Grueneberg Outlasts Nottestad for Win

JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, June 14, 2014) Madison’s Michael Grueneberg survived an intense late race challenge from defending Late Model champ, Dale Nottestad, to capture the L&S Pattern 50 lap feature event on Saturday night. The victory marks Grueneberg’s first career feature win in Jefferson Speedway’s premier division.

Kyle Smith and Rusty Hansen brought the field to green with Hansen taking control entering turn one on the opening lap. An early caution slowed the field on lap two when Shaun Scheel spun battling Grueneberg for the third position. As racing resumed, Hansen and Smith opened up a slight advantage over the field while Grueneberg and Noel Ramge battled for third. Grueneberg reclaimed the spot and pulled up behind Smith looking for second. Grueneberg claimed the position on lap 14 with Hansen still showing the way at the front. As the leaders approached slower traffic on lap 20, a car spun in front of Hansen and the leader was unable to avoid contact. The damage on Hansen’s machine was too significant for him to continue as he was forced to retire from the event handing the top spot to Grueneberg with Smith in second and Chris Quam riding in third. Nottestad entered the top five once racing restarted and began picking his way toward the leader. Nottestad was third by the midway point of the race as he quickly set his sights on Smith in second. After a brief side by side battle with Smith, Nottestad took over the runner up position and began to close on Grueneberg. Dylan Schuyler and Zack Riddle made their way past Smith as they fought for third, but the battle for the lead was just heating up in front of them. Nottestad dove under Grueneberg as they entered turn one with six laps remaining. Lap after lap, Grueneberg and Nottestad traded the lead as they battled wheel to wheel for control of the race. They touched only slightly as Grueneberg fought hard on the high side to maintain his lead. The duo raced under the white flag still door to door for one final lap. As they came to the checkers, it was Grueneberg with the advantage to gain his first career feature win. Nottestad settled for second with Riddle, Schuyler and Smith rounding out the top five.

In Sportsman action, Terry Wangsness of Jefferson grabbed his first feature win of the season, winning the 30 lap event. Tim Coley and Adam Bleskan paced the field to green with as they fought for the lead. Coley eventually gained the initial lead on lap three with Wangsness up to second. A lap later, Wangsness drove under Coley as they exited turn two. Wangsness cleared for the top spot on lap six as the leaders lined up single file. Wangsness continued to show the way with Coley in second and Tony Ciano right behind. The leaders ran nose to tail over the final laps as Wangsness cruised to the stripe for the win. Coley finished second followed by Ciano, Mark Deporter and Jay Kalbus.

Mike Lambert of Madison won the 20 lap International main event. Dan Birkett led early from the pole with Joe Cross up to second on lap two. Cross drew even with Birkett on lap five while Lambert made his way to the front. Lambert pulled in behind Cross on lap ten with Birkett still to the outside. On lap 12, Lambert got a great run exiting turn four as he raced three wide with Cross and Birkett for the lead. Lambert and Birkett emerged side by side until Lambert shot into the lead on lap 14. Seth Reamer followed into second, but Lambert raced unchallenged the remainder of the way to pick up the win. Reamer was second followed by John Handeland, Birkett and Chris Chenoweth.

Dylan Buckingham of Whitewater picked up his first career feature win in the Hobby Stock division by winning the 25 lap event. Scott Riemer led early from the front row with Justin Thomas in second. Buckingham slipped past Thomas just before Thomas spun on lap two to bring out the first of two cautions in the race. As racing resumed, Buckingham launched his bid for the lead as Riemer tried to hold him off. Buckingham took to the high groove on lap 14 as he and Riemer battled door to door for the top spot. A caution slowed the pace on lap 15 and Buckingham was scored as the leader with Riemer now running in second. As racing resumed, Cody Buchs got around Riemer for second as he pulled up behind Buckingham on the point. Buchs began to work over the leader as he searched for a way past. But Buckingham was up to the challenge as he kept Buchs at bay to capture the win. Buchs was second with Bobby Selsing Jr, Phil Wuesthoff and Chester Williams completing the top five.

Jefferson’s Chris Gottschalk claimed the 20 lap Road Warrior feature event. Joe Solem took the early lead with Craig Henning in second. While Solem tried to hold off Henning for the top spot, Gottschalk sliced his way to toward the front with Scott Hoeft and Tadd Douglas staying close by. Henning grabbed the lead on lap seven with Gottschalk now running third. Gottschalk got by Solem on lap eight as he began to peek to the low side of Henning. Gottschalk powered by Henning on lap 13 as he began to pull away from the field. Gottschalk cruised to the checkers to get the win. Bill Reynolds nipped Henning at the stripe to finish second with Bill Sweeney and Hoeft rounding out the top five.

Defending Bandit champ, Nick Schmidt of Oak Creek, claimed the win in the 15 lap feature event in his division. Dennis Wuesthoff claimed the early lead on lap one with Tyler Deporter in second. Josh Marx found himself in second just before the sole caution of the race waved on lap five. On the restart, Marx drove to the outside of Wuesthoff as he looked to lead. Marx cleared for the top spot on lap seven while Schmidt pulled into third behind Wuesthoff. Schmidt got by for second on lap nine and continued forward alongside Marx as they battle for first. The pair of drivers raced wheel to wheel past the white flag with Schmidt trying to get control. As they came to the checkers, it was Schmidt with a slight advantage to pick up the win with Marx settling for second. Rounding out the top five were Steve Dickson, Trent Rueth and Wuesthoff.

