Wolkowski Wows Em at Cedar Lake as Borgeson, Miller & Mars Win Again!
New Richmond, WI
by Greg Parent (5-30-09)

Young Thunder Bay, Ontario racer Cody Wolkowski had a memorable night in his second appearance ever at the Cedar Lake Speedway on May 30 when he topped a fantastic NASCAR midwest modified main event to earn his first-ever career feature win in that division.  A beautiful but breezy late spring day brought fans and racers to the western Wisconsin facility for another action-packed evening of dirt track racing in the four NASCAR weekly divisions.  With racey track conditions, fans were entertained with several very good races throughout the course of the evening high-lighted by the midwest modified main event.  Repeat winners were the norm in the other three classes, as Tim Borgeson overcame recent driveline problems to pick up his fourth win of the season in the always competitive NASCAR super stocks.  Jason Miller grabbed his second NASCAR modified win of the season and his fourth over all at CLS holding off Ron Schreiner in the process.  Jimmy Mars became the first repeat winner in the NASCAR late model division this year besting a fine field of 25 cars, as he passed race leader Mike Nutzmann on lap 17 in a nonstop run to the checkers.

The race of the night was the first feature event to come trackside.  A talented starting grid of 24 NASCAR midwest modifieds were about to wow the crowd in their 20 lap feature race.  In a race that saw four different leaders and produced an exciting finish, Lucas Milz and defending track champion Shawn Phillips brought the field around for the green flag.  Phillips immediately propelled his car to the lead with Vince Corbin and Bob Smith battling for second.  The race was under caution  just two laps into the run when John Clark and Mike Gibson got together entering turn three.  Clark went to the rear and the race resumed.  A lap later the yellow blinked on again for a father-son incident in turn two.  Steve Strandlund Jr spun and collected his dad.  Both cars retired to the pits.  Smith had just passed Corbin for second while Jeremy Houle and 10th starter Andy Jones were racing for fourth.  Two more green flag laps and the final caution flew for a Patrick McCarthy spin in turn two.  This set the stage for an incredible 15 lap run to the checkers for the midwest modifieds!  Andy Jones had moved up to third with Thunder Bay drivers Cody Wolkowski and Jeff Marshall challenging Houle for fourth.  Phillips continued to lead Smith, as the racing for the top spots kept the fans attention focused up front.  Smith was able to gain the lead on lap 8 while Jones moved to second on lap 9 and began to close in on the leader.  At the halfway mark, it was Smith, Jones, Phillips, Wolkowski and Houle in the top five while Marshall was a close sixth.  Lap 11 saw Wolkowski race to third and Marshall move past two cars into fourth.  A great battle for the lead ensued in the last half of the race with Wolkowski and Marshall advancing and Jones putting the pressure on Smith.  Jones was able to gain the top spot on lap 15 running the top side, but it was all eyes on young Cody Wolkowski working down low.  Wolkowski got by Smith a lap later with Marshall moving up to third on lap 17.  It was soon a three car battle for the lead.  On lap 19, the leaders were three wide entering turn three.  Wolkowski emerged as the new leader at the white flag with Jones and Marshall very close behind.  The young Thunder Bay driver was able to hold on to earn a very popular and exciting win in just his second year of racing in the midwest modified division.  It was his first CLS win in just his second appearance and his first-ever in the midwest modified division.  Marshall edged past Jones on the final lap to make it a Thunder Bay sweep of the top two spots.  Jones settled for third ahead of Smith and Houle.  Rounding out the top ten were Phillips, Clark Perry, 16th starter Eric Herbison, 19th starter Jason Vandekamp and Dave Siercks.  Heat race winners were Perry, Jones and Marshall.  Vandekamp won the B Main when the apparent race winner was DQed.
 

A strong 24 car NASCAR super stock field lined up for their 20 lap feature race with rookie Tyler Boumeester and Lyle Archambeau on the front row.  Archambeau grabbed the lead on the opening lap with Boumeester a close second.  The race was under its first caution after just one lap when Frank Fabio and Marcus Berget got together.  Fabio tagged the tail.  Berget joined him in the rear of the field when he spun on the restart and brought out the second caution.  When the green replaced the yellow, Boumeester raced underneath Archambeau for the lead while Tim Borgeson blasted into second.  Borgeson passed Boumeester on lap 6 but moments later the yellow flew when Boumeester looped his car in turn three.  Scoring reverted back a lap with the young rookie driver relegated to the rear of the field.  Borgeson took off on the restart.  Greg Nippoldt had just passed Ryan Wiome before the caution, so Nippoldt was now in second and set his sights on the leader.  Cory Davis and 10th starter Mike Loomis battled for fourth.  Nine laps into the race, the yellow waved again for a spin by Archambeau.  A lap later at the halfway point, the fifth and final caution blinked on for a Jim Gullikson spin.  Two time winner Jason Schill had just cracked the top ten, but he exited the track under caution and retired from the race.  It would be 10 green flag laps to the finish.

