9/9/2017
The Wait is Over, Mike Mueller Wins Traditional Sprint Feature at Cedar Lake
The wait is over at Cedar Lake Speedway for Mike Mueller. It had been a little over five years ago when Mueller won in the Pro Stock division at the famous western Wisconsin dirt oval. Since then Mueller moved into the UMSS Traditional sprint cars and has won several feature races at other area tracks, but that elusive victory at Cedar Lake had eluded him until Saturday night September 9 during the running of the 17th Annual Jerry Richert, Sr. Memorial. The Traditional sprints were racing for the fourth time at this prestigious event, and Mueller drove around race leader Brian VanMeveren on lap 17 on his way to Rock Auto Victory Lane. For Traditional Sprint Car Series point leader Mueller, it was his fourth win of the season and tenth since joining the non-winged sprint car ranks in 2013 when he won the rookie title. With just a couple of point races left, Mueller has built a comfortable margin over his fellow competitors in his bid to become the 2017 series champion.
With superb weather, the 17th edition of the Richert Memorial drew a field of 70 sprint cars in the three divisions. The Traditional sprints turned out a very good field of 22 cars. Three heat races were run with VanMeveren, 2016 TSCS Champion Rick Kobs subbing for Ty Sampair in the N1 car, and 2015 Richert Memorial winner Jake Kouba picking up the wins. The top four cars in passing points, which included the three heat race winners and July 7 first-time winner Anna Hippe, drew for starting positions in the first two rows of the 25 lap feature. VanMeveren and Kobs were on the front row with Jake Kouba and Hippe in row two.
VanMeveren, who won for the first time himself at CLS back on July 29, immediately blasted into the early lead. Fifth starter Mueller slipped back a couple of spots in the early laps. Mueller moved up off the bottom of the track where several of lead cars were racing and began moving forward. The lone caution of the race flew when Tony Norem spun around on the front stretch with 11 laps scored. Mueller was up to third for the restart and timed his start well going to second by the completion of lap 12. VanMeveren continued to lead until lap 17 when Mueller drove around him on the outside for the top spot. Mueller would not be seriously challenged after that and went on to record his first CLS feature win. VanMeveren, Jake Kouba, Kobs and Cam Schafer completed the top five. Schafer won the $100 GRP Motorsports Hard Charger Award after advancing twelve positions from his 17th starting spot! Rounding out the top ten finishers was Hippe, Scott Brandt, Neal Matuska, Caley Emerson and August 19 first-time feature winner Brad Peterson. Seventeen of the 20 cars that took the green flag were running at the finish. Jimmy Kouba, driving the Pellersels 22 sprinter, attempted to fire off but returned to the pits while Hunter Custer was scratched after hot laps with an engine issue.
The Traditional sprints will try for the third consecutive year to race on Thursday night September 14 at the Legendary 100 at Cedar Lake. The previous two attempts in 2015 and 2016 rained out, so maybe the third time will be the charm. It is a non-point event. Following the Legendary 100 race, the Traditional sprint cars will close out their season at the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa on Friday night September 15 and at the Deer Creek Speedway on Saturday September 16. Weather permitting, the Spencer race will mark the first time the Traditional sprints have ventured to Iowa. They were scheduled to race in Iowa on August 26 at Decorah, but rainy weather forced cancellation of that event. Keep tabs on all of the Traditional sprint car racing action by visiting our website at www.umsprints.com and clicking on the blue logo or by following us on Facebook.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Cedar Lake Speedway September 9, 2017 (Race #19)
17th Annual Jerry Richert, Sr. Richert Memorial
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 87-Mike Mueller, [5]; 2. 24-Brian VanMeveren, [1]; 3. 6-Jake Kouba, [3]; 4. N1-Rick Kobs, [2]; 5. 14-Cam Schafer, [17]; 6. 16-Anna Hippe, [4]; 7. 7-Scott Brandt, [13]; 8. 48-Neal Matuska, [10]; 9. 15E-Caley Emerson, [11]; 10. 93-Brad Peterson, [8]; 11. 99-Bryan Roach, [7]; 12. 11-James Giossi, [18]; 13. 12-Johnny Parsons III, [19]; 14. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [9]; 15. 34-Denny Stordahl, [12]; 16. 90-Tony Klose, [16]; 17. 33C-Cody Emmans, [15]; 18. (DNF) 1-Tony Norem, [6]; 19. (DNF) 55-Joseph Kouba, [14]; 20. (DNF) 23-Jake Hendrickson, [20]; 21. (DNF) 22-Jimmy Kouba, [21]; (DNS) 29-Hunter Custer,
Lap Leaders: VanMeveren 1-16, Mueller 17-25. (1) yellow with 11 laps scored for 1 spin on front stretch.
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 24-Brian VanMeveren, [3]; 2. 99-Bryan Roach, [1]; 3. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [2]; 4. 15E-Caley Emerson, [4]; 5. 34-Denny Stordahl, [6]; 6. 14-Cam Schafer, [5]; 7. (DNF) 12-Johnny Parsons III, [7]; (DNS) 29-Hunter Custer,
Lap Leaders: Lewerer 1, VanMeveren 2-10. (1) yellow for 12 spin turn 2 with 7 laps scored.
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. N1-Rick Kobs, [4]; 2. 1-Tony Norem, [2]; 3. 48-Neal Matuska, [1]; 4. 87-Mike Mueller, [7]; 5. 7-Scott Brandt, [6]; 6. 11-James Giossi, [3]; 7. (DNF) 22-Jimmy Kouba, [5]
Lap Leaders: Norem 1-9, Kobs 10. (1) yellow for 22 spin turn 3 with 1 lap scored.
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 6-Jake Kouba, [3]; 2. 93-Brad Peterson, [1]; 3. 16-Anna Hippe, [5]; 4. 55-Joseph Kouba, [2]; 5. 33C-Cody Emmans, [4]; 6. 90-Tony Klose, [7]; 7. (DNF) 23-Jake Hendrickson, [6]
Lap Leaders: Peterson 1-3, Jake Kouba 4=10. No cautions.
Rock Auto Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
