By: Ashley Iwanski and Kevin Ramsell
Sunday, October 07, 2007 (West Salem, WI) – Steve Carlson got one last win at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway for 2007 on the 4th and finial day of Oktoberfest racing.
The La Crosse Late Model feature brought another first for Carlson. He had never won at Oktoberfest in a late model car before. Carlson, who finished 2nd in the ASA Midwest Tour feature, started mid-pack; it took him ten laps and one caution to break into the top five. He then had to pass Shawn Pfaff to take the fourth position. Carlson charged to the front of the pack as Kevin Nuttleman moved into fifth. Nuttleman was hoping to make this race his 100th feature win at La Crosse Speedway. Nuttleman was picking off cars one by one to get to the front. Right after he got to the bumper of Carlson on lap 39 Mark Brooner hit the wall in turn three bringing out a caution and stopping the field. Nuttleman tried to pass Carlson on the restart, but Carlson was too fast and went on to take the checkered flag. Nuttleman finished 2nd, Todd Oliver 3rd, Brent Kirchner 4th and Paul Proksch 5th.
This brought an end to a great season for Carlson. He is NASCAR Kwik Trip Late Model Champion at La Crosse for 2007 (with 8 feature wins this season) and also Whelen All American Series National Short Track Champion. While Nuttleman didn’t have a bad season himself with 2 feature wins in the NASCAR Kwik Trip Late Model series, he was upset that he didn’t get his 100th win. In a post race interview he stated that he will “use it as motivation” for next season.
Andy Jirik held off a charging Brett Widdis to win the United States Super Trucks 40-lap feature. Jirik started 14th and by lap 9, he was all the way up to fourth place. On lap 11, he was able to catch up to the top three, who were on a breakaway. Jirik worked his way around and was up to second by lap 21. On lap 15, current leader Ralph Cottone was leading until he spun in turn one allowing Jirik to take over the lead.
Jirik would go on to hold off Brett Widdis and Lucas Korish to take the win. Fred Oswald would come home fourth with Gary Cerny rounding out the top five. Oswald’s fourth place finish would be enough to wrap up the 2007 USST North title.
Joe Johnson won the Modified Oktoberfest feature. Johnson made a quick surge to the front from 5th to first in one lap. Behind him the battle for third continued. Tim Plummer, Jake Hartung and Jory Gase all wanted the same position; Plummer took it. While Johnson was busy lapping cars Plummer was taking the 2nd position from Shawn Koranda. Lap traffic slowed the leader but the others couldn’t catch up. Plummer finished in 2nd and Koranda 3rd.
Coming up in the next month is the NASCAR Whelen All American Series: Toyota All-Star Showdown on November 8th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Then on January 26, 2008 is the La Crosse Speedway Championship Banquet at Stoney Creek Inn in Onalaska. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year. The dates for Oktoberfest Race Weekend are October 2-3-4-5, 2008. For more information visit www.lacrossespeedway.com or call (608) 786-1525.
LA CROSSE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
ASA Midwest Tour
Echo Outdoor Power Equipment Oktoberfest 100
Feature (## Cars) — 1, Dan Fredrickson, Lakeville, Minn.; 2, Steve Carlson, West Salem; 3, Andrew, Morrissey, DeForest; 4, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 5, Travis Sauter, Necedah; 6, Jamie Iverson, Escanaba; 7, Dick Trickle, Iron Station, NC; 8, Dean Cornelius, Chaska, Minn.; 9, Tim Schendel, Sparta; 10, Donny Reuvers, Dundas, Minn.; 11, Jacob Goede, New Germany, Minn.; 12, Neil Knobloch, Wausau; 13, Jeremy Lapak, Wausau; 14, Nate Haseleu, Marshall; 15, Josh Vadnais, White Bear Lake, Minn.; 16, Frank Freyer, Pardeeville; 17, Kenny Richards, Montello; 18, Jesse Saunders, New Glarus; 19, Don Turner, La Crosse; 20, Kevin Nuttleman, Bangor; 21, Jonathan Eilen, Hampton, Minn.; 22, Kris Kelly, Norway, Mich.; 23, Mark Kraus, Stratford; 24, Blake Horstman, Bangor; 25, Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 26, Rob Vanderloop, Kaukauna; 27, Dan Lensing, Rockton, Ill.; 28, Dave Feiler, DeForest.
