Champions Crowned at Wisconsin’s Action Track

CAMBRIDGE, WI (Saturday, September 8, 2018)               The final night of points racing at Wisconsin’s Action Track in the 2018 season provided some great racing to decide who would be crowned champion. Three divisions came down to the final race of the season to determine the champ on Season Championship Night presented by Griffin Ford Lincoln of Fort Atkinson. When the dust settled in the Late Model division, it was Dale Nottestad of Cambridge claiming a record fifth championship in Jefferson Speedway’s premier division.

Andy Brocker and Lincoln Keeser brought the twenty car field to the green to begin the 60 lap main event. Keeser led the pack into turn one on the opening circuit with Brocker back to second followed by Seth Reamer in third. The first of two cautions waved early on lap two when Kyle Smith spun in turn two after contact with Josh Madell. Keeser led the field back to green still followed by Brocker and Reamer. On lap four, Reamer got by Brocker for second and closed in on Keeser at the front. Reamer worked past Keeser for the top spot on lap 12 while John Ovadal Jr entered the top five. Dylan Schuyler dropped down to the low side, moving up to second on lap 13 while Ovadal charged up behind him to grab third. Ovadal continued his march to the front, driving under and past Schuyler on lap 14. Ovadal charged up alongside Reamer on the point, grabbing the lead for himself on lap 19. Shaun Scheel followed in his tracks under Reamer. Meanwhile, point leader Dale Nottestad was slicing his way through the field with Michael Grueneberg staying on his heels. Nottestad entered the top five, moving into fourth on lap 23 with Grueneberg in tow for fifth. Lap 25 saw the second and final caution of the race when Don Gaserude spun in turn three. As racing resumed, Grueneberg dove under Nottestad, looking to take away fourth. Grueneberg cleared on lap 28. At the front, Scheel continued to pressure Ovadal, with Ovadal keeping him at bay as he continued to lead the race. Grueneberg got by Riley Stenjem for third, who fell back into a great battle for fourth with Nottestad. Ovadal led the train to the checkers to pick up his second straight feature win of the season with Scheel coming home second. Gruenberg was third with Nottestad holding off Stenjem for fourth. With his finish, Nottestad secured his fifth Late Model title, a record at Jefferson Speedway. The championship is Nottestad’s third straight as well as fifth in the last six seasons.

In Sportsman action, Fort Atkinson’s Tyler Deporter picked up his first career feature win in the division while Watertown’s Chris Chenoweth was putting the finishing touches on his 2018 track championship. Brady Lilly and Kevin Schultz battled for control of the lead from the front row with Lilly eventually taking control of the position on lap three. Deporter drove to the high side of Schultz to grab second on lap six as he set his sights on Lilly at the front. On lap 13, Deporter began peeking to the inside of Lilly. Two laps later, Deporter drew even with the early leader as they raced wheel to wheel for the top spot. Deporter cleared for first on lap 18. After a caution on lap 24, Dan Harris entered the top five and began working his way toward the front. Harris slipped past Lilly for second in the closing laps, but Deporter was already on his way to the checkers to get the win. Harris finished second followed by Lilly, Schultz and Randy Breunig. By taking the green flag to start the feature, Chenoweth secured the championship, his first in the Sportsman division and second title overall at the Speedway.

A three way battle for the International championship made his way to the feature to decide who would wear the crown. Scott Hoeft held the edge in the standings as the 25 lap feature began with Mark English and Mike Lambert hot on his heels. Joe Cross took the early lead as racing began with English quickly charging up to second. English wasted little time, making his move under Cross as the sole caution of the race slowed the pace on lap two. As racing restarted, English fired into the lead with Hoeft trying to follow into second. Hoeft cleared for second with Kyle Stark following into third. Stark drove to the low side of Hoeft, allowing English to pull away from the pack. Stark cleared for second on lap 15 with Lambert trying to follow past Hoeft. Lambert completed the pass for third on lap 16 while English was cruising to the checkers to get the win. Stark was second followed by Lambert, Hoeft and George Sparkman. With his fourth place finish, Hoeft wrapped up the 2018 track championship. It is his third title and first since 2004.

Jim Tate Jr of Doylestown entered the 30 lap Hobby Stock feature event holding a 26 point advantage over Philip Wuesthoff of Beaver Dam in the standings. Chuck and Jordy Egli brought the field to green with Chuck taking the lead on lap three. Christian Janssen charged up to second on lap five while Wuesthoff was quickly slicing his way toward the front. Meanwhile, Tate was mired in traffic deep in the field, waiting for some holes to open so he could move up as well. After a caution lap 14, Wuesthoff dove under Jon Benninger to take third. At the same time, Janssen began to challenge Egli on the point, looking to the outside of the leader. Janssen took over the top spot on lap 20 as Wuesthoff looking to follow around the high side of Egli. On lap 24. Wuesthoff cleared for second and immediately dove to the bottom of the racing surface entering turn three. Wuesthoff drew even with Janssen, stealing the point away on with four laps remaining. Tate, still stuck in traffic, desperately tried to gain positions in an effort to retain the points lead. At the checkers, it was Wuesthoff out front to score the win followed by Janssen, Jimmy Robinson, Bud Riedner and Chuck Egli. Tate managed to get up to eighth at the finish, but it was quite enough to keep Wuesthoff behind him in the standings. With his win, Wuesthoff captured the 2018 Hobby Stock championship, his first such title at Jefferson Speedway.

Bill Sweeney of Lake Mills picked up a clean sweep on the evening after winning the 20 lap Road Warrior feature. But it was Fort Atkinson’s Chris Gottschalk scoring the win in the standings. AJ Accardi led early from the pole with Mark Dewey quickly up to second. Dewey continued forward, taking the lead for himself on lap four with Sweeney in tow for second. Sweeney drove up alongside Dewey on lap six, clearing a lap later and running away to get the win. Dewey settled for second with Gottschalk, Accardi and Bill Reynolds completing the top five. Only needing the start the feature to secure the championship, Gottschalk scored his third straight Road Warrior title and fourth in the last five seasons.

Rounding out the evening was the 20 lap Bandit feature event. Watertown’s Nick Schmidt put the bow on his track championship in style by winning the feature race as well. Tyler Edmundson took the early lead with Chad Olds up to second. Schmidt took to the high side on lap six, drawing even with Olds. Schmidt continued forward alongside Edmundson on lap seven. Slight contact between the two forced Schmidt to check up on lap ten while Edmundson regained sole possession of the lead. Schmidt remounted a challenge, getting back to the outside of Edmundson on lap 11. Schmidt cleared a lap later and immediately began to check out from the field. Tyler Deschaine slipped past Edmundson in the closing laps but it was Schmidt out front cruising to the checkers to get the win. Deschaine was second followed by Edmundson, Bart Brockman and McKayla Adams.

Next Friday and Saturday, September 14-15, is the 38^th annual Wisconsin State Championships. Time trials begin at 5pm on Friday with racing at 7:30pm. Racing begins at 6pm on Saturday. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Jefferson and Cambridge on Hwy 18. Please visit jeffersonspeedway.com for more information.

JEFFERSON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY

Late Model-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Last Chance

Feature

Sportsman-

Heat Races

Feature

International-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

Hobby Stock-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Last Chance

Feature

Road Warrior-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

Bandit-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature