Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, August 07, 2008
Nuttleman stays in front of wild race
WEST SALEM, Wis. — It’s August, it’s hot, and it’s the time of season where race car drivers get a little irritable. OK, considerably irritable.
There was steam coming from the Kwik Trip Late Model stock cars at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway Saturday night, and from a number of drivers as well.
It seems some of the drivers are not pleased with some of the bumping and grinding that is going on, especially through the turns of the five-eighths- mile track.
“What goes around comes around” was heard from several drivers after a wild 25-lap feature race that saw Kevin Nuttleman grab his fourth checkered flag of the season, and the 103rd of his long and highly successful career. It wasn’t Nuttleman’s win that seemed to ruffle the features of some as much as a daring pass in Turns 1 and 2 that allowed Steve Carlson to take second and Shawn Pfaff third.
Carlson and Pfaff wound up sandwiching Stoddard’s Paul Proksch, and squeezing him right out of second place.
“I gave him (Carlson) all of the race track and he came and pinched me down,” said Proksch of the daring pass on Lap 19 where Carlson was on the high side of Proksch and Pfaff dove to the low groove, or below it, to slide past a nearly-sideways Proksch. “We rubbed doors pretty hard. I can’t believe I saved it.”
Nuttleman was already past Proksch at that point, but the move allowed Carlson — the points leader — to move into second place in the 25-lap feature. Carlson was able to catch Nuttleman, but he couldn’t get past the Bangor, Wis., driver, and settled for second place.
“I wanted to go to the outside. My car was so good on the outside,” said Nuttleman, who passed Proksch on the outside of Lap 16, then held the lead spot the rest of the way. “We’re getting our shock program where it needs to be. We can hang out there right to the edge, about this far (two inches) off the wall.”
Pfaff, who led for the first eight laps before Proksch took the lead from him, was happy with a top-three finish, especially after the Lap 16 sandwich move that drew a big roar from the crowd.
“With Paul’s car sliding, (going low) was the only place I had to go,” Pfaff said. “We have really been struggling with the chassis set-up on this car. We have must have tried 50 different set-ups this season. We just can’t seem to find one that works.”
Nuttleman had a sheepish smile on his face when asked if he thought he could still catch Carlson for the track championship with five races to go, including twin 50-lappers on the final night of the regular season on Aug. 30.
“We’ve got to keep stepping up our program. I know we can,” Nuttleman said. “Yeah, we all want to win. That’s what we come out here to do.”
SPORTSMAN: Sparta’s John Olson won the North Country Contractor’s Sportsman Division feature race, making it two features wins this season for the Sparta, Wis., driver. Or so everyone thought.
It turns out that Olson’s car was disqualified in a post-race inspection as track technical officials determined that Olson was using an illegal clutch in his car. Because of Olson’s DQ, Nick Clements n who finished second on the track n was awarded his second feature win of the season, and solidified his spot atop the points standings. Rob Mason was officially the second-place finisher, while Jimmy Gilster and Larry Bolster, Jr., will be recorded as the third- and fourth-place finishers.
THUNDERSTOX: Wayne Smith won the United Auto Supply Thunderstox Division feature race, edging Sparta’s Brad Warthan’s truck. It was the first feature win of the season for Smith. Jason Bolster took third place, while Charles Vian, Jr., and Andy Moore rounded out the top five.
Jeff Brown can be reached at (608) 791-8403, or at jbrown@lacrossetribune.com
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