Johnny Sauter Engraves His Name Into the Oktoberfest Record Books

Doug Hornickel Photo - fastlapphoto.comby Kevin Ramsell
Every year, Johnny Sauter looks at his calendar and makes his plans for one event, the Oktoberfest Race Weekend at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway. Today, he led every lap to finally win the Oktoberfest 100 main event.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver held off his nephew Travis Sauter to win the main event on the final day of the four-day race weekend. The event was slowed by two cautions with the Sauters putting on a show for the large crowd in attendance. Chris Weinkauf was third with Skylar Holzhausen in fourth. Erik Darnell rounded out the top five.

Andrew Morrissey finished 20th and secured the 2011 ASA Midwest Tour championship. A full report is available at www.asamidwesttour.com

Zack Riddle showed his muscle in the first segment as he went from seventh to first in ten laps to win the first of three 21-lap segments. Bobby Wilberg took the lead at the drop of the green flag and pulled away from polesitter Ryan Carlson. Riddle got by Carlson for second on lap eight and two laps later, passed Wilberg on the inside going into turn one to take over the lead and the win. Cory Kemkes was second with Kyle Shear in third. Wilberg was fourth and James Swan rounded out the top-five.

The field was inverted for the start of the second segment. The action got wild on lap two when Skylar Holzhausen backed his late model into the outside wall in turns three and four. Holzhausen was able to walk away. Nick Clements started on the outside of the front row and led the first 16 laps. The second caution flew on lap 16 when Cory Kemkes and Travis Stanley went around in turn four. On the restart, Jason Schuler would get on the inside of Clements and take over the top spot. J. Herbst followed Schuler to take over second. Herbst would get to Schuler’s bumper but would fail to get around as Schuler won the second segment. Kyle Shear came from 18th to finish third while Clements was fourth. Riddle, who started shotgun on the field, finished fifth.

The top 13 were inverted for the final segment. Fans kept a close eye on Shear and Riddle as they were tied at the top with six points. Riddle started ninth with Shear right behind him in eleventh. Brent Kirchner jumped to the lead while Riddle and Shear started their move to the front. It was on lap seven when Shear made the winning move as he got by Riddle to take over the fifth spot. Up front, Travis Stanley got by Brent Kirchner to take the lead with six laps to go and go on to win the third segment. Shear finished third with Riddle in fourth making Shear the overall winner.
Shear becomes the second ever winner of the JMck 63 with Riddle in second and John DeAngelis in third.

Dan Fredrickson was a last minute replacement to drive the Lefthander Chassis Chevrolet Truck in the ASA Midwest Truck Tour 30-lap feature. The last minute move paid off as he went on to hold off John Wood and Brad Becker to win the event.

The Vintage Cars put on a spirited battle as Gary Mitidero held off Pat Echlin and Bob Heine to win the event. Mitidero took over the lead with three laps to go in the 15-lap event for the win.
Todd Kamish held off a late charge from Phil Malouf to win the Open 4-Cylinders feature event. Kamish took over the lead from Dale Robinson with five laps to go for the win. George Sparkman was third.
The Hornet vs. Bandit 15-lap feature was the final event for the 2011 edition of Oktoberfest. Tim Murphy Jr. held off Steve Rozek for the win. Murphy will be the official Hornet winner while Rozek will be the Bandit winner.

Mark your calendars for the 43th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend that takes place the 4-5-6-7 of October, 2012. The La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway ends its 2011 season with the Unique Edge Customizing 300 Bracket Nationals Street Drags on Saturday, Oct. 16. Also the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway Championship Banquet will be held Friday, Jan. 20 at the Stoney Creek Inn, Onalaska banquet hall. Be sure to become a fan of Oktoberfest racing on Facebook and check online for all of your racing news. For more information please call the Speedway office at (608) 786-1525 or visit www.lacrossespeedway.com.

La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway is a proud NASCAR Hometrack, part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series – www.hometracks.nascar.com.

