HASELEU ENDS DROUGHT BY TAKING THE JOE SHEAR CLASSIC AT MIS
B y: Kevin Ramsell

OREGON, WI (Sunday, May 3, 2009) - It was almost two years since he won his last American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment. Tonight, he ended that drought by winning the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International Speedway as he held off Jeremy Lepak for the win.

“Its been a while since we won one, but we are pretty proud,” Haseleu stated in victory lane. “I was pretty choked up there in those final laps when I got away from Jeremy. I knew that if I didn’t screw up that I was going to win. Its pretty cool to win this race, as I said before, I never raced against him (Joe Shear) but I watched him a lot growing up and he was one helluva racer, it means a lot to me.”

Haseleu started on the outside of the front row at the start of the 136-lap event taking the jump over polesitter Jacob Goede.

Goede would bring out the first caution on lap three as he and Dan Fredrickson made contact going the backstretch going into turn three. Goede would skate up the track from the infield causing the field to scatter. Many cars were damaged but the heavily damaged cars were Donny Reuvers and Chris Wimmer who both suffered heavy damage and were done for the night. Goede and Fredrickson were sent to the rear of the field.

Haseleu held on to the lead until Steve Carlson got by him for the lead on lap 15. Carlson held on to the top spot for four laps until Tim Schendel got by him for top spot on lap 19.

Haseleu fell back to third but charged his way back to the front on lap 61 as he got past Carlson for second. Four laps later, he got past Schendel to take back the top spot.

Fast Qualifier Jeremy Lepak made his way to the front after starting tenth. He would get past Jeff Storm for second lap 89.

After the lap 100 break, Haseleu continued to lead but was being challenged by Lepak for the top spot. Lepak would make his challenge for the top spot on lap 115 when he went on the inside of Haseleu going into turn three. Haseleu would not let Lepak get by and held on to the top spot. “I never drove her so hard in my life to keep it up there,” Haseleu stated.

At the checkers it was Haseleu taking his second ASAMT win with Lepak in second.

“We talked about it at the break, and we knew that Nate was saving his stuff, he always does, he is a good racer,” Lepak said after the race. “We knew it would be a chess match until the break and after the break we knew it would be a Sunday night shootout.”

Travis Sauter made a hard charge to the front after starting 22nd to finish third. Sauter picked up a Joe Shear Hard Charger Bonus of $536 sponsored by Darrell Waltrip.

Kelly Bires rebounded from being involed in the lap three melee to finish fourth and Dan Fredrickson came through the field to finish fifth.

Dave Feiler was sixth. Goede came back through the field to finish seventh. Storm was eighth with Tim Schendel in ninth. Andy Monday finished tenth.

The ASAMT will next race will be on Saturday night, May 16th at Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA for the Pride of Iowa 100.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asaracing.com.

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