By: Ashley Iwanski
(West Salem, WI – May 15, 2010) It took a few laps, but as soon as Steve Carlson’s tires got warm he took over the lead and held off Brad Powell for his second Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Model win of the season at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway.

After a mid-race caution Carlson took the inside line and Powell was nowhere in sight. With five to go Powell was running second and steadily working his way to Carlson’s back bumper. For the last two laps of the race Powell was looking high and low for any chance to pass Carlson. As they came around to the checkered flag Carlson was barely in the lead.

“The last five laps it (his car) didn’t want to turn,” Carlson said. “Brad could turn the corner real good, but he was loose off the exit; that’s what saved me.” A second place starting position didn’t hurt either.

“Three more laps and I would have had him,” said Powell. He could have pulled a moved that would have sent Carlson to the back, but didn’t. “I wouldn’t want it done to me, so why do it to him.”

While Carlson and Powell were busy fighting for the first position, the drivers sixth through tenth were pushing and shoving each other all over the track. The drivers stayed clean enough to avoid a caution and finish the race the best that they could. Todd Korish finished in third, Mike Carlson fourth, and Tim Nelson fifth.

Jason Dummer opened a gap to secure his first career feature win in the North Country Contractors Sportsmen division. Meanwhile the battle for second was brewing behind him. Rick Schermerhorn and Nick Clements were nose-to-tail and side-by-side for the last five laps. As they came around to take the checkered flag Schermerhorn edged his nose forward to take second. Clements finished third. Earlier in the race, Jerrod Loging took an unexpected detour through turn four. Loging got sideways in the middle of turns three and four sending him into the grass. Loging kept the car under power and managed to get back on the track to keep going and finish the race. Loging ended up in the sixteenth position.

Adam Moore started in the rear and came back to take home a win in the United Auto Supply Thunderstox division. Moore fought his way to the front around the swarm of cars on the track. By the last lap he was on the tail of leader Wayne Smith. Moore was unable to pass and Smith crossed the finish line first, but was later disqualified. That made Moore the official race winner followed by Danielle Neary, Jake Krueger and Brad Warthan.

John Olson broke the track record for the R.A.Y.S division early in the night with a time of 14.474 seconds. By the time the feature came around his fast car could only get him so far. Olson spun on the first lap, then came back to challenge Chad Rosendahl for the win. After laps of running bumper to bumper Rosendahl was able to close the door on Olson to take the win. Olson finished second.

Saturday May 22nd is Buck Night at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway. All concession stand items are $1. Saturday May 29th is another exciting night of racing, including a Boat Race. Local DJ’s will rig boats to the backs of their cars and try to get them around the track as best as possible without causing too much damage.

Find the LaCrosse Speedway and become a fan on Facebook, or sign up for our weekly email newsletters at the speedway’s official website. For more information about LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway, call the Speedway office at (608) 786-1525 or visit www.lacrossespeedway.com.

Click here for the full results.