8/15/2014
Mike Mueller Tops TSCS Portion of Kouba Memorial At Princeton Speedway
Princeton, MN
Making their first-ever appearance at the Princeton Speedway on Friday night August 15, the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series produced a good field of cars and an entertaining 25 lap feature race for the large crowd on hand at the opening night of the 22nd Annual Kouba Memorial event. For the fourth time this season, Mike Mueller of Stacy found himself standing in Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup Victory Lane at the end of the evening. Like most of his victories, Mueller's march to the front came from a starting position a few rows back. Mueller started seventh and assumed the lead on lap 15 when race leader Kevin Bradwell spun sideways in turn one on a restart and collected a couple of cars in the process. Mueller had raced his way forward to second at the time and was able to hold off current TSCS point leader Cam Schafer for the $500 top prize over the remaining eleven laps.
A field of sixteen non-winged TSCS sprints signed into the pits on a pleasant summer evening for racing. Along with their winged counterparts, the Princeton Speedway pits had 33 sprint cars on hand. For the TSCS portion of the show, two 10-lap heat races were run using the normal passing and finishing point format. Heat wins went to Bradwell and Schafer. Rookie racer Chase Viebrock was high point driver following the heats and drew the four pill for the feature race invert. This put Jake Kouba and Cam Schafer on the front row.
Schafer shot into the early lead at the start of the Ethel Kouba Memorial feature race. Third starter and 2011 series champion Kevin Bradwell looked strong. Bradwell passed Schafer for the top spot on lap six and began to stretch his lead. The race ran 14 laps before the first caution blinked on for Josh Hendrickson who slipped over the berm in turn two. On the restart, Bradwell slid off the bottom and into the middle of the track in turn two. His car immediately spun around and collected Jake Kouba, Viebrock and Alex Peper, as the yellow light blinked on. Bradwell and Kouba were out, and it was Mike Mueller now in the lead. Mueller survived one more restart with 21 laps in the books when Hendrickson backed over the berm again in turn two. Moments earlier Cam Schafer had slipped over the berm but kept his car going. The caution was called on Hendrickson and Schafer got his second spot back. Mueller led the final four circuits for his fourth win of the season and fifth career TSCS triumph. Schafer, two-time champion Rob Caho Jr, Joseph Kouba and Jon Lewerer completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Mike Walters, Jori Hughes, Jimmy Kouba, Viebrock and Anna Kouba driving Jeff Pellersels' traditional sprint car.
The first night of the Kouba Memorial saw all four members of the Kouba racing family who are still active drivers participate in the Traditional sprint car part of the program. Anna Kouba was the only driver to do double-duty, as she also raced in the winged sprint car portion of the show. The second night of the 22nd Annual Kouba Memorial was scheduled to take place the following night at the St. Croix Valley Raceway, but persistent light rain showers finally caused the race to be postponed. Night #2 of the Kouba Memorial will now be held on Friday, September 5 at the St. Croix Valley Raceway with both divisions on the program. It will also mark the final race of the Traditional Sprint Car Series season, as the chase for the championship concludes. The feature will pay $500 to win on September 5 thanks to some added money from GRP Motorsports.
TSCS Race Results - Princeton Speedway August 15, 2014 (Race #20)
22nd Annual Kouba Memorial Night #1 - Ethel Kouba Memorial
JKD Communications Heat #1 (10 laps): 95 Kevin Bradwell, 50 Chase Viebrock, 55 Joseph Kouba, 69S Jon Lewerer, 87 Mike Mueller, 21J Jori hughes, 27 Mike Walters, 1 Anna Kouba.
Rice Creek Building & Remodeling Heat #2 (10 laps): 54 Cam Schafer, 2K Jake Kouba, 78 Rob Caho Jr, 81 Alex Peper, 23 Josh Hendrickson, 31 D. Taubert, 13K Katrina Sautbine DNF.
Ethel Kouba Memorial Feature (25 laps): Mueller, Schafer, Caho, Joseph Kouba, Lewerer, Walters, Hughes, Jimmy Kouba, Viebrock, Anna Kouba, Peper, Hendrickson DNF, Jake Kouba DNF, Bradwell DNF, Taubert DNF, Sautbine DNF.
Lap Leaders: Schafer 1-5, Bradwell 6-14, Mueller 15-25.
Cautions: (3)
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
