By: Paul Reichert
October 8, 2020
Rain has been a pest to the Oktoberfest Race Weekend at the La Crosse Speedway for the last few years. With picture perfect weather expected for all four days of the 51st edition, great crowds should be expected with exciting competition on the track. First time feature winners highlighted the opening night of Oktoberfest, headlined by Jacob Nottestad claiming the Super Late Model ‘Futures’ race. Nick Pantizke and Nick Clements were victorious in the opening pair of 20 lap La Crosse Late Model features.
Andy Monday (Appleton, WI) showed the way early in the 25 lap Super Late Model ‘Futures’ feature. Jacob Nottestad (Cambridge, WI) stuck close to Monday, looking for an opening to surge into the top spot. Yellow flew on lap nine when R.J. Braun (Wales, WI) and Levon VanderGeest (Merrill, WI) made contact out of turn four. VanderGeest’s nose pointed skyward briefly, but his car came back down on all four wheels. Nottestad surged past Monday on the outside to become the new leader on the restart. Red hot driver Justin Mondiek (Gleason, WI) stormed by Monday for second just before halfway. For the second half of the race, Mondeik would eat away at Nottestad’s half of a straightaway lead. There were only two car lengths separating Nottestad and Mondeik with three laps to go. Mondiek tried to make one last push to the inside coming to the checkered flag, but Nottestad added a huge Oktoberfest feature win to his already stellar racing resume.
In the first 20 lap Oktoberfest LaCrosse Late Model Feature, two-time champion Nick Pantizke (Lonsdale, MN) surged past Mike Carlson (West Salem, WI) to take the early lead. As Panitzke and Carlson pulled away, the track and possible national champion fight was heating up. Nick Murgic (Rosemount, MN), Jacob Goede (Carver, MN) and Steve Carlson (West Salem, WI) were running neck and neck as they made their way through the field. A bobble in turn one on lap nine by Tony Leis (MIddle Ridge, WI) allowed Murgic to move in third. Goede and Carlson moved into the top five at the halfway mark of the race. Murgic, Goede and Carlson tried all they could to to try to make some head way with the leaders Panitzke and Mike Carlson were in the next county as Pantizke rolled to his first feature win since August of last year. After the race, Panitzke said “It’s great to be back at LaCrosse and finally claim an Oktoberfest feature win.”
Brent Kirchner (LaCrosse, WI) jumped out to an early lead in the second 20 lap NASCAR Late Model Oktoberfest feature. Nick Clements (West Salem, WI)powered his way under Kirchner entering turn three on lap five to take over the top spot. Devin Schmidt (Belle Plaine, MN) was feeling very racy as he dove under Kirchner to move into second on lap seven. Schmidt began to whittle away at Clements’ advantage over the next several laps. With seven laps to go, Schmidt was within two car lenghts of the leader. Brent Kirchner and BIlly Mohn (Elko, MN) tangled coming out of turn four with five laps to go, setting up a thrilling ending to this feature. Ty Majeski (Seymour, WI) suffered a mechanical issue on the restart, while Clements surged ahead of Schmidt and Mohn. Mohn moved into second on lap 17, but Schmidt was relentless in challenging Mohn for second. Clements checked out on that battle as he claimed his second win of the season. After the race, Clements said “We’ve been going over this race car since August with a fine tooth comb to score a win like this.”
The 20 lap Sportsmen feature saw Trevor Robinson battling door handle to door handle with Bobby Frisch until the haflway point, when Frisch nosed into the lead. Despite a couple of yellow flags, Robinson and Frisch continued their neck and neck battle. Frisch broke away coming to the white flag, but had to fight off Dave Edwards to take the victory by only .045 seconds. Despite missing out on an Oktoberfest feature win, Edwards still walked away a winner taking the track championship.
Jason Bolster took the lead two laps into the 20 lap Hobby Stock feature. He would have his hands full fighting off the challenges of Kaleb Hardy over the last six laps of the race. A little beating and banging on the final lap allowed Hardy to steal the win away from Bolster. A fifth place finish in the feature capped off a championship season for Brandon Gallagher.
