Hot Weather For NASCAR Dash Night #2
New Richmond, WI (6-10-17)

By: Greg Parent

The hottest weather of the season so far brought summer-like temperatures in the nineties for the second NASCAR Dash Series event on K&N Filters Night at the Cedar Lake Speedway.  A talented field of cars in the four weekly NASCAR racing divisions was on hand.  When the final checkers waved, Jason Vandekamp, Dan Gullikson, Darrell Nelson and AJ Diemel picked up wins in the NASCAR Midwest Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Modifieds and Late Models.

The NASCAR Midwest Modifieds drew a 27 car field.  Three heat races using passing and finishing points were run with Shaun Kelley, Mason McEvers and Mitch Weiss picking up the wins.  No B Main was scheduled, so all 27 cars transferred to the feature race.  All 27 cars made the call for the 20 lap main event.  Four-time track champion and defending NASCAR Dash Series champion Jason Vandekamp started on the pole.  The race was slowed three times under caution, twice for debris and once for a spin.  Vandekamp led the entire distance to earn his 42nd career CLS victory in the Midwest Mod division.  David Swearingen came from 13th to finish second.  Gunnar Watkins started even further back, coming from 20th to third.  Jason Haugerud and Mitch Weiss completed the top five.

After Chad Gullixson and Adam Ayotte won the heat races, the 20 lap NASCAR Pro Stock feature would see another Gullikson, different spelling, pick up the win.  The Pro Stock A Main, like the Midwest Mods, was also slowed three times under caution.  Cody Campeau led the first four laps from his pole starting spot until seventh starter Dan Gullikson got by on lap five.  Gullikson led the remainder of the race for his 8th career CLS Pro Stock feature victory.  Willie Johnsen moved up four spots from sixth to second.  Last week's winner Jesse Redetzke came from 9th to third ahead of Campeau and Mike Loomis in the top five.

A very talented field in the NASCAR Modifieds saw Brandon Jensen and Darrell Nelson win heat races.  With Nelson earning the hight point score in the heats, a pole starting spot likely meant the rest of the field would be following the "Hermantown Hammer."  Such was the case, but on a few occasions Jake Hartung was able to slip past Nelson in turn 2 only to see Darrell return the favor in turn 4 and maintain the lead.  Just a couple of cautions slowed the pace, and Nelson went on to record his 31st career CLS Modified win.  Hartung held strong in second.  Joey Jensen bested his brother Brandon in the battle for third.  A solid run for Tony Schill rounded out the top five.

The rumble of the powerful NASCAR Late Models meant the final feature of the evening was coming trackside for 30 laps of racing action around the high-banked 3/8th mile oval.  Jesse Glenz and Darrell Nelson had won heat races and brought the field to life from their front row starting spots.  The race was under yellow on the opening lap when Robbie Johnson slapped the back stretch wall and required a ride to the pits on the hook.  A complete restart was in order.  Glenz got the lead over Nelson when the green flag flew and proceeded to lead the first 15 laps.  That's when problems struck for the leader.  While attempting to put him a lap down, Glenz ducked underneath Jeff Keeney entering turn three just past the halfway point and slid sideways.  Contact between Keeney who was trying to get slowed up and Glenz resulted in a flat left front tire and no chance for the win.  Glenz went to the work area where his crew changed the tire, allowing him to restart at the tail of the field.  On the restart, Steve Laursen got a bit crossed up in turn 2 and collected a couple of cars in the process.  A J Diemel had inherited the lead when Glenz had his misfortune, and Diemel drove on to victory for the 13th time at CLS in the late model division.  The defending NASCAR Dash Series champion looks like he will be a strong contender in his effort to repeat.  Nelson finished second ahead of Jake Redetzke and John Kaanta.  Turning in his best run so far in his first season driving a late model, James "Nitro" Giossi rounded out the top five.  Travis Budisalovich, 2015 NASCAR Dash champion Pat Doar, Greg Nippoldt, Jim Carlson and Steve Laursen completed the top ten.

A big three night Masters racing weekend kicks off on Thursday June 15 at the Cedar Lake Speedway with a full program of USMTS modifieds in action.  Then on Friday the USMTS mods return for a double round of heat races and a fast dash.  The 3 night run concludes on Saturday June 17 with B Mains, the Last Chance Race and the biggest USMTS payday ever with the $50,000-to-win 70 lap USMTS Masters Modified main event.  Check out our website at www.cedarlakespeedway.com to get information on upcoming races, results, photos, news and much more.  You can call us toll free at 1-866-4-CLS-FUN or find us on the social media outlets of Facebook and Twitter.