Next Saturday, June 21, marks the return of the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series. Most of the regular Jefferson Speedway divisions will have the night off as they rest up for a championship run handing the stage to super late models. Also joining the program is the Mid-American Stock Car Series and the IMCA Vintage Cars. The Jefferson Speedway Road Warriors will race this Saturday as well. Gates open at 3pm with time trials at 5pm and racing at 7pm sharp. Jefferson Speedway is located halfway between Jefferson and Cambridge on Hwy 18. Please visitwww.jeffersonspeedway.com for more information.

Jefferson Speedway Race Summary-

Late Model-

Feature Results- 1) Michael Grueneberg, Madison 2) Dale Nottestad, Cambridge 3) Zack Riddle, Stoughton 4) Dylan Schuyler, Jefferson 5) Kyle Smith, Lake Mills 6) Casey Johnson, Stoughton 7) Chris Quam, Stoughton 8) Noel Ramge, Helenville 9) Brandon Pendleton, Helenville 10) Luke Westenberg, Jefferson 11) Shaun Scheel, Lake Mills 12) Jason Erickson, Fort Atkinson 13) John Ovadal Jr, Watertown 14) Kyle Taylor, Deerfield 15) Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva 16) Jerry Eckhardt, Johnson Creek 17) Rusty Hansen, Madison 18) Jared Lannert, West Allis

Fast Qualifier- Zack Riddle—14.404 seconds

Last Chance- Jason Erickson, Kyle Taylor, Jerry Eckhardt, Jared Lannert

Heat Winners- 1) Kyle Taylor 2) Chris Quam 3) Jason Erickson

Sportsman-

Feature Results- 1) Terry Wangsness, Jefferson 2) Tim Coley, Madison 3) Tony Ciano, Janesville 4) Mark Deporter, Fort Atkinson 5) Jay Kalbus, Whitewater 6) Jason Thoma, Jefferson 7) Robert Hansberry Jr, Beloit 8) Steven Sauer, Waterloo 9) Jim Taylor, Stoughton 10) Seth Lootans, Kenosha 11) Adam Bleskan, Menomonee Falls 12) Doug Paul, Montello 13) Jason Dummer, Holmen 14) Peter Gillis, Watertown 15) Mike Storkson, Evansville

Fast Qualifier- Steven Sauer—15.243 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Jason Dummer 2) Robert Hansberry Jr

International-

Feature Results- 1) Mike Lambert, Madison 2) Seth Reamer, Waupun 3) John Handeland, Belleville 4) Dan Birkett, Jefferson 5) Chris Chenoweth, Watertown 6) Joe Cross, Sun Prairie 7) Jamie Shelley, Edgerton 8) Merek Pankow, Jefferson 9) Jason Uttech, Watertown 10) Josh Lenz, Lake Mills 11) Neil Higgins, Watertown 12) Keith Bell, Brodhead

Fast Qualifier- Chris Chenoweth—16.495 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Joe Cross 2) Seth Reamer

Hobby Stock-

Feature Results- 1) Dylan Buckingham, Whitewater 2) Cody Buchs, Mazomanie 3) Bobby Selsing Jr, Fort Atkinson 4) Phil Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 5) Chester Williams, Waukesha 6) Scott Riemer, Brookfield 7) AJ Lloyd, Loves Park (IL) 8) Dustin Ward, Waterloo 9) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 10) Jim Wolf, Watertown 11) Ricky Sanwick, Janesville 12) Jordan Lamb, Fort Atkinson 13) Ed Hayes, 14) Justin Thomas, Fort Atkinson

Fast Qualifier- Dustin Ward—15.894 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Jim Wolf 2) Scott Riemer

Road Warrior-

Feature Results- 1) Chris Gottschalk, Jefferson 2) Bill Reynolds, Watertown 3) Craig Henning, Jefferson 4) Bill Sweeney, Edgerton 5) Scott Hoeft, Watertown 6) Kenny Storkson, Evansville 7) Tadd Douglas, Jefferson 8) Joe Solem, 9) Chad Olds, Whitewater 10) Jeff LeFave, Fort Atkinson 11) Matthew Melchiori, Milwaukee 12) Brian Gottschalk, Jefferson 13) Rodger Stephenson, Cambridge

Fast Qualifier- Chris Gottschalk—16.813 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Brian Gottschalk 2) Craig Henning

Bandit-

Feature Results- 1) Nick Schmidt, Oak Creek 2) Josh Marx, Dousman 3) Steve Dickson, Rockton (IL) 4) Trent Rueth, Jefferson 5) Dennis Wuesthoff, Beaver Dam 6) Adam Schook, Fort Atkinson 7) Tyler Deporter, Fort Atkinson 8) Noah Pankow, Jefferson 9) Brandon DeLacy, Fort Atkinson 10) Paul Reagles, Colgate 11) Dave Schmidt, Cudahy 12) Sueter Bennett, Franksville

Fast Qualifier- Trent Rueth—17.263 seconds

Heat Winners- 1) Dennis Wuesthoff 2) Josh Marx