News :: Oktoberfest Race Weekend

THREE DIFFERENT PATHS TO A CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN AT OKTOBERFEST

By: Kevin Ramsell
BURLINGTON, WI (Wednesday, September 30, 2009) – Nathan Haseleu, Steve Carlson, and Chris Wimmer each are focused on the next event for the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment Super Late Model Series. The 40th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend will be the final event of the 2009 season and only 52 points separate the top-three.

For each driver, the path they took to the final event was unique for each of them, but it is safe to say that neither of three had a smooth path in their championship run.

The season started on Sunday, May 3 at Madison International Speedway with the Joe Shear Classic. Nathan Haseleu got his season started on the right track by winning the event. Steve Carlson fell out of the event with mechanical problems while Chris Wimmer was involved in a wreck on lap two of the 136-lap event. Haseleu would get 134 points with Carlson receiving 90 points and Wimmer taking 82 points.

Wimmer would quickly turn things around as he bounced back at Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA on Saturday, May 16th for the Pride of Iowa 100. It was in the final ten laps of the event where Wimmer flew from his third place position to get by Tim Schendel and Jonathan Eilen for his first ever ASAMT win. Haseleu would come home in ninth while Carlson didn’t compete in the event. After this event, Haseleu would have a total of 238 points; Wimmer would have 204 points and Carlson with 90 points.

Carlson would return to ASAMT competition a week later at Elko Speedway for the Elko 125 at Elko Speedway in Elko, MN on Saturday, May 23rd. He would have a banner night as he would set the fast time, finish third in his heat and win the main event, earning 156 points of the 160 points eligible. Haseleu would finish seventh in the event with Wimmer finishing ninth. After three events, Haseleu had 340 points, Wimmer with 312 and Carlson with 246 points.

Carlson’s momentum would continue a week later at Dells Raceway Park for the Race for the Gold – Bronze Race on Saturday, May 30th. He would win his second race in a row with Haseleu finishing third and Wimmer finishing 20th in the 125-lap feature event. Haseleu left this event with 465 points, Wimmer had 398 points and Carlson had 398 points as well.

After a little break, the ASAMT made its first visit to Illiana Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 20th for the 8th Annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial 100. Haseleu would start out his day by picking up his first ECHO/Oregon Cutting Systems Fast Qualifier award. He would go on to finish fifth in the feature event that was won by Jacob Goede. Carlson would finish ahead of Haseleu in fourth. Wimmer ended up 17th in the event. Haseleu had 641 points while Carlson had 574 points and Wimmer had 538 points.

The ASAMT made its final trip to the state of Iowa for the season on Friday, July 3rd for the Keith Fleck Miller 100 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA. Haseleu would capture his second fast qualifier award of the season, but it was Carlson collecting his third win of the season. Haseleu would finish third and Wimmer finished fifth in the feature event. Haseleu had a total of 778 points, Carlson had 728 and Wimmer had 668.

The Race for the Gold – Silver Race at Dells Raceway Park on Saturday, July 18th was one of those bad nights for two of the drivers still eligible for the championship. While Frank Kreyer won the race, Carlson and Wimmer were both involved in a late race caution that sent Carlson to the pits to replace a flat tire and Wimmer to the back for being involved. Haseleu would finish fourth in the event while Wimmer was 16th and Carlson was 17th. Haseleu had a lead with 902 points, Carlson was up to 816 points and Wimmer had 760.

Carlson would himself rebound and collect his fourth win of the season at the Dixieland 150 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI on Tuesday, August 4th. Haseleu would once again be the fast qualifier for the event and would come home second while Wimmer was third. So far this year, it is the only time that the top-three in the championship chase shared the podium together. Haseleu left WIR with 1043 points while Carlson had 960 points and Wimmer had 889 points.

Both Carlson and Wimmer would gain some ground on Haseleu at the Shakopee 100 at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN on Sunday, August 17th. The event was won by Donny Reuvers with Carlson right behind him in second spot. But Wimmer was right behind Carlson in third. Haseleu was seventh. Haseleu had 1153 points, Carlson with 1091 points and Wimmer with 1020 points.

The Labor Day weekend was spent up at Norway Speedway in Norway, MI for the Labor Day 100 on Sunday, September 6th. Carlson would start out the day with his first fast qualifier award for the season. Jamie Iverson would go on to win the event for the third year in a row with Haseleu finishing fourth. Carlson would come home sixth with Wimmer right behind him in seventh. Haseleu left the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with 1273 points, while Carlson had 1212 points and Wimmer had 1136 points.

This past Saturday night at Elko Speedway is where the big points shift occurred as Haseleu’s mechanical problem relegated him to a 26th place finish in the Race for the Gold – Gold Race. Defending ASAMT champion Dan Fredrickson would take home the win, but it wasn’t an easy win as he held off the constant challenges from Wimmer, who finished second. Carlson would finish sixth in the event. At the end of the night, Haseleu had 1331 points with Carlson leaving with 1321 points and Wimmer up to 1279 points.

The championship comes down to one race and only 52 points separating the top-three. Each will receive 20 points for appearing at the final event. The fast qualifier will receive 20 points and the winner of each fast heat will receive 20 points. The feature winner will receive 100 points. The two days that the ASAMT will be competing at Oktoberfest will stressful for all three drivers and their teams as each practice, qualifying and race event will have a factor on who will be the 2009 champion.

It could come down to the final lap on Sunday, October 11th.

For more information about Oktoberfest, please visit www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail toinfo@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asaracing.com.

ASA™, ASA Racing™ and American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. Racing Speed Associates, LLC is not related to or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.

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