In the Hornet feature, Kris Berg took the lead from Dexter Malin off a lap two restart. Making his first ever visit to LaCrosse, Eric Breitenfeldt made his way quietly through the field before catching Berg. With three laps to go, Brietenfeldt would power his way around Berg and drive away with his biggest feature win ever. Despite a rough go in the main event and losing a bit of his point lead, Jimmy Bjorkman managed to hold off Cheyanne Stanfield to finally take his first track championship.
Jonathan Burbach quickly bolted out to an early lead in the Street Stock feature. The rest of the field was struggling to catch up to ‘Smallz’ as Burbach ran away with the victory. Matt Moore wrapped up the season championship with a sixth place finish in the main event.
The wild and crazy Double-O race ended the opening night of Oktoberfest. Mark Bornitz took the lead at the start of the race. A few of the slower competitors made things interesting for the front runners. Newly crowned Sportsmen champ Dave Edwards powered his way by Bornitz coming to five laps to go. Edwards patiently made his way through the strung out field to capture the victory.
Racing at the 51st Oktoberfest Race Weekend continues on Friday, October 9 as the NASCAR Late Models run another pair of 20 lap features to decide the 2020 season championship. The driver with the best overall performance in all four features will be crowned the ‘Festmaster’ champion. Super Late Models from across the Midwest will compete in the 14th annual Dick Trickle 99, with the lowest score capturing this prestigious title. Sportsmen drivers from all over Wisconsin and surrounding states will gather to compete in the Area Sportsmen division. Gates open at 3:00, qualifying starts at 3:10 and racing begins at 5:30.
For more information about LaCrosse Speedway, please call the office at 608-786-1525 or visit our website at lacrossespeedway.com. For all the latest news and information about the 51st Oktoberfest Race Weekend, be sure to check out oktoberfestraceweekend.com. LaCrosse Speedway is proud to be a NASCAR Hometrack, part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Series.
RESULTS
Super Late Models ‘Futures’Feature: 1. Jacob Nottestad, 2. Justin Mondeik, 3. Gabe Sommers, 4. Nick Barstad, 5. Chad Butz, 6. Andy Monday, 7. Michael Ostdiek, 8. Kyle Genett, 9. Dillon Hammond, 10. Bryan Syer-Keske, 11. Joe Valento, 12. Jerry Mueller, 13. Brock Heinrich, 14. Brady Bill, 15. Brett Yackey, 16. Darren Jackson, 17. Derek Doerr, 18. Brad Tilton, 19. Harley Jankowski, 20. Gregory Borchardt, 21. Alex Stumpf, 22. M.G. Gajewski, 23. Tim Springstroh, 24. R.J. Braun, 25. Levon VanderGeest
Hooligan Race: 1. Borchardt, 2. Tilton, 3. Jackson, 4. H. Jankowski, 5. Gajewski, 6. Marek, 7. Nick Egan, 8. Brian Hesselberg, 9. Jay VanderGeest
