September 1, 2001; Jefferson, WI. - Following 2, consecutive, rain outs, fans packed the house at Jefferson Speedway. They were treated to 37 racing events, over a period of 5 hours and 3 minutes! Eric Gerlach of Palmyra claimed top honors, in the "Watertown Bowl 50," 50 lap Late Model feature. Starting from the outside of row 3, Gerlach started his drive to the front, as Jasper Gronert of Jefferson pulled out to the early lead.
The only caution of the race came on the first lap, for a single car spin in turn one, setting up a compete restart. Gronert pulled ahead on the restart as Gerlach made his way ahead from the 4th spot. By lap 7, Gerlach claimed the 2nd spot, closing with Gronert. Moving under Gronert, on lap 9, Gerlach claimed the point by lap 12. As Gerlach pulled ahead, Gronert found himself battling for 2nd, with Andy Wendt of Watertown. Wendt claimed the 2nd spot by lap 14, trailing far behind Gerlach. Defending track champion, and current point leader, Dan Chesmore of Janesville, motored under Ron Bishofberger of Fort Atkinson, on lap 19, narrowing the gap with Wendt. Chesmore closed with Wendt by lap 31 challenging for the 2nd spot. Wendt was determined not to give it up, and the two battled, nose to tail, and side by side, for 19 laps. Wendt kept the advantage, at the line, sometimes by mere inches, on each lap. At the finish it was Gerlach, scoring his first feature of the 2001 season, followed by Wendt, Chesmore, Bishofberger and Jason Erickson of Cambridge. Jim Jarlsberg of Cambridge claimed top honors in the, 25 lap, Voss Sentry Foods/WFAW AM
940 Winners Circle Challenge. Drawing the outside front row starting position Jarlsberg
powered to the early lead guiding the way to the checkered flag. Chesmore pulled up behind
Jarlsberg over the closing laps, but was unable to find his way to the front. Bishofberger claimed the money, in the 8 lap "Krentz Auto Mart" Dash for
Cash. Claiming victories, in 10 lap heat races, were Bill Drefahl Jr. of Evansville, Scott
Bleeker of Jefferson, Bob Cottam of Janesville and Randy Breunig of Columbus. In International class action, Brent Nottestad notched another feature win. Starting from the inside of row 7, Nottestad started his drive to the front as Derrick Bettenhausen of Cambridge pulled out to the early lead. Caution came on lap 2, when 3 cars tangled in turn 2, a fourth car ended in the infield sand barrier, when the field slowed for the caution. On the restart the caution returned when a car hit the turn 4 wall, rolling to a stop in turn 1. Dennis Clapp of Madison claimed the point, before a spin in turn 2 brought another caution, on lap 3. On the restart Nottestad moved under traffic, claiming the 4th spot by lap 6 and the 3rd spot by lap 7. On lap 8, Mike Dixon of Omro spun out of the 2nd spot, bringing out the caution and moving Nottestad to the 2nd spot for the restart. On the restart Nottestad motored under Clapp, claiming the point. As Nottestad guided the field to the checkered flag, Ed Wolff III made his way to the 2nd spot, before the final caution of the race, for a spin on the front stretch, on lap 17. Nottestad pulled away from Wolff's challenge, on the restart guiding the way to the checkered. At the stripe it was Nottestad, followed by Wolff, Mark English of Edgerton, Clapp and Mike Dietzen of Milwaukee. Wolff set the fast qualifying pace, with a 15.857 second loop of the quarter mile. Chris Quam of Stoughton claimed the cash, in the "Krentz Auto Mart" Dash for Cash. Claiming victories, in 8 lap heat races, were Scott Hoeft of Watertown, Clapp and Nottestad. Moving to the feature lineup, from the 10 lap Last