5/31/2018
Tatnell Leads the way at Eagle Valley Sunday
For a second consecutive sweltering day, the POWRi Lucas Oil Upper Midwest Sprintcar Series toured deep into Wisconsin, competing Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at the Eagle Valley Speedway in Jim Falls.
After a strong showing the previous night, Jamey Ogston got the jump on Brooke Tatnell in his heat race and cruised to the PIRTEK Fluid Transfer Solutions opening heat race win, while Chase Viebrock did the same in the Rock Auto qualifier. Despite topping 100 MPH in his race – Viebrock was penalized two spots for an early start, making Cam Schafer the official winner. In the wingless Traditional ranks, heat race wins went to Cam Schafer and Anna Hippe. Qualifying action was halted for a nasty roll-over by Jake Hendrickson in his heat race. Jake emerged from the wreck and walked without assistance to the medical staff for evaluation – it would be the only stoppage in action for the Traditional competitors for the evening.
Brooke Tatnell emerged for the UMSS “Wing-of-the-Hill” eliminators to start on the pole for the 25 lap main event for the 360 winged sprinters. At the drop of the green, Tatnell displayed the same dominance he showed in the eliminators and immediately left the rest of the field in his wake. With Tatnell of running in his own ZIP code, the best battle on the track was for second, as fifth starting Ryan Bowers reeled in the early runner-up, Chase Viebrock. The duo tussled for several laps before Bowers found a path to second, and by then Tatnell was more than a half lap in front of him. The last few laps clicked off without incident with the finishing order of Tatnell, Bowers, Viebrock, Jamey Ogston, Lance Fassbender and Kyle Finnegan. It was the first visit to Rock Auto victory this season for the “Awesome Aussie”, upping his series leading career win total to 34 main events.
In the non-winged traditional ranks, Saturday night’s winner and pole starter, Cam Schafer jumped to the point and quickly opened up a several car length advantage. Through most of the race, Anna Hippe and Brad Peterson engaged in a spirited high-low battle for second, with reigning series champion Mike Mueller and Elk Mound’s Blake Anderson charging up from their mid-pack starting positions. The 25 lapper zipped by caution free with Schafer making it a two-for-two weekend, parking his #14 mount in Rock Auto victory lane for the second night in a row and third time this season. Peterson emerged from his battle with Hippe to claim the runner-up spot, while Mueller and Anderson rounded out the top five.
Both the 360 winged and Traditional sprinters are back in action this Saturday, June 2, for the third installment of their UMSS CLS Shootout at the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin.
RACE RESULTS:
POWRi Lucas Oil UMSS Traditional sprints
Feature – Cam Schafer, Brad Peterson, Anna Hippe, Mike Mueller, Blake Anderson, Neal Matuska, Jon Lewerer, Scott Brandt, Denny Stordahl, Bryan Roach, Jack Berger, Al Stettner, Gary Mueller, Jeremy Kerzman (DNF), Jake Hendrickson (DNS)
POWRi Lucas Oil UMSS 360 winged sprints
Feature – Brooke Tatnell, Ryan Bowers, Chase Viebrock, Jamey Ogston, Lance Fassbender, Kyle Finnegan, Mike Mueller (DNF), Reed Allex (DNF), Cam Schafer (DNF), Troy Manteufel (DNF)
Article Credit: Terry Lehnertz
