(Racing Every Saturday Night)
Race Results
September 29, 2001
Lake County Speedway wraps up its 41st season.
By Zach Nelson, KJAM Radio, Madison
The 360 sprint cars not only raced for the last time of the year on Saturday night, but they also raced for the first time at the Lake County Speedway since one of their own, Steve Haman passed away after a Labor Day crash at Huset's Speedway. Before the start of the 16-lap A-Feature, the cars lined up three wide for two laps in honor of Haman's number 23 race car. They also ran the two laps in a missing man formation with the number one starting spot left unoccupied in rememberance of Haman. The race started double file and began at a blistering pace. The first caution didn't come out until lap nine when Brad Nelson's 47 car locked upon the backstretch. Crews could not get the car moved right away so the race was red flagged. Randy Droescher's false start on the restart kept things under the yellow. On the restart, race leader Kevin Ingle slid up the track and hit the wall. Caution's four and five waved on lap eleven. Caution four was for Doug Martens' slow car in turn four and yellow number five was for Eric McGillivray's spin in turn one. The last caution of the event was and inadvertent caution. One of the starters bumped the switch controlling the safety lights around the track, turning on the red light by mistake. That led to a Green-White-Checkered finish. Huron's Kevin Ingle led from the start until the lap ten restart when he hit the wall. Points leader Kory Rawstern took to the point and led the final six laps to finalize his second straight track championship. Mark Slendy finished second in his first start of the year at the Lake County Speedway, third was Madison's Gary Johnson, Kim Munterfering was fourth and Mike Ellingson took the fifth spot, sixth was Randy Droescher then Joe Reidel, Ryan Bickett and Kevin Droll in the ninth spot.
For the third season in a row the Late Model Street Stock title at the Lake County Speedway came down to the final race of the year and for the third straight year, the difference between first and second was only one point. The last Late Model Stock A-Feature of the year was 15 laps and had five caution periods. In the first caution, Scott Freet lost a right rear tire. Dale Furby tagged the wall on lap four to light the yellow lamp for the second time. Three laps later on lap seven, Lee Schulmbohm's Furby Racing double zero car slowed on the speedway. Lap seven had two more caution flags wave as caution laps don't count during competition and a car's position is frozen after a lap is completed. On the first restart Jim Petterson lost a rear bumper to bring out caution three and on the following restart. race leader Matt Stuerewald, in the third and final Dale Furby owned race car lost a front tire to cause the final caution of the race. Madison's Scott Freet had the lead for the first lap then Matt Stuerewald took the lead. Stuerewald led for six laps until the seventh circuit when the three car lost it's tire. On the last restart Gary Brown Jr. squeezed the 22 car between both Scott Freet and Perry Tschetter on the backstretch to take the lead. Brown led seven laps from lap eight unitl the last lap when Brown slowed due to a deflating tire. The second place driver in the points, Rob Anderson was there to grab the lead and win his sixth A-Feature of the year in the Late Model Stocks at the Lake County Speedway. Ramona's Don Bickett took second and points leader Curt Bauman finished third. Gary Brown, Jr. limped home in fourth and Scott Freet ended up in the five spot. Perry Tschetter was sixth, then Moose Schuldt and Jim Petterson. Curt Bauman started eighth and needed to finish at worst, two places behind Rob Anderson in order to keep his points lead and become the 2001 Track Champion. Bauman did just that to capture his second track championship in three years by a one point spead.
The Nordstrom's Sportsman Division wrapped up its campaign on Saturday Night at the Lake County Speedway. There were four cautions in the 12 lap feature. The first yellow waved for Kevin Spurgin after the 7X car hit the turn three wall. The next caution came out for Matt Aryes, when the 6X car lost a left front tire. A flat tire was also the cause of caution number three. Gary Gonyo hit the wall and wiped out the right rear rubber on his Monte Carlo. The fourth and final caution waved as the engine in Mark Janke's 57 car unloaded a smoke screen over the 3/8th mile racetrack. On the restart Rick Goth, who started 12th took his number 90 car three wide, spliting Josh Schmidt and Richard Holbrook on the backstretch. Goth took the lead on lap eight and picked up his first feature win of the year enroute to becoming the 2001 Sportsman Division Track Champion. Matt Aryes led lap one and Josh Schmidt led laps two through seven. The final finishing order was Goth, Jeff Hertel in second, third for points runner-up Chris Ellingson, Richard Holbrook in the fourth spot and Rick Vander Weide in the top five. Sixth went to Madison's Gary Gonyo, seventh was Chuck Harming, then Jeremiah Jordahl, Dean Schonewald, Daryl Reverts and Josh Schmidt the pole sitter dropped back to finish last in tenth.
