Wendt’s finish first and second at Jefferson Speedway!
By Jeanne & Larry Starr
July 29, 2000; Jefferson, WI. -Nick Wendt of Watertown claimed top honors in the Bumper to Bumper 50 on Wisconsin’s Action Track. Starting from the outside of row 6, Nick Wendt started his drive to the front as Duane Deppe of Waterloo pulled out to the early lead. Caution came on lap 10 when a single car spin between turns 3 and 4 collected about half the field. On the restart Deppe held the point with Wendt up to the 6th spot.
By lap 12 Wendt joined a 4 way battle for the 2nd spot, with Scott Bleecker of Jefferson, Ryan Ley of Rome and Ken Olson of Ft. Atkinson. Olson Slipped a bit on lap 15, with Wendt moving up to the 3rd spot. Bleecker spun, in turn 3, on lap 20, bringing out the final caution of the race and moving Wendt up to the 2nd spot for the restart.
Nick Wendt moved under Deppe on lap 21, battling for the top spot as Andy Wendt made his way to the 3rd spot. Deppe fell back by lap 23 with Nick claiming the lead, Andy claiming 2nd and Olson moving back up to the 3rd spot. As the laps slipped by, the battle of the Wendt’s carried them far ahead of the 3rd spot, where Ken Olson held off the current point leader Dan Chesmore for many laps of side-by-side racing. At the stripe it was Nick Wendt by a half car over Andy Wendt, followed by Chesmore, Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson, and Olson.
Andy Wendt set the fast qualifying pace, with a 14.705 second tour of the quarter mile.
Scott Nottestad of Cambridge claimed top honors, in the Bumper to Bumper Dash for Cash.
Claiming victories, in 10 lap heat races, were Bill Drefahl of Evansville, Deppe and Rex Weston of Lake Mills.
Moving to the feature lineup from the 20 lap Last Chance race were Jasper Gronert of Jefferson Chad Stevens of Beloit, Russ Goodwin of Beloit and Weston.
Entering the Last Chance Race via the 10 lap Consolation Race were Butch Mierendorf of Waterloo and Ken Piotrowski of Milton.
In International division action Mike Bingham of Jefferson claimed victory in the 20 lap main event. Starting from the inside of row 2, Bingham headed for the front, as Scott Uttech of Beaver Dam drove out to the early lead. Bingham closed with Uttech, making the winning pass on lap 3.
As Bingham guided the field toward the checkered flag, Brent Nottestad of Cambridge, the current point leader battled his way through the field. Nottestad motored past Mark English of Edgerton, for 2nd, on lap 19, closing the gap with Bingham. It was too little and too late as Bingham led at the stripe, followed by Nottestad, English, Pete Weston of Ft. Atkinson and Darnell Mepham of Ft. Atkinson.
Nottestad set the high mark in qualifying, with a 15.940 second circuit of the quarter mile.
Claiming wins, in 8 lap heat races, were Bobby Moore of Edgerton and English.
A note to fans to set the record straight: last week (July 21), I incorrectly named Jerry Efferding as the third place finisher in the International Feature. That position belonged to the other #39 car, driven by Tim Woollen of Madison.
In Sportsman division action, former track champion Bob Selsing of Ft. Atkinson notched the win, in the 25 lap main event. Starting from the outside of row 4, Selsing headed toward the front as Dan Schmidt of Farmington took the early lead. As Schmidt guided the way, Selsing moved through traffic, claiming 2nd from Dylan Schuyler of Dousman on lap 6 and closing with Mike Landers of Johnson Creek.
Landers held off Selsing until lap 11, when Selsing claimed the spot and set his sights on Schmidt. Selsing claimed the top spot on lap 12 guiding the field to the checkered flag as Dave Oswald of Cottage Grove worked his way from 5th. Oswald claimed 2nd on lap 20 with a huge deficit on the leader. Closing the gap over the remaining laps, Oswald never came within striking distance. At the stripe it was Selsing followed by Oswald, Schuyler, Jeff Kohlhoff of Watertown and Josh Weir of Cottage Grove.
Oswald set the fast mark in qualifying, with a 15.828 second loop of the quarter mile.
Claiming victories, in 10 lap heat races, were Rick Rothwell of Madison, Joe Wendorf of Jefferson and Josh Wier of Cottage Grove.
Moving to the feature field from the 10 lap Last Chance race were Tom Collins of Lake Mills, Rick Coppernoll of Madison, Shane Radtke of Hellenville and Dale Padfield of Jefferson.
In Hobby Stock action Jim Pfeifer of Ft. Atkinson claimed the win, in the 20 lap feature. Starting from the inside of row 7, Pfeifer started the long drive to the point as Terry Wangsness of Whitewater pulled out to the early lead. Wangsness held the point until the only caution of the race, on lap 14, for debris on the track.
On the restart Jim Williams of Milton motored past Wangsness of the top spot as Pfeifer moved into the 2nd spot. Pfeifer raced past Williams on lap 18, as Tim Noble of Janesville claimed 2nd. Noble closed with Pfeifer on lap 18, but saw now opening for a pass. At the stripe it was Pfeifer for the win, followed by Noble, Williams, Jason Ayers of Stoughton and Wangsness.
