Erickson exciting in round one of Pepsi Triple Challenge 60!
By Dennis Thompson

June 9, 2000; Columbus, WI. -   The start of the 60 lap late model Pepsi Triple 60’s Challenge Series Round One feature at the Columbus 151 Speedway on Friday night was not a good one for Jason Erickson of Cambridge. But what followed was quite the opposite.

Jason Erickson (#68) turned a bad start into a good finish in Late Model action during the opening round of the Pepsi Triple 60's Challenge.  Erickson who was involved in an opening lap crash, came from the tail of the field to score a thrilling victory in the main event.

After being involved in a three car incident as the field raced into turn one at the start of the event, Erickson was able to make repairs in time to tag onto the rear of the eighteen car field for the restart. From there Erickson began his charge to the front as he picked off car after car before taking over the lead on lap fifty-nine and going on to the win one lap later. Erickson is the fifth different driver to win a feature this season in the five events raced.

Terry Sauer (#13) watches as Jason Erickson (#68) completes his charge to the lead of the 60 lap Late Model headliner on the final lap of the race.  Erickson took the win, while Sauer claimed a third place finish.

Randy Breunig of Columbus followed Erickson across the line to claim the second spot. Terry Sauer of Columbus drove to third. Russ Goodwin of Beloit finished fourth ahead of Duane Deppe of Waterloo. Scott Nottestad of Cambridge took sixth. Rob Retallick of Marshall was seventh. Dean Schultz of Juneau, who was also involved in the incident at the start, came back to finish eighth. Steve Dobbratz of Rio was ninth. Don Gaserude of Fort Atkinson was tenth.

Ron Preskar (#71) is no stranger to victory lane at Columbus 151 Speedway in Street Stock action.  Here Preskar scoots past newcomer Shane Radtke (#18) on his way to victory in the feature event.  Radtke finished fourth in his first appearance at the track.

Ron Preskar of Juneau took over the lead on lap fifteen and went on to his second win of the season in the twenty-five lap street stock feature. Scott Riedner of Waunakee came on strong at the end to finish in second. Gerry Junget of Rio drove a strong race to take third. Shane Radtke of Helenville, in his first appearance of the season at the speedway, finished fourth. Rick Coppernoll of Marshall was fifth.

Jerry Chapman (#7) uses an outside pass on Gilbert Valdez (#33) to take the lead in Hobby Stock action.   Chapman paced the remainder of the event to score the win.

Jerry Chapman of Juneau raced to second win of the season in the twenty lap hobby stock feature. Dennis Gaserude of Oregon moved up to finish second. Jason Hibner of Pardeeville drove to third ahead of Grant Lindner of Poynette and Jim Rohrbeck of Portage.

In back up division action, Steve Broome of Deansville recorded his first win of the season. Rick Verdon of Fitchburg was second. Ron Schneidewind of Madison took third.

A new face in the winner's circle!  Steve Broome (#95) earned his first trip to victory lane this season at Columbus 151 Speedway when he won the Backup event which concluded the evening's program.

Fast times for the evening were turned in by Dean Schultz in the late models at 13.893, Ron Preskar in the street stocks at 14.744 and Grant Lindner in the hobby stocks at 15.632.

Late model heat race wins were registered by Ed Wolff III of Watertown, Jeff Falbe of Beaver Dam and Don Gaserude. Street stock heat race wins went to Bob Jacobs of DeForest, Noel Ramge of Helenville and Kevin Anderson of Madison. Jerry Chapman and Jim Hibner of Pardeeville were victorious in the hobby stock heats.

Ed Wolff III raced to the late model semi-feature win. Will Godding of Cross Plains drove to second. John Acker of Spring Green was third.

Racing action resumes this Friday night at the Columbus 151 Speedway with Wisconsin Fans for Auto Racing Fan Appreciation Night. Due to rainouts earlier in the season, the late model, street stock and back up divisions will run two feature events. The make up features will be run as the first racing events of the evening following time trials. There will be nightly specials for fans and a coin drop for kids. Also on the schedule are stock car rides. For more information on the Columbus 151 Speedway visit www.racingonline.com/columbus151.

RESULTS

LATE MODEL:
FEATURE: 1.) Jason Erickson, Cambridge; 2.) Randy Breunig, Columbus; 3.) Terry Sauer, Columbus; 4.) Russ Goodwin, Beloit; 5.) Duane Deppe, Waterloo; 6.) Scott Nottestad, Cambridge; 7.) Bob Retallick, Marshall; 8.) Dean Schultz, Juneau; 9.) Steve Dobbratz, Rio; 10.) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson;
SEMI-FEATURE: 1.) Ed Wolff III, Watertown; 2.) Will Godding, Cross Plaisn; 3.) John Acker, Spring Green;
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Ed Wolff III, Watertown
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Jeff Falbe, Beaver Dam
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Don Gaserude, Fort Atkinson;
FAST QUALIFIER: #34 Dean Schultz, Juneau,.............13.893 Seconds

STREET STOCKS:
FEATURE: 1.) Ron Preskar, Juneau; 2.) Scott Reidner, Wanakee; 3.) Gerry Junget, Rio; 4.) Shane Radtke, Helenville; 5.) Rick Coppernoll, Marshall
FIRST HEAT: 1.) Bob Jacobs, DeForest
SECOND HEAT: 1.) Noel Ramge, Helenville
THIRD HEAT: 1.) Kevin Anderson, Madison
FAST QUALIFIER: #71 Ron Peskar, Juneau,............14.744 Seconds

HOBBY STOCKS:
FEATURE: 1.) Jerry Chapman, Juneau; 2.) Dennis Gaserude, Oregon; 3.) Jason Hibner, Pardeeville; 4.) Grant Lindner, Poynette; 5.) Jim Rohrbeck, Portage
FIRST HEAT: 1) Jerry Chapman, Juneau
SECOND HEAT: 1) Jason Hibner, Pardeeville;
FAST QUALIFIER: #30 Grant Lindner, Poynette,...........15.632 Seconds

BACK-UPS:
FEATURE: 1.) Steve Broome, Deansville; 2.) Rick Verdon, Fitchburg; 3.) Ron Schneidewind, Madison