Quliafying: 1. Hammond, 2. Butz, 3. Sommers. 4. Ostdiek, 5. Mondeik, 6. Barstad, 7. L. VanderGeest, 8. Syer-Keske, 9. Nottestad, 10. Valento, 11. Springstroh, 12. Braun, 13. Monday, 14. Bill, 15. Gennet, 16. Heinrich, 17. Mueller, 18. Yackey, 19. Stumpf, 20. Doerr, 21. Jackson, 22. Egan, 23. Tilton, 24. Borchardt, 25. J. VanderGeest, 26. H. Jankowski, 27. Hesselberg, 28. Marek, 29. M. Goede, 30. Zmyewski, 31. Gajewski, 32. Nason (DQ), 33. Beale (DQ)
La Crosse Late Models
Feature #1: 1. Nick Pantizke, 2. Mike Carlson, 3. Nick Murgic, 4. Jacob Goede, 5. Steve Carlson, 6. Ty Majeski, 7. Jerimy Wagner, 8. Dean Cornelius, 9. Tony Leis, 10. Devin Schmidt, 11. Nick Clements, 12. Billy Mohn, 13. Brent Kirchner, 14. Adam Degenhardt, 15. Steve Bachman, 16. Adam Oxborough, 17. Michael Beamish, 18. Don Turner, 19. Steve Schultz, 20. Chris Marek, 21. Carter Christenson, 22. Michael Haggar, 23. Pete Carlson, 24. Ken Donais, 25. Mandi Eckelberg, 26. Jeff Partington, 27. Justin Mullikin
Feature #2: 1. Clements, 2. Mohn, 3. Schmidt, 4. Cornelius, 5. Murgic, 6. Leis, 7. Goede, 8. Wagner, 9. Degenhardt, 10. M. Carlson, 11. S. Carlson, 12. Marek, 13. Bachman, 14. Turner, 15. Kirchner, 16. Beamish, 17. Christenson, 18. Pantizke, 19. Haggar, 20. M. Eckelberg, 21. Donais, 22. Majeski, 23. Mullikin, 24. S. Schultz, 25. Oxborough, 26. Partington, 27. P. Carlson
B-Feature: 1. Beamish, 2. S. Schultz, 3. Marek, 4. Haggar, 5. Andrew Schultz, 6. Chris Skrede, 7. Shaun Scheel, 8. Pete Carlson, 9. Stephen Scheel, 10. Billy Baumeister, 11. Doug Brown, 12. Cole Thomas, 13. Rob Christen, 14. Mandi Eckelberg, 15. Ken Donais, 16. Jeff Sarver
Qualifying: 1. J. Goede, 1. Majeski, 3. Cornelius, 4. Clements, 5. Wagner, 6. S. Carlson, 7. Schmidt, 8. Murgic, 9. Leis, 10. Panitzke, 11. M. Carlson, 12. Degenhardt, 13. Bachman, 14. Kirchner, 15. Mohn, 16. Oxborough, 17. Christenson, 18. Turner, 19. Haggar, 20. Marek, 21. S. Schultz, 22. Mullikin, 23. Skrede, 24. Beamish, 25. Partington, 26. Bendzick, 27. A. Schultz, 28. D. Brown, 29. St. Scheel, 30. Sh. Scheel, 31. P. Carlson, 32. Donais, 33. Baumeister, 34. Christen, 35. M. Eckelberg, 36. Sarver, 37. Thomas (NO TIME)
LawnKeepers Sportsmen
Feature: 1. Bobby Frisch, 2. Dave Edwards, 3. Trevor Robinson, 4. Justin Berg, 5. Bill Schott, 6. Chris Weber, 7. Brad Warthan, 8. Sam Niles, 9. Titus Helgestad, 10. Jeff Thompson, 11. Rick Coppernoll, 12. Johnny Robinson II, 13. Bob Fort, 14. Henry Vian, 15. Ed Ross, 16. Tyler Sauter, 17. Riley Zillmer, 18. Jack Litshiem, 19. Scott Luck, 20. Taylor Dawson, 21. Eric Campbell, 22. Mark Challet, 23. Rob Curran