Noble set the fast qualifying pace with a 16.935 second lap on the quarter mile.
Claiming victories, in 8 lap heat races were Jason Thom of Ft. Atkinson, Kevin Quale of Ft. Atkinson and Brett Schmidt of Farmington.
Moving to the feature field, by way of the 12 lap Last Chance race, were John Duessler of Marshall, John Shane of Waukesha, Jay Finnegan of Milton and Nick Golich of Hebron.
Rounding out the night’s entertainment was the Bubble Gauntlet, round 2. Where Terry Tucker, and a designated tail gunner, attempt to complete 6 laps, impeded by a swarm of 4 cylinder autos. The Gauntlet car fell a half lap into the event with broken steering!
Next week Jefferson Speedway hosts the Generac 50, with a 50 lap Late Model feature along with full racing program in all 4 divisions. Also on tap is the final round of the Rollover Contest and the Great American Bartenders Race.
Gates open at 4:00, qualifying at 5:30 and racing at 7:30 sharp. Jefferson Speedway is on highway 18 between Cambridge and Jefferson Wisconsin.
Late Model Feature Finish:
Laps: 50
1. 46 Nick Wendt (Watertown)
2. 18 Andy Wendt (Watertown)
3. 27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville)
4. 76 Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
6. 44 Roger Behlke (Jefferson)
7. 106 Chris Purdy (Milton)
8. 14 Jason Erickson (Cambridge)
9. 52 Duane Deppe (Waterloo)
10. 77 Ryan Ley (Rome)
11. 16 Luke Westenberg (Palmyra)
12. 62 Scott Null (Lake Mills)
13. 11 Beau Sanden (Janesville)
14. 98 Scott Bleecker (Jefferson)
15. 35 Rex Weston (Lake Mills)
16. 22 Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
17. 82 Chad Stevens (Beloit)
18 14 Scott Nottestad (Cambridge)
FAST QUALIFIER
#18 Andy Wendt (Watertown): 14.705 seconds
FAST DASH: 8 Lap
14 Scott Nottestad (Cambridge)
CONSI: 10 Lap
12 Butch Mierendorf (Waterloo)
6 Ken Piotrowski (Milton)
LAST CHANCE: Lap
22 Jasper Gronert (Jefferson)
82 Chad Stevens (Beloit), 11 Russ Goodwin (Beloit)
35 Rex Weston (Lake Mills)
Heats: 10 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 70 Bill Drefahl (Evansville)
2) 52 Duane Deppe (Waterloo)
3) 35 Rex Weston (Lake Mills)
International Feature: Laps: 20
1. 17 Mike Bingham (Jefferson)
2. 25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge)
3. 57 Mark English (Edgerton)
4. 53 Pete Weston (Ft. Atkinson)
5. 12 Darnell Mepham (Ft. Atkinson)
6. 89 Ed Wolf III (Watertown)
FAST QUALIFIER
#25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge): 15.940 seconds
Heats: 8 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 28 Bobby Moore (Edgerton)
2) 57 Mark English (Edgerton)
Sportsman Feature:
Laps: 25
1. 42 Bob Selsing (Ft. Atkinson)
2. 31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)
3. 33 Dylan Schuyler (Dousman)
4. 98 Jeff Kohlhoff (Watertown)
5. 52 Josh Weir (Cottage Grove)
6. 32 Tony Koepke (Ft. Atkinson)
FAST QUALIFIER
#31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove): 15.828 seconds
LAST CHANCE:
8 Tom Collins (Lake Mills)
36 Rick Coppernoll (Madison)
18 – Shane Radtke (Hellenville)
27 Dale Padfield (Jefferson)
Heats: 10 laps: (Winners Only)
1) 53 Rick Rothwell (Madison)
2) 3 Joe Wendorf (Jefferson)
3) 52 Josh Weir (Cottage Grove)
Hobby Stock Feature: Laps: 20
1. 11 Jim Pfeifer (Ft. Atkinson)
2. 71 Tim Noble (Janesville)
3. J10 Jim Williams (Milton)
4. 57 Jason Ayers (Stoughton)
5. 55 Terry Wangsness (Whitewater)
6. 99 Lincoln Keeser (Milton)
FAST QUALIFIER
#71 Tim Noble (Janesville): 16.935 seconds
LAST CHANCE: 12 lap
24 John Duessler (Marshall)
11 John Shane (Waukesha)
98 Jay Finnegan (Milton)
66 Nick Golich (Hebron)
Heats: 8 lap: (Winners Only)
1) 0 Jason Thom (Ft. Atkinson)
2) 76 Kevin Quale (Ft. Atkinson)
3) 9 Brett Schmidt (Farmington)
Bubble Gauntlet Round Two: Terry Tucker and his gunner Roger Stephenson made ½ lap before suffering a broken steering linkage.