By: Paul Reichert
September 7, 2024
When we experience a lot of pressure and deadlines in our daily 9 to 5 jobs, we need to let off some steam away from the daily grind to bring us back to a state of normal. We all find a way to let off some steam by doing various stress relievers like rock climbing, a round of golf, a long distance run or some skeet shooting. Here at the LaCrosse Speedway the drivers let off some steam by wrecking cars and crushing various objects at the annual Night of Destruction presented by Western Technical College. While the hard hits and big jumps made the crowd wildly applaud and cheer for more, they were also thrilled by the competitive racing on the ‘action track’ quarter-mile with season championships on the line.
In the final Six Shooter feature of 2024, Dakota Clauson powered by Carlie Rinartz to settle into first place on lap five. It would be a family affair over the last seven laps as John Clauson tried to look for a way around Dakota in his quest for another race win. Dakota kept John in his rear view the rest of the way to hit the finish line first. Jay Raines ran a consistent race to come home in fifth place and lock up the season points title.
Matthew Parent surged past Zach Liebsch to take the lead in the Mini-Van feature on lap two. Over the second half of the race Parent’s mirrors were full of the flashing emergency lights of the ride of multi-time champion John Huebner. Parent drove like a veteran to hold off Huebner and capture his first ever feature victory at LaCrosse. Al Bartels ran a steady race to finish third and add another track championship to his nearly 40-year racing resume.
John Clauson was the first to hit a car in the Steel Wall Crash. Clauson nailed his car in the trunk to put it through a 360 and sent the plywood holding it up flying 50 feet in the air, John Huebner was next up to send car number two on a dizzying journey. Huebner center punched the rear of his car as it rotated through the air. Both cars were able to drive away back to the pits, although the horn was stuck on Clauson’s car.
A pair of motorcycle stunt riders thrilled the crowd and left them speechless with a variety of tricks and stunts. These riders pulled off not just wheelies but also thrilled the crowd with amazing tricks like stoppies, hopping wheelies, switchbacks and ended their performances with smoky burnouts to thank the crowd for their enthusiasm and energy.
Matthew Parent tried to build up speed to hit a boat in the Boat T-Bone, but ended up getting stuck in the back of the boat. Parent let out his frustrations with a few post T-bone hits. Matthew Miller found a better car and gave not just one good hit to the boat but two solid hits that tore apart the left side of the boat.
John Clauson, Nick Steinhaus, Jake Adams and Andy Senst were ready to create massive smoke shows in the Burnout Contest. While Clauson’s work van was doing its darndest to create a ton of eye burning smoke in the air, it would be Steinahus’ rat rod even blowing a rear tire during his performance that earned him the fan vote.
A record three monster trucks crushed old and wrecked cars and caught big air thrilling the race fans. Jay Bozart (Janesville, WI) spent two years building the Blue Ox monster truck to make a long time childhood dream come true and now is a part of the monster truck circuit. Also making its first ever appearance at LaCrosse was Redneck Rampage big rig with Brandi Schmidt (Charles City, IA) at the wheel, one of the rare female drivers. Returning to LaCrosse to wow and dazzle the fans was Brad Shippert (Dixon, IL) piloting his Against the Grain ride
Track announcer Connor Pelch joined Matthew Parent to take a ride in the Pool Splashtacular, Parent nailed the pool just right and water was shot everywhere, including into the car that soaked Parent and Pelch to the bone.
Six drivers battled each other in the Hot Dog Race, where you had to eat a hot dog and down a drink the quickest before hopping back in your car. In a borrowed mini-van Zach Liebsch was the quickest to consume his hot dog and drink to ‘get back on the road’ and be crowned the ‘King of the Hot Dogs’.
Kaptain Khaos was going to attempt something never done before in the Spiral of Destruction. The Kaptain was going to pull off a perfect 360 spin with a trailer attached to his vehicle. After hitting the ramp, Kaptain Khaos’ vehicle and trailer ended up on its roof but the Kaptain was doing alright after that wild ride.
A full field of 23 drivers were ready to smash boats, campers, and some unique trailers to bits in the Trailer Race of Destruction. Various parts and pieces of those trailers were scattered all over the ‘action track’ quarter-mile. A few vehicles were riding piggyback on other trailers in their quest to smash everything in sight. A boisterous packed house had the final say on who did the best job of destroying things, and the fans selected Taylor Herber as the best destructive force of the race.
