Krysta Swearingen Becomes Second Female Winner at CLS on Opening Night of Legendary 100
(Krause, Rosen and Kobs also Earn Legendary 100 Victories)
New Richmond, WI
By: Greg Parent (9-16-09)
On a pleasant late summer evening, the opening night of the annual Legendary 100 got underway at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Wednesday, September 16. This year marked the fourth Legendary 100 event, continuing a tradition of 25 years of holding a multi-day special during the month of September at the famed 3/8 mile oval near New Richmond, WI. Becoming only the second female driver to win a feature race in the 52 year history of the track and first-ever at the Legendary 100, young Krysta Swearingen took home top honors and the trophy in the Pure Stock feature race. Krysta was joined in victory lane by her father, "Dyno" Don Swearingen, who raced many seasons at the Cedar Lake Speedway.
In the 20 lap Legendary 100 Hornet feature race, Mike Krause inherited the lead and eventual win when race-long leader Dustin LaBlonde suffered a flat tire with five laps to go. For the Buffalo City driver, it was his first win at CLS over a very talented field of 38 drivers. Cory Rosen led all 25 laps to capture the Legendary 100 title in the Street Stock division, as the Milaca, MN driver showed why he is one of the toughest competitors in the area. To cap off a well-run and quick-paced racing program, Rick Kobs absolutely dominated the nonstop 25 feature in the Outlaw Winged Modifieds to bring home a Legendary 100 trophy. The Deer Park hot-shoe was well over a half a lap ahead of the second place finisher at the checkers.
The first 2009 Legendary 100 title up for grabs was in the Hornet division. Like the pure stocks and street stocks, the Hornets were making their first appearance of the season at CLS. Following heat race wins by Brad Edington, Justin Rick, Dustin LaBlonde, and Steve Sutton, the B Main was won by defending 2008 Legendary 100 champion Steve Dwyer. This set the stage for the 20 lap championship feature race. Justin Rick and Brad Edington brought the field to flagman Jeff Stacken's green, and the quest for the 2009 championship trophy was underway. Moving up from his sixth starting spot, Dustin LaBlonde powered his way to the lead by the end of the opening lap. The first caution flew for debris in turn two with three laps completed. One lap later, the third place car of Robert Carpenter bunched up several cars behind him when he struggled to gain control of his car exiting turn four. Carpenter dropped out, and the race resumed. Justin Rick and Kevin Bradwell battled the second spot until Bradwell took control on lap 6. Another debris caution slowed the pace just prior to the halfway mark. A lap later it was LaBlonde, Bradwell, Rick, Gary Stahl, and Mike Krause in the top five at the halfway point. Steve Dwyer was on the move forward from his 19th starting spot, as he cracked the top five with twelve laps in. Just two laps later, Dwyer's dash to the front ended with a flat tire. On lap 15, suddenly the leader LaBlonde slowed and drove off the track with a flat tire. This handed the lead to Krause who had worked his way into second a lap earlier. With no further cautions to delay the race, Mike Krause drove to victory and the Legendary 100 title in the Hornets. Gary Stahl, Kevin Bradwell, Greg Boje and Eric Schultz completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Brad Edington, Kris Kaphing, Justin Rick, Brent Voeltz, and Ron Jablonske.
