News :: Oktoberfest Race Weekend

Fredrickson Claims First Oktoberfest Win

By: Kevin Ramsell
Sunday, October 07, 2007 (West Salem, WI) – Dan Fredrickson ended his Oktoberfest Race Weekend on a high note as he claimed the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment’s Oktoberfest 100 season finale at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway. For Fredrickson it was fitting end to a somewhat frustrating weekend.

On Friday night, Fredrickson tied with Steve Holzhausen the “Dick Trickle 99” event, only to lose on a tie-breaker. On Saturday, both also tied in qualifying with a lap of 19.133 seconds (a new ASAMT track record), and again, Holzhausen won on a tie-breaker.

On Sunday, it was Fredrickson blowing away the competition as he dominated the 100-lap event. “I’m glad he fell off,” Fredrickson stated after the race in regards to Holzhausen falling behind him. “I love racing him, but I am tired enough of him,” Fredrickson jokingly said.

It was Dean Cornelius grabbing the early lead in the feature event. Fredrickson started tenth and was easily clipping off spot after spot with Holzhausen right behind him.

Cornelius was trying to hold off Josh Vadnais for the lead on lap 22. This allowed Fredrickson to catch up to the two and get by Vadnais on the inside coming off turn four. Fredrickson kept his momentum going as he went side-by-side with Cornelius into turn one. The two would race side-by-side going down the backstretch. Fredrickson would then power past him for the lead going into turn three.

Steve Carlson also had a great run as he would get past Holzhausen for third on lap 23 and two laps later get past Cornelius for second. Holzhausen would follow and take third.

Fredrickson would begin to pull away from Carlson while driving through lap traffic.

Andrew Morrissey had a stellar run as he passed the 2006 Oktoberfest champion, Holzhausen, on lap 70 to take over third.

The first of two cautions flew on lap 89 when Jacob Goede spun in turn three. On the re-start, Fredrickson would drive away from the La Crosse Speedway and 2007 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National champion, Carlson.

The final caution flew on lap 97 when Mark Krause spun coming off of turn four causing a parking lot on the front stretch. Current ASAMT point leader, Nate Haseleu, narrowly avoided being a part of it.

Fredrickson again got a great re-start and went on to collect the win with Carlson in second and Morrissey finishing third. Holzhausen held off a late challenge from Travis Sauter to finish fifth.

“Awesome, super keyed up!!!” Fredrickson exclaimed in victory lane. “It was spot on perfect; we could have gone 300 laps.

“He had a super bite off the turns,” Carlson said after the race. “I just couldn’t get in the throttle hard enough to put a challenge on him.”

For Morrissey, it’s his best finish in his third ASA Midwest Tour start. “I really didn’t know what to expect we were very fast in practice yesterday and we qualified real well,” an exhausted Morrissey said after the race. “I just saved my tires through the race and it paid off in the end.”

Jamie Iverson finished sixth and jumped up to finish fourth in the final unofficial point standings. Dick Trickle took home his first top ten in ASAMT competition with a seventh-place finish. Cornelius held on for an eighth place finish with Tim Schendel in ninth.

Donny Reuvers finished tenth but fell 40 points short of capturing the ASAMT championship from Nate Haseleu.

Haseleu’s 14th place finish was enough for him to become the first ever ASA Midwest Tour champion. “Just proud, actually just wore out because the car was a hunk of junk,” a tired Haseleu stated. “I could see Donny up there and just couldn’t go, but just proud of our whole team, Swiss Colony, car owner Gary Schultz and the people who work on this car. I am real proud to be the first one to win the ASA Midwest Tour championship. We will do our homework over the winter and hopefully we can contend for more wins next season.”

Jonathan Eilen’s 21st place finish allowed him to claim the Rookie of the Year title. Eilen, who won the ASAMT’s first event back in April, was happy with his season. “This is pretty awesome, not only to win the first race but to also win the Rookie of the Year,” a smiling Eilen stated after the race. “I wouldn’t do any other series unless something really big came along for me.”

Two 15-lap Last Chance races filled the field to the 100-lap main event with the top two in each gaining a starting spot.

Jesse Saunders and Don Turner finished first and second in the first Last Chance race while Blake Horstman and Rob Vanderloop earned a starting spot from the second Last chance race.

The ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour Presented Echo Outdoor Power Equipment’s Championship Banquet will be on Saturday, January 26th at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

For more information, please visit the ASAMT’s website at www.asamidwesttour.com.

La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway West Salem, WI
Sunday, October 7, 2007

Pos # Driver Hometown Laps Status
1 36 Dan Fredrickson Lakeville, MN 100 Running
2 66 Steve Carlson West Salem, WI 100 Running
3 39 Andrew Morrissey DeForest, WI 100 Running
4 97 Steve Holzhausen Bangor, WI 100 Running
5 119 Travis Sauter Necedah, WI 100 Running
6 97 Jamie Iverson Escanaba, MI 99 Running
7 99 Dick Trickle Iron Station, NC 99 Running
8 9 Dean Cornelius Chaska, MN 99 Running
9 21 Tim Schendel Sparta, WI 99 Running
10 41 Donny Reuvers Dundas, MN 99 Running
11 72 Jacob Goede New Germany, MN 99 Running
12 75 Neil Knobloch Wausau, WI 99 Running
13 40 Jeremy Lepak Wausau, WI 99 Running
14 87 Nate Haseleu Marshall, WI 99 Running
15 11 Josh Vadnais White Bear Lake, MN 99 Running
16 99 Frank Kreyer Pardeeville, WI 98 Running
17 9 Kenny Richards Montello, WI 98 Running
18 13 Jesse Saunders New Glarus, WI 98 Running
19 7 Don Turner La Crosse, WI 98 Running
20 4 Kevin Nuttleman Bangor, WI 98 Running
21 77 Jonathan Eilen Hampton, MN 97 Running
22 77 Kris Kelly Norway, MI 96 accident
23 9 Mark Kraus Stratford, WI 95 accident
24 75 Blake Horstman Bangor, WI 95 Running
25 76 Jason Weinkauf Merrill, WI 78 mechanical
26 18 Rob Vanderloop Kaukauna, WI 60 mechanical
27 18 Dan Lensing Rockton, IL 49 mechanical
28 96 Dave Feiler DeForest, WI 37 mechanical

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