New Richmond, WI
By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director (5-13-17)

A huge crowd was on hand at the Cedar Lake Speedway for the annual School Bus Race Night, and the UMSS Traditional sprints were part of this popular evening. Racing for the second time this season, Jeremy Kerzman of Gray Eagle, MN made it two for two when he passed race leader Brad Peterson on lap 10 of the 25 lap feature event. Earning his sixth career TSCS win, Kerzman celebrated with his crew for the second time this season in Rock Auto Victory Lane with the capacity crowd looking on. Kerzman earned a clean sweep for the evening, as he also won his heat race and the dash for cash. Kerzman became the first repeat winner in the five shows that have been run so far.

Seventeen Traditional sprints were on hand and they ran three heat races. Peterson, Kerzman and Joseph Kouba picked up the wins, as all three races ran ten laps nonstop. It was the second dash for cash night of the season, and Kerzman topped Kouba in a spirited battle with the top two finishers in each heat earning starting positions in the six lap dash that paid the winner $150. Jake Kouba saw his evening end early when the rear axle broke in his sprint car half way into the dash, and the resulting damage was too much for repairs to be made in time to start the feature. Jon Lewerer was still experiencing fueling issues and was also scratched for the feature. The top four drivers in passing points from the heats redrew for the first two rows of the main event. Peterson and current point leader Mike Mueller would occupy the front row with a pair of Koubas, Joseph and his uncle Jimmy rolling off from row two. Jimmy and his son Jake Kouba had raced the previous night down at the Jackson Motorplex with the HRA non-winged sprints.

Peterson started strong on the bottom and led the opening lap. The lone caution waved on the second lap when Johnny Parsons, Ty Sampair and Tony Klose were involved in an incident in turns 3-4. Sampair and Klose retired from the race with damage to their cars while Parsons tagged the tail for the restart. The race then ran 24 laps nonstop to the checkers. As the top lane came in, so did Kerzman. Once Kerzman took the lead from Peterson on lap 10, he was never seriously challenged after that but he did not disappear from the field either. Also up top and on the move forward was tenth starter and opening night feature winner Cam Schafer. Schafer, the 2013 series champion, earned the GRP Motorsports $100 Hard Charger Award with a +8 performance for his runner-up finish. Peterson, in just his sixth time behind the wheel of a Traditional sprint, raced to his second third place finish of the season. Jimmy topped Joseph Kouba to round out the top five. Scott Brandt, 2011 series champion Kevin Bradwell from 13th, Blake Anderson, Bryan Roach and Parsons completed the top ten. Making his first-ever start in a former Tommy Kamrath Traditional sprint car, Cody Emmans drove a clean race and was passed by race winner Kerzman on the final lap coming to the checkers. Mike Mueller was running in second when, in somewhat unfamiliar territory, he jumped the cushion in turn four on lap 19 and bounced off the concrete wall. Mueller completed one more lap before pulling into the infield with damage to the rear end of his sprint car and a rare DNF for the "Stacy Slugger."

The Traditional sprints will return to the Cedar Lake Speedway next Saturday night May 20 for a regular weekly program before venturing out on the road for the first time this season. The Traditional sprints will race three times with the UMSS winged sprints over the Memorial Day Weekend, making stops at the Red Cedar Speedway, Rice Lake Speedway and their first-ever appearance at the Eagle Valley Speedway on May 26-28. Keep tabs on all of the UMSS Traditional sprint car action by visiting our website at www.umsprints.com and clicking on the blue logo or by following us on Facebook.

UMSS TSCS Race Results - Cedar Lake Speedway May 13, 2017 (Race #5)

A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[5]; 2. 14-Cam Schafer[10]; 3. 93-Brad Peterson[1]; 4. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[4]; 5. 55-Joseph Kouba[3]; 6. 7-Scott Brandt[7]; 7. 95-Kevin Bradwell[13]; 8. 12X-Blake Anderson[12]; 9. 99-Bryan Roach[9]; 10. 12-Johnny Parsons III[6]; 11. 33C-Cody Emmans[15]; 12. (DNF) 87-Mike Mueller[2]; 13. (DNF) 29-Hunter Custer[11]; 14. (DNF) 90-Tony Klose[14]; 15. (DNF) N1-Ty Sampair[8]; (DNS) 6-Jake Kouba; (DNS) 69S-Jon Lewerer

Lap Leaders: Peterson 1-9, Kerzman 10-25. Cautions: (1) yellow with 1 lap in for N1, 12, 90 turn 3-4. N1 & 90 out after contact.

GRP Motorsports Hard Charger Award: Cam Schafer +8

Dash 1 (6 Laps): 1. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[2]; 2. 93-Brad Peterson[4]; 3. 87-Mike Mueller[5]; 4. 55-Joseph Kouba[1]; 5. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[3]; 6. (DNF) 6-Jake Kouba[6]

Lap Leaders: Kerzman 1, Joseph Kouba 2, Kerzman 3-6. Cautions: (1) yellow with 3 laps scored for 6 car broken axle. Too much damage in rear end of car. Done for the night.

Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 93-Brad Peterson[1]; 2. 6-Jake Kouba[3]; 3. 12-Johnny Parsons III[5]; 4. 14-Cam Schafer[2]; 5. 12X-Blake Anderson[4]; 6. 95-Kevin Bradwell[6]

Lap Leader: Peterson 1-10. No cautions.

Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[1]; 2. 87-Mike Mueller[4]; 3. 7-Scott Brandt[3]; 4. 29-Hunter Custer[2]; (DNS) 69S-Jon Lewerer; (DQ) 33C-Cody Emmans[5]

Lap Leader: Kerzman 1-10. No cautions. 33C light at the scales=DQ. 69s scratched after hot laps with fueling issues.

Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 55-Joseph Kouba[2]; 2. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[5]; 3. N1-Ty Sampair[3]; 4. 99-Bryan Roach[4]; 5. 90-Tony Klose[1]

Lap Leader Joseph Kouba 1-10. No cautions.

USRA Limited Late Model Feature Winner - Lance Hofer, Cochran, WI (also two for two at CLS this season)

School Bus Heat & Feature Race Winner - Somerset High School.  Somerset topped Hudson and Clear Lake in the battle of the busses 26 lap finale at CLS.  Nine schools were represented along with three CLS busses.  In the main event, two busses rolled over and Wild Man Clay parked one in the infield pond, as the capacity crowd hooted and hollared during the featured event of the evening which, as usual, featured plenty of carnage amongst the big school busses.  Another spectacular promotion for the 13th Annual School Bus Race Night, as Somerset won for the first time with a first-time bus driver Dr. Mark Bezek, the Superintendent of Schools for Somerset.

It never ceases to amaze me how many kids and fans turn out on this night, as the event continues to grow and evolve with now nine local area high schools competing (Somerset, Hudson, Clear Lake, New Richmond, Osceola, Unity, Baldwin-Woodville, Amery and Chisago Lakes Area).  The weather was absolutely superb with late afternoon temps reaching 78 under sunny skies!