By: Paul Reichert
August 9, 2024
It is hard to believe that Tomah-Sparta Speedway marks the 60th anniversary of its opening this year. While we may have gone through a few owners and a few different names, the action has always been thrilling and entertaining. It does not matter if it was on the old ¼-mile track or the current ⅜-mile oval. We remembered our past during both CWRA shows recognizing the first two CWRA champs here, Everett Fox and Marv Marzofka. After being rained out back in June, we are very grateful that the Upper Midwest Vintage Racing Series was able to reschedule so the race fans could enjoy another nostalgic trip back in time. Driving the Mike MIller tribute car from 1980, Tracy Prissel was able to hold off last year’s winner Dan Linnehan to ring the Victory Bell in TACU Credit Union Victory Lane.
Eric Melchior shot past Tracy Prissel to lead the early going of the Upper Midwest Vintage Racing Series feature. The only yellow flag of the race appeared on lap three for a spin in turn two by Lloyd Wilkinson. On the restart Prissel stuck right behind Melchior as the two got into a very close and competitive battle over the lead for several laps. Prissel got a run in turns one and two on lap nine, then powered underneath Melchior to charge into turn three with the number one position. Melchior would not let Prissel get away from him as he stayed within close contact of the new leader. Coming from the middle of the pack was the black Chevelle of Dan Linnehan. Last year’s winner of the UMVRS feature powered his way past Melchior to take over second with four laps to go. Linnehan closed the gap to about three car lengths, but Prissel and his Mike Miller tribute car maintained the lead and hit the finish line first.
The Sportsmen feature saw Mark Challet outrun Troy Dobbratz to the lead at the start of the race. Trying to catch Challet was becoming a handful for the ‘Can Man’ as he spun out in turn one on lap six. While under caution Jason Backus was dealing with a mechanical issue that forced his early retirement from the race. Dobbratz tried to keep up with Challet after the restart, but Challet began to open up a large gap on his competition. Dobbratz would spin out again in turn one on the final lap of the race, but that would not stop Challet from capturing his sixth feature victory of 2024.
The Rookie of the Year battle started up front in the Hornet feature as Aubrie Leis got the draw on Ashtin Quinnel to assume command of the race. Yellow flew on lap two when Quinnell spun out in turn two and right in the path of Jamie Pearson. Glen Bush, Jr. tried to make the outside work to get around Leis for the lead, but another caution period came out on lap six. This time Tristan Finnigan and Matthew Heim tangled in turn two and made contact with the wall. Lining up alongside Leis on the restart, Bush, Jr. hit the gas surge past the red and white 11 machine to take charge of the race at the line. Leis was not giving up on the lead as she shot back past Bush, Jr. to reclaim the top spot. The action boiled over with five laps remaining when the leaders made contact in turn one and Hornet Hustle winner Jordan Finch got collected as well. That would hand leadership of the race over to Quinnell. He would be under pressure right from the final restart from a newcomer to the division. Colten Pennel, who just purchased Andrew Gardner’s race car, was a force to be reckoned with in his first night of racing after setting fast time. Pennel powered around Quinnell with two laps to go and pulled away from the two rookies to capture his first ever feature win in his division debut.
The TACU Credit Union Six Shooter feature saw A.J. Finnigan outrun first time Tomah racer Josh Heyer to turn one. Starting at the very back of the field, Matt Moore was quickly slicing and dicing his way through traffic to get to the front. Moore needed only four laps before he caught up to Finnigan and shot past him on the outside to settle into first place. Tim Murphy, Sr. was also on the move forward as he surged ahead Finnigan down the back straight to claim the runner-up spot on lap five. Finnigan would be dismissed from the top three on lap six as point leader Ryatt Dobbratz drove right by Finnigan. Those three drivers drove off into a race of their own for the win. Murphy, Sr. was doing his darndest to keep up with Moore, even though it was about four or five car lengths separating the two. Moore’s struggles with his race car were solved as he made his way to TACU Credit Union Victory Lane for a second time this year.
A huge field of 17 cars started the Finish Line Towing High School Racing Association feature with rookie Noah Waughtal powering by Zachary Neal to lead his first ever HSRA feature. Two laps into the race Waughtal’s teammate Caleb Arneson took over second from Neal and began a battle between last year’s rookie champion and this year’s rookie front runner.. After starting ninth in the field, Curtis Hellickson was making quick forward progress and looking to get in between the Melrose-Mindoro leaders up front. Monty Odegard came to a stop on turn three on lap nine with a flat right front tire. Waughtal continued to hold the lead, but then chaos reared its ugly head on lap ten in turn three when Charlie Thompson got into Ghage Moore and turned him. Moore hit the turn three wall and rode the wall for a brief moment but came back on the track on all four tires. Thompson joined Moore in the pits after officials parked him for rough driving. Hellickson dove under Arenson for second on lap 10 and was hot on Waughtal’s tail when turn four became the chaotic corner. Russell Allen hit a tire separating the new track from the old and somehow rolled his race car onto its roof to bring out the red flag. This incident also forced officials to call the race with only five laps to run with Waughtal being declared the winner of his first ever HSRA feature.
Cole Scholze powered under Matthew Heim to lead the early laps of the Crown Vic feature. A lap later Bruce Backus dove to the inside of Heim to settle into second. Backus would scratch and claw his way closer to Scholze to challenge him for the top spot. As the leaders closed in on the halfway mark of the race, Backus ran a bit wide in turns one and two, Backus gathered himself up and made another run late in the race at Scholze. With two laps to go it was another wide run through turns one and two that would cost Backus another chance at the win. Scholze kept his cool under pressure from Backus to drive off with his third victory of 2024.