Qualifying: 1. Sauter, 2. Frisch, 3. Berg, 4. T. Robinson, 5. Schott, 6. Niles, 7. Edwards, 8. Curran, 9. Coppernoll, 10. Dawson, 11. Challet, 12. Ross, 13. Thompson, 14. Fort, 15. Zillmer, 16. Warthan, 17. Campbell, 18. Weber (DQ), 19. Luck (DQ), 20. Helgestad (DQ), 21. Vian (DQ), 22. Litshiem (DQ), 23. J. Robinson II (DQ)
Auto Value Hobby Stocks
Feature: 1. Kaleb Hardy, 2. Jason Bolster, 3. Mark Challet, 4. Alex Rud, 5. Brandon Gallagher, 6. Tom Farra, 7. Raymond Hardy, 8. Joe Prusak, 9. Joey Johnson, 10. Tyler Stuber, 11. Andy MooreQualifying: 1. R. Hardy, 2. K. Hardy, 3. An. Moore, 4. Prusak, 5. Rud, 6. Bolster, 7. Gallagher, 8. Challet, 9. Stuber, 10. Farra, 11. J. Johnson
ANT’s Complete Pest Control Hornets
Feature: 1. Eric Breitenfeldt, 2. Kris Berg, 3. Cheyanne Stanfield, 4. Dexter Malin, 5. Mark Bornitz, 6. Justin Schlietzche, 7. Jaydin Schock, 8. Michael Wachs, Jr., 9. Zach Oliver, 10. Ridge Oien, 11. Jimmy Bjorkman, 12. Mark Luethe, 13. Rob Stanfield, 14. Luke Geisler, 15. Joey Johnson, 16. Tyler Custer, 17. Max Manowski, 18. Tristan Drazkowski, 19. Nick Hadler, 20. Corey Jankowski, 21. Chuck Lofquist, 22. Matthew Miller, 23. John Heubner, 24. Tom Luethe, 25. Jake Schomers, 26. Ben Thurk, 27. Brandon Lemoine, 28. Brandon McCarthy
Qualifying: 1. Bjorkman, 2. Wachs, Jr., 3. C. Stanfield, 4. J. Johnson, 5. Bornitz, 6. Schock, 7. Oliver, 8. Breitenfeldt, 9. Schlietzche, 10. Lemoine, 11. M. Luethe, 12. C. Jankowski, 13. Custer, 14. Schomers, 15. Berg, 16. Malin, 17. Geisler, 18. Oien, 19. T. Luethe, 20. Manowski, 21. Huebner, 22. Hadler, 23. Drazkowski, 24. R. Stanfield, 25. McCarthy, 26. Miller, 27. Lofquist (NO TIME), 28. Thurk (NO TIME)
Auto Value Street Stocks
Feature: 1. Jonahtan Burbach, 2. Adam Kerley, 3. Alex Liebsch, 4. Rob Stanfield, 5. Zach Liebsch, 6. Matt Moore, 7. Al Bartels, 8. Jestin DeLap, Sr., 9. Pete Thompson, 10. TIm Murphy, Sr., 11. Tristan Drazkowski, 12. John Huebner, 13. Steven Mueller, 14. Joshua Zacharias, 15. Spencer Nevinger, 16. John Clauson, 17. Dan Frye, 18. Bernie Lucey, 19. Steven Brasda, 20. Katie Wolff, 21. Will Petty, 22. Melissa Rusch
Qualifying: 1. T. Drazkowski, 2. M. Moore, 3. Brasda, 4. Frye, 5. A. Liebsch, 6. R. Stanfield, 7. Zacharias, 8. DeLap, Sr., 9. Bartels, 10. Mueller, 11. Z. Liebsch, 12. Murphy, Sr., 13. Nevinger, 14. Thompson, 15. Burbach, 16. Kerley, 17. Lucey, 18. Huebner, 19. Rusch, 20. J. Clauson, 21. Wolff, 22. Petty
Double-O Race: 1. Dave Edwards, 2. Mark Bornitz, 3. Eric Breitenfeldt, 4. Andy Barney, 5. Kyle Stark, 6. Jason Bolster, 7. Andy Moore, 8. Jeff Sarver, 9. Bob Fort, 10. Justin Schlietzche, 11. Tyler Custer, 12. Alex Rud, 13. Adam Kerley, 14. Chuck Lofquist, 15. Zach Liebsch, 16. Dexter Malin, 17. John Huebner, 18. Joey Johnson, 19. Corey Jankowski, 20. Tim Murphy, Sr., 21. Gregory Fair, 22. Nick Hadler, 23. Matt Miller, 24. Joe Prusak, 25. Ronnie Osborne, 26. Phil Malouf, 27. Joey Johnson, 28. George Sparkman, 29. Will Petty