Borgeson continued to show the way up front, but Nippoldt was close behind.  Loomis got by Wiome for third on lap 11 with Davis in fifth.  Justin Stahl began reeling in Davis while Nippoldt was now putting the pressure on Borgeson for the lead.  As the laps clicked by under green, Nippoldt pulled alongside Borgeson a couple of times but was unable to gain the lead.  Stahl moved to fifth on lap 18 right behind the Loomis and Wiome battle for third.  Borgeson was able to hold off Nippoldt to earn his fourth win of the season, as the two cars put on a very good battle during the last half of the race.  Wiome got by Loomis on the final lap to grab third with Stahl close behind in fifth.  Completing the top ten were Davis, Mike Bruggeman, Justin Dodge, Dale Gangl and rookie Shawn Kammerud.  NASCAR super stock heat races were won by Stahl, Borgeson and track point leader Loomis.

With Jason Schill scratched due to an engine failure, Chris Magistad and Lance Hofer paced the 18 car starting field for the NASCAR modified 20 lap feature race.  Hofer held off Scott Splittstoesser to lead the opening lap with Jason Miller and four time winner Darrell Nelson close behind.  The race was soon under caution for Erik Peterson with just one lap in.  On the restart, Tim Siercks brought out the second caution with a spin in turn three.  Splittstoesser tooled past Hofer on the ensuing restart and took the lead.  It was short-lived though, as Jason Miller went from fourth to first on lap 3.  Darrell Nelson moved by Splittstoesser a lap later to grab the second spot.  Miller and Nelson began to pull away from the field while Splittstoesser ran third ahead of Ron Schreiner.  The complexion of the race changed up front on lap 12 when Keith Lepinski's harmonic balancer flew apart and spread debris on the track.  Nelson ran over a piece and cut down a tire while Splittstoesser also hit the debris, causing much more serious damage to his car.  Both the second the third place cars were out along with Lepinski.  This moved Schreiner up to second behind Miller.  Craig Brightbill was now third in front of Terry Hanson.  Two laps later Hanson spun in turn four to bring out the fourth and final caution.  Mike Kelley Jr had raced his way forward from his 17th starting position, but he was docked two spots for jumping on the previous restart.  This did not impede his forward progress, as Kelley continued to advance.  Schreiner stayed close to Miller over the final six laps, but he was unable to mount a serious bid for the lead.  Jason Miller went on to record his second NASCAR modified win of the season.  Schreiner stayed close to finish second.  Mike Kelley Jr raced his way up to third at the finish with Craig Brightbill and Jeremy Gross rounding out the top five.  Shaun Kelley, Terry Hanson, Don Brightbill, Lance Hofer and Tim Siercks completed the top ten.  Heat races were won by Miller and Craig Brightbill.

The thunder of the 25 car starting field in the NASCAR late model division filled the air for the final event of the fast-paced evening.  Mike Nutzmann and Adam Hensel brought the field to the green with plenty of talented drivers right behind them.  An exciting opening lap saw Nutzmann race to the lead up top followed by last week's winner Rick Egersdorf from his fourth starting spot.  Hensel held third in front on John Kaanta.  Jimmy Mars moved into the top five on lap five.  Just six laps into the race, Nutzmann began to encounter lapped traffic.  Jake Redetzke got back by Mars for fifth, but Mars returned the favor the following lap.  On lap 8, Mars moved by Kaanta for fourth.  Mars was on the move, and he raced under Hensel for third on lap 9.  With the leaders continuing to work lapped traffic, Hensel slipped back in front of Mars for one lap.  Mars was back to third again on lap 11 though.  Mars got around Egersdorf for second on lap 13 and began to reel in the leader.  At the halfway point, it was Nutzmann, Mars, Egersdorf, Hensel and Kaanta in the top five.  The race remained under green with the leaders in lapped traffic.  Mars was closing in fast on Nutzmann.  Nutzmann was continuing to run high while Mars was using his favorite low groove on the track.  On lap 17 with two lapped cars right in front of the leaders, Mars moved underneath Nutzmann to grab to the top as Nutzmann got pinched a bit by lapped traffic.  On the same lap, Darrell Nelson got past Kaanta for fifth.  Mars began to stretch his lead just a bit, but Nutzmann and Egersdorf stayed within shouting distance.  The race continued under green with the leaders working lapped traffic.  Nutzmann and Egersdorf began to close in on Mars.  The gap narrowed, as race fans were wondering if either of them could overtake the fleet #28 machine of Mars.  In the waning laps of the race, Egersdorf pulled even with Nutzmann a couple of times in the battle for second just several car lengths behind Mars.  In lapped traffic, Mars took the white flag with Nutzmann and Egersdorf close behind.  Jimmy Mars became the first repeat winner in the NASCAR late model division in 2009, earning his second victory in three appearances so far at CLS.  The battle for second came right down to the finish line, as Rick Egersdorf edged past Mike Nutzmann to claim the runnerup spot.  Adam Hensel and Darrell Nelson rounded out the top five.  Finishing sixth through tenth were John Kaanta, Jake Redetzke, Chuck DeSmith, Steve Laursen and Rick Hanestad.  Heat races were won by Hensel, Joel Cryderman and Laursen.

