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Greg Parent
NEW RICHMOND, Wisc. (June 7) - At last the weather was cooperative and the Cedar Lake Speedway presented a tremendous night of racing action on Saturday June 7. Not only was it a regular race night for the five weekly NASCAR divisions, but one heat race and all five feature events from the previous Saturday night were also included. Race fans certainly watched a lot of racing on this night at CLS, as a total of 362 laps of competitive action took place at the 3/8 mile high-banked Wisconsin oval. Feature race winners for the June 7 program included Cory Mahder with his first-ever career late model feature victory, Jason Gross with a strong run in the modified division, Jim Gullikson with his first 2008 CLS win in the super stocks, Bryce Johnson with his first-ever CLS victory in the midwest mods, and Chris Peterson topping a very good street stock main event.
The final feature race of the night pitted 24 ground-pounding NASCAR late models against each other for 30 racing laps. With track announcer Chris Stepan calling out his famous words at the start, flagman Jeff Stacken waved the green flag. Young Cory Mahder, in just his second season in the late model division, quickly bolted into the lead from his outside front row starting spot with Nick Herrick in second. A few laps into the race, fourth starter Rick Hanestad moved by Herrick and set his sights on Mahder. Hanestad closed in as the first caution flew for a five car incident in turn 4 on lap 11. Mahder was strong on the restart and opened up a slight lead. As the laps rolled by, Hanestad closed in on Mahder and soon the lead duo approached lapped traffic. Brent Larson had come from 8th to 3rd by this time. Mahder and Hanestad worked lapped traffic with Hanestad trying to get by. The final yellow waved with 22 laps in for a spin in turn 2 setting up an eight lap dash to the finish. Again Mahder got a strong restart but Hanestad was soon right on his bumper. With the white flag waving, the leaders again were approaching lapped traffic. Mahder slipped just a bit exiting turn 2 which allowed Hanestad to close right in. With a lapped car immediately in front on Mahder entering turn 3, Hanestad made a bid to the inside for the lead coming off turn four. Mahder was able to hold off Hanestad and get past the lapped car to earn his first-ever late model feature win of his young racing career. Hanestad finished a close second just a short distance in front of Brent Larson. Rick Egersdorf turned in another strong drive to finish fourth with makeup feature winner Ashley Anderson riding home fifth. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Nick Herrick, Doug Herrick, Tom Nesbitt, Scott Gilberts and Randy Gullixson.
NASCAR heat race action for the large 130 car field got underway with two street stock heats. Jeff Heintz led all the way in the first heat while Devin Neske got past Chanda Fjorden-Nord just past the halfway mark to win the second heat. Four midwest modified heats would be required for the 36 car field on hand. Sam Nelson, Clayton Wagamon, 8th starter Bob Smith, and Chad Patterson earned victories in the four heats. Rich Bishop and Mike Loomis led all the way in each of the two super stock heat races. A stout field of 26 modifieds would see Dave Lear, Jason Gross, and Jason Miller top the three heats. A season-high 30 car field for the NASCAR late models found Rick Hanestad, Ashley Anderson and Nick Herrick race to heat wins. Two B Mains were necessary before feature race action could get under way. Topping the 12 lap affairs in each division, Jason Vandekamp won the midwest mod semi while Mike Prochnow retook the lead from Mike Nutzmann to earn the top spot in the late model semi.
Following the five makeup features from the May 31 program, it was now time for the regular feature races to get underway for the June 7 show. A lot of laps had already been run, but fans were in store for more great feature race action at the popular Wisconsin speedway. The NASCAR street stocks were up first for their 15 lap main event. In a race that ran nonstop, Chris Peterson drove ahead of the field for the win. Peterson was under constant pressure all race long, as Shawn Kammerud tried inside and outside to get around Peterson pulling alongside on several occasions. A great battle waged for positions 3 through 6 immediately behind the two leaders. In the end, Chris Peterson held off Kammerud with Jared Gross, makeup feature winner Corey Rosen, and Devin Neske rounding out the top five.