The season may be winding down at Tomah-Sparta Speedway, but we will take a trip back to the heyday of the track for our first ever Throwback Night on Friday, August 16. The Hobby Stocks, Hornets, Six Shooters, High School Racing Association and Crown Vics will be competing on the track You just never know what Tomah-Sparta great from the past will be in attendance or what classic race cars that raced around the old quarter-mile back in the day might be on display. Gates open at 6, the fast and furious qualifying battles kick off at 6:15 and the on-track excitement that will make you feel like you are back in the mid-1960s burns rubber starting at 7:30.
Call the track office at 608-461-1920, visit our website at tomahspartaspeedway.com and be sure to like the track’s Facebook page for more information about Tomah-Sparta Speedway and the 2024 schedule of events.
RESULTS
Upper Midwest Vintage Racing Series
Feature (15 laps): 1. Tracy Prissel, 2. Dan Linnehan, 3. Eric Melchior, 4. Sean Herzog, 5. Jason Stark, 6. Ralph Cottone, 7. Brian Hansen, 8. Lloyd Wilkinson, 9. Roger Frank, 10. Tim Lind
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Tracy Prissel, 2. Eric Melchior, 3. Ralph Cottone, 4. Lloyd Wilkinson, 5. Brian Hansen
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Sean Herzog, 2. Dan Linnehan, 3. Jason Stark, 4. Roger Frank, 5. Tim Lind
Sportsmen
Feature (15 laps): 1. Mark Challet, 2. Troy Dobbratz, 3. Jason Backus
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Mark Challet, 2. Jason Backus, 3. Troy Dobbratz
Qualifying: 1. Mark Challet 16.450, 2. Jason Backus 16.707, 3. Troy Dobbratz 17.399
Hornets
Feature (15 laps): 1. Colten Pennel, 2. Ashtin Quinnell, 3. Aubrie Leis, 4. Glen Bush, Jr., 5. Austin Leis, 6. Jordan Finch, 7. Matthew Heim, 8. Tristan Finnigan, 9. Jamie Pearson
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Glen Bush, Jr., 2. Aubrie Leis, 3. Ashtin Quinell, 4. Austin Leis
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Matthew Heim, 2. Jamie Pearson, 3. Tristan Finnigan, 4. Jordan Finch, 5. Colten Pennel
Qualifying: 1. Colten Pennel 18.710, 2. Jamie Pearson 18.850, 3. Tristan Finnigan 18.905, 4. Jordan Finch 19.001, 5. Matthew Heim 19.280, 6. Glen Bush, Jr. 19.480, 7. Ashtin Quinnell 19.527, 8. Aubrie Leis 19.692, 9. Joshua Schwartz 19.967, 10. Austin Leis 25.544
TACU Credit Union Six Shooters
Feature (15 laps): 1. Matt Moore, 2. Tim Murphy, Sr., 3. Ryatt Dobbratz, 4. Greg Brown, 5. David Estenson, 6. A.J. Finnigan, 7. Alex Lueth, 8. Christopher Meal, 9. Josh Heyer
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Greg Brown, 2. A.J. Finnigan, 3. Alex Lueth, 4. David Estenson, 5. Josh Heyer
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Ryatt Dobbratz, 2. Matt Moore, 3. Tim Murphy, Sr., 4. Christopher Neal
Qualifying: 1. Matt Moore 19.364, 2. Tim Murphy, Sr. 19.567, 3. Christopher Neal 19.610, 4. Ryatt Dobbratz 19.846, 5. Greg Brown 20.022, 6. Alex Lueth 20.149, 7. David Estenson 20.152, 8. A.J. Finnigan 20.603, 9. Josh Heyer 21.822
Finish Line Towing High School Racing Association
Feature (Called after 10 laps): 1. Noah Waughtal, 2. Curtis Hellickson, 3. Caleb Arneson, 4. James Gratz, 5. Alivia Moore, 6. Peyton Payne, 7. Logan Backus, 8. Zachary Neal, 9. Taylor Aasen, 10. Lilly Estenson, 11. Raelyn Dobbratz, 12. Ghage Moore, 13. Russell Allen, 14. Alexis Beard, 15. Monty Odegard, 16. Trinity Aasen, 17. Charlie Thompson
Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Raelyn Dobbratz, 2. Trinity Aasen, 3. Logan Backus, 4. Lilly Estenson, 5. Taylor Aasen, 6. Alexis Beard
Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Russell Allen, 2. Zachary Neal, 3. Caleb Arneson, 4. Charlie Thompson, 5. Peyton Payne, 6. Noah Waughtal
Heat #3 (8 laps): 1. Curtis Hellickson, 2. Monty Odegard, 3. Ghage Moore, 4. Alivia Moore, 5. James Gratz
Qualifying: 1. Alivia Moore 19.194, 2. Monty Odegard 19.465, 3. Curtis Hellickson 19.481, 4. James Gratz 19.763, 5. Ghage Moore 19.802, 6. Caleb Arneson 19.844, 7. Charlie Thompson 20.007, 8. Zachary Neal 20.126, 9. Noah Waughtal 20.146, 10. Peyton Payne 20.196, 11. Russell Allen 20.369, 12. Logan Backus 20.722, 13. Lilly Estenson 21.026, 14. Raelyn Dobbratz 21.238, 15. Taylor Assen 21.666, 16. Alexis Beard 23.954
Crown Vics
Feature (10 laps): 1. Cole Scholze, 2. Bruce Backus, 3. Matthew Heim
Heat #1 (6 laps): 1. Cole Scholze, 2. Bruce Backus, 3. Matthew Heim
Qualifying: 1. Bruce Backus 20.329, 2. Cole Scholze 20.506, 3. Matthew Heim 20.932
