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Nuttleman tops
Trickle with 87th La Crosse win!
By David Morgan |
April 26,
2003; West Salem, WI - Last season, Kevin
Nuttleman passed Wisconsin legend Tom Reffner by taking his eighth track championship at
La Crosse. On Saturday night, he captured his 87th late model feature win at La Crosse,
topping the all time mark set by another Wisconsin legend, Dick Trickle. Now, the only
marks left for him to break are his own.
On a night where he wasn't even supposed to be the driver's seat,
Nuttleman led all 25 laps of the Majestic Pines Casino feature, starting on the pole, and
holding off everything that Todd Korish could throw at him as he chased history.
"It really hasn't hit me yet," a sore, but happy Nuttleman said in his crowded
pits after the race. "It feels good, but it really hasn't fully sunk in."
Nuttleman was expected to miss the first four weeks of the season, after
breaking his left ankle in March. With the rainout last weekend, he made the decision to
try the ankle again, to attempt to make a run at his ninth track title. The ankle held up
in practice, and he turned in a sixth-place qualifying run to put himself on the pole of
the feature.
Nuttleman jumped to the lead quicky over Korish, with Rick Wateski taking
third, and Blake Horstman moving to fourth as the field stretched out. Todd Korish looked
under Nuttleman on lap three, and continued to dog the 4 car at the front of the field.
On lap five, Wateski slid up the track coming out of turn four, and in the
tightly bunched field, triggered a seven-car pileup on the front stretch. Wateski took the
brunt of the damage, but a host of top cars also were pulled into the pits, including
Steve Carlson, Mike Belling and Brad Powell. Gib Scharpf, Greg Scheck and J. Herbst all
headed into the pits.
Nuttleman and Korish broke away from the field on the restart, but Andy
Burgess charged up by lap nine to make it a three-car breakaway at the front, with Steve
Holzhausen and Blake Horstman also closing in on the leaders.
On lap 11, Korish started putting the pressure on the eight-time track champ again, as he
was able to duck underneath coming out of the turns, but was seemingly unable to muster
the power to pass Nuttleman down the straights.
For seven laps, Korish looked to the inside, but continued to be unable to
get by the Wehrs Chevy Monte Carlo of Nuttleman. With eight laps remaining, Nuttleman
seemed to get a better handle on his machine, and seemed ready to cruise to the win,
before Jon Barrette spun coming out of turn four on lap 23, bringing out a yellow, and
setting up a dash to the finish.
Korish looked to the inside again on the restart, and coming out of four,
pulled under the rear quarter, but Nuttleman again pulled away down the front stretch.
Korish made one more final attempt in the final turn of the race, but fell a half car
length short at the finish.
Burgess finished third, followed by Holzhausen, Horstman, opening night
winner Tony Bagstad and Brent Kirchner. dan Steele, mark Lamoreaux, and Charlie Menard
rounded out the top ten.
Steve Holzhausen was fast timer, while Jim Hagel and Greg Scheck won heats for the late
models, while the Bud Dashes went to Steve Carlson and J. Herbst. Bill Niles advanced to
the feature event by taking the B-Main over Dan Steele and Jon Barrette.
While Rick Steinhoff ran away from the field in the Ray Hutson Chevrolet
Sportsman feature, there was plenty of action behind him, as cars jockeyed for positions
in the top five. Randy Steinhoff was up there for a good portion of the race, but when Dan
Linnehan got by with eight laps remaining, Randy Steinhoff began to slide through the
field, finishing 11th.
Linnehan and Tony Ciano battled for the final five laps, with Linnehan holding second,
followed by Ciano, Marv DeGarmo and Tom Thill at the finish.
Jimmy Gilster and John Korish qualified for the feature by winning
qualifying heats, while Shawn Lockington and Mark Challet won non-qualifying heats. Dan
Gilster was fast timer, and Rick Steinhoff and Sam Andersen took the Bud Dash checkers.
Doug Lee claimed the win in the B-Main, while John Korish took the C-Main.
Andy Moore took both his heat win and the feature win for the United Auto
Supply Thunderstox, but many of the fans wee following the busy night of Middle Ridge's
Tony Leis. Leis finished third in his heat, raced (within posted speed limits of course)
to Bangor High School where he was on the prom court, then came back to finish second in
the feature event. He did all this while wearing his prom tuxedo. Greg Lindvig finished
third in the feature, followed by Ron Heller and Bill Inglett.
Heat winners were Andy Moore, Jason Bolster, Greg Lindvig and Brad Warthan. Bill Inglett
won the Bud Dash, while Shane Ulvestad took the B-Main.
Jarrod Logging took the lead from Charlie Schwabenbauer with four laps
remaining, and came away with the first feature win of the season for the Features Sports
Bar and Grill Hornets. Jerry Lemke finished second, followed by Jeff Heaney, Shane
Anderson and Pat Burchell.
In the Hornets second feature, Kevin Turner opened up a big early lead,
but Rick Schermerhorn tracked him down, and was right on his bumper as the yellow flew on
lap eight. Schermerhorn took off from the middle of the front row on the restart, and
caputured the lead, leading the rest of the way for the win. Turner held on to second, and
was followed by Gary towner, Troy Opsahl and John Eron at the finish.
