Strong Fields Brave Cold Windy Evening at Cedar Lake
New Richmond, WI
By: Greg Parent (CLS Track Reporter)
The fourth night of the season would see a chilly, windy evening to close out the first month at the Cedar Lake Speedway on April 29. Strong, competitive fields of cars would help to "warm" things up for the crowd that braved the cold wind despite somewhat seasonal temperatures. With 106 cars signed into the pits, the five regular weekly divisions were back on the program. Feature races were won by Jimmy Kouba in the UMSS Traditional Sprints, Justin Freomming in the NASCAR Midwest Modifieds, Cody Campeau in the NASCAR Pro Stocks, Jacob Blees in the NASCAR Modifieds and Steve Laursen with a strong run in the NASCAR Late Models. Plenty of talent abounded in all divisions, but the modifieds and late models had particularly strong fields as cars turned out as a "tune up" for the upcoming Triple Crown event the following Saturday, May 6.
Jimmy Kouba upped the Kouba family batting average to .500 at CLS this season when he topped a competitive 25 lap feature in the Traditional sprint car division. Mike Mueller led the first seven laps before Cam Schafer blew around him up top on lap 8. Schafer led the next seven laps until Jimmy Kouba drove under him coming off turn 4 on lap 15 and found the middle groove to his liking en route to his 3rd career non-winged sprint car feature win at CLS. The race was slowed twice under caution, but Jimmy Kouba was the strongest car during the latter half and picked up his 12th career CLS victory, albeit nine of them have come with a wing overhead. Neal Matuska turned in his best finish yet, riding home in second over Mueller.
Justin Froemming led all 20 laps in the midwest modified main event for his first-ever CLS victory. Once again, Jason Vandekamp found himself in the runner-up spot with Alex Williamson in third. Keep trying and eventually, success will be earned. At last, Cody Campeau, who has supported CLS for many seasons and has raced in the pro (super) stock division also for many years, finally found his way to Victory Lane when he won for the first time in the pro stocks. Campeau led all the way to top Willie Johnsen and Chris Wark. A very strong and competitive field of 23 modifieds would see their 20 lap feature run nonstop to the finish. There was no stopping young Jacob Blees from Chatfield, MN on this night, as he also picked up his first career CLS victory. Jason Gross, Josh Angst, Paul Niznik and last week's winner Jake Hartung rounded out the top five. The late models also had a very stout field of 22 cars on hand. With a retro paint scheme like the old Pete Parker Reliable Welding late model cars, Steve Laursen showed why he has had many successful nights at Cedar Lake over the years when he recorded his 26th late model victory. The win was no "walk in the park" for the veteran racer, as he held off Jimmy Mars, John Kaanta, Pat Doar and Chad Mahder in the top five spots. Laursen's first late model victory came way back in 1982, as the veteran driver from Cumberland still has what it takes to be ultra-competitive in this popular division. Indeed during the first month of the season, the "old" guys have been showing the way up front in the late model class.
Next week the hugely popular Triple Crown event will take place at Cedar Lake with the IRA Outlaw 410 sprint cars, the NASCAR Modifieds and the NASCAR Late Models on the program racing for $3,000 to win in each division. Racers and fans generally turn out in strong numbers for a great night of ground-pounding action in three top divisions. The other weekly classes have the night off.
