Photo © Tj Harron / TJHarron.com
Tommy Pecaro (Midwest Trucks) and Jeff Holtz (Mid American Stock Car Series) took home checkered flags on opening day at Madison International Speedway.
Pecaro Takes the Checkered Flag for the Midwest Trucks
Tommy Pecaro won the 30 lap feature for the Midwest Trucks.
Derek Kraus and Tommy Pecaro paced the sixteen truck field to the green flag and the two raced side by side for the lead until the caution flag came out on lap 2 for a spin deep in the field.
After the restart Pecaro took the lead from Kraus with Chester Ace, Blake Brown, and Kurt Kleven up to challenge as Kraus dropped back in the field.
It appeared that Pecaro was going to run away from the field, but Ace and Brown both kept pace and at the half-way mark the lead was down to one length.
With ten laps to go Pecaro had increased the lead to three lengths with Ace and Brown battling it out for second with Kleven in fourth and Kevin Knuese in fifth.
On lap 24 Brown powered his way past Ace going down the front stretch to take second. With three laps to go Brown was still trailing the leader by two lengths and trying to close the gap but time would run out as Pecaro took the checkered flag just ahead of Brown. Ace finished in the third position followed by Michael Raskovic and Kleven.
Rick Corso and Tommy Pecaro won the eight lap heat races. Fastest qualifier was Chester Ace with a lap of 18.566 (96.951 mph).
30 Lap Feature:1. Tommy Pecaro (Markesan, WI), 2. Blake Brown (Platteville, WI), 3. Chester Ace (Oregon, WI), 4. Michael Raskovic (New Glarus, WI), 5. Kurt Kleven (Utica, WI), 6. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 7. Derek Kraus (Stratford, WI), 8. Camden Murphy (Itasca, IL), 9. Jerry Wood (Madison, WI), 10. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 11. Mike Corvo (Park Ridge, IL), 12. Joshua James (Saukville, WI), 13. Danielle Behn (Waupaca, WI), 14. Chad Devine (Appleton, WI), 15. Michael Baachus (Milton, WI), 16. Shawn Lockington (Mindoro, WI),
Heat 1:1. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 2. Jerry Wood (Madison, WI), 3. Camden Murphy (Itasca, IL), 4. Joshua James (Saukville, WI), 5. Danielle Behn (Waupaca, WI), 6. Chad Devine (Appleton, WI), 7. Shawn Lockington (Mindoro, WI), 8. Michael Baachus (Milton, WI),
Heat 2:1. Tommy Pecaro (Markesan, WI), 2. Derek Kraus (Stratford, WI), 3. Kurt Kleven (Utica, WI), 4. Mike Corvo (Park Ridge, IL), 5. Chester Ace (Oregon, WI), 6. Blake Brown (Platteville, WI), 7. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 8. Michael Raskovic (New Glarus, WI),
Qualifying:1. Chester Ace (Oregon, WI), 2. Blake Brown (Platteville, WI), 3. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 4. Michael Raskovic (New Glarus, WI), 5. Mike Corvo (Park Ridge, IL), 6. Kurt Kleven (Utica, WI), 7. Derek Kraus (Stratford, WI), 8. Tommy Pecaro (Markesan, WI), 9. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 10. Camden Murphy (Itasca, IL), 11. Jerry Wood (Madison, WI), 12. Joshua James (Saukville, WI), 13. Danielle Behn (Waupaca, WI), 14. Chad Devine (Appleton, WI), 15. Michael Baachus (Milton, WI), 16. Shawn Lockington (Mindoro, WI),
Photo © Tj Harron / TJHarron.com
Jeff Holtz Conquers Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile
Defending series champion Jeff Holtz of Franksville, Wisconsin, won the 30 lap feature for the Quest Industrial Mid American Stock Car Series presented by Club La Mark.
The twenty car field was brought to the green flag by Dan Gilster and Rick Corso. Corso jumped out the early advantage before Jeff Holtz vaulted by to take the top spot. On lap 5 Kody Hubred moved into second and two laps later Bill Prietzel moved past Corso on the low side for third.
