New Richmond, WI (8-14-13)

By: Greg Parent

The USMTS Modifieds were back at the Cedar Lake Speedway for a Wednesday night makeup of the rained out event back in June at the Masters.  Racing as support divisions were the NASCAR Midwest Modifieds and Pro Stocks.  The Pro Stock feature ended with a dramatic and controversial finish which saw Cory Davis get into leader Kevin Ayotte with less than two laps remaining.  Davis went on to record his first win of the season and 22nd career CLS Pro Stock victory.  No such controversy in the Midwest Modifieds, as Jason Vandekamp raced to his 19th career CLS Midwest Mod victory and 8th of the season at CLS on a comfortable summer evening.

The NASCAR Pro Stocks were the second feature race of the evening, and all eighteen cars on hand made the call for 20 racing laps.  In the end, it would turn out to be one of the more controversial finishes seen at CLS in some time.  Rich Bishop and Cody Campeau paced the field with Bishop grabbing the early lead.  Seven-time 2013 winner and current point leader Mike Loomis brought out the first caution with five laps scored when he spun in turn two.  There would not be an eighth victory on this night for Loomis.  Fifth starter Kevin Ayotte was really working the bottom lane well and took over the top spot from Bishop following the restart.  Ayotte held the lead through two more cautions, but it was the final yellow on lap 19 that would change the complexion of the race and the finish.  With scoring reverting back to lap 18, a green-white-checker was in order.  With multi-time track champion Cory Davis running in second, Davis got a tremendous run down the back stretch on the restart.  Entering turn three, Davis got into the back of Ayotte which caused Ayotte's car to loop around.  Ayotte kept going, and the race stayed green.  Davis went on to lead the final two circuits for the win, but he was greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd in Victory Lane.  The official ruling was since Ayotte did not stop, there was no caution and the race continued.  It did not appear to be a popular ruling for many fans as well as some drivers.  Following Davis across the line was Dan Gullixson, Bishop, Chris Wark and Ayotte recovered for fifth.  Needless to say, tempers flared a bit in the pits afterwards but cooler heads prevailed and nobody was disqualified in what turned out to be a dramatic final couple of laps, leaving fans, drivers and crews to talk about the outcome of this race.

A strong field of 28 NASCAR Midwest Modifieds were on hand with several heavy hitters in the lineup including the top three on the all-time feature win list.  Ryan Olson and Cory Crapser brought the 24 car starting field to the green in their 20 lap feature race.  Crapser, making a rare visit to CLS, took the early lead.  Crapser had been at CLS a few weeks ago and broke while leading.  This time Crapser would lead the first three laps and then watch the leaders battle in front of him.  Fifth starter Jason Vandekamp, who has been nearly unbeatable at CLS this season, worked his way past both Olson and Crapser to lead lap four.  Although Vandekamp would not officially relinquish the lead for the rest of the race, he was under pressure on several occasions from Olson.  Olson actually had just taken the lead at the halfway mark, but a yellow flag caused scoring to revert back a lap and put Vandekamp back in front.  Olson made a hard charge in the final couple of laps following the sixth caution of the race, but he was unable to overtake Vandekamp.  Vandekamp added to his point lead with his eighth win of the season.  Olson settled for second ahead of Michael Truscott, Crapser and Dan Wheeler.  Of interest, the top three in all-time Midwest Mods wins at CLS finished in the top five with Vandekamp recording his 19th while Olson has 16 wins and Wheeler with 15.

In heat race action earlier in the evening, Olson, Vandekamp and Wheeler topped the Midwest Mod heats while Loomis and Larry Boumeester, driving Jon Olson's car, won Pro Stock heats.  For Boumeester, it was his first start of the season and first in several years after winning a track championship back in 2006 in the division.  Shawn Carlson won the B Main for the Midwest Mods.

This coming Saturday night at CLS will be the popular Faster Pastor races & new for this year, Ambulance races with the NASCAR Midwest Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Hornets on the program.  Fan Appreciation night is slated for August 24 featuring all five weekly divisions in action.  CLS takes the Labor Day Weekend off before returning with the Richert Memorial on September 7 for the IRA Outlaw Sprints, UMSS 360 Sprints and Northern Vintage Cars.  The Legendary 100 runs September 12-14.  Look for a separate press release on that event due out very soon.

Cedar Lake Speedway Feature Race Summary August 14, 2013:

NASCAR MIDWEST MODIFIEDS (20 laps): Jason Vandekamp 16, Ryan Olson 21, Michael Truscott 22T, Cory Crapser 07, Dan Wheeler RED1, Kyle Matuska 43, David Swearingen 5, Josh Bazey 55, Jason Haugerud 22, Mark Thomas 25T, Eric Herbison 53H, Alan Bohlman 22B, Jordan Hessler 03, Dean Grube 00, Mike Spraguer 36, Jim Giossi 33G, Vince Corbin 53, Shawn Carlson 95, Shane Howell GB1, Greg Anderson 19, Mark Froehlich 44FX, Miranda Carlson 97, Cody Borgeson 95B, A J Roschen 7.

Lap Leaders: Crapser 1-3, Vandekamp 4-20.

NASCAR Pro Stocks (20 laps):  Cory Davis 20, Dan Gullixson 00X, Rich Bishop 10B, Chris Wark 24W, Adam Ayotte 04JR, Cody Campeau 99C, Ben Hanke B0H, Gunnar Watkins 2, Mike Loomis 17, Lucas Plank 71P, Larry Boumeester 64, Lyle Archambeau 99K, Mike Hesselink 18, Jeff Beer 16B, Denny Schouveller 1, Dustin Sanders 12, Bruce Schouveller 71, Mike Raboin 10.

Lap Leaders: Bishop 1-5, Ayotte 6-18, Davis 19-20.