Qualifying — 1, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor, 19.133 secs, 102.624 MPH; 2, Dan Fredrickson, Lakeville, Minn., 19.133 secs, 102.624 MPH; 3, Mark Kraus, Stratford, 19.196 secs, 102.287 MPH; 4, Steve Carlson, West Salem, 19.221 secs, 102.154 MPH; 5, Donny Reuvers, Dundas, Minn., 19.249 secs, 102.005 MPH; 6, Jacob Goede, New Germany, Minn., 19.279 secs, 101.847 MPH; 7, Nate Haseleu, Marshall, 19.283 secs, 101.825 MPH; 8, Andrew Morrisey, DeForest, 19.296 secs, 101.757 MPH; 9, Josh Vandnais, White Bear Lake, Minn., 19.328 secs, 101.588 MPH; 10, Dan Lensing, Roscoe, Ill., 19.344 secs, 101.504 MPH; 11, Dean Cornelius, Chaska, Minn., 19.352 secs, 101.462 MPH; 12, Jeremy Lapak, Wausau, 19.369 secs, 101.373 MPH; 13, Tim Schendel, Sparta, 19.373 secs, 101.352 MPH; 14, Travis Sauter, Necedah, 19.379 secs, 101.321 MPH; 15, Jason Weinkauf, Merrill, 19.384 secs, 101.295 MPH; 16, Jamie Iverson, Escanaba, Mich., 19.386 secs, 101.284 MPH.
Last Chance 1 — 1, Jesse Saunders; 2, Don Turner; 3, Brian Johnson Jr., Machesney Park, Ill.; 4, Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; 5, Chris Wimmer, Wausau.
Last Chance 2 — 1, Blake Horstman; 2, Rob Vanderloop; 3, Eric Fransen; 4, Jeff Storm, East Troy; 5, Russ Blakely, Whitewater.
La Crosse Late Models
Feature (## Cars) — 1, Steve Carlson, West Salem; 2, Kevin Nuttleman, Bangor; 3, Todd Oliver, Bangor; 4, Brent Kirchner, La Crosse; 5, Paul Proksch, Stoddard; 6, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 7, Bradley Powell, La Crosse; 8, Emily Sue Steck, Holmen; 9, Jeff Baker, Holmen; 10, Matthew Henderson, Coon Valley; 11, Tom Thill, West Salem; 12, Tim Nelson, La Crescent, Minn.; 13, Don Hess, Holmen; 14, Jim Hagel, Holmen; 15, Shawn Pfaff, Sparta; 16, Tim Hagen, La Crescent, Minn.; 17, Andy Niles, Holmen; 18, Mark Brooner, Camp Douglas; 19, Kevin Austin, Sparta; 20, Dean Cornelius, Chaska, Minn.; 21, Ty Reedy, La Crosse; 22, Skylar Holzhausen, Bangor; 23, Jimmy Summerfield, Bangor; 24, Keith Kirchner, La Crosse; 25, Albert Locy, Onalaska.
USST North Truck Series
Feature (## cars) — 1, Andy Jirik, Lansdale, Minn.; 2, Bret Widdis, Manistique, Mich.; 3, Lucas Korish, Onalaska; 4, Fred Oswald, Lake Mills; 5, Gary Cerny, Janesville; 6, Collin Laurson, Mondovi; 7, Scott Smith, East Troy; 8, Jeff Babb, Elgin, Ill.; 9, Bryan Pautsch, Sun Praire; 10, Roger Egan, Eagan, Minn.; 11, Cole Howland, La Crosse; 12, Thomas Roney, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 13, Nathan Anderson, Scandia, Minn; 14, Tim Anderson, Scandia, Minn.; 15, ; 16, Ralph Cattone, Onalaska; 17, J.C. Stanelle, Milton.
Heat 1 — 1, Cole Howland; 2, Collin Laurson; 3, Jeff Babb; 4, Scott Smith; 5, Ralph Cattone.
Heat 2 — 1, Andy Jirik; 2, Bret Widdis; 3, Gary Cerny; 4, Lucas Korish; 5, Thomas Roney.
Modifieds
Feature 1 (## cars) — 1, Joe Johnson, Alesandria, Minn.; 2, Tim Plummer, Norway, Iowa; 3, Shawn Koranda, Sauk Center, Minn.; 4, Charles Eberhardt, Sussex; 5, Jory Gase, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 6, Chad Willet, Alburnett, Iowa; 7, Scott Brandt, Coon Rapids, Minn.; 8, Jake Hartung, Elmmound; 9, Tony Robertson, Kimball, Minn.; 10, Jeff Marshall, Thunderbay, Canada; 11, Scott Strauss, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 12, James Burgess, Eau Claire.
Heat 1 — 1, Tim Plummer; 2, Shawn Koranda; 3, Charles Eberhardt; 4, Jory Gase; 5, James Burgess.