Cedar Lake Speedway Opens 53rd Season With Exciting Opening Night Action
New Richmond, WI (4-9-10)
by Greg Parent
Under clear skies and sixty degree spring weather, the 53rd season of racing at the legendary Cedar Lake Speedway got underway on Friday evening April 9. Fans were treated to some thrilling racing action in the four NASCAR divisions on the first night of a doubleheader opening weekend. A strong field of 97 cars signed into the pits, and when the fast-paced program concluded four drivers celebrated well-earned feature victories.
Repeating his feat of last season, Jeff Marshall was the first feature winner of 2010 at CLS when he passed race leader Jason Vandekamp just before the halfway mark and then held off a serious charge from Clayton Wagamon in the closing laps of the 20 lap NASCAR Midwest Modified main event. A spirited battle between Dave Mass, Dan Gullikson and defending Legendary 100 champion Tim Borgeson in the caution-filled NASCAR Pro Stock 20 lap feature saw Gullikson grab the lead from Mass on lap 16 enroute to victory. Although Jason Gross led all 20 laps in the NASCAR Modified main, he had to hold off defending track champion Darrell Nelson in the closing laps to cap off a strong performance. In the early stages of the 30 lap NASCAR Late Model feature, it appeared as though Adam Hensel was going to dominate. That all changed with nine laps in when Hensel spun sideways while entering lapped traffic and dropped out of the race. Lance Matthees became the new leader and had to hold off five-time track champion Pat Doar in the late stages of the race, including a two lap dash to the checkers, to post the win.
Bryan Siercks grabbed the early lead at the drop of the green in the NASCAR Midwest Modified main event. Defending track champion Jason Vandekamp quickly moved to second and closed in on Siercks. Jeff Marshall followed Vandekamp, and soon it was a three car race for the lead. The battle was interupted a couple of times for spins on laps one and five, but it would resume again under green. Vandekamp got by Siercks on lap eight for the top spot. The following lap, Marshall went from third to first! On lap 10, Clark Swartz, Siercks, and Josh Bazey raced three-wide coming off turn two for third when contact ensued. Siercks and Bazey crashed together down the back stretch and wound up sideways entering turn three. Tony Schill slammed into Bazey's car, causing heavy damage. All three cars were out of the race.
When the race went back under green, Marshall opened up a bit of a lead while 11th starter Clayton Wagamon slipped past Vandekamp for second on lap eleven. Wagamon began slowly closing in on Marshall. A three car incident in turn four set the stage for a two lap dash to the checkers. Wagamon applied the pressure on Marshall, but the Thunder Bay driver was able to fend off the challenge to earn his second consecutive opening night win. Following Marshall and Wagamon was Vandekamp in third. Bob Smith and Kyle Steffen completed the top five with 18th starter Jake Miller, Grant Southworth, Vince Corbin from 20th, A J Roschen, and Mike Mueller rounding out the top ten. Heat race wins went to Siercks, Marshall and Bazey with David Swearingen topping the B Main.
In what would end up being a caution-plagued 20 lap NASCAR Pro Stock feature race, a very entertaining battle for the top three spots would certainly keep the fan's attention focused up front. Dave Mass and Curt Myers brought the field to the green with Myers edging past Mass to lead the opening lap. Suddenly Myers slowed with smoke trailing from behind his car while Mass and the rest of the pack roared by. Myers pulled to the infield as the yellow flew for a spin in turn four. Under green again, Mass and Dan Gullikson battled for the top spot throughout a series of cautions in the first five laps. In an incredible charge forward, 12th starter Tim Borgeson quickly advanced to fourth by lap three and raced hard with Mike Loomis for third. Borgeson moved past Loomis for third on lap six and closed in on the leaders.
Following a caution for debris on the track with nine laps in, a spirited battle for the top three spots developed. Borgeson got by Gullikson on lap eleven. After one final restart for a spin by Ryan Wiome, Borgeson pulled alongside Mass on lap twelve. As Mass and Borgeson crossed the finish line side-by-side, contact between the two cars saw Borgeson scrape the front stretch concrete wall. Gullikson jumped on the opportunity the next lap and got around Borgeson for second. Gullikson put the pressure on Mass for the lead over the next three laps. On lap 16, Gullikson moved around Mass to grab the top spot. Gullikson was able to hold off Mass over the final four laps to earn the victory. Mass and Borgeson followed. A very good race in the closing laps for fourth saw Mike Loomis hold off Cory Davis. With only half of the 18 car field around at the checkers, Justin Dodge, Cody Campeau, Brian Lick and Jeff Heintz finished 6th through 9th. John Olson rounded out the top ten with a DNF. Heat races were won by Shawn Kammerud and Mike Loomis.
