News :: Oktoberfest Race Weekend

Mother Nature Couldn’t Stop the Final Day of Oktoberfest Racing

By: Ashley Iwanski & Kevin Ramsell
(West Salem, WI – October 5, 2008)

Not even a rain delay could stop race fans from filing into La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway to watch their favorite drivers compete on the final day of Oktoberfest Race Weekend.
Multiple cautions littered the USST North Series feature that was won by Conrad Jorgenson. The first caution flag waved when Nathaniel Anderson spun in turn three. Three laps later points leader John Wood spun in turn four collecting two other cars. Wood was able to finish in the sixth position and won the series championship. Conrad Jorgenson took the lead mid-race and was able to hold off Collin Laursen to win the feature.
Two champions were declared after the Modified Oktoberfest feature. When the green flag waved Tim Plummer quickly took the lead and pulled away from the rest of the pack. At lap five a caution came out when Steve Lindell hit the wall in turn three. The field restarted nose to tail; giving Steve Johanneck a chance to try to pass the leader. Meanwhile a three way battle for fourth was in progress between Ron Schmitt, Ryan Luedtke, and Tony Robertson. In the end it would be Robertson who takes the position and the Class AA Championship. Johanneck wasn’t able to get around Plummer. Plummer walked away as both the feature winner and Class A Champion.
Chris Loberg jumped to the early lead in the 20-lap Vintage car feature event. Ken Hutchins worked his way through the field to take over the second spot from Mark May on lap 5. But Loberg had about a straightaway lead over him. The best battle at the halfway mark was between May and Michael Wall for third. Wall would get past May for the position. Out front, Loberg continued to hold on to the big lead over Hutchens. As the laps wind down, Hutchens started to inch up closer and closer to Loberg’s bumper. He would get right up to his back bumper on the last lap and make the move to the inside coming off of turn four but come up short at the finish line. Michael Wall was third with Mark May in fourth. Roger Meyer rounded out the top five.
The 75-lap Enduro was the final event of the 39th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend. In the early going it was Kyle Ranzenberger leading a huge field of 4-cylinder cars around the ¼-mile oval at the 15-lap mark. With 25 laps in the books, Corey Jankowski got around Ranzenberger to take over the top spot. Mike Carlson was running third. Three laps later, Jankowski would break his rear axle and was done for the day, this hand the lead over to Ryan Pelowski. Pelowski had about a straightaway lead over Carlson with 40 laps to go in the event. The leader was doing a great job working his way around the lap traffic allowing his lead to grow over Carlson. With 30 laps to go, Carlson gave up his second position as he went to the pits with a flat right front tire. The leader had problems with 27 laps to go as he was collected in a wreck with Josh Chapman. This handed the lead over to Matt Rowe. Rowe would go on to lead the final 26 laps to take home the Oktoberfest 75-lap Enduro and bring the 39th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend to a close.
Now that the 2008 season has come to a close it’s time to prepare for 2009. Mark your calendars; the 40th Annual Oktoberfest Race Week is scheduled for October 8th through the 11th. For more information about La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway please visit www.lacrossespeedway.com or contact the office at (608) 786-1525 or lacrossespeedway@yahoo.com. Also visit the official Oktoberfest website at www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com.

LA CROSSE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
ASA Midwest Tour
Miller Lite 100 Feature (30 Cars) — 1, Dan Fredrickson, Elko, Minn.; 2, Nathan Haseleu, Marshall; 3, Travis Sauter, Necedah; 4, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 5, Steve Carlson, West Salem; 6, Cameron Datson, Sparta; 7, Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 8, Andrew Morrissey, DeForest; 9, Jacob Goede, New Germany, Minn.; 10, Russ Blakeley, Whitewater; 11, Donny Reuvers, Dundas, Minn.; 12, Kyle Calmes, Freedom; 13, Frank Kreyer, Pardeeville; 14, Blake Horstman, Bangor; 15, Nick Murgic, Rosemount, Minn.; 16, Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 17, Brett Moffit, Ames, Iowa; 18, Jeremy Lepak, Wausau; 19, Jonathan Eilen, Hampton, Minn.; 20, Nick Neville, Mackinaw, Ill.; 21, Chris Wimmer, Wausau; 22, Tim Schendel, Sparta; 23, Mark Kraus, Stratford; 24, Josh Vadnais, White Bear Lake, Minn.; 25, Jamie Iverson, Escanaba, Mich.; 26, Jamie Iverson, Escanaba, Mich.; 27, Matt Kocourek, Franklin; 28, Paul Paine, Mound, Minn.; 29, Rich Loch, Muskego; 30, Andy Hanson, Ramsey, Minn.
6 for 6 — 1, Frank Kreyer; 2, Jason Weinkauf; 3, Steve Carlson; 4, Dadson; 5, Dan Fredrickson.
Last Chance 1 — 1, Andy Hanson; 2, Mark Kraus; 3, Mark Lamoreaux, Bloomington, Minn.; 4, Eric Fransen, East Troy; 5, Rob Van Der Loop; Kaukauna.
Last Chance 2 — 1, Matt Kocourek; 2, Eric Fransen; 3, Don Turner, La Crosse; 4, Tim Rothe, Appleton; 5, Brett Moffitt, Grims, Iowa.

4-Cylinder Enduro
Miller Lite 75 Feature (34 cars) — 1.

USST North Trucks
Miller Lite 30 Feature (17 Cars) — 1, Conrad Jorgenson; 2, Collin Laursen, Mondovi; 3, Andy Jirik, Lonsdale, Minn.; 4, Bret Widdis, Manistique, Mich.; 5, ; 6, John Wood, Sun Prairie; 7, Cole Howland, La Crosse; 8, Ralph Cottone, Onalaska; 9, Lucas Korish, La Crosse; 10, Steve Miller, Manitowoc; 11, Jeff Babb, Elgin, Ill.; 12, Butch Mierendorf, Waterloo; 13, Mike Tetzlaff, Somerset; 14, Tim Anderson, Scandia, Minn.; 15, Nathaniel Anderson, Scandia, Minn.; 16, Thomas Roney, Crystal Lake, Ill.; 17, Davey Cox.

Modifieds
Miller Lite 25 Feature A (4 cars) — 1, Tim Plummer, Norway, Iowa; 2, Steve Johanneck, Litchfield, Minn.; 3, Matthew Clossey, Beloit; 4, Ron Schmitt, Slinger.
Miller Lite 25 Feature AA (4 cars) — 1, Tony Robertson, Watkin, Minn.; 2, Ryan Luedtke, Norway, Iowa; 3, Cory Houdek, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 4, Steve Lindell, Marion, Iowa.

Vintage Cars
Miller Lite 20 Feature (7 cars) — 1, Chris Loberg, Menomonie; 2, Ken Hutchens, Black River Falls; 3, Michael Wall, Holmen; 4, Mark May, Marshfield; 5, Roger Meyer, Montgomery, Minn.; 6, Bob Heineq, New Prague, Minn.; 7, Mark Freund, Woodstock, Ill.

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