LA CROSSE FAIRGROUNDS SPEEDWAY
ASA Midwest Tour
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 100 Feature (30 Cars) — 1, Johnny Sauter, Necedah; 2, Travis Sauter, Necedah; 3, Chris Weinkauf, Merrill; 4, Skylar Holzhausen, Bangor; 5, Erik Darnell, Beach Park, Ill.; 6, Jacob Goede, Carver, Minn.; 7, Nick Panitzke, Sauk Centre, Minn.; 8, Mark Kraus, Stratford; 9, Tim Sauter, Necedah; 10, Griffin McGrath, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 11, Jason Weinkauf, Merrill; 12, Nick Murgic, Rosemount, Minn.; 13, Tim Schendel, Sparta; 14, Boris Jurkovic, Orland Park, Ill.; 15, Chris Wimmer, Wausau; 16, Jonathan Eilen, Hampton, Minn.; 17, Nathan Haseleu, Marshall; 18, Joel Theisen, Maple Grove, Minn.; 19, Cardell Potter, Camp Douglas; 20, Andrew Morrissey, De Forest; 21, Matt Tift, Hinckley, Ohio; 22, Gary La Monte, West Allis; 23, Neil Knoblock, Wausau; 24, Jeff Storm, Waterford; 25, Steve Carlson, West Salem; 26, Brandon Hill, Genoa City; 27, Dan Fredrickson, Lakeville, Minn.; 28, Becca Kasten, Mecquon; 29, Ross Kenseth, Spring Valley, Ill.; 30, Bryan Reffner, Stevens Point.
Last Chance 1 — 1, Neil Knoblock; 2, Cardell Potter; 3, Dean Cornelius, Bloomington, Minn.; 4, Steve Apel, Sussex, Ill.; 5, Corey Jankowski, Tomah.

JMcK 63 Big 8 Invitational
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 21 Segment 1 (20 Cars) — 1, Zach Riddle, Brooklyn; 2, Cory Kemkes, Appleton; 3, Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 4, Bobby Wilberg, Beloit; 5, James Swan, Park Ridge, Ill.; 6, John DeAngelis Jr.; 7, Skylar Holzhausen, Bangor; 8, Ryan Carlson, Loves Park, Ill.; 9, Darren Wolke, Belle Plaine, Minn.; 10, Derek Childs, Poynette; 11, Davey Pennell, Sparta; 12, Travis Stanley, Prior Lake, Minn.; 13, Brent Kirchner, La Crosse; 14, J. Herbst, La Crosse; 15, Corey Jankowski, Tomah; 16, John Baumeister Jr., Lake Geneva; 17, Jason Schuler, Cambridge; 18, Rich Schumann Jr., Portage; 19, Nick Clements, West Salem; 20, Dan Jung, Iron Ridge.
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 21 Segment 2 (20 Cars) — 1, Jason Schuler; 2, J. Herbst; 3, Kyle Shear; 4, Nick Clements; 5, Zack Riddle; 6, John DeAngelis; 7, Davey Pennell; 8, Bobby Wilberg; 9, John Baumeister Jr.; 10, Ryan Carlson; 11, Corey Jankowski; 12, Travis Stanley; 13, Brent Kirchner; 14, James Swan; 15, Dan Jung; 16, Derek Childs; 17, Cory Kemkes; 18, Rich Schumann Jr.; 19, Skyler Holzhausen; 20, Darren Wolke.
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 21 Segment 3 (16 Cars) — 1, Travis Stanley; 2, Brent Kirchner; 3, Kyle Shear; 4, Zach Riddle; 5, Corey Jankowski; 6, John Baumeister Jr.; 7, Davey Pennell; 8, John DeAngelis; 9, Bobby Wilberg; 10, Ryan Carlson; 11, Cory Kemkes; 12, James Swan; 13, Nick Clements; 14, Jason Schuler; 15, Rich Schumann; 16, J. Herbst.

