Nuttleman Nabs LaCrosse Late Model Checkered!

Nuttleman Nabs LaCrosse Late Model Checkered!
By David Morgan

August 30, 2003; West Salem, WI - The 100-lap NASCAR Late Model feature at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway had more than it's fair share of story lines. The three veteran drivers battling over the last 50 laps for the win, the hard-charging driver trying to track them down.

Photo Highlights

In the end, eight-time track champion Kevin Nuttleman caught Steve Holzhausen with seven laps to go, then survived the race's only caution on lap 98, and a late charge by Andy Burgess to take his third feature win of the season, and 89th career La Crosse victory.

Over the first 50 laps, Nuttleman, Steve Carlson and Holzhausen moved to the front of the field, with Nuttleman taking the lead from Tony Bagstad on lap seven, moving by on the frontstretch in front of a packed house. Carlson followed by for second, and trailed Nuttleman until the pair came up on lapped traffic. On lap 21, Nuttleman looked to the outside of the lapped traffic, and Carlson ducked inside, taking over the top spot.
Carlson opened up a a four-car advantage, but by lap 35, Nuttleman had closed the gap. For the last 15 laps of the first half, Carlson appeared to be using lapped traffic to hold Nuttleman at bay. Carlson did just that, and took the yellow on lap 51, with Nuttleman looking under him for the lead.

On the second half restart, the pair, plus Holzhausen pulled away, opening up a 10-lap advantage on Bagstad in fourth. On lap 57, Nuttleman edged his way under Carlson as they came out of turn four, and took the lead a lap later, with Holzhausen following through to second. As the lead trio battled, Burgess made a second-half charge, taking fourth by lap 60 after restarting in tenth. By that time, he was a full straightaway behind the leaders.
On lap 63, Holzhausen made his move on Nuttleman, ducking under him on the backstretch, and taking the lead as the pair of Bangor drivers came out of turn four. Six laps later, they caught the tail end of the field, and Nuttleman closed on the leader again. Holzhausen was smooth as he worked the lapped traffic, leaving no opening for Nuttleman to make a run.
As the lead pair weaved through lapped traffic, they left Carlson behind, and Burgess began chasing him down, catching him on lap 89 for third place, still a half-straightaway behind the leaders. Four laps later, Nuttleman made his pass for the lead, and pulled away from Holzhausen, until Andy Niles and Todd Korish brought out the lone yellow on lap 98, when they collided on the fronstretch.

On the restart, Nuttleman broke quickly, as did Burgess in third. Burgess ducked under Holzhauen, taking over second, and tried to chase down Nuttleman, but came up a length short at the finish.

Rick Steinhoff took the lead on a shaky start for the Ray Hutson Chevrolet Sportsman drivers in the feature, and opened up a seven-length advantage on Trent Boettcher and Jeff Baker by lap eight when Baker finally moved by Boettcher for second. Baker closed, but never close enough to make a move, as Steinhoff took the win.

With two laps remaing in the United Auto Supply Thunderstox feature, Bill Inglett sat in third place, looking for a way to the front, on lap 14, he went by both John Hendrickson and Eugene Vian, and held off Vian for the win.

Saturday, Sept. 6 ///NASCAR Late Models, Sportsman, Thunderstox
Saturday, Sept 13 Eve of Destruction, Green Mamba, School Bus Race, Trailer Race
Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5 Oktoberfest Race Weekend

For complete results from the RACESTAT computer click here

LA CROSSE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Models
   FiveStar Telecom 100 Feature (28 Cars) - 1, Kevin Nuttleman, Bangor; 2, Andy Burgess, Fall Creek; 3, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 4, Steve Carlson, West Salem; 5, Charlie Menard, Eau Claire; 6, J. Herbst, West Salem; 7, Paul Proksch, Stoddard; 8, Rick Wateski, La Crosse; 9, Brad Powell, La Crosse; 10, Tony Bagstad, Cashton; 11, Dexter Bean, Westby; 12, Dan Steele, West Salem; 13, Greg Scheck, West Salem; 14, Tom McClintock, Onalaska; 15, Todd Oliver, Bangor; 16, Adam Degenhardt, Coon Valley; 17, Mike Belling, La Crosse; 18, Tim Nelson, La Crescent, Minn.; 19, Jim Hagel, Holmen; 20, Kevin Eddy, Sparta; 21, Jon Barrette, La Crosse; 22, Todd Korish, La Crosse; 23, Monte Gress, Neillsville; 24, Jon Inglett, La Crosse; 25, Andy Niles, Holmen; 26, John Towner, Trempealeau; 27, Blake Horstman, Rockland; 28, Mark Lamoreaux, Bloomington, Minn.
Qualifying - 1, Steve Holzhausen, Bangor, 20.295 seconds, 96.748 MPH; 2, Charlie Menard Eau Claire, 20.329 secs, 96.586 MPH; 3, Steve Carlson West Salem, 20.342 secs, 96.524 MPH; 4, Blake Horstman Bangor, 20.348 secs, 96.496 MPH; 5, Kevin Nuttleman Bangor, 20.382 secs, 96.335 MPH.
   Last Chance #1 - 1, Adam Degenhardt, Coon Valley; 2, Jon Inglett, La Crosse; 3, Dan Steele, West Salem; 4, Andy Niles, Holmen; 5, Curt Eckleberg, West Salem.
   Last Chance #2 - 1, Mike Belling, La Crosse; 2, Jon Barrette, La Crosse; 3, Monte Gress, Neillsville; 4, Kevin Eddy, Sparta; 5, Tim Hagen, La Crescent, Minn.