Heat winners were Wade Elliott, Mark Bornitz, Gary Towner and Rick
Schermerhorn.
Saturday, May 3, 2003 ///NASCAR Late Models, Sportsman, Thunderstox,
Outhouse Race
Saturday, May 10, 2003 ///NASCAR Late Models, Sportsman, Thunderstox, Queen Bees
Saturday, May 17, 2003 ///NASCAR Late Models, Sportsman, Thunderstox, School Bus
Race
For complete results from the RACESTAT
computer click here
Summary - La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
Kwik Trip NASCAR Late Models
Majestic Pines Casino 25 Feature- 1) Kevin Nuttleman, Bangor; 2) Todd Korish, La Crosse;
3) Andy Burgess, Eau Claire; 4) Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 5) Blake Horstman, Bangor; 6)
Tony Bagstad, Cashton; 7) Brent Kirchner, La Crosse; 8) Dan Steele, West Salem; 9) Mark
Lamoreaux, Bloomington, MN; 10) Charlie Menard, Eau Claire;
11) Todd Oliver, Bangor; 12) Jim Hagel, Holmen; 13) Troy Goodenough, Mindoro: 14) Gib
Scharpf, La Crosse; 15) Monte Gress, Neillsville; 16) Greg Scheck, West Salem; 17) Curt
Eckelberg, West Salem; 18) Jon Barrette, La Crosse; 19) Bill Niles, Holmen; 20) Mike
Belling, La Crosse;
21) John Towner, Trempeauleau; 22) Rick Wateski, La Crosse; 23) Brad Powell, La Crosse;
24) Steve Carlson, West Salem; 25) J. Herbst, West Salem
B-Main- 1) Bill Niles, Holmen; 2) Dan Steele, West Salem; 3) Jon Barrette, La Crosse; 4)
Monte Gress, Neillsville; 5) Adam Degenhardt, Coon Valley
Qualifying- 1) Steve Holzhausen, Bangor, 20.131 seconds, 97.511 MPH; 2) Andy Burgess, Eau
Claire, 20.198 secs., 97.188 MPH; 3) Blake Horstman, La Crosse, 20.301 secs., 96.695 MPH;
4) Rick Wateski, La Crosse, 20.337 secs., 96.524 MPH; 5) Todd Korish, Bangor, 20.357
secs., 96.429 MPH
Qualifying Heat 1- 1) Jim Hagel, Holmen; 2) Brent Kirchner, La Crosse; 3) Bill Niles,
Holmen; 4) Dan Steele, West Salem; 5) Jon Inglett, La Crosse
Qualifying Heat 2- 1) Greg Scheck, West Salem; 2) Troy Goodenough, Mindoro; 3) Jon
Barrette, La Crosse; 4) Monte Gress, Neillsville; 5) Adam Degenhardt, Coon Valley
Odd Bud Dash- 1) Steve Carlson, West Salem; 2) Tony Bagstad, Cashton; 3) Todd Korish, La
Crosse; 4) Steve Holzhausen, Bangor; 5) Todd Oliver, Bangor
Even Bud Dash- 1) J. Herbst, West Salem; 2) Gib Scharpf, La Crosse; 30 Mike Belling, La
Crosse, 4) Mark Lamoreaux, Bloomington, MN; 5) Rick Wateski, La Crosse
Ray Hutson Chevy Sportsman
Majestic Pines Casino 15 Feature- 1) Rick Steinhoff, Sparta; 2) Dan Linnehan, Sparta; 3)
Tony Ciano, West Salem; 4) Marv DeGarmo, Chaseburg; 5) Tom Thill, West Salem; 6) Dan
Gilster, West Salem; 7) Larry Bolster, Jr., Sparta; 8) Chand Wehling, Stoddard; 9) Jimmy
Gilster, West Salem; 10) Mike Albrecht, Jr., La Crescent, MN;
11) Randy Steinhoff, Cashton; 12) Jeff Baker, Holmen; 13) Trent Boettcher, La Crescent,
MN; 14) Aaron Hass, La Crosse; 15) John Korish, La Crosse
B-Main- 1) Doug Lee, Holmen; 2) Branden Berg, North Bend; 3) Todd Lockington, Mindoro; 4)
Chris Skrede, Holmen; 5) Dan Erdman, Holmen
Qualifying- 1) Dan Gilster, West Salem, 22.644 secs., 86.690 MPH; 2) Trent Boettcher, La
Crescent, MN, 22.706 secs., 86.453 MPH; 3) Tom Thill, West Salem, 22.738 secs., 86.331
MPH; 4) Mike Albrecht, Jr., La Crescent, MN, 22.779 secs., 86.176 MPH; 5) Tony Ciano, La
Crosse, 22.814 secs., 86.044 MPH
Non Qualifiers Heat 1- 1) Shawn Lockington, La Crosse; 2) Rob Christen, Holmen; 3) Maynard
