Son / Father Finish First and Second at Jefferson Speedway!
By Larry Starr
Jefferson, Wis., May 18, 2002 — A hearty group of race fans braved the cold, at Wisconsin’s Action Track, to watch Nick Wendt of Jefferson lead his dad, Andy Wendt of Watertown, at the finish of the 35 lap Late Model feature.
Starting from the outside of row 3, Wendt avoided the melee, at the start, when the front row tangled, collecting 3 cars, and scattering the field. On the restart it was Andy Wendt at the point with Steve Dobbratz of Rio running 2nd. Dobbratz claimed the top spot, by lap 2, with Nick Wendt moving past Andy, for 2nd.
Dobbratz held off the Wendt family until lap 9, when he lost the handle, in turn 3, crashing into the wall. On the restart it was Nick Wendt at the point, guiding the way to the checkered. At the finish Nick Wendt was just ahead of Andy. A quarter lap back, in 3rd, was John Ovadal Jr. of Hellenville, Ron Bishofberger of Ft. Atkinson and Jason Erickson of Cambridge.
Dan Chesmore of Janesville set the fast qualifying pace, with a 14.808 second tour of the quarter mile. Ovadal claimed the prize, in the Dash for Cash.
Winning 10 lap heat races were Josh Weir of Cottage Grove, Wayne Whitford of Janesville, Tim Noble of Janesville and Tom Dorn of Ft. Atkinson.
Ken Piotrowski of Janesville and Weir moved through the Consi, to the Last Chance race. Whitford, Kurt Thompson of Palmyra, Jim Gleesing of Whitewater and Scottie Hayton of Waterloo moved from the Last Chance to the Feature.
In International action Brent Nottestad of Cambridge edged out Janesville’s Mark English in the 25 lap Main event. Starting 10th Nottestad headed toward the front as Dennis Clapp of Madison claimed the early lead. Derrick Bettenhausen of Cambridge claimed the point on lap 3, only to Surrender it to English, on lap 9.
Caution closed the field, on lap 11, with Nottestad restarting behind English. Nottestad made his way to the front, on lap 14, holding off English till the finish. At the stripe it was Nottestad followed by English, Aaron Rude of Cambridge, Mike Drays of Milton and Chris Quam of Stoughton.
Quam set the qualifying pace, with a 15.943 second orbit of the quarter mile, while heat race victories went to Charles Dixon of Waukesha and English.
In Sportsman action Fort Atkinson’s Trent Erdman claimed top honors in the main event. Starting from the inside of row 3, Erdman passed Jimmy Pankow of Oregon, the early leader, on lap 11, and never looked back. At the stripe it was Erdman for the win, followed by Jay Kalbus of Oconomowoc, Pankow, Dave Oswald of Cottage Grove and Nick Berge of Janesville.
Oswald qualified fastest, with a 15.714 second lap. Earning heat race victories were Jeremy Hayton of Lake Geneva, Kyle Taylor of Stoughton, Pankow and Bret Schmidt of Watertown.
Hayton and Mike Acheson of Watertown drove to the Last Chance race from the Consi. Moving from the Last Chance, to the feature, were Jason Ayers of Stoughton, Kurt Kleven of Utica, Kevin Thompson of Palmyra and James Helmer of Fox Lake.
In Hobby Stock action, Roger Stephenson of Cambridge moved from 10th to first in the feature event. Bill Bush of Jefferson looked to have the race in hand when he slid high on lap 19, handing the lead to Stephenson. At the stripe it was Stephenson, followed by Ken Au of Ft. Atkinson, Chris Matz of Watertown, Eaan Carson of Whitewater and Lincoln Keeser of Milton.
Ken Scott of Rio set fast time, and a new track record, with a 16.629 second loop of the quarter mile. Heat race victories went to Kris Schoonover of Janesville, Lonny Wilson of Janesville and Milton’s Jim Williams.
Joining the feature, from the Last Chance Race, were Jessie Ayers of Stoughton, Jeff Jesberger of Sun Prairie, Jenny Weir of Cottage Grove and Wilson.
In Bandit action, Peter Shelley of Edgerton made his way from 8th to 1st in the action packed feature. Following Shelley at the stripe were Tim Seitz of Edgerton, David Jurczyk of Jefferson, Bill Reynolds of Watertown and Allen Petrie of Sun Prairie.
Brandon Riedner set the fast qualifying pace, with a 15.540 second lap. Winning heat races were Adam Padfield of Stoughton and Jurczyk.
Next week at Jefferson Speedway, it’s the Mountain Dew 50, with a 50 lap Late Model feature, along with a full racing program and the Bandits. Gates open at 3:00, Qualifying at 5:00 and racing at 7:00.
Next Sunday Jefferson Speedway Presents the first Tournament of destruction for the 2002 season, with a full night of Automotive mayhem, capped by a Fireworks show. Gates open at 4:00PM, first event at 7:30.