After a great aerial fireworks display was set off by Skyline Fireworks, more fireworks would take place in the infield as the Magdatude jet car returned for the exciting Jet Car Meltdown finale. It would be a bigger challenge this year as Magdatude had to meltdown two cars with one on the hood of the other. It took just over five minutes for Magdatude to meltdown both old house cars and reduce them to their now white hot metal frames.
Now that the fun activities have taken place at the LaCrosse Speedway, now we get down to some serious racing to wrap up the 2024 campaign. The 55th edition of the Oktoberfest Race Weekend will feature great racing on the track and great memories to be created in the stands and the Camper Village from October 3rd to 6th. It all begins on Thursday, October 3rd with the Super Late Model ‘Futures’ and ‘Knights’ races, points championships will be settled with the final races of the year for the LaCrosse Sportsmen, Hornets and Street Stocks, the LaCrosse Late Models will run their first pair of 20-lap features, and the night ends with the wild and thrilling Double-O Race. Gates open at 2:25, the first ‘faster than a speeding bullet’ qualifying honors will be decided starting at 2:45 and the first battles to crown the first Oktoberfest champions of 2024 commence at 6.
For more information about the LaCrosse Speedway or the 2024 schedule of events, call the track office at 608-786-1525 or visit our website at lacrossespeedway.com. You can also check out oktoberfestraceweekend.com for the Fan Guide or the latest news and results on Wisconsin’s biggest short track get together. LaCrosse Speedway is proud to be a NASCAR Hometrack, part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
RESULTS
Auto Value Six Shooters
Feature (15 laps): 1. Dakota Clauson, 2. John Clauson, 3. Carlie Rinartz, 4. Marshall Rinartz, 5. Jay Raines, 6. Cody Bell, 7. Charlie Thompson, 8. Zach Liebsch, 9. Scott Mahlum, 10. Matthew Parent, 11. Trevor Chilson, 12. A.J. Finnigan, 13. Joey Miller, 14. Josh Heyer, 15. Kendall Witcraft, 16. Kyle Cottone, 17. Bryon Olsen, 18. Haley Dezelske, 19. Kyle Hopkins, 20. John Huebner, 21. Joey Miller
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. John Clauson, 2. Matthew Parent, 3. Scott Mahlum, 4. Cody Bell, 5. Jay Raines, 6. Trevor Chilson. 7. Zach Liebsch
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Dakota Clauson, 2. Matthew Miller, 3. Marshall Rinartz, 4. Charlie Thompson, 5. Carlie Rinartz, 6. Josh Heyer, 7. A.J. Finnigan 8. John Huebner
Heat #3 (8 laps): 1. Kyle Hopkins, 2. Kyle Cottone, 3. Bryon Olsen, 4. Joey Miller, 5. Haley Dezelske, 6. Kendall Witcraft, 7. Colton Jacobson
Qualifying: 1. Jay Raines 16.569, 2. Trevor Chilson 16.582, 3. Cody Bell 16.596, 4. Zach Liebsch 16.642, 5. Matthew Parent 16.651, 6. John Clauson 16.730, 7. Scott Mahlum 16.885, 8. Charlie Thompson 16.994, 9. A.J. Finnigan 17.109, 10. Marshall Rinartz 17.112, 11. John Huebner 17.152, 12. Dakota Clauson 17.219, 13. Carlie Rinartz 17.308, 14. Matthew Miller 17.389, 15. Josh Heyer 17.492, 16. Kyle Cottone 17.496, 17. Kyle Hopkins 17.542, 18. Joey Miller 17.549, 19. Kendall Witcraft 17.718, 20. Colton Jacobson 17.855, 21. Bryan Olsen 17.999, 22. Haley Dezelske 19.520
Auto Value Mini-Vans
Feature (15 laps): 1. Matthew Parent, 2. John Huebner, 3. Al Bartels, 4. Zach Liebsch, 5. Marshall Rinartz, 6. Fletcher Milene, 7. Miranda McCarthy, 8. Adam Milene
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. John Heubner, 2. Al Bartels, 3. Zach Liebsch, 4. Marshall Rinartz, 5. Fletcher Milene, 6. MIranda McCarthy, 7. Adam Milene, 8. Matthew Parent
Qualifying: 1. Matthew Parent 17.300, 2. Al Bartels 17.329, 3. Marshall Rinartz 17.401, 4. Fletcher Milene 17.435, 6. John Huebner 17.435, 7. Miranda McCarthy 20.563, 8. Adam Milene 33.076
Trailer Race of Destruction (Fan Vote); 1. Taylor Herber, 2. John Clauson, 3. Tristan Finnigan