Rave, Jr., Black River Falls; 4) Joe Rinartz, La Crosse; 5) Mark Olson, Lewiston, MN
Non Qualifiers Heat 2- 1) Mark Challet, Bangor; 2)Jes Tenner, North Bend; 3) Laurel Viera,
Eagle Lake, MN; 4) Ken Lewis, Black River Falls; 5) Jordan Hess, West Salem
Qualifying Heat 1- 1) Jimmy Gilster, West Salem; 2) Scott Stingl, Mindoro; 3) Jamie
Schlintz, Bangor; 4) Scott Beckler, Sparta; 5) Todd Lockington, Minrdoro
Qualifying Heat 2- 1) John Korish, La Crosse; 2) Jamie Millis, Black River Falls; 3)
Branden Berg, North Bend; 4) Doug Lee, Holmen; 5) Chris Skrede, Holmen
Odd Bud Dash- 1) Rick Steinhoff, Sparta; 2) Larry Bolster, Jr., Sparta; 3) Dan Linnehan,
Sparta; 4) Randy Steinhoff, Cashton; 5) Tony Ciano, La Crosse
Even Bud Dash- 1) Sam Andersen, Melrose; 2) Trent Boettcher, La Crescent, MN; 3) Jeff
Baker, Holmen; 4) Chand Wehling, Stoddard; 5) Aaron Hass, La Crosse
United Auto Supply Thunderstox
Majestic Pines Casino 15 Feature- 1) Andy Moore, Sparta; 2) Tony Leis, Middle Ridge; 3)
Greg Lindvig, Holmen; 4) Ron Heller, Onalaska; 5) Bill Inglett, La Crosse; 6) Jason
Schaller, La Crosse; 7) Matt Inglett, La Crosse; 8) Al Bartels, Tomah; 9) Brat Warthan,
Sparta; 10) Dean Ashbacher, Rockland;
11) Jason Bolster, Jr., Sparta; 12) Ben Allen, Bangor; 13) Mary Schill, Wisconsin Rapids;
14) Shane Ulvestad, Holmen; 15) Lester Stanfield, La Crosse
B-Main- 1) Shane Ulvestad, Holmen; 2) Danielle Neary, La Crosse; 3) LaVerne Berg, Melrose;
4) Craig Chandler, Black River Falls; 5) Travis Schendel, Cashton
Bud Dash- 1) Bill Inglett, La Crosse; 2) Matt Inglett, La Crosse; 3) Ben Allen, Bangor; 4)
Ron Heller, Onalaska; 5) Andy Moore, Sparta
Heat 1- 1) Andy Moore; 2) Matt Inglett; 3) Dean Ashbacher, Rockland; 4) Lester Stanfield,
La Crosse; 5) Eugene Vien
Heat 2- 1) Jason Bolster, Sparta; 2) Bill Inglett; 3) Joey Johnson, West Salem; 4) Al
Bartels, Tomah; 5) Jamie Dummer, Holmen
Heat 3- 1) Greg Lindvig, Holmen; 2) Ron Heller; 3) Tony Leis, Middle Ridge; 4) Mary
Schill, Wisconsin Rapids; 5) John Hendrickson, La Crosse
Heat 4- 1) Brad Warthan, Sparta; 2) Ben Allen; 3) Kevin Burr, La Crescent, MN; 4) Jason
Schaller, Holmen; 5) Ed Senn, La Crosse
Features Sports Bar & Grill Hornets
Majestic Pines Casino 15 Feature # 1- 1) Rick Schermerhorn, La Crosse; 2) Kevin Turner, La
Crosse; 3) Gary Towner, Galesville; 4) Troy Opsahl, Caledonia, MN; 5) John Eron, Merrilan;
6) Wade Elliott, Ettrick; 7) Shane Finnerud, Elba, MN; 8) Dan Hundorf; 9) Andy Welke; 10)
Doug Johnson, Holmen
Majestic Pines Casino 15 Feature # 2- 1) Jerrod Logging, West Salem; 2) Jerry Lemke,
Rochester, MN; 3) Jeff Heaney, Caledonia, MN; 4) Shane Anderson, Holmen; 5) Pat Burchell;
6) Mark Bornitz, Holmen; 7) Ryan Lockington, Bangor; 8) Jim Schermerhorn, Coon Valley; 9)
Ryan Happel, Holmen; 10) Charlie Schwabenbauer, Holmen
Heat 1- 1) Wade Elliott, Ettrick; 2) Ryan Happel; 3) Jerry Logging, West Salem; 4) Andre
Klonecki; 5) Andy Welke
Heat 2- 1) Mark Bornitz, Holmen; 2) Ryan Lockington, Bangor; 3) Shane Finnerud, Elba, MN;
4) Alan Van Vleet; 5) Troy Opsahl
Heat 3- 1) Gary Towner, Trempealeau; 2) Jerry Schomers, La Crescent, MN: 3) Kevin Turner,
La Crosse; 4) Jim Schermerhorn, Coon Valley; 5) Pat Burchell
Heat 4- 1) Rick Schermerhorn, La Crosse; 2) Heath Weissenberger, West Salem; 3) Charlie
Schwabenbauer, Holmen; 4) Jared Heaney, Caledonia, MN; 5) Chris Osley |