The 24 car starting grid in the NASCAR midwest modified division was brought to life by pole sitter Paul Fontecchio. The race was immediately under yellow when track officials called Fontecchio for jumping the initial start. Fontecchio was put back one row. Clark Perry was the new pole sitter and powered into the early lead over Mark Trog. Making his first CLS visit on the season, Bryce Johnson soon moved into the runnerup spot behind Perry. On lap 6, Johnson raced by Perry for the lead. A lap later, the final caution of the race waved for a spin in turn 1. Johnson continued to show the way up front on the restart over Perry, as he slowly began to pull away. Vince Corbin had moved from 6th to 3rd. The race remained green to the finish with Bryce Johnson recording his first-ever CLS feature victory. Clark Perry, Vince Corbin, 13th starter Matt Lear, and three-time winner Shawn Phillips came from 18th to complete the top five finishers. The victory was especially satisfying for Johnson, who as a little kid spent many nights spectating at CLS and then many nights helping as a crew member for Mike Kelley, Jr. before starting his racing career several seasons back.
Given the amount of racing laps already recorded, CLS redid the track for the final three feature races of the evening. The NASCAR super stocks would see a fast track for their 20 feature race and pole sitter Jim Gullikson wasted no time in blasting into the lead. Dan Carlson quickly moved from 4th to 2nd, as the caution waved after two laps for a spin in turn 2. Gullikson set sail on the high side on the restart with Carlson in tow. Ninth starter Tim Borgeson and 13th starter Brandon Jensen continued their moves forward. The final caution flew with 12 laps scored for a two car incident in turn 4. Once again, Gullikson powered ahead of the field on the restart with Carlson in second. The final eight laps clicked off quick. Jim Gullikson pulled away for his first win of the season. Dan Carlson, looking to make it two wins in one night, had to settle for the runnerup spot. Tim Borgeson fine run forward ended up with a third place finish while Ryan Wiome turned in a strong run to ride home in fourth. Brandon Jensen advanced eight positions to complete the top five, as 20 of the 21 starters finished the race.
Jason Gross and Craig Brightbill paced the 24 car starting field in the NASCAR modified feature event. Following a spin on the opening lap, the race got underway with Gross gaining the advantage over Brightbill. Another caution for debris on lap 4 slowed the fast pace. Three laps later, the yellow waved again when now second place runner Jason Schill lost a driveshaft ending his strong run. Gross continued to show the way with Brightbill now back in second. The final caution was displayed when Shaun Kelly's car suffered a flat tire and came to rest on the backstretch. Jason Miller had now moved up from 12th to 3rd. Miller battled with Brightbill for several laps before finally gaining the second place position on lap 18. Gross had built up a bit of an advantage by this time and Miller was unable to catch him. Jason Gross drove to the win in the 20 lap feature race ahead of Jason Miller and Craig Brightbill. Terry Hanson, who already has a feature win to his credit this season at CLS, came from 8th to finish 4th. Some confusion following the race resulted in Jeremy Gross initially being disqualified for failing to scale but later was reinstated to his fifth place finishing position. Earning hard charger honors driving the Lepinski #87 mod, Dave Friendt raced from his 22nd starting spot to finish 11th.
Race fans left the track knowing that they had certainly witnessed more than a full show of NASCAR weekly dirt track racing action at the Cedar Lake Speedway on June 7. The track will be back in action with three nights of racing at the 10th Annual Masters this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The Thursday night June 12 program highlights four weekly NASCAR divisions including the modifieds, super stocks, midwest mods and street stocks. The Friday and Saturday portion of the Masters features the WDRL late model touring series along with the IRA Outlaw sprint cars. Complete racing programs for the WDRL and IRA series will take place each night giving fans a great opportunity to watch more action-packed activity at the famous 3/8 mile high-banked dirt oval.