The Hobby Stock feature from Saturday Night stared off on the rough side for a few unfortunate drivers. Mike Kiggins made contact with the 77 car of Cory Luke. Luke's car slid up into the 169 car of Curt Ottoson and Ottoson's car hit the wall. Ottoson's car didn't just hit the wall, it hit the back stretch gate. The gate broke open and Otteson's car hit the area where the gate ends and the hard concrete wall begins. Ottoson was fine, however the 169 car was done for the night. On the restart, Richard Plamers's hood flew off the M-22 car. Palmer was driving in place of Johnny Monsees. The second caution waved on lap five for Walter Kiggins after he lost a right rear tire. Walter Kiggins had the lead until he lost that tire. Fifth place starter Justin Lebahn grabbed the lead when Kiggins pitted and led the remaining eight laps to end the season with three feature wins. Second was Madison's Mike McGillivray, third was Jeff Beck, Jay Triplett, filling in for Steve Eliason finished fourth and Mike Kiggins rounded out the top five. Dean Dunkelburger took home sixth, then it was Andy Ulhom, Adam Reinhard, pole sitter Cory Luke lost nine spots to finish in ninth and Walter Kiggins capped off the top ten finishers.
The Deuces Wild cars led the final A-Feature assault of the 2001 season at the Lake Count Speedway. The six lap Deuces Wild feature started off with a red flag. On the start, the field when four to five cars deep after the pole sitters team Penning of Dell Rapids didn't come up to speed. Someone got into the back of Penning's 1X car and turned the techno-colored Chevy Beretta sideways. With the right side of Penning's car up in the air, Nick Bahr's 911 car gored the 1X and started the car rolling over. Penning's car rolled over once and then rocked back down the turn one banking to land on it's wheels for good. Both Penning and his co-driver Troy Wynot were not injured. After the turn one first lap excitement calmed down, Myron and Kevin Prussman took the lead and led laps one through four. Chad Larson and Shawn Ryan started sixth and began to race the yellow number one car of Team Prussman. On lap five, Team Larson had the advantage and hung on to take the win. Chad Larson and Shawn Ryan, the 2000 Deuces Wild Track Champions took the win, followed by Myron and Kevin Prussman in second, third was Bill Harmon and Chad Reidel, fourth went to Madison's Nick Bahr and Chad Anderson and fifth went to Jeff Claussen and Jason Lunders, with Eric Kludt and Chris Nelson rounding out the field in sixth. In the Wild Ones feature, Jeff Brown led all four laps to take the victory, second was Craig Delfs, third was Leslie Arneut and Arron Clements was fourth. With their fifth place finish and consistant runs all year long Jeff Claussen and Jason Lunders of Salem are the 2001 Deuces Wild Track Champions at the Lake County Speedway.
The Lake County Speedway's season finished up with two Special races Amy Vander Weide, wife of Rick Vander Weide took her husband's number six Sportsman car to victory in the Women on Wheels race. And Madison's Chirs Ellingson won the 15-lap 1000 Nordstrom's Auto Recycling Sportsman Race. Ellingson led the all five laps in the first segment and all five laps of the second segment before all of the drivers had to pit. Josh Schimdt started the race in eleventh and came into the pit stop in sixth. Race leader Ellingson had the first pit stall. All of the teams had to change the right front tire then left front tire and put five gallons of gas in the car. Josh Schmidt's crew was the first one done but Schmidt bumped into the car in front of him Madison's Gary Gonyo. Gonyo's car was knock off of the jack and both Gonyo's team and the local Madison crowd voiced there displeasure at the 34 team. Schmidt was the first car out, but was penalized two spots and lost the 50 dollar bonus for breaking the stall first, because of the contact on pit road. That gave the lead and 50 dollars to race leader Chris Ellingson. When racing resumed, Madison's Chris Ellingson lead the last five laps to win the 1000 dollar Nordstrom's Specal race. Drivers for the race consisted of all the drivers who finished in the fifth spot in all of the Sportsman A-features throughout the year and there were three spots that were fill with drivers who had perfect attendance all year long.