Chance race, were Doug Taylor of Stoughton, Tory Adams of Madison, Hoeft, Ken Edmundson of Lima Center and Lucas Vinje of Madison. In Sportsman Division action, Bobby Stough Jr. of Waunakee notched his first career feature win, in the 25 lap main event. Starting from the outside of the front row, Stough claimed the early lead and never looked back, guiding the field to the checkered. The race saw a single caution, on lap 9, to remove a car from the race, for safety reasons. At the finish it was Stough for the win, followed by Dale Padfield of Jefferson, Josh Courtney of Janesville, Bret Schmidt of Watertown and Jeff Kohlhoff of Watertown. Kohlhoff set the high mark, in qualifying, with a 15.725 second tour of the quarter mile. Trent Erdman of Ft. Atkinson won the Dash for Cash. Winning, 8 lap, heat races were Cliff Rucks of Edgerton, Kyle Jarlsberg of Cambridge, Rory Padfield of Stoughton, Dylan Schuyler of Dousman and Bob Selsing of Ft. Atkinson. Moving to the Last Chance race, from 2, 10 lap, Consolation races, were Pete Olsen of Ft. Atkinson, Kyle Jarlsberg of Cambridge, Kurt Kleven of Utica and Rich Titus of Jefferson. Moving to the feature lineup, from the 15 lap Last Chance race, were Jeremy Hayton of Whitewater, Mike Landers of Johnson Creek, Noel Ramge of Hellenville and Tony Koepke of Ft. Atkinson. In Hobby Stock action, Dennis Gaserude of Arena marked on in the win column, in the 20 lap feature. Starting from the inside of row 4, Gaserude started his drive to the front as Jason Ayers of Stoughton pulled to the early lead. Gaserude claimed the 2nd spot, by lap 4, when the first caution came, for debris on the track. Gaserude was still in 2nd, when a car backed into the infield sand pile, on lap 7, bringing the final caution. On the restart Gaserude moved to the inside, claiming the point by lap 10 and guiding the way to the checkered. At the finish it was Gaserude for the win, followed by Jim Pfeifer of Ft. Atkinson, Jason Ayers of Stoughton, Lincoln Keeser of Milton and Nick Golich of Hebron. Terry Wangsness of Delavan set the fast qualifying pace with a 16.864 second circuit of
the quarter mile. Chad Lurvey of Dousman won the, 8 lap, Dash for Cash. Claiming
victories, in 8 lap heat races, were Chris Schoonover of Janesville, Russ Nicholson of
Stoughton, Roger Stephenson of Cambridge and Gaserude. Moving to the Last Chance race,
from the 8 lap Consolation race, were Jim Tate of Watertown and Schoonover. Joining the
feature, from the 12 lap Last Chance race were Eaan Carson of Hebron, Chris Matz of
Watertown, Russ Nicholson of Stoughton and Mike Cusick of Edgerton. Rounding out the nights racing action was the "Great American Bartender's race," won by Brad Bakken of Fairway Crossing, in Cambridge. Next week is Havill-Spoerl Season Championships at Jefferson Speedway, with a 75 lap Late Model feature, and extended features in all divisions, along with WMAD night at the races. Gates open at 3:00, Qualifying at 5:00 and racing at 7:00 sharp. Jefferson Speedway is on Highway 18, between Jefferson and Cambridge Wisconsin.
FAST QUALIFIER: #97 Jim
Jarlsberg (Cambridge): 14.835 seconds 60.67 MPH Heats: 10 lap: (Winners Only) 1) 70 Bill Drefahl Jr. (Evansville) 2) 98 Scott Bleeker (Jefferson)
FAST QUALIFIER: #89 Ed
Wolff III (Clyman): 15.857 seconds 56.76 MPH
FAST QUALIFIER: #98 Jeff
Kohlhoff (Watertown): 15.725 seconds 57.23
MPH
FAST QUALIFIER: #55 Terry
Wangsness (Delavan): 16.864 seconds 53.37
MPH
KRENTZ AUTO Mart -FAST DASH: 6 Lap
- 38 Bill Reynolds GREAT AMERICAN BARTENDERS RACE: Brad Bakken (Fairway Crossing, Cambridge) |
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