JASON ERICKSON CLAIMS FOURTH WI STATE TITLE

CAMBRIDGE, WI (Saturday, September 17, 2022)              The culmination of two days packed with racing excitement at Wisconsin’s Action Track was highlighted by twin features in six different divisions. Twin 50 lap Late Model main events presented by Brown Heating and Air Conditioning led the way. Dale Nottestad of Cambridge entered the evening with a leg up on the competition after claiming the 50 lap event the night before. But it was Jefferson’s Jason Erickson who stood tall when the dust settled, picking up his fourth career Wisconsin State Championship, including two in a row.

Michael Grueneberg and Chris Chenoweth paced the first feature as 23 drivers took the green flag. Chenoweth grabbed the early lead with Grueneberg back to second and Ryan Goldade third. Erickson began his trek to the front, taking to the outside to pick up the fourth position before a caution waved on lap six. As racing resumed, Chenoweth moved back out front with Goldade up to challenge Grueneberg for second. Goldade made the pass on lap nine, bringing Erickson along for third. Erickson continued forward, drawing even with Goldade on lap 12. A lap later, Erickson was clear in second and looking ahead to Chenoweth. Erickson ran down the leader, diving under Chenoweth on lap 20 and motoring into the lead as they raced off turn four. The second yellow flag of the race flew on lap 24 for a melee in turns three and four. Erickson fired back into the lead on the restart and drove away from the pack to score the feature win. Dale Nottestad made it up to second with Goldade, Chenoweth and Grueneberg rounding out the top five.

Stephen Scheel and Luke Westenberg brought feature number two to green as they battled for the early lead. Westenberg moved ahead on lap six with Scheel dropping in behind him. Don Gaserude was third while Dale Nottestad entered fourth on lap 11. On lap 13, Scheel returned alongside Westenberg, taking the inside groove on the leader. Two laps later, Scheel moved out front alone just as Erickson entered the top five. The leaders ran nose to tail for several laps while Scheel continued to show the way. On lap 34, Erickson slipped under Nottestad, stealing fourth two laps later. Westenberg launched one more bid to get back to the lead on lap 37, just as Erickson began to challenge Gaserude for third. Erickson completed the pass on lap 38, needed to get at least one more position to score the overall title. Scheel recleared for the lead with nine laps remaining as Erickson drew in behind Westenberg for second. With four laps to go, Erickson took to the high side of Westenberg, scoring the position. Erickson wanted one more spot to sweep the evening’s features, but Scheel held off his advances in the closing laps to secure the victory. Erickson was second ahead of Westenberg, Gaserude and Nottestad. After three features, Erickson and Nottestad were tied for the overall championship. By laying down the quickest lap in qualifying, Erickson won the tiebreaker to wear the crown as overall winner of the 42^nd annual event.

Twin 35 lap Sportsman features began with Tytus Helgestad and Jason Thoma battling for the lead. Helgestad eventually gained the lead on lap six after clearing Thoma exiting turn two. Kurt Kleven moved up to challenge for second, picking up the position on lap seven. Kleven continued to move forward, drawing even with Helgestad on lap eight. After a brief battle, Kleven moved out front alone on lap ten with Mark Deporter up to fight Helgestad for second. Deporter cleared for the runner up position on lap 16, but Kleven was already solidly out front and cruising to the checkers for the win. Mark Deporter finished second ahead of Helgestad, Tyler Deporter and Thoma.

Feature number two began with Jay Kalbus and Dave Trute on the front row. The duo fought for the lead for several laps until Trute gained the advantage to take sole possession of the lead on lap ten. Kalbus dropped back into a battle for second with Bobby Selsing Jr while Trute tried to pull away. Selsing cleared for second on lap 12 with Robert Hansberry trying to follow. Hansberry gained the third position on lap 14 while Trute continued to show the way. The leaders raced single file for several laps until Tim Coley moved up to challenge Hansberry for third. But Trute stayed strong on the point, leading the rest of the caution free event and claiming the win. Selsing was second followed by Coley, Hansberry and Chris Jones. Robert Hansberry Jr of Beloit combined his Friday night win with two solid finishes on Saturday to score the overall title in the Sportsman division.

Twin 20 lap International features kicked off with Jason Uttech taking the early lead in feature number one. Weston Strese and Devon Dixon took to the high side as they quickly made their way toward the front of the field. Strese moved into second on lap six with Dixon on his heels for third. Strese dove under the leader, Uttech, on lap nine while Dixon watched intently from third. A lap later, lapped traffic allowed Dixon to get to the outside of Strese as Uttech returned to the lead. Dixon got by Strese and continued forward alongside Uttech. Dixon cleared for the lead on lap 14 with Strese following up to second. Dixon remained in control for the final five laps to secure the win with Strese in second. Mark Dewey moved up to finish third followed by Uttech and Shawn Bowar.