Ray Hutson Chevrolet Sportsman
   FiveStar Telecom 15 Feature (25 Cars) - 1, Rick Steinhoff, Sparta; 2, Jeff Baker, Holmen; 3, Trent Boettcher, La Crescent, Minn.; 4, Chand Wehling, Stoddard; 5, Aaron Hass, La Crosse; 6, Mike Albrecht, La Crescent, Minn.; 7, Tom Thill, West Salem; 8, Rick Shisler, La Crosse; 9, Dan Gilster, West Salem; 10, Scott Beckler, Sparta; 11, Chris Skrede, Holmen; 13, Lucas Korish, La Crosse; 14, Jes Tenner, North Bend; 15, John Olson, Sparta
   B-Main - 1, Randy Steinhoff, Cashton; 2, Branden Berg, North Bend; 3, Jake Arneson, Taylor; 4, Ron Lockington, Mindoro; 5, Bill Miller, Sparta.
   C-Main - 1, Jason Backus, Tomah; 2, Scott Stingl, Mindoro; 3, Rick Shisler, La Crosse; 4, Todd Lockington, Mindoro; 5, Ken Lewis, Black River Falls.
   Qualifying - 1, Rick Shisler, La Crosse, 22.728 secs, 86.391 MPH; 2, Jeff Baker, Holmen, 22.732 secs, 86.376 MPH; 3, Tom Thill, West Salem, 22.749 secs, 86.311 MPH; 4, Dan Gilster, West Salem, 22.774 secs, 86.217 MPH; 5, Aaron Hass, La Crosse, 22.818 secs, 86.050 MPH.
   Non-Qualifying Heat 1 - 1, Rob Curran, Rockland; 2, Jamie Schlintz, Bangor; 3, David Steensen, Melrose; 4, Jeff Winterfield, La Crosse; 5, Mark Challet, Bangor.
   Non-Qualifying Heat 2 - 1, Scott Stingl, Mindoro; 2, Ed Gunther, La Crosse; 3, Todd Lockington, Mindoro; 4, Jerimy Wagner, Melrose; 5, Ken Lewis, Black River Falls.
   Qualifying Heat 1 - 1, Troy Anderson, Galesville; 2, Jamie Millis, Black River Falls; 3,
   Qualifying Heat 2 - 1, Rob Mahan, Sparta; 2, Dan Linnehan, Sparta; 3, Nick Schroeder, Cashton; 4, Marv DeGarmo, Chaseburg; 5, Jordan Hess, West Salem.
   Odd Bud Dash - 1, Chand Wehling, Stoddard; 2, Chris Skrede, Holmen; 3, Trent Boettcher, La Crescent, Minn.; 4, Rick Steinhoff, Sparta; 5, Tom Thill, West Salem.
   Even Bud Dash - 1, Jeff Baker, Holmen; 2, Jes Tenner, North Bend; 3, Dan Gilster, West Salem; 4, Mike Albrecht, Jr., La Crescent, Minn.; 5, Scott Becker, Tomah.

United Auto Supply Thunderstox
   FiveStar Telecom 15 Feature (25 cars)- 1, Bill Inglett, La Crosse; 2, Eugene Vian, Norwalk; 3, Charles Vian, Norwalk; 4, John Hendrickson, La Crosse; 5, Jamie Dummer, Holmen; 6, Tony Leis, Middle Ridge; 7, Ryan Pfaff, Melrose; 8, Matt Inglett, La Crosse; 9, Danielle Neary, La Crosse; 10, Scott Voss, La Crescent, Minn.; 11, Trent Tenner, Melrose; 12, Ron Heller, Onalaska; 13, Jason Bolster, Sparta; 14, Ben Allen, Bangor; 15, Tim Steinhoff, Cashton.
   B-Feature - 1, Ron Heller, Onalaska; 2, Ed Senn, La Crosse; 3, Mary Schill, Wisconsinn Rapids; 4, Shane Ulvestad, Holmen; 5, Lester Stanfield, La Crosse.
   Bud Dash - 1, Danielle Neary, La Crosse; 2, Adam Moore, Sparta; 3, Greg Lindvig, Holmen; 4, Jason Pulham, Sparta; 5, Bill Inglett, La Crosse.
   Heat 1- 1, Greg Lindvig, Holmen; 2, Danielle Neary, La Crosse; 3, Tim Steinhoff, Cashton; 4, Matt Inglett, La Crosse; 5, Charles Vian, Norwalk.
   Heat 2- 1, Ben Allen, Bangor; 2, Jason Pulham, Sparta; 3, Scott Voss, La Crescent, Minn.; 4, Ryan Pfaff, Melrose; 5, Tony Leis, Middle Ridge.
   Heat 3- 1, John Hendrickson, La Crosse; 2, Adam Moore, Sparta; 3, Dwayne Anderson, Sparta; 4, Jason Bolster, Sparta; 5, Jamie Dummer, La Crosse.
   Heat 4- 1, Eugene Vian, Norwalk; 2, Bill Inglett, La Crosse; 3, Jason Schaller, La Crosse; 4, Lance Lee, Richland Center; 5, Trent Tenner, Melrose.