(Racing Every Saturday Night)
Race Results
April 29, 2000
By Rob Ristesund
The 2000 racing kicked off before a large crowd on a cool evening Saturday night at Lake County Speedway.
After losing the late model stock car point title to Brad Wollman by one point last year, Todd Sterzinger wasted no time in his quest for the championship this year as he dominated the feature event. Sterzinger used his front row starting spot to jump out to a straightaway's advantage early in the fifteen lap event and maintained that lead over the rest of field the rest of the way as the race went non-stop. While the Colman driver was cruising enroute to the win, a torrid battle for the runner-up spot was taking place behind him between Wollman, Don Bickett, Perry Tschetter, and Rob Anderson. At the finish it was Bickett leading the pack across the line while Tschetter came on to just edge Wollman for third by inches.
The Nordstrom's Sportsmen feature was packed with excitement and ended with a thrilling finish. Second-year driver Al Barnhart appeared to be on his way to his first-ever feature win as he took the lead early in the twelve-lap event and held it nearly the rest of the way. But as Barnhart came out of the final turn to take the checkered, he lost control of his machine, putting it sideways on the track and allowing the rest of the field by on their way to the finish. Barnhart's miscue allowed Matt Ayres to take the win, followed by Gary Gonyo, Jeff Hertel and defending champion Matt Steuerwald. The race was red-flagged on the fifth lap when former late model stock car driver Rick Vander Weide lost his right front wheel in the second turn, sending his car into a series of barrel rolls. Vander Weide was unscathed in the incident, but his sharp-looking #6 was heavily damaged.
Rick Wibeto passed leader Dale Tomes on the third lap and went on to win the hobby stock "A" feature. Jeff Beck came all the way from the last row to challenge Wibeto for the win but came up just a car length short at the finish. Another wild crash took place in this race with two laps to go as second heat winner Dean Dunkelberger flipped his car end-over-end in front of the grandstand. Adding insult to injury, Jason Armstrong was unable to avoid Dunkelberger's car as it laid on its side and rammed the disabled machine. Fortunately, Dunkelberger was able to crawl out uninjured, but it was a tough way to start the season for the Hartford driver as his car was destroyed in the crash.
The team of Anderson and Michelke looks to be a top contender in the Deuces Wild front-wheel drives battle this year as they backed up their heat race win by dominating the feature event. Hamon and Klaroneek edged defending champions Schmidt and Grayson for second.
The early season opener caught a number of sprint cars not quite ready for competition, and it was Doug Martens taking the feature win over the short field.
Late Model Stock Cars
FIRST HEAT: 1. Todd Sterzinger, Colman; 2. Curt Bauman, Brookings; 3. Rob Anderson, Chester.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Perry Tschetter, Bridgewater; 2. Brad Wollman, Bridgewater; 3. Don Bickett, Ramona; 4. Scott Freet, Madison.
FEATURE: 1. Sterzinger; 2. Bickett; 3. Tschetter; 4. Wollman; 5. Anderson; 6. Bauman.
360 Sprints
FEATURE: 1. Doug Martens, Wentworth; 2. Joe Riedel, Ramona; 3. Kory Rawstern, Wentworth
Nordstrom's Sportsmen
FIRST HEAT: 1. Matt Steuerwald, Madison; 2. Al Barnhart, Madison; 3. Josh Schmidt, Marion; 4. Matt Ayres, Parker.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Jeff Wittrock, Sioux Falls; 2. Russ Peterson, Sioux Falls; 3. Jeff Hertel, Parker.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Chris Ellingson, Madison; 2. Rick Vander Weide, Sioux Falls; 3. Gary Gonyo, Madison.
FEATURE: 1. Ayres; 2. Gonyo; 3. Hertel; 4. Steuerwald; 5. Peterson; 6. Ryan Nelson, Madison.
I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks
FIRST HEAT: 1. Jeff Beck, Howard; 2. Steve Carmody, Ramona; 3. Dale Tomes, Dell Rapids; 4. Jeff Foster, Madison.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Dean Dunkelberger, Hartford; 2. Andy Ullom, Madison; 3. Curt Ottoson, Chester; 4. Derek Uthe, Madison.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Rick Wibeto, Sioux Falls; 2. Dan Doyle, Madison; 3. Justin Selken, Hartford; 4. Jason Armstrong, Flandreau.
B FEATURE: 1. Mike Kiggins, Sioux Falls; 2. Ryan Van Emmerick, Salem; 3. Joe Tieszen, Canistota.
A FEATURE: 1. Wibeto; 2. Beck; 3. Carmody; 4. Ullom; 5. Tomes.
FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE
FIRST HEAT: 1. Schmidt/Grayson, Brookings; 2. Prestrude/Johnson, Watertown; 3. Van Engen/Ludwig, Canton; 4. Pulford/Lozen, Madison.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Anderson/Michelke, Madison; 2. Paugh/Grayson, Brookings; 3. Gluhm/Olson, Madison; 4. Nielsen/Bender, Madison.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Myers/Tschees, Clear Lake; 2. Harmon/Klarenbeek, Canton; 3. Friman/Klinkhammer, Sioux Falls; 4. White/Vetch, Sioux Falls.
FIRST B FEATURE: 1. Larson/Ryan, Madison; 2. Dafoe/Rose, Sioux Falls; 3. Rose/Prestrude, Sioux Falls; 4. Pulford/Lorzen.
SECOND B FEATURE: 1. Claussen/(unknown), Madison; 2. Nielsen/Bender; 3. Perkins/Johnson, Madison; 4. Morrison/Allerdings, Sioux Falls.
A FEATURE: 1. Anderson/Michelke; 2. Harmon/Klarenbeek; 3. Schmidt/Grayson; 4. Myers/Tschees; 5. Prestrude/Johnson; 6. Gluhm/Olson; 7. Larson/Ryan.