By: Paul Reichert July 3, 2020
As we celebrated America’s birthday and its independence, a huge crowd survived the hot weather to travel to Tomah-Sparta Speedway for another night of exciting racing action at ‘Daytomah’. The American Super Cup made their annual visit to Tomah as the headliners of the holiday show, and they once again did not disappoint. Brandon Vines, in only his second season of racing, took the lead halfway through their feature event and drove off with a runaway victory.
American Super Cup Series founder Mick Ellis charged to the front at the start of the feature. While Ellis opened up his advantage on the field, fast qualifier Brandon Vines began to make his way through the field from the back of the pack. Vines moved into the top five on lap two, then continued to slice and dice his way around traffic to move into second by lap four. Vines slowly began to reel in Ellis over the next few laps before he powered his way around Ellis on the outside to take over the top spot on lapeight. Behind them, a three way fight started to develop for third. Matt Rose and his pickup truck battled with his brother Michael and 2019 champion Jessica Talley. Matt would eventually end up taking third. Back up front, Vines continued to pull away from Ellis and drove off with the victory.
In the Twisted Tea Modfied feature, Derrin Salo powered around Rick DeVito off the start to take command of the race. Defending track champion Brad Wildes got up to second on lap four and tried to find an opening to get around the ‘Flying Finlander’. Wildes tried to run the outside groove, but he was unable to get around Salo. A new challenger entered the picture by the halfway point. Former champion Paul Brown left his new gig as the tech director for the night to come out and play with the Modifieds. Brown got under Wildes for second, and then he tried to challenge Salo for the topspot. Brown also tried to get under Salo, but Salo held his line and the lead. Wildes continued to fight on the outside but was not making any dents in Salo’s lead. Salo fought off both Brown and Wildes to capture his second win of the year.
Mark Challet and Jake Schiller fought side by side in the early going of the Coors Light Sportsmen feature. Schiller powered his way by Challet to take over the top spot on lap three. As Schiller pulled away from the field, defending track champion David Borntrager drove around Challet to move into second place on lap six. By lap nine, Borntrager had Schiller in his sights and ready to make hismove. Borntrager tried to get under Schiller for the lead, but Schiller kept a tight grasp on the inside line to remain the leader. Borntrager then moved to the outside groove to challenge Schiller. Unfortunately,Borntrager struggled on the outside line just like Brad Wildes did. Schiller maintained his advantage over Borntrager as he notched his first win of the season.
Rookie Austin Schott led the first two laps of the Hobby Stock feature. Adam Moore, piloting Brandon Gallagher’s car, got under Schott to take over the lead on lap three. Lurking behind Moore was his brother Andy. After getting around Schott for second on lap four, older brother Andy caught up to and powered by younger brother Adam to move into the top spot on lap five. While those two fought over the lead, a new contender made his presence known. Without any practice time or qualifying, Mike Kreuger, Jr. was making his way through the field. Krueger, Jr. powered by Raymond Hardy for third on lap nine, and two laps later would wrestle second away from Adam Moore. Andy Moore saw Krueger, Jr. get his lead cut down to four car lengths, but Moore would not be challenged furtjer as he drove under the waving checkered flag first.
In the Hornet feature, Scott Mahlum assumed command as the race took the green flag. Over the next several laps, Mahlum was able to fight off several challengers to take the lead away from him. Jordan Finch tried, but was unsuccessful. So did first time visitor Tyler Custer and point leader BryanWallace. Coming from deep in the field were two drivers that were out for the win, Marc Luethe and Shawn McCarthy. Both drivers powered around Finch to move into second and third on lapeight. McCarthy got under Luethe to settle into second on lap ten. McCarthy quickly began to catch Mahlum, before passing him on the outside on lap 12 to become the new leader. A three lap shootout was set up by a caution for James Hendricks’ spin coming out of turn four. McCarthy quickly drove by Mahlum to keep the lead on the restart, take the win and make a little trip to TACU Credit Union Victory Lane.