Looking to become only the second female competitor to win a feature race at the Cedar Lake Speedway, Krysta Swearingen found herself with a great pole position starting spot for the 20 lap Pure Stock main event by virtue of earning the most passing and finishing points in her heat race. With Jordan Johnson to her outside, Swearingen narrowly led the opening lap. Ashley Huseby, another female driver, was running in third when she spun in turn two to bring the race under caution for the first time with seven laps in. Just one lap later, her teammate Jordan Johnson spun in nearly the same spot while in second. The third and final yellow blinked on at the halfway mark when Nathan Fisk and Jay Folz made contact in turn three. Swearingen was leading Dusty Brown, George Richards, Chaz Ducommun, and Corey Hathaway. The race then proceed to run nonstop to the end. Richards got by Brown for second on lap 14 and applied the pressure on the leader for a few laps before eventually settling into the runnerup spot. At the checkers Krysta Swearingen had accomplished only what Chanda Fjorden-Nord had done before, as she became the second female driver to win a feature race at CLS. With her Legendary 100 trophy, Krysta was all smiles in victory lane. George Richards rode home in second ahead of Dusty Brown, Corey Hathaway, and Chaz Ducommun. Completing the top ten were Tony Falkner, another female competitor Ashley Smith, Jay Folz, Troy Larock, and Ashley Huseby. Heat race winners were Swearingen and Brown for the 15 cars on hand.
With Corey Rosen sitting in the pole position for the 25 lap Legendary 100 Street Stock feature race, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would be the driver to catch. Following a crash in turn two on the opening lap, the race got underway with Rosen rocketing into the lead. With just one lap in, Rod Debernardeaux and defending 2008 Legendary 100 champion Chris Peterson got together in turn three to bring out the yellow. Peterson had to start tail-end. A couple more yellows had the race bogged down with just seven laps scored. When the fifth caution flew at the halfway mark for debris, it was Rosen over Danny Richards, Sam Fankhauser, Chanda Fjorden-Nord, and Jay Kesan. The final yellow light flashed with 17 laps in when Justin Pogones rolled to a stop in turn four. Chris Peterson had worked his way back to sixth by this time, but he would advance no farther. Fankhauser got back around Richards for second on lap 21, as the race ran green to the finish. Corey Rosen had the field covered enroute to becoming the 2009 Legendary 100 champion in the Street Stocks. Sam Fankhauser finished second. On the final lap while racing hard for second, Danny Richards spun in turn three allowing Chanda Fjorden-Nord, Jay Kesan, and Rod Debernardeaux to complete the top five. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Kris Peterson and Chris Peterson followed by Ryan Kostreba, Steve Golat and Danny Richards. Heat races victories went to Pognoes, Fjorden-Nord and Adam Soltis for the 26 car field.
The final event of the evening pitted the fast and furious Outlaw Winged Modifieds racing for 25 laps to determine their Legendary 100 champion. With Rick Kobs and Les Duellman pacing the field, Kobs blasted into the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back. Duellman settled into what would become a distant second in just a few laps. Kobs starting lapping cars just nine laps into the run. With no cautions to bunch the field up, Kobs absolutely dominated the race. Winning by well over a half lap, Rick Kobs became the first Outlaw Winged Modified driver to garner a Legendary 100 title. The battle for the second through fifth place positions really heated up during the last couple of laps. Mike Kelley Jr. raced from third to second on the final lap while his brother Shaun Kelley moved up from fifth to third during the final two circuits. Les Duellman dropped back to fourth at the finish. Jason Miller advanced a spot on the final lap to finish fifth. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Jason Gross, Terry Hanson, Scott Gilbertson, Dave Lear, and Lonnie Louschke. Keith Lepinksi was the other car who finished while Kelly Estey, making his first-ever attempt with a wing overhead, and Dave Siercks failed to finish. Heat race wins went to Gross and Duellman.
Racing action at the Legendary 100 continues at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Thursday through Saturday when a large field of cars are expected to descend on the track. The Late Models, Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Midwest Modifieds will take center stage with two nights of qualifying race action, including features both nights, in order to set the stage for the big championship feature races on Saturday. The UMSS 360 sprint cars will run a full program on Saturday night as well with Jerry Richert Jr. and Leigh Thomas battling for their point title. You won't want to miss any of the action at the Legendary 100 at the Cedar Lake Speedway during the next three nights. The weather is forecasted to be great, and the racing action certainly should be great too. For more information, please visit our website at www.cedarlakespeedway.com or call 1-866-4CLS-FUN.
