Last Lap Pass Nets Spierowski Third Win At Charter Raceway Park

By John Wiedemann

Beaver Dam, WI – June 16, 2009 – Car counts and competition heated up on the track at Charter Raceway Park on Tuesday night.  Up for grabs in the feature races were qualifying positions and valuable points for the 2009 Wisconsin Dirt Championship Series as Tuesday Night Karting series regulars battled with a number of newcomers to the fifth-mile oval.

T.J. Spierowski started on the inside of the front row in the Briggs Sealed Box Stock division feature, but Maria Steinke used the top groove to jump to the lead at the start of the race.  Steinke held on to the top spot even while two caution periods bunched up the field through the first half of the race.  Restarting at the back of the pack after the second caution period, Spierowski quickly charged back to the front, achieving the third position with seven laps left in the event.  Two laps later, Speirowksi raced past Christopher Peterson for second.  With the white flag waving, Steinke and Spierowski caught lapped traffic.  Spierowski drove high while Steinke dove low on the backstraight with the lapped car in the middle.  The outside lane proved to be the best place to be as Spierowski took over the lead with two turns left in the race.  Steinke’s low line cost not only the lead but also second position as Peterson moved ahead of her as well.  Spierowski’s win was his second in a row and third overall this season.

The biggest field of the season took to the track in Briggs Junior/Animal 2 action this week.  Scott Swanson led the fifteen car field when the green flag flew in the feature.  Two laps later, Swanson slipped in turn four and Aaron Zegers pounced, taking over first place.  When Steven Paoli slid off in turn 1, the caution flag appeared.  During the caution, Swanson pulled off the track with mechanical issues.  Zegers resumed the point tailed by Rachel Kallas as the Animals again returned to green flag racing.  During the run under green, the kart on the move was Hunter Parson.  Starting in the middle of the pack at the beginning of the race, Parson had worked his way up to second when the final caution flag was brought out for a three kart spin in turn one with five laps left.  With two laps remaining in the contest Parson made his winning move, driving underneath Zegers in turn four and racing ahead for the win.  Zegers held on to second, followed by Kallas, Brent Edmans and Wyatt Blashe.

The closely match karts of Zack Marquardt and Scotty Theil split Briggs Medium heat race wins.  In the feature, Marquardt got the jump at the start getting by Tony Rialson on the outside for the lead, a lead he would hold for the rest of the race.  The gap between Marquardt and Theil stayed about the same as the two streaked to the checkers.  Marquardt took the win, followed by Theil and Rialson.

Brandon Waelti took on the Briggs Heavy division after winning the Briggs Medium feature last week.  Starting fifth in the feature, Waelti found himself in second place after a caution for Bryan Tolan’s flip on the backstraight.  Just after the halfway point, Waelti moved into the lead, getting past front runner Behji Hess. The final caution flag of the race flew when Chad Bogar rode up on Ryan Hock’s rear tire and the two karts became entangled in turn three.  Hess pulled off the track a few laps after the restart and Tolan assumed the second spot.  As the race resumed, Waelti pulled away from the field.  Bogar and Hock charged back through the field after their incident but could not catch Waelti.  Waelti won his second series race in a row.  Bogar and Hock recovered to finish second and third.  Tolan made the biggest recovery of all, finishing fourth after flipping out of his kart at the start of the race.  Earlier heat race wins were captured by Waelti and Bogar.

Garret Strachota held off Cody Chipman to sweep the Controlled Stock division heat races and feature event.

Earlier heat race winner, Dannielle Knoblock, took control of the Briggs Junior/Animal 3 feature race at the drop of the green.  Closely followed by Karly Stadler and  Cody Shroeder, the top three were bunched back together when the caution lights lit up for the second time as Brandon Grendzinski slid off the front straight banking.  Schroeder took advantage of an open top lane to jump into the lead from his third place restart, leaving Knobloch and Stadler to follow.  One more caution flag slowed the field, but Schroeder was not going to be denied, charging again to the lead and taking the checkers for the win.  Knobloch held off Stadler for second.  Grendzinski never gave up after the early race incident and crossed the line in fourth followed by Kourtney Borman to complete the top five.

Alex Hock started the Animal Pro feature race surrounded by the number 17 karts of pole sitter Rusty and third place Rob Loof.  Hock stormed past Rusty Loof to the front as the field completed the first lap.  Rob Loof could only follow as Hock led every lap after lap in the blisteringly fast, caution flag free race.  With a few laps remaining in the race, Rob Loof had closed to within two kart lengths as the leaders reached the back of the field.  Hock was able to lap the traffic with ease and hold off Rob Loof for the win.  Zak Marquardt finished third, with Steve Sainsbury following.  Zach Axlen moved up three positions from the start to round out the top five.

The Tuesday Night Karting Series returns to Charter Raceway Park next week, June 23rd.  Pits open at 4:30pm, with practice at 6:00pm, and racing at 7:00pm.

Saturday night, June 20th is a Charter 6-division night with the fireworks on Fan Appreciation Night at the track.

For more information, visit the Charter Raceway Park website at www.wismotorsports.com

Tuesday Night Karting Series
Charter Raceway Park
June 16, 2009
Results
Briggs Sealed Box Stock
A Main: T.J. Spierowski, Christopher Peterson, Maria Steinke, Alyssa Larson, R.J. Gerber, Dannielle Behn, August Geisen
Heat 1 Winner: Maria Steinke
Heat 2 Winner: Christopher Peterson

Briggs Medium
A Main: Zak Marquardt, Scotty Theil, Tony Rialson
Heat 1 Winner: Brandon Waelti
Heat 2 Winner: Brandon Waelti

Briggs Heavy
A Main: Brandon Waelti, Chad Bogar, Ryan Hock, Bryan Tolan, Benji Huss, Derrick Qualick, Bill Sainsbury
Heat 1 Winner: Chad Bogar
Heat 2 Winner: Brandon Waelti

Briggs Junior/Animal 2
A Main: Hunter Parson, Aaron Zegers, Rachel Kallas, Brent Edmans, Wyatt Blashe, Tristan Koenings, Trevor Ruesch, Steven Paoli, Samatha Ayers, Austin Drews, Rick R.J. Tackman, Kody Ray Priesgen, Dakota Young, Justin Pearson, Scott Swanson
Heat 1 Winners: Aaron Zegers, Hunter Parson
Heat 2 Winners: Brent Edmans, Rachel Kallas

Briggs Junior/Animal 3
A Main: Cody Schroeder, Dannielle Knoblock, Karly Stadler, Brandon Grendzinski, Kourtney Borman, Ricky Kaufert, Emily Radloff, Anthony Halloran, Jesse Krahn, Frankie Hoch
Heat 1 Winner: Dannielle Knoblock
Heat 2 Winner: Cody Schroeder

Animal Pro
A Main: Alex Hoch, Rob Loof, Zak Marquardt, Steve Sainsbury, Zach Axlen, Ben Jahnke, Andrew Hoch, Tony Rialson, Kyle Martin, Justin Peterson, Rusty Loof
Heat 1 Winners: Alex Hoch, Zach Axlen
Heat 2 Winners: Rob Loof (both)

Controlled Stock
A Main: Garret Strachota, Cody Chipman
Heat 1 Winner: Garret Strachota
Heat 2 Winner: Garret Strachota