Joshua Zacharias took the lead at the start of the TACU Credit Union Six Shooter feature. Rockford visitor Sean Worman, piloting a brand new car, powered by Zacharias to take over the race lead. Making his way to the front as usual was Matt Moore. Moore shot past Tim Murphy, Sr. on the outside to move into second on lap four. Over the next few laps Moore was able to close down on Worman. Moore drove around the outside of Worman to become the new leader on lap six. As Moore opened up his lead, teammate Dan Frye started to work his way through the traffic. Frye powered past Murphy, Sr. for third on lap six, then surged ahead of Worman into second by lap eight. Frye tried to reduce Moore’s advantage down the stretch, but Moore would not be denied tonight. Moore followed up his win at LaCrosse on Thursday night with victory here at Tomah.
Actino continues next Friday, July 10 with the Modifieds, Sportsmen, Hobby Stock, Hornets and Six Shooters in action The first Chaos event of the season takes place, plus the Kim Parsons Memorial Trophy Tour will make a stop at ‘Daytomah’. Gates open at 5:00, qualifying starts up at 6:15 and the first green flag of the night flies at 7:30. For more information about Tomah-Sparta Speedway or the 2020 schedule of events, please call the office at 608-461-1920 or visit our website
at tomahspartaspeedway.com.
RESULTS
American Super Cup Series
Feature: 1. Brandon Vines, 2. Mick Ellis, 3. Matt Rose, 4. Jessica Talley, 5. Michael Rose, 6. Sean Eurick, 7. David Russell, 8. Kellen Arnold, 9. Tom Smith, 10. John Otradovec
Heat #1: 1. Ellis, 2. Vines, 3. Ma. Rose. 4. Mi. Rose, 5. Talley
Heat #2: 1. Eurick, 2. Russell, 3. Arnold, 4. Smith, 5. Otradovec
Qualifying: 1. Vines, 2. Ma. Rose. 3. Talley, 4. Mi. Rose, 5. Ellis, 6. Eurick, 7. Russell, 8. Arnold, 9. Otradovec, 10. Smith
Twisted Tea Modifieds
Feature: 1. Derrin Salo, 2. Paul Brown, 3. Brad Wildes, 4. Nick Quinnell, 5. Rick DeVito Heat #1: 1. R. DeVito, 2. Salo, 3. Quinnell
Qualifying: 1. Wildes, 2. Brown, 3. Quinnell
Coors Light Sportsmen
Feature: 1. Jake Schiller, 2. David Borntrager, 3. Bill Schott, 4. Mark Challet, 5. Troy Dobbratz Heat #1: 1. Schiller, 2. Borntrager, 3. B. Schott
Qualifying: 1. Schiller, 2. Borntrager, 3. B. Schott
Hobby Stocks
Feature: 1. Andy Moore. 2. Mike Krueger, Jr., 3. Raymond Hardy, 4. Adam Moore, 5. Aaron Hendricks Heat #1: 1. Ad. Moore, 2. An. Moore, 3. Hardy
Qualifying: 1. An. Moore, 2. Hardy, 3. Ad. Moore
Hornets
Feature: 1. Shawn McCarthy, 2. Marc Luethe, 3. Scott Mahlum, 4. Tyler Custer, 5. Jordan Finch Heat #1: 1. Chris Christen, 2. Joey Johnson, Jr., 3. James Wilson
Heat #2: 1. Sammy Linnehan, 2. Ron Pearson, 3. Jake Halterman
Heat #3: 1. J. Finch, 2. Bryan Wallace, 3. Mason Morphy
Qualifying: 1. McCarthy, 2. Custer, 3. Luethe
TACU Credit Union Six Shooters
Feature: 1. Matt Moore, 2. Dan Frye, 3. Tim Murphy, Sr., 4. Dustin McCracken, 5. Jake Schomers Heat #1: 1. Rick Buss, 2. Joshua Zacharias, 3. Landon Lockington
Heat #2: 1. McCracken, 2. Schomers, 3. Murphy, Sr.
Qualifying: 1. Schomers, 2. M. Moore, 3. Frye