Jeremy Spoonmore joined the top 5 on lap 17 as the leaders started to head into lapped traffic. Holtz was building his lead over Hubred and the rest of the field until a spin in turn two brought out the caution flag on lap 20.
On the single file restart Holtz jumped out to a commanding lead over Hubred with Prietzel, Spoonmore, and Corso in line behind Hubred.
On lap 25 the lead was three car lengths with Hubred doing everything possible to close the gap. With three laps to go the distance between Holtz and Hubred was down to a car length. Would there be enough time for anyone to catch Holtz?
A spin in turn two brought out the second caution flag of the race and a single file restart. The restart was good for Holtz as he was able to maintain the lead over Hubred to take home the win. Rounding out the top five were Priezel, Corso, and Dan Gilster.
Eight lap heat races were won by Scott Dunning and Bill Prietzel set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 19.514 (92.241 mph).
30 Lap Feature:1. Jeff Holtz (Franksville, WI), 2. Kody Hubred (Utica, WI), 3. Bill Prietzel (Richfield, WI), 4. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 5. Dan Gilster (West Salem, WI), 6. Lyle Nowak (Wausau, WI), 7. Ryan Gutknecht (Oak Creek, WI), 8. Scott Dunning (Bolingbrook, IL), 9. Erik Pierce (Lake In the Hills, IL), 10. Cody Erdmann (Mayville, WI), 11. Marv Flick (Stevens Point, WI), 12. Rick Tackman (Waukesha, WI), 13. Greg Beebe (Waukesha, WI), 14. Mark Brooner (Tomah, WI), 15. Mark Pluer (Brookfield, WI), 16. Dave Slack (Engadine, MI), 17. Jeremy Spoonmore (Somanauk, IL), 18. Alex Papini (Machesney Park, IL), 19. Jeff Nowak (Weston, WI), 20. Ken Joosten (Wonder Lake, IL),
Heat 1:1. Scott Dunning (Bolingbrook, IL), 2. Cody Erdmann (Mayville, WI), 3. Jeff Nowak (Weston, WI), 4. Erik Pierce (Lake In the Hills, IL), 5. Marv Flick (Stevens Point, WI), 6. Alex Papini (Machesney Park, IL), 7. Dave Slack (Engadine, MI), 8. Rick Tackman (Waukesha, WI), 9. Mark Brooner (Tomah, WI),
Heat 2:1. Lyle Nowak (Wausau, WI), 2. Mark Pluer (Brookfield, WI), 3. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 4. Jeff Holtz (Franksville, WI), 5. Kody Hubred (Utica, WI), 6. Ryan Gutknecht (Oak Creek, WI), 7. Jeremy Spoonmore (Somanauk, IL), 8. Bill Prietzel (Richfield, WI), 9. Dan Gilster (West Salem, WI), 10. Ken Joosten (Wonder Lake, IL), 11. Greg Beebe (Waukesha, WI),
Qualifying:1. Bill Prietzel (Richfield, WI), 2. Jeremy Spoonmore (Somanauk, IL), 3. Kody Hubred (Utica, WI), 4. Ryan Gutknecht (Oak Creek, WI), 5. Jeff Holtz (Franksville, WI), 6. Rick Corso (McHenry, IL), 7. Dan Gilster (West Salem, WI), 8. Lyle Nowak (Wausau, WI), 9. Mark Pluer (Brookfield, WI), 10. Scott Dunning (Bolingbrook, IL), 11. Marv Flick (Stevens Point, WI), 12. Alex Papini (Machesney Park, IL), 13. Erik Pierce (Lake In the Hills, IL), 14. Cody Erdmann (Mayville, WI), 15. Jeff Nowak (Weston, WI), 16. Rick Tackman (Waukesha, WI), 17. Dave Slack (Engadine, MI), 18. Mark Brooner (Tomah, WI), 19. Ken Joosten (Wonder Lake, IL), 20. Greg Beebe (Waukesha, WI),