By: Paul Reichert
July 20, 2019

It is La Crosse Interstate Fair time once again. Time to ride all the rides you can, eat all the great food you like and enjoy all the entertainment the fair has to offer. The LaCrosse Speedway once again presented the traditional fairtime twin 20s for the NASCAR Late Models. Both races were entertaining as new faces wound up in victory lane. Nick Clements taking the opener and Jacob Goede winning the nightcap.

Bobby Wilberg (Stoughton, WI) took the lead early in the 20-lap Altra NASCAR Late Model feature #1. Mike Carlson (West Salem, WI) dove under Wilberg to take over the top spot on lap four. As the field sorted itself out, Carlson began to pull away from the field. Nick Clements (Onalaska, WI) moved up to second by the halfway point. Following right behind him were both Steve Carlson (West Salem, WI) and Nick Panitzke (Lonsdale, MN). All three of them were helped by a yellow flag with three to go for Jacob Spirer’s (La Crosse, WI) spin and contact with the turn three wall. That would bunch everyone up for a double file restart. It would take a lap for Clements to motor around Mike Carlson on the outside to assume the race lead and claim his first win of 2019. After the race, Clements said “I have to thank my crew for all the hard work repairing my car after last week. I also have to thank my family for putting up with me this week.”

In the second Altra 20-lap NASCAR Late Model feature, Wilberg once again showed the way early in the going. Jacob Goede (Carver, MN) made his way under Wilberg on lap four to take charge of the race. After a yellow flag on lap six for a spin by Cole Howland (West Salem, WI), Goede quickly opened his advantage on the field. Panitzke and Steve Carlson made their way from mid-pack to get to second and third by the halfway mark. Panitzke and Carlson tried to track down the evening’s fast qualifier, but Goede was no match for the championship leading duo. Panitzke began to put some distance between him and Carlson in the closing laps. Goede drove away with his first regular season win at LaCrosse since 2017. After the race, Goede said “We could not have asked for a better night. I am glad we came to La Crosse after our original plans got rained out.”

In the Sportsmen feature, Tom Luethe was on his way to victory until Jeff Thompson and him make contact in turn three and spun out. Chris Weber inherited the lead on the restart and drove away from the field to score his fourth win of the season.

Adam Moore got to the lead early in the Hobby Stock feature. Moore tried to build up his advantage, but Kaleb Hardy was closing in on the leader. Hardy got the difference down to two car lenghts, but Moore held on to claim the victory.

A rash of yellows late in the Hornet feature set up a one-lap shootout to decide the win. Jimmy Bjorkman outran Hunter Miller in that one lap run to the checkered flag to claim the win.

The Hornets also ran the night’s Novelty event, the Pylon Race. Kris Berg did the best of balancing the pylon on his hood around the track to capture the win.

Looking to spend a Friday night rocking out? Come out to the speedway on Friday, July 26 for an outdoor all ages concert. The area’s popular 80s hair band Hairball will be performing with Wicked Garden as their opening act. Tickets are $20 in advance through aroundrivercity.com or $25 the day of the show. Camping is also available for the show. Racing action continues next Saturday, July 27 with the Late Models, Sportsmen, Hobby Stocks, Hornets and Street Stocks. Gates open at 6:00, qualifying begins at 6:15 and racing starts at 7:30pm.

For more information about La Crosse Speedway or the 2019 schedule of events, please call the office at 608-786-1525 or visit lacrossespeedway.com. LaCrosse Speedway is proud to be a NASCAR Hometrack, part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

RESULTS
Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery NASCAR Late Models
Feature #1: 1. Nick Clements, 2. Steve Carlson, 3. Mike Carlson, 4. Nick Panitzke, 5. Jacob Goede
Feature #2: 1. Goede, 2. Panitzke, 3. S. Carlson, 4. Clements, 5. Randy Humfeld
6-for-6 Dash: 1. M. Carlson, 2. Clements, 3. Nick Murgic
Heat #1: 1. S. Carlson, 2. Jerimy Wagner, 3. Steve Bachman
Heat #2: 1. Jeff Partington, 2. Carter Christenson, 3. Don Turner
Qualiyfing: 1. Jacob Goede, 2. Randy Humfeld, 3. Murgic

Mountain Dew AMP Game Fuel Sportsmen
Feature: 1. Chris Weber, 2. Mark Challet, 3. Jeff Thompson, 4. Mandi Eckelberg
Dash: 1. Tom Luethe, 2. Thompson, 3. Sam Niles
Qualifying: 1. Weber, 2. Luethe, 3. Niles

Auto Value Hobby Stocks
Feature: 1. Adam Moore, 2. Kaleb Hardy, 3. Bill Schott, 4. Brandon Gallagher, 5. Jason Bolster
Dash: 1. Gallagher, 2. Moore, 3. Schott
Qualifying: 1. Hardy, 2. Moore, 3. Bolster

ANT’s Complete Pest Control Hornets
Feature: 1. Jimmy Bjorkman, 2. Hunter Miller, 3. Andy Barney, 4. Mark Luethe, 5. Cheyanne Stanfield
Heat 1: 1. Dakota Clausen, 2. Miller, 3. John Huebner
Heat 2: 1. Kyle Ritter, 2. Kris Berg, 3. Shawn McCarthy

Pylon Race: 1. Kris Berg, 2. John Huebner, 3. Jacob Iverson