Late Model Feature Finish:
Laps:
35
1.
94 Nick Wendt (Jefferson)
10.
88 Jim Gleesing (Whitewater)
2.
18 Andy Wendt (Watertown)
11.
66 Curt Thompson (Palmyra)
3.
71 John Ovadal Jr. (Hellenville)
12.
17 Wayne Whitford (Janesville)
4.
76 Ron Bishofberger (Ft. Atkinson)
13.
71 Tim Noble (Janesville)
5.
1 Jason Erickson (Cambridge)
14.
68 Ken Olson (Ft. Atkinson)
6.
44 Roger Behlke (Jefferson)
15.
0 Scottie Hatton (Waterloo)
7.
14 Scott Nottestad (Stoughton)
16.
16 Luke Westenberg (Palmyra)
8.
27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville)
17.
52 Steve Dobbratz (Rio)
9.
55 Eric Gerlach (Palmyra)
18.
2 Tom Dorn (Ft. Atkinson)
FAST QUALIFIER : 27 Dan Chesmore (Janesville): 14.808 seconds.
FAST DASH: 8 Lap : John Ovadal Jr. (Hellenville)
CONSI: 12 Lap : 6 Ken Piotrowski (Janesville), 52 Josh Weir (Cottage Grove)
LAST CHANCE: 20 Lap : 17 Wayne Whitford (Janesville), 66 Curt Thompson (Palmyra),88 Jim Gleesing (Whitewater), 0 Scottie Hatton (Waterloo)
Heats: 10 lap: 1) 52 Josh Weir (Cottage Grove) 2) 17 Wayne Whitford (Janesville)
3) 71 Tim Noble (Janesville) 4) 2 Tom Dorn (Fort Atkinson)
International Feature:
Laps:
20
1.
25 Brent Nottestad (Cambridge)
4.
48 Mike Drays (Milton)
2.
57 Mark English (Janesville)
5.
4 Chris Quam (Stoughton)
3.
9 Aaron Rude (Cambridge)
6.
17 Mike Bingham (Jefferson)
FAST QUALIFIER : 4 Chris Quam (Stoughton): 15.943 seconds.
Heats: 10 lap: 1) 71 Charles Dixon (Waukesha) 2) 57 Mark English (Janesville)
Sportsman Feature:
Laps:
25
1.
11 Trent Erdman (Ft. Atkinson)
4.
31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove)
2.
27 Jay Kalbus (Oconomowoc)
5.
37 Nick Berge (Janesville)
3.
23 Jimmy Pankow (Oregon)
6.
19 Dan Schmidt (Watertown)
FAST QUALIFIER : 31 Dave Oswald (Cottage Grove): 15.714 seconds
CONSI: 10 Lap : 81 Jeremy Hayton (Lake Geneva), 82 Mike Acheson (Watertown)
LAST CHANCE: 15 Lap : 57 Jason Ayers (Stoughton), 15 Kurt Kleven (Utica), 99 Kevin Thompson (Palmyra), 7 James Helmer (Fox Lake)
Heats: 10 lap: 1) 81 Jeremy Hayton (Lake Geneva) 2) 14 Kyle Taylor (Stoughton)
3) 23 Jimmy Pankow (Oregon) 4) 20 Bret Schmidt (Watertown)
Hobby Stock Feature:
Laps:
20
1.
88 Roger Stephenson (Cambridge)
4.
2 Eaan Carson (Whitewater)
2.
31 Ken Au (Ft. Atkinson)
5.
99 Lincoln Keeser (Milton)
3.
72 Chris Matz (Watertown)
6.
6 Jeremy Hartwig (Cottage Grove)
FAST QUALIFIER : 39 Ken Scott (Rio): 16.629 seconds (New Track Record)
LAST CHANCE: 12 Lap : 44 Jessie Ayers (Stoughton), 67 Jeff Jesberger (Sun Prairie), 68 Jenny Weir (Cottage Grove), 40 Lonny Wilson (Janesville)
Heats: 8 lap: 1) 8 Kris Schoonover (Janesville) 2) 40 Lonny Wilson (Janesville) 3) J10 Jim Williams (Milton)
Bandit Feature:
Laps:
15
1.
5 Peter Shelley (Edgerton)
4.
38 Bill Reynolds (Watertown)
2.
57 Tim Seitz (Edgerton)
5.
12 Allen Petrie (Sun Prairie)
3.
18 David Jurczyk (Jefferson)
6.
1 Adam Padfield (Stoughton)
FAST QUALIFIER : 4D Brandon Riedner (Waunakee): 15.540 seconds.
Heats: 8 lap: 1) 1 Adam Padfield (Stoughton) 2) 18 David Jurczyk (Jefferson)