ASA Midwest Trucks
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 20 Feature (24 cars) — 1.
Odd Dash — 1, Andy Jirik; 2, Jerry Wood; 3, Dan Barber; 4, John Wood; 5, Mike Lichtfeld.
Even Dash — 1, Austin Luedtke; 2, Rick Corso; 3, Ty Majeski; 4, Chester Ace; 5, Gary Baxter.

Hornets
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 15 Feature (18 cars) — 1, Tim Murphy Sr., Tomah; 2, Jared Vike, Sun Praire; 3, Robby Robinson, Offordville; 4, Jeff Heaney, Caledonia, Minn.; 5, Jake Schomers, La Crescent, Minn.; 6, Kevin Turner, La Crosse; 7, Larry Holets, Rochester, Minn.; 8, Kevin Thompson, Galesville; 9, Joe Nuttleman, West Salem; 10, Bert Young, Sparta; 11, Matthew Moore, Kendall; 12, Kim Strom, West Salem; 13, Kyle Swenson, Sparta; 14, Mike Moore, Tomah; 15, Mark Rausch, Melrose; 16, Dean Cota, Rochester, Minn.; 17, Tina Ferris, West Salem; 18, John Clauson, Onalaska.
Heat 1 — 1, Larry Holets; 2, Kim Strom; 3, Robby Robinson; 4, Bert Young; 5, Jeff Heaney.
Heat 2 — 1, Kevin Turner; 2, Tim Murphy Sr.; 3, Jared Vike; 4, Kevin Thompson; 5, Dean Cota.

Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 15 Feature (10 cars) — 1, Steven Rozek, Tomah; 2, Steve McBride, South Beloit, Ill.; 3, Jason Dull, Machesno, Ill.; 4, Cody Heath, Stevens Point; 5, Kevin Burris, Wisconsin Rapids; 6, Phil Malouf, Manitowish Waters; 7, Jordan Steier, Rochester, Minn.; 8, Terry LaFluer, La Crosse; 9, Dave Haruath, Stevens Point; 10, Aaron Behrens, unknown.
Bandit Heat 1 — 1, Steve Rozek; 2, Jason Dull; 3, Cody Heath; 4, Dave Haruath; 5, Terry LaFluer.

Open 4-Cylinder
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite Feature (12 cars) — 1, Todd Kamish, Farmington, Minn.; 2, Phil Malouf, Manitowish Waters; 3, George Sparkman, Loves Park, Ill.; 4, Dale Robinson, Wisconsin Rapids; 5, Kyle Stark, Waterloo; 6, Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park, Ill.; 7, Terry Larson, Shakopee, Minn.; 8, David Treu Sr., Sparta; 9, Justin Lindemann, Ixonia; 10, David Treu Jr., Sparta; 11, Mark Bornitz, Holmen; 12, Elizabeth Hamilton-Zahn, Wausau.
Heat 1 — 1, Todd Kamish; 2, Rachel Sparkman; 3, Terry Larson; 4, David Treu Sr.; 5, Dale Robinson.
Heat 2 — 1, George Sparkman; 2, Phil Malouf; 3, Kyle Stark; 4, Mark Bornitz; 5, Justin Lindemann.

Vintage
Livewire Energy & Miller Lite 15 Feature (12 cars) — 1, Gary Mitidero, Homer Glen, Ill.; 2, Pat Echlin, Dyer, Ind.; 3, Ray Sanderen, Deer Park; 4, Bob Heine, New Prague, Minn.; 5, Michael Wall, Holmen; 6, Dan Naverstad, La Crosse; 7, Ken Lewis, Black River Falls; 8, John Vassh, Franksville; 9, Darrell Paasch, Marshfield; 10, Denny Schott, Mauston; 11, Paul Dolphy, Mounds View, Minn.; 12, Ken Hutchens, Black River Falls.
Heat 1 — 1, Dan Naverstad; 2, Ray Sanderen; 3, Darrell Paasch; 4, John Vassh; 5, Denny Schott.
Heat 2 — 1, Gary Mitidero; 2, Pat Echlin; 3, Ken Lewis; 4, Bob Heine; 5, Michael Wall.