After Phil Malouf took the early lead in the second International feature, Jeremy Watson moved up to challenge from second. After an early caution on lap four, Malouf returned to the lead as Bower charged up to second. Bowar moved up behind the leader, bringing Strese along as well. On lap six, Bowar slipped by Malouf with Strese in his tracks for second. On lap nine, Strese drove to the high side of Bowar, taking away the top spot and immediately began to pull away from the pack. Strese cruised from there to grab the feature win with Bowar, Mark English, Uttech and Watson rounding out the top five. Strese used the win to claim the overall International state championship.

Andy Moore grabbed the early lead in the first of two 25 lap Hobby Stock features. Mathew Thoma moved up to second on lap four with Scott Riedner close behind in third. Thoma briefly challenged Moore at the front on lap nine, but Moore held him off to regain the lead a lap later. On lap 17, Thoma tried to use the high side once again, allowing Riedner to slip underneath and grab the second position. Riedner raced up behind Moore as he searched for lane to the front. A caution with two laps to go slowed the pace, pitting Moore and Riedner on the front row for the restart. The raced wheel to wheel over the final two circuits as Riedner gained momentum on the final lap. As they flew past the checkers, it was Riedner with the advantage to score the win. Moore settled for second ahead of Thoma, Brandon Riedner and Kody Hubred.

Nick Bruley took the lead on lap one of the second Hobby Stock event. After a caution on lap two. Bruley moved back into control with Charles Vian back to second. Brandon Riedner got by Steve Dobbratz for third on lap six and continued forward alongside Vian for second. Riedner grabbed the position on lap 14 as he drew in behind Bruley. On lap 19, Riedner dove under Bruley as they raced into turn one. After a three lap fight, Riedner took over the lead through turns one and two as Bruley dropped back to second. Riedner held on from there to win the second feature. Robbie Rucks slipped by Bruley in the closing laps to finish second. Vian was fourth with Thoma in fifth. Brandon Riedner was named the overall Hobby Stock state champion thanks in part to his feature win.

Adam Hansen took the lead in the first of two 25 lap Legend features after passing Shawn Gunsolus on lap three. Jacob Tiegan charged toward the front, getting to second behind Hansen on lap five. Tiegan continued forward, drawing even with Hansen and passing for the lead on lap six. Meanwhile, Dillon Schwanbeck was also making his way toward the front, getting to third by lap nine. A lap later, Schwanbeck slipped by Hansen for second as he looked to close the gap on Tiegan out front. But Tiegan stayed strong in the caution free event, crossing the stripe first for the win ahead of Schwanbeck. Ben Massman, Robby Morrison and Adam Powers.

Jesse Bernhagen took the lead in the second feature while Schwanbeck was quickly making his way to the front. Schwanbeck got to second on lap five with Tiegan trying to stick close as well. On lap nine, Schwanbeck drove to the low side of Bernhagen, trying to lead. At the same time, Tiegan went high, driving by both of them to grab the lead. Schwanbeck cleared for second on lap 12 and drove up behind Tiegan. Two pair of competitors launched an intense battle for the lead, each knowing they needed to beat the other to secure the overall title. Tiegan and Schwanbeck swapped paint several times as they also swapped the lead until Schwanbeck moved out front on lap 15. Tiegan spent the final ten circuits trying everything he could to get back alongside Schwanbeck. But he was unable to get it done, as Schwanbeck flew past the checkers first for the win with Tiegan settling for second. Ben Massman was third ahead of Robby Morrison and Bernhargen. Schwanbeck captured the overall title with his feature win, marking his third straight championship in the event.

Rounding out the night’s events were twin 15 lap Bandolero features. Parker Searles led feature number one early on with Easton Riedner up to second on lap two. Riedner slipped by Searles on lap four while Lincoln Cain drove up to second right behind the new leader. After a caution on lap seven, Cain charged by Riedner to grab the lead just before rain drops paused the action on lap 11. Cain hung on to grab the win in the first feature with Cohen Henze up to finish second ahead of Jayden Johnson, Penn Sauter and Riedner.

Cain rocketed to the front of the second feature as they completed the opening lap. Jayden Johnson followed up to second as the top two drivers broke away from the pack. Johnson stuck close behind Cain, peeking low on several occasions as he tried to draw even. But Johnson couldn’t make the move stick as Cain was able to fend him off each time. Contact with lapped traffic on the final lap resulted in Johnson stalling out just before the finish line while Cain drove away to score the win. Bentley Thompson was second followed by Chase Gronert, Paegan Ellingson and Ace Oldenhoff. With his two feature wins, Lincoln Cain of Slinger was crowned the overall Bandolero champion.

JEFFERSON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY

Late Model-

Last Chance

Feature #1

Feature #2

Sportsman-

Last Chance

Feature #1

Feature #2

International-

Last Chance

Feature #1

Feature #2

Hobby Stock-

Last Chance

Feature #1

Feature #2

Legends-

Qualifying

Feature #1

Feature #2

Bandolero-

Qualifying

Qualifying Races

Last Chance Races

Feature #1

Feature #2