The NASCAR Modifed feature was filled with talent, as the thunder of 24 open wheel mods resonated in the cool night air. The Gross brothers, Jason and Jeremy, brought the field to Jeff Stacken's green flag. Jason Gross grabbed the lead with Dave Lear moving to second at the completion of the opening lap. The first caution waved with five laps in for debris, after Craig Brightbill got crossed up and collected Ron Schreiner. Schreiner's damaged car exited the track while Brightbill continued on. On the restart, Rick Kobs and Scott Kobs got together in turn four. The race then ran green for the next ten laps.
Jason Gross opened up a comfortable lead over Lear when the green replaced the yellow with Jeremy Gross in third. A good battle developed behind the lead trio for fourth between Kevin Viebrock, Craig Brightbill and Andy Jones. Defending track champion Darrell Nelson soon joined that battle from his 11th starting spot. On lap eleven, Nelson split between Jones and Viebrock exiting turn two and shot down the back stretch into the fourth spot. On lap 15, Jeremy Gross moved past Lear for second. The yellow blinked on one lap later for the third and final caution, setting the stage for a five lap run to the checkers as Lear dropped out of the race. Nelson quickly got by Jeremy Gross for second and immediately began reeling in his brother, Jason Gross, for the lead. One lap later, 12th starter Jason Miller got around Jeremy Gross for third. In the waning laps, Nelson pulled up, and on a couple of occasions, alongside Gross. Jason Gross held off Darrell Nelson to earn the victory by about a car length at the line. Jason Miller, Jeremy Gross and Andy Jones completed the top five. In an outstanding run forward, 23rd starter Joey Jensen finished sixth followed by Scott Duvall, Kevin Viebrock, Craig Brightbill and Rick Kobs with 19 of the 24 cars still running at the end of the race. Heat race victories went to Darrell Nelson, Ron Schreiner, and Craig Brightbill.
As CLS announcer Chris Stepan uttered his famous words, a powerful and very talented 26 car NASCAR Super Late Model main event roared to life for 30 ground-pounding laps of racing action. Joel Cryderman and Rick Hanestad brought the field to the green. Hanestad blasted to the early lead, but just after completing the opening lap, Hanestad lost the handle and spun sideways in turn one. The field was able to avoid him. A complete restart was called, as not all cars had completed the opening lap. Hanestad was relegated to the rear of the field for the restart, moving veteran driver Pete Parker to the outside row one starting spot. Parker took advantage of the opportunity to lead the opening lap over Adam Hensel and Cryderman. Hensel blew by Parker on lap two and pulled away from the pack. Lance Matthees got by Cryderman for third on lap four and closed in on Parker. One lap later, Matthees moved by Parker for second. Pat Doar got around Cryderman for fourth on lap eight. Hensel was long gone up front when he encountered lapped traffic with nine laps in. Suddenly in turn two on the next lap, Hensel looped his car while attempting to overtake two cars running at the back of the pack. The yellow light blinked on, and Hensel drove through the pits to the work area. Unfortunately, Hensel was not allowed to continue at the back of the field given the fact that he had entered the pit area instead of driving down scale road to the work area. Lance Matthees became the new leader for the restart.
A long green flag run ensued with Matthees holding a comfortable lead up front. Parker held off Doar until lap 15. On lap 17, Matthees began lapping cars with Doar a distant second. Doar was hooked up and hauling though, as he narrowed the margin lap after lap. Meanwhile, Jake Redetzke was on the move forward as well. Redetzke raced past Cryderman for fourth on lap 17 and then got by Parker for third two laps later in lapped traffic. As Doar continued to reel in Matthees, defending track champion Rick Egersdorf appeared in the top five on lap 20 and moved to fourth past Parker. The margin between first and second began to narrow noticeably over the next several laps, and soon Doar was right behind Matthees with four laps to go. With Matthees under serious pressure from Doar, another very good race was taking place for fifth between Eric Breeschoten and 18th starter John Kaanta. As the leaders took the white flag, Luke Strandlund looped his car in turn two to bring out the yellow. This set the stage for a green-white-checker charge to the finish!
Over the final two circuits, Lance Matthees was able to fend off the challenges from Pat Doar to earn the victory. Jake Redetzke ran solid in third just ahead of Rick Egersdorf. John Kaanta captured fifth in a fine run forward. Eric Breeschoten, Pete Parker, Mike Nutzmann, Darrell Nelson and Joel Cryderman completed the top ten of the 23 cars still running at the finish. Late model heat races were won by veteran drivers Lance Matthees, Pat Doar and Rick Egersdorf. The late model main event concluded an eventful and entertaining opening night at the popular western Wisconsin track, as fans and drivers looked forward to the second night of the doubleheader opening weekend.