NMRA 360 Sprints
Heat #1: 1. 51 Doug Martens; 2. 24 Randy Droescher; 3. 31M Kim Muntefering; 4. 1k Mark Slendy; 5. 22X Kevin Droll; 6. 11 Joe Riedel
Heat #2: 1. 2K Kevin Ingle; 2. 18 Gary Johnson; 3. 47 Bradley Nelson; 4. 17B Ryan Bickett; 5. 4K Kory Rawstern; 6. 2 Mike Ellingson
A Feature: 1. 4K Kory Rawstern; 2. 1k Mark Slendy; 3. 18 Gary Johnson; 4. 31M Kim Muntefering; 5. 2 Mike Ellingson; 6. 24 Randy Droescher; 7. 11 Joe Riedel; 8. 17B Ryan Bickett; 9. 22X Kevin Droll; 10. R19 Mike Mc Mahan; 11. 51 Doug Martens; 12. 35 Eric McGillivray; 13. 2K Kevin Ingle; 14. 47 Bradley Nelson
NMRA Late Model Street Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 3 Matt Steuerwald; 2. 85 Rob Anderson; 3. 10 Dale Furby; 4. 00 Lee Schlumbohm; 5. 00x Jim Petterson; 6. 29Z JJ Zebell
Heat #2: 1. 69 Scott Freet; 2. 17 Don Bickett; 3. 42B Curt Bauman; 4. 22 Gary Brown Jr; 5. 5 Moose Schuldt; 6. 20 Perry Tschetter
A Feature: 1. 85 Rob Anderson; 2. 17 Don Bickett; 3. 42B Curt Bauman; 4. 22 Gary Brown Jr; 5. 69 Scott Freet; 6. 20 Perry Tschetter; 7. 5 Moose Schuldt; 8. 00x Jim Petterson; 9. 3 Matt Steuerwald; 10. 00 Lee Schlumbohm; 11. 29Z JJ Zebell; 12. 10 Dale Furby
NMRA Sportsmen
Heat #1: 1. 32 Kevin Konda; 2. 88 Chuck Harming; 3. 3J Jeremiah Jordahl; 4. 5x Jeff Hertel; 5. 2 Chris Ellingson; 6. 01T Chris Tilberg; 7. 01 Ryan Van Emmerick
Heat #2: 1. 34 Josh Schmidt; 2. 1 Gary Gonyo; 3. 7 Daryl Reverts; 4. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 5. 66 Jeff Wittrock
Heat #3: 1. 6X Matt Ayres; 2. 90 Rick Goth; 3. 1R Richard Holbrook; 4. 57 Mark Janke; 5. 8 Randy Vander Weide; 6. 7x Kevin Spurgin
B Feature: 1. 2 Chris Ellingson; 2. 7x Kevin Spurgin; 3. 8 Randy Vander Weide; 4. 01 Ryan Van Emmerick; 5. 01T Chris Tilberg; 6. 66 Jeff Wittrock
A Feature: 1. 90 Rick Goth; 2. 5x Jeff Hertel; 3. 2 Chris Ellingson; 4. 1R Richard Holbrook; 5. 6 Rick Vander Weide; 6. 1 Gary Gonyo; 7. 88 Chuck Harming; 8. 3J Jeremiah Jordahl; 9. 32 Kevin Konda; 10. 7 Daryl Reverts; 11. 34 Josh Schmidt; 12. 57 Mark Janke; 13. 6X Matt Ayres; 14. 7x Kevin Spurgin
NMRA Hobby Stocks
Heat #1: 1. 33 Cody Hall; 2. 24 Jeremy Fedeler; 3. 15 Mike McGillivray; 4. 77 Corey Luke; 5. 60 Adam Rinehart; 6. 111 Justin Selken
Heat #2: 1. F2 Justin Lebahn; 2. 3 Walter Kiggins; 3. 2K Mike Kiggins; 4. 169 Chad Lemme; 5. 89 Jason Fedeler
Heat #3: 1. 17 Dean Dunkelberger; 2. 42 Steve Eliason; 3. M22 Johnny Monsees; 4. 20 Adam Thielbar; 5. 21T Dale Tomes
B Feature: 1. 60 Adam Rinehart; 2. 18 Andy Ullom; 3. 111 Justin Selken; 4. 72 Jeff Beck; 5. 20 Adam Thielbar; 6. 89 Jason Fedeler; 7. 21T Dale Tomes
A Feature: 1. F2 Justin Lebahn; 2. 15 Mike McGillivray; 3. 72 Jeff Beck; 4. 42 Steve Eliason; 5. 2K Mike Kiggins; 6. 17 Dean Dunkelberger; 7. 18 Andy Ullom; 8. 60 Adam Rinehart; 9. 77 Corey Luke; 10. 3 Walter Kiggins; 11. 24 Jeremy Fedeler; 12. 33 Cody Hall; 13. 111 Justin Selken; 14. M22 Johnny Monsees; 15. 169 Chad Lemme
DUECES WILD (Front Wheel Drive)
(primary drivers listed)
Heat #1: 1. 1X Aaron Penning; 2. 1 Myron Prussman; 3. 8 Chad Larson; 4. 22 Jeff Claussen; 5. 14 Ryan Mulder
Heat #2: 1. 911 Nick Bahr; 2. 60 Tom Vetch; 3. 13 Bill Harmon; 4. 3 Erik Kludt; 5. 7x Tom Husman
A Feature: 1. 8 Chad Larson; 2. 1 Myron Prussman; 3. 13 Bill Harmon; 4. 911 Nick Bahr; 5. 22 Jeff Claussen; 6. 3 Erik Kludt; 7. 14 Ryan Mulder; 8. 1X Aaron Penning; 9. 60 Tom Vetch; 10. 7x Tom Husman
WILD ONES (Front Wheel Drive)
A Feature: 1. X Jeff Brown...