Race Results:
NASCAR Impact Printing Late Models- 30 Cars
Heat 1- Rick Hanestad, Cory Mahder, Doug Herrick, Rick Egersdorf, Eric Breeschoten, Mike Bear, Mike Prochnow, Toby Patchen, Brent Mueller, Rick Friendt
Heat 2- Ashley Anderson, Brent Larson, Jeff Keeney, Tom Nesbitt, Roger Herrick, Mike Hesselink, Jim Carlson, Paul Hipsag, Jon Chrest, Jake Hiatt
Heat 3- Nick Herrick, Scott Gilberts, Randy Gullixson, Kelly Anderson, Jeff Martire, Charles DeSmith, Mike Nutzmann, Jeff Patchen, Mike Raboin, Bryan Wennen
B Main- Prochnow, Nutzmann, Hipsag, Carlson, J Patchen, Mueller, Chrest, Raboin, Wennen, T Patchen, Friendt, Hiatt
A Main- Mahder, Hanestad, Larson, Egersdorf, Anderson, Herrick, Nesbitt, Gilberts, Gullixson, Breeschoten, K Anderson, Keeney, Hesselink, Nutzmann, DeSmith, Prochnow, Herrick, Hipsag, Carlson, Bear, Mueller, J Patchen, Chrest
NASCAR Amsoil Modifieds- 26 Cars
Heat 1- Dave Lear, Scott Splittstoesser, Jeremy Gross, Shaun Kelley, Don Brightbill, Lonnie Louschke, Darrell Moe, Mike Mueller, Dave Cain
Heat 2- Jason Gross, Terry Hanson, Chris Gorka, Jason Schill, Mike Kelley, Kevin Viebrock, Scott Pomeroy, Chris Magistad, Dano Ostrander
Heat 3- Jason Miller, Craig Brightbill, Jake Jay, Bill Stettner, Dave Siercks, Ted Marrs, Mike Wood, Dave Friendt
A Main- Jason Gross, Miller, Brightbill, Hanson, Jeremy Gross, Lear, Gorka, Siercks, Splittstoesser, Stettner, Friendt, Jay, Mueller, Kelley, Pomeroy, S Kelley, Marrs, Magistad, Moe, Louschke, Viebrock, Schill, Brightbill, Wood
NASCAR Sunoco Super Stocks- 22 Cars
Heat 1- Rich Bishop, Dan Carlson, Tim Borgeson, Mike Weber, Dale Gangl, Greg Nippoldt, Brandon Jensen, Tom Chrest, Brent Kobs, Marcel Hoaglan, Lyle Archambeau
Heat 2- Mike Loomis, Cory Davis, Ryan Wiome, Jim Gullikson, Justin Dodge, Dan Preston, Cody Campeau, Bruce Schouveller, Justin Stahl, Brian Lick, Danny Schouveller
A Main- Gullikson, Carlson, Borgeson, Wiome, Jensen, Weber, Loomis, Bishop, Gangl, Dodge, Davis, Nippoldt, Chrest, Kobs, Campeau, B Schouveller, Hoaglan, Preston, Stahl, Archambeau, D Schouveller
NASCAR 3M Midwest Modifieds- 36 Cars
Heat 1- Sam Nelson, Vince Corbin, Ronnie Rihn, Matt Leer, Justin Schill, Jared Gorka, Trevor Alms, John Harer, Troy Sande, Kyle Matuska
Heat 2- Clayton Wagamon, Mark Trog, Clark Perry, Mike Gibson, Matt Osgood, Jason Vandekamp, Dane Durbin, Mark Clements, Eric Gadach
Heat 3- Bob Smith, Paul Fontecchio, Bryan Siercks, Eric Herbison, Todd Steffen, Jake Miller, Gary Lamb, John Clark
Heat 4- Chad Patterson, Bryce Johnson, Matt Durbin, Shawn Phillips, Mark Turner, Jeremy Houle, Kyle Steffen, Alex Gerlach, Josh Bazey
B Main- Vandekamp, Houle, D Durbin, Steffen, Gorka, Harer, Clark, Miller, Lamb, Alms, Gadach, Matuska, Bazey
A Main- Johnson, Perry, Corbin, Leer, Phillips, Smith, Trog, Wagamon, Vandekamp, Patterson, Nelson, Turner, Schill, Fontecchio, Steffen, Durbin, Herbison, Rihn, Gibson, Siercks, Houle
NASCAR Dodge Street Stocks- 15 Cars
Heat 1- Jeff Heintz, Corey Rosen, Derek Borchardt, Matt Raboin, Trisha Nyreen, Ed Puariea, Steve Johnson, Kim Korstad
Heat 2- Devin Neske, Chanda Fjorden-Nord, Chris Peterson, Shawn Kammerud, Jared Gross, Scott Splitstoesser, Kyle Howland
A Main- Peterson, Kammerud, Gross, Rosen, Neske, Fjorden-Nord, Heintz, Raboin, Splittstoesser, Borchardt, Johnson, Korstad, Nyreen
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