West Salem, WI- Championship Sunday during the 51st Oktoberfest Race Weekend at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway finds six drivers in the mix for the ARCA Midwest Tour Championship. The ‘Stars and Cars’ of the Tour will contest a 200 lap Championship feature on Sunday afternoon October 11, 2020 as the final event of the four day racing festival. The CWRA Late Models will also crown their Champion, a pair of engines will be awarded following the Cratetoberfest Challenge and the Vintage Cars will make their annual appearance on the 5/8 mile paved oval.
Defending ARCA Midwest Tour Champion Casey Johnson leads the charge into LaCrosse. While he has yet to win the 200 lapper at Fest, he is no stranger to victory lane there, having won the second segment of the Dick Trickle 99 just last year and is a former Big 8 Series winner at Fest. He finds himself locked in a tight point battle with Gabe Sommers, Paul Shafer, Jr and Justin Mondiek for the 2020 title as former Tour Champions Jonathan Eilen and Dalton Zehr look to make up ground for their second Championship.
While the race for the title is one to watch, Johnson will also have his hands full with a stacked field of Super Late Model aces looking to capture the checkered flag for Sunday’s 200 lap feature, and with it the title of Oktoberfest Champion. Two-time and defending Oktoberfest 200 winner Ty Majeski will be making his second tour start of 2020, having won August’s Gandrud Auto Group 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway in his first start. Also looking to return to Fest victory lane is 2017 victor Johnny Sauter, who won the Tour’s most recent event, the Joe Shear Classic 200 at Dells Raceway Park over the Labor Day Weekend. Speaking of Joe Shear, he leads all drivers with five Fest victories, Dan Fredrickson will seek a record tying fifth win in the historic event after coming up just inches short last year. 2011 Tour Champion Andrew Morrissey, like Sauter, hopes he will add his name to the winner’s list for a second time.
Returning to Oktoberfest will be the Central Wisconsin Racing Association. The CWRA which called LaCrosse home on Wednesday nights for over fifteen years returned in July to LaCrosse after a twenty-five year hiatus with Steve Carlson and Jesse Pokszyk splitting the twin feature events. A 25 lap feature on Sunday will determine if John Beale, Jeff Weinfurter or Paul Paine is the 2020 CWRA Champion. Additionally the always fan favorite Vintage Cars will be on display for photos during the fan autograph session and will compete in heat races as well as a 15 lap feature.
For a second year in a row, the Gandrud Chevrolet Cratetoberfest Challenge returns to Championship Sunday. Open to any racing vehicle that utilizes the popular GM 602 Crate Engine, a mix of all types of racecars, trucks and modifieds will converge on LaCrosse Sunday afternoon. The winner will receive $1,000 plus a new 602 crate engine courtesy of Gandrud while a second driver will be drawn in victory lane, winning a second 602 engine courtesy of Chevrolet Performance. Each engine is valued at nearly $4,000.
Fans are reminded to start their Sunday with the Charity Pancake Breakfast in the Exhibition Hall from 7:30am until 11pm. While there, kids are invited to partake in the Kid’s Pumpkin Coloring Contest at 9am prior to the on-track autograph session at 10:45am. Fans are also invited to meet the stars of yesterday at the Champions’ Re-Union in the Turn One Hospitality Chalet starting at 11am. A Sunday Church Service is also scheduled inside the Big Red Barn located on the fairgrounds facility at 9:30am.
A total of 17 divisions of racing action will make up the 51st Oktoberfest Race Weekend October 8-11, 2020. For additional information including Schedules, Rules, Camper Village information, Registration and more, visit www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com or call 608-786-1525.
Single Day Grandstand Tickets
Adults: $27
Student (12-17) $12
Kids (ages 6-11) $6
Children (ages 5 and under) FREE
Turn 1 Reserved Grandstand Seating $27 per ticket
Multi-Day General Admission Wristbands
4 Day (Thur-Sun) $90
3 Day (Fri-Sun) $70
2 Day (Sat/Sun) $45
Pit Pass Admission
5 Day (Wed-Sun) $115
4 Day (Thur-Sun) $115
3 Day (Fri-Sun) $95
2 Day (Sat/Sun) $65
Sunday Single Day $35 (available at Pit Gate)
Sunday Division 2019 Oktoberfest Winner
ARCA Midwest Tour Ty Majeski
Gandrud Cratetoberfest Frank Kreyer
Vintage Cars Woody Poole
CWRA Late Models Did Not Compete
Sunday October 11 Schedule of Events (Subject to Change)
7:30 • CHARITY PANCAKE BREAKFAST – At Exhibition Hall (until 11:00am)
8:00 • PITS & REGISTRATION OPEN (Pit Gate)
8:30 • GRANDSTANDS OPEN/BOX OFFICE OPENS (Need wristband or Ticket)
9:00 • PUMPKIN COLORING CONTEST (In Exhibition Hall)
9:30 • DRIVERS’ MEETING (At Scales)
9:30 • SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE (At Big Red Barn)
10:00 • QUALIFYING for CWRA
10:10 • PRACTICE for Crate, Vintage
10:30 • AUTOGRAPH LINE-UP (Cars on Frontstretch)
10:45 • AUTOGRAPH SESSION STARTS
11:00 • CHAMPIONS’ RE-UNION (Hospitality Chalet, Until 2:00)
11:30 • AUTOGRAPH SESSION ENDS
12:00 • OKTOBERFEST RACING BEGINS
Vintage Car Heats (8 laps)
Approved Practice (T) – (5 Laps)
Cratetoberfest Heats (8 laps)
ARCA Midwest Tour Last Chance (T) (15 laps)
CWRA Oktoberfest Feature (25 laps)
Gandrud Cratetoberfest Feature (25 laps)
Vintage Cars Oktoberfest Feature (15 laps)
ARCA Midwest Tour Oktoberfest 200