Grueneberg Grabs Cost Cutters 50

CAMBRIDGE, WI (Saturday, August 18, 2018)      The points races in several divisions at Wisconsin’s Action Track remain extremely tight as we head down the stretch in the 2018 racing season. This holds true in the Late Model division as well with four time champ, Dale Nottestad, hot on the heels of Michael Grueneberg. Grueneberg managed to extend his advantage in the standings slightly on Saturday, as he laid claim to the Cost Cutters 50 lap feature event. The Wisconsin Dells pilot is in search of his first Late Model crown at Jefferson Speedway.

Don Gaserude and Kyle Smith led the 18 car field to green as they battled side by side for control. Smith held a slight advantage to complete lap one with Gaserude remaining to his outside. The first of three cautions slowed the action on lap seven for a melee in turn three. Smith led the pack back to green with Gaserude in second and Ty James up to third. Gaserude returned to the inside of Smith in an effort to claim the lead. But his advances were thwarted by another yellow on lap 15 when Jason Erickson and Stephen Scheel tangled in turns three and four. After another quick caution on lap 18, Smith led the field back to green still followed by Gaserude and James. Gaserude powered under Smith on the restart, slipping past for the top spot on lap 20. James followed into second with Grueneberg moving up to third. A couple laps later, Grueneberg drove by James to pick up the second position and set his sights on the leader. Dale Nottestad and Jacob Nottestad followed Grueneberg as they charged toward the front. On lap 30, Grueneberg caught Gaserude and began applying pressure to the leader’s inside. Grueneberg drew even with Gaserude on lap 32, sliding into the lead a lap later with the two Nottestad’s in his tracks for second and third. Grueneberg began to stretch his lead while Dale Nottestad tried to hold off Jacob Nottestad for second. Jacob managed to get by for second with ten laps to go. But Grueneberg ran the final circuits unchallenged to score the win. Jacob Nottestad was second with Dale Nottestad third. Riley Stenjem and Shaun Scheel rounded out the top five.

In Sportsman action, it was Michael Giloman of Northfield, MN, making the late race pass to net the win. Tyler Deporter and Bryce Miller brought the field to green. The duo battled wheel to wheel for control of the top spot with neither driver willing to concede. The seesaw fight for first continued for the entire first half of the race while Chris Jones and Giloman watched while racing for third. Finally, on lap 18, Deporter gained the advantage and cleared for the lead. Jones followed up to second with Dan Harris in his tracks for third. On lap 22, Harris drove to the high side of Jones, taking away the second spot and sliding forward next to Deporter. As Deporter and Harris battled for control, Giloman drew even with Jones once again behind them. With four laps to go, Harris cleared for the lead with Giloman in tow for second. Giloman drove under Harris on lap 28 as they raced down the back stretch. Slight contact resulted in Harris losing control and spinning to the infield grass. This allowed Giloman to secure the lead and race off to the checkers to get the win. Tyler Deporter finished second with Mark Deporter in third and Jim Taylor finishing fourth. Harris rebounding to secure the last spot in the top five.

Whitewater’s Lucas Buckingham claimed the 25 lap Hobby Stock main event. Jared Vike led lap one from the pole with Korey Bengsch back to second and Buckingham trying to wrestle third from Kolton Guralski. Buckingham claimed the position and continued forward alongside Bengsch on lap two. Buckingham cleared for second a lap later and he drew in behind the leader, Vike. On lap seven, Buckingham peeked to the outside of Vike, drawing even a lap later. After a four lap battle, Buckingham pulled ahead of Vike to claim the top spot. From there, it was all Buckingham on his way to the checkered flag to get the victory. Vike finished second followed by Bengsch, Scott Riedner and Brandon Riedner.

West Bend’s Aaron Moyer was the winner of the 20 lap Legends feature event. Tony Moyer led lap one with Noah Eisenhouer in second. Dilon Schwanbeck raced up to third on lap four and quickly went to work for the second position. Schwanbeck secured the runner up spot on lap five. Schwanbeck continued forward, using the high side of Moyer to race into the lead on lap six. Aaron Moyer charged up to second behind Schwanbeck and began to size up the new leader. On lap ten, Moyer dove under Schwanbeck entering turn three. After a brief battle, Moyer cleared for the lead on lap 13. Schwanbeck remained close behind Moyer, making several attempts to get back alongside. But it was to no avail, as Moyer raced to the checkers to grab the win. Schwanbeck settled for second followed by Matt Rohde, Cole Grey and Mike Storkson.

Road Warrior point leader, Chris Gottschalk of Fort Atkinson, secured the win in the 15 lap feature event. Kevin Zimmerman took the initial lead on lap one with Mark Dewey quickly up to second. Gottschalk followed into third as Dewey drove under Zimmerman on lap two. Dewey claimed the point on lap three with Gottschalk in his tracks for second. On lap five, Gottschalk got under Dewey as they raced door to door for control. Gottschalk stuck his ride out front on lap seven and raced away to get the win. Dewey was second with Bill Sweeney, Bill Reynolds and Zimmerman rounding out the top five.

Nick Schmidt of Watertown scored the 15 lap Bandit feature win. Bill Kohn showed the way following a lap one caution with DJ Hill riding in second. Schmidt raced by Hill on lap five and quickly set his sights on the leader, Kohn. Schmidt drove to the high side of Kohn on lap eight, motoring into the lead a lap later. Schmidt began to check out from the field while Chad Olds made his way around Kohn for the second spot. Schmidt cruised to the stripe to get the win with Olds finishing second. Jeremy Bredeson was third followed by Hill and Tyler Edmundson.

The International division joined the program for some exhibition racing. Mark English of Edgerton scored the win in the 15 lap feature event. Adam Schook and Ashley Gottschalk led the field to green. English joined the front row on lap one as they raced three wide into turn three. Gottschalk emerged with the lead  to complete lap one with English right behind. English got alongside Gottschalk on lap two, racing into the lead. From there it was clear sailing for English all the way to the checkers. Devon Dixon, John Handeland, Gottschalk and Merek Pankow rounded out the top five.

Also competing in some exhibition racing was the Bandolero division. Karter Stark of Waterloo grabbed the win in their 15 lap feature event. Robbie Rucks led lap one with Stark quickly up to second. Stark grabbed the lead on the restart after an early caution on lap three. One more yellow on lap five set up a restart with Stark and Jevin Guralski on the front row. The duo raced back to green with Stark holding the advantage. Some lapped traffic in the late stages of the race allowed Stark to slip away from Guralski slightly. At the finish, it was Stark driving away for the win. Logan Taylor came home second followed by Tyler Muller, Rucks and Elliott Rehm.

Next Saturday, August 25, is the finale of the four race series known as the Badgerland Challenge. Late Model and Sportsman drivers from Jefferson Speedway compete against pilots from Madison International Speedway to crown the winners all presented by Autism Awareness. Time trials get underway at 5pm with racing at 7pm. 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-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Last Chance

Feature

Hobby Stock-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

Legends-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

Bandit-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

Road Warrior-

Qualifying

Heat Races

Feature

International (Exhibition)-

Heat Race

Feature

Bandolero (Exhibition)-

Heat Races

Feature