By: Ashley Iwanski (West Salem, WI – July 24, 2010)
Steve Carlson came back to win the Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Model feature at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway after some rough finishes in the Twin 20’s last week. It wasn’t easy, but a fast car and a lot of patience got Carlson to the front of the field.

“Last week we were so bad,” Carlson said. “The guys worked on it all week and we came out and practiced this afternoon; it really paid off.”

Carlson started the feature in the sixth position. On lap one Shawn Pfaff, who entered the night as the Late Model points leader, hit the wall in turns three and four, then stalled in turn four bringing out the caution. When the lane cone came out Carlson when to the outside taking over the fourth position. Race leader Tony Bagstad was starting to pull away from the rest of the field as Carlson maneuvered into the third position behind Thor Anderson. Two laps later Carlson moved to the inside of Anderson in turn one. After having made quick work of Anderson, Carlson set his sights on Bagstad. It took half a lap, but Carlson finally took the race lead from Bagstad in the backstretch on lap ten.

From there Carlson held onto the lead as J. Herbst was quickly moving through the field. Herbst was in fifth when Carlson took the lead and eight laps later was in third. He then moved into second around Anderson. The front three then spread out and Carlson, Herbst and Anderson finished one, two, three; Anderson’s best finish La Crosse Speedway.

Following Pfaff’s wreck, Herbst moved into the points lead with Pfaff falling back to second followed by Todd Korish in third and Carlson in fourth.

Carlson also took second in a heat race behind veteran racer Jay Sauter. Sauter returned to La Crosse Speedway for the first time in more than 20 years and recorded an 11th place finish. Sauter will finish out the season in the five car, previously driven by Tony Leis.

Jerrod Loging took home a feature win in the North Country Contractor’s Sportsmen division. Loging started on the pole, but lost the position to Jimmy Gilster. Gilster fell to the outside and quickly lost positions allowing Loging to take the lead and the win. Behind him Rick Schermerhorn and Nick Clements were battling for the fourth position. Schermerhorn eventually won the spot finishing fourth with Clements finishing fifth. Matt Inglett took second and Branden Berg third.

Adam Moore took the lead with seven laps to go and held onto it to win the United Auto Supply Thunderstox feature. While Moore was working his way through the field Jake Krueger spun in turn three collecting a number of other cars. Moore worked his way around them and took the lead and the win. He was followed across the line by Brad Warthan in second and Danielle Neary in third.

The Window World Hornets ran two features for the night. Cars were all over the field in both races in typical Hornet style. While many drivers tried to keep their cars out of Lake Speed (the rain water buildup in the infield), Jeff Thompson cruised to a win in the first feature. Kim Strom won the second feature after a late race caution brought Kevin Turner to his back bumper. Turner tried high and low to take the lead, but Strom held onto the position crossing the finish line inches ahead of Turner.

Next week, July 31, a Trailer Race of Destruction will end a regular night of racing. And on August 7th the R.A.Y.S. (Run All Your Stuff) division will join the Late Models, Sportsmen, and Thunderstox divisions. For more information about LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway and the 2010 schedule of events, call the Speedway office at (608) 786-1525 or visit the speedway on the web at www.lacrossespeedway.com.

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