh Courtney (Janesville)
88 – Roger Stephenson (Cambridge)
33 – Dylan Schuyler (Dousman)
17 – Shane Radtke (Rome)
21 – Rich Titus (Jefferson)
Consi: 10 lap:
37 – Chris Jackson (Edgerton)
8 – Tom Collins (Lake Mills)
Heats: 10 lap:
1) – 8 – Tom Collins (Lake Mills)
2) – 33 – Dylan Schuyler (Dousman)
3) – 6 – Chris Ehrhart (Deerfield)
4) – 42 – Bob Selsing (Ft. Atkinson)
Hobby Stock Feature: Laps: 20
1. 27 – Eric Severson (Rio)
2. 19 – Dan Schmidt (Watertown)
3. 18 – Dennis Gaserude (Oregon)
4. 11 – Trent Erdman (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 66 – Nick Golich (Hebron)
6. 22 – Chuck Egli (Waterloo)
FAST QUALIFIER – 39 – Ken Scott (Rio): 16.959 sec.
LAST CHANCE: 12 lap
72 – Chris Matz (Watertown)
11 – John Shane (Waukesha)
93 – Jim Blucher (Madison)
56 – Randy Strasburg (Ft. Atkinson)
Heats: 8 lap:
1) – 72 – Ron Coppernoll (Dane)
2) – 72 – Chris Matz (Watertown)
3) – 66 – Nick Golich (Hebron)
Demolition Derby: Joe Knuesel