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Schafer Crosses Second, Finishes First at St. Croix Valley Raceway Opener
St. Croix Falls, WI
By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director (5-16-14)
Sometimes the car that crosses the finish line first at the end of the race is not the car that ultimately wins the race. Such was the case at the St. Croix Valley Raceway during the season opener for the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series on Friday May 16. Brian VanMeveren led the entire 25 lap feature event flag-to-flag, celebrated in Victory Lane, and then went to post-race tech. Cam Schafer, who made it close at the finish line, thought he had finished second. He would later find out that he was the winner after Van Meveren was disqualified in post-race tech for an illegal carburetor.
Following two 10 lap heat races for the 17 car field on hand, Johnny Parsons III was the high point driver. The TSCS sprints use passing and finishing points in their heat races, and the high point driver then draws the invert pill. Parsons drew a six which inverted the top six in points. This put VanMeveren and Tommy Kamrath on the front row for the 25 lap main event on the 1/4 mile dirt oval. VanMeveren immediately blasted into the early lead. The first of three cautions waved with six laps scored when Jake Hendrickson spun in turn four and collected rookie driver Mike Walters. Hendrickson rode the hook to the pits while Walters refired. A ragged start going back to green necessitated another caution and a warning to the field from the flagman to stay in line. The next restart was good.
Defending and two-time series champion Rob Caho, Jr. was on the move on the restart, as he worked his way to second. Caho reeled in Van Meveren over the next several laps and the battle for the top spot was on. On a couple of occasions, Caho pulled alongside VanMeveren. As Van Meveren worked lapped traffic, he got a bit high in turns one and two on lap 20. Caho dove low, but he got a little too close to the infield tractor tire and clipped it. The resulting impact caused damage to the front end of his car. The yellow blinked on and Caho was on the hook to the pits. This set up a six lap dash to the checkers. Cam Schafer moved past Parsons for second on lap 20 and immediately began applying pressure on VanMeveren. On the final lap, VanMeveren slid high in turn four allowing Schafer to pull alongside him exiting the corner. VanMeveren had the momentum to edge out Schafer at the line. However, his night would not go well in post-race tech giving the win to Schafer. Kamrath, inaugural series champion Kevin Bradwell, 2013 Rookie of the Year Mike Mueller, and Joseph Kouba completed the top five. An impressive run for rookie driver Chase Viebrock in sixth followed by fellow rookies Pastor Mike Haseltine and John Lewerer (former Legend car racer) completed those cars that finished. Parsons dropped out of the race late as did Mike Walters.
Heat races were won by Parsons and Mueller. A total of five rookie drivers made their season debut on opening night. One rookie, Alex Peper, was not able to start the feature when the engine in his non-winged sprinter went up in smoke during his heat race. Ageless veteran Tom Porter also had mechanical problems in his heat and was scratched for the night. Brad Nelson continued to chase issues with his car similar to last season and was not able to race after hot laps. Next Friday at St. Croix Valley Raceway will be the 3rd Annual Davey Tabor Memorial featuring the UMSS winged sprints along with the Traditionals sprints, micros, WISSOTA Midwest Mods, pure stocks and future fours. The WISSOTA Modifieds have the night off.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - St. Croix Valley Raceway May 16, 2014 (Race #1)
Meeks Video Heat #1 (10 laps): 12 Johnny Parsons III, Owatonna MN; 24 Brian VanMeveren, St. Paul MN; 78 Rob Caho Jr, Wyoming MN; 50 Chase Viebrock, New Richmond WI; 55 Joseph Kouba, North Branch MN; 23 Jake Hendrickson, Amery WI; 81 Alex Peper, Milltown WI; 2 Tom Porter, Blaine MN. DNS: 7N Brad Nelson, Brainerd MN.
Track Rat Photos Heat #2 (10 laps): 87 Mike Mueller, Stacy MN; 14 Tommy Kamrath, Hudson WI; 54 Cam Schafer, Clearbrook MN; 95 Kevin Bradwell, Luck WI; 2K Jake Kouba, Minneapolis MN; 27 Mike Walters, Lake Elmo MN; 5 Mike Haseltine, Forest Lake MN; 69S John Lewerer, Coon Rapids MN.
GRP Motorsports A Main (25 laps): Schafer, Kamrath, Bradwell, Mueller, Kouba, Viebrock, Haseltine, Lewerer, Parsons DNF, Walters DNF, Caho DNF, Kouba DNF, Hendrickson DNF, Porter DNS, Peper DNS, Nelson DNS.
Lap Leader: Van Meveren 1-25 (DQed in post-race tech though).
Cautions: (3)
Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
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