Exciting racing action continues next Saturday night in the four weekly NASCAR sanctioned divisions at the Cedar Lake Speedway.  The second round of the Hot City Nights promotion continues with race fans from the Hammond and Roberts communities admitted free to the grandstands for the June 5th & 12th race nights.  To check out the race schedule, view point standings, race results or obtain ticket and camping information, please visit our website at

NASCAR Impact Printing Late Models (25 Cars)
Heat 1- Adam Hensel, Scott Gilberts, John Kaanta, Rick Egersdorf, Paul Brust, Jeff Martire, Kelly Anderson, Keane Laakson, Jeff Patchen
Heat 2- Joel Cryderman, Darrell Nelson, Jimmy Mars, Mike Nutzmann, Rick Hanestad, Pat Doar, Brent Larson, Mike Raboin
Heat 3- Steve Laursen, Chuckie DeSmith, Jake Redetzke, Jim Carlson, Bryan Wennen, Dave Friendt, Brent Mueller, Jake Hiatt
A Main- Mars, Egersdorf, Nutzmann, Hensel, Nelson, Kaanta, Redetzke, DeSmith, Laursen, Hanestad, Cryderman, Doar, Larson, Anderson, Patchen, Brust, Laakson, Martire, Wennen, Carlson, Friendt, Hiatt, Raboin, Gilberts, Mueller

NASCAR Amsoil Modifieds (19 Cars)
Heat 1- Jason Miller, Darrell Nelson, Lance Hofer, Erik Peterson, Chris Magistad, Dave Friendt, Keith Lepinski, Tim Siercks, Chris Gorka, Mike Kelley
Heat 2- Craig Brightbill, Jason Gross, Ron Schreiner, Terry Hanson, Scott Splittstoesser, Jeremy Gross, Shaun Kelley, Don Brightbill, Jason Schill
A Main- Miller, Schreiner, Kelley, C Brightbill, Jeremy Gross, S Kelley, Hanson, D Brightbill, Hofer, Siercks, Magistad, Nelson, Splitstoesser, Lepinski, Gorka, Peterson, Friendt, Jason Gross

NASCAR Goodyear Super Stocks (24 Cars)
Heat 1- Justin Stahl, Justin Dodge, Shawn Kammerud, Chad Johnson, Mike Bruggeman, Jim Gullikson, Adam Ayotte, Marcus Berget
Heat 2- Tim Borgeson, Ryan Wiome, Tyler Boumeester, Cory Davis, Brian Lick, Jason Schill, Mike Raboin, Cody Campeau
Heat 3- Mike Loomis, Greg Nippoldt, Kevin Ayotte, Lyle Archambeau, Dale Gangl, Jake Hiatt, Tom Gebauer, Frank Fabio
A Main- Borgeson, Nippoldt, Wiome, Loomis, Stahl, Davis, Bruggeman, Dodge, Gangl, Kammerud, Johnson, Boumeester, Gullikson, A Ayotte, K Ayotte, Gebauer, Hiatt, Fabio, Berget, Campeau, Schill, Archambeau, Lick, Raboin

NASCAR Grand Casino Midwest Modifieds (31 Cars)
Heat1- Clark Perry, Shawn Phillips, Bob Smith, Josh Bazey, Mike Gibson, Eric Herbison, Kyle Steffen, Mike Kyllonen, AJ Roschen, Richard Crear, Robbie Franklin
Heat 2- Andy Jones, Vince Corbin, Cody Wolkowski, Jeremy Houle, Dave Siercks, Steve Strandlund, Jeremy Penman, Patrick McCarthy, Ryan Johnson, Ryan Nieters
Heat 3- Jeff Marshall, John Clark, Lucas Mitz, EJ Heitala, Steve Strandlund Jr, Tony Schill, Alex Gerlach, Jake Miller, Cody Campeau, Jason Vandekamp
B Main- Vandekamp, Gerlach, Steffen, McCarthy, Miller, Roschen, Crear, Johnson, Nieters, Kyllonen, Penman
A Main- Wolkowski, Marshall, Jones, Smith, Houle, Phillips, Perry, Herbison, Vandekamp, Siercks, Milz, Corbin, Steffen, Heitala, Schill, Gibson, Bazey, Roschen, Clark, Miller, McCarthy, Strandlund, Strandlund Jr, Gerlach