| Pos | Car # | fullname | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Steve Laursen | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 2 | 28 | Jimmy Mars | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 3 | 85 | John Kaanta | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 4 | 11 | Pat Doar | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 5 | 33x | Chad Mahder | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 6 | 71 | Rick Hanestad | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 7 | 27 | Jake Redetzke | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 8 | 6m | Jeffrey Massingill | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 9 | 44 | Darrell Nelson | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 10 | 55n | Greg Nippoldt | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 11 | 2 | Mike Nutzmann | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 12 | 55 | Jason Schill | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 13 | 14R | Robbie Johnson | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 14 | 7c | Jim Carlson | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 15 | T18 | T J Adams | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 16 | 61 | Jeff Keeney | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 17 | 11G | James Giossi | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 18 | 99k | Lyle Archambeau | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 19 | 7x | Jesse Glenz | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 20 | B1 | Brent Larson | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 21 | 58 | A J Diemel | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 22 | 10 | Mike Raboin | NASCAR Late Models Feature |
| 1 | 21jb | Jacob Bleess | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 2 | 12 | Jason Gross | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 3 | 99 | Josh Angst | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 4 | 42 | Paul Niznik | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 5 | 05 | Jake Hartung | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 6 | 07 | Cory Crapser | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 7 | 4 | Cory Bruggeman | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 8 | 95 | Keith Foss | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 9 | 49 | Jake Timm | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 10 | 44 | Darrell Nelson | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 11 | 65 | Jake Miller | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 12 | 03 | Jordan Hessler | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 13 | 21 | Joey Jensen | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 14 | 29h | Joe Horgdal | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 15 | 94jr | John Doelle | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 16 | R1 | Jay Richardson | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 17 | 57 | Duke Erickson | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 18 | 21B | Brandon Jensen | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 19 | K1 | Kyle Steffen | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 20 | W | Cory Williams | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 21 | 44x | Mitch Anderson | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 22 | F2 | Chase Friendt | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 23 | 8s | Tony Schill | NASCAR Modifieds Feature |
| 1 | 99c | Cody Campeau | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 2 | 18 | Willie Johnsen Jr | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 3 | 24w | Chris Wark | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 4 | 17 | Mike Loomis | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 5 | 22 | Dan Nissalke | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 6 | 01x | Marcus Simonson | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 7 | 10 | Mike Raboin | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 8 | 56 | Chad Gullixson | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 9 | 17w | Ryan Wiome | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 10 | 11 | Denny Schouveller | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 11 | 26 | Mike Weber | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 12 | 15r | Wheeler Blood | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 13 | 77j | Jason Oftedahl | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 14 | 28 | Bruce Schouveller | NASCAR Pro Stocks Feature |
| 1 | 33x | Justin Freomming | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 2 | 16 | Jason Vandekamp | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 3 | 15w | Alex Williamson | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 4 | 5s | David Swearingen | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 5 | 2 | Gunnar Watkins | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 6 | 23 | Mitch Weiss | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 7 | 43 | Kyle Matuska | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 8 | 290 | Ryan Wetzstein | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 9 | 22 | Jason Haugerud | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 10 | 36k | Jayden Larson | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 11 | 04n | Nick Ayotte | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 12 | 28 | Parker Hale | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 13 | 18m | Mason McEvers | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 14 | 22p | Steve Amundson | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 15 | 39 | Daniel Roatch | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 16 | 119 | Mike Widmann | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 17 | 22jt | Justin Tanner | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 18 | 18 | Kyle Hallin | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 19 | 11B | Mike Boston | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 20 | 66s | Kevin Seidler | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 21 | 15 | Eric Gadach | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 22 | 11 | Seth Scholl | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 23 | 3 | Denny Schott | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 24 | 68 | Nick Lindquist | NASCAR Midwest Modifieds Feature |
| 1 | 2k | Jimmy Kouba | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 2 | 48 | Neal Matuska | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 3 | 87 | Mike Mueller | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 4 | 6 | Jake Kouba | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 5 | 14 | Cam Schafer | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 6 | N1 | Ty Sampair | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 7 | 16 | Anna Hippe | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 8 | 7 | Scott Brandt | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 9 | 15e | Caley Emerson | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 10 | 99 | Bryan Roach | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 11 | 95 | Kevin Bradwell | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 12 | 6L | Joe Lallier | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 13 | 10 | Trevor Serbus | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 14 | 90 | Tony Klose | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 15 | 29 | Hunter Custer | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 16 | 12 | Johnny Parsons Iii | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 17 | 93 | Brad Peterson | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |
| 18 | 12x | Blake Anderson | UMSS Traditional Sprint Cars Feature |