Lutz, Noble Steal
Headlines from Steele County Classic
September 16, 2006
By Justin Zoch
The
2006 season drew to a close at the Bryant Heating and Cooling
Steele County Classic with a new face in victory lane for the
Sprints and a familiar old face in the modifieds. Youngster Eric
Lutz capitalized on a front row starting spot and held off determined
veteran Chuck Swenson in the ASCS Northern Plains Regional Sprints
while Blooming Prairie's Mark Noble returned to the frontstretch
photo op for the first time in several seasons at Owatonna, Minnesota's
Steele County Speedway.
Lutz jumped out the lead over Scott Winters,
who won at Steele County in early July, and strode out to an early
lead over Winters and third-starting Chuck Swenson. Winters and
Swenson chased Lutz throughout the early going but could not make
the move in lapped traffic. A red flag flew on lap 15 when Shawn
Van Whye flipped his 99 Sprinter in the second turn.
On the restart, Lutz again accelerated
out the lead, but this time Swenson was finally able to squeeze
past Winters to take the second spot. Swenson, the current Northern
Plains point leader, could not track down Lutz, who drove to his
first career ASCS Northern Plains win. Winters followed in third
with Curt Lund and Lee Grosz behind.
In
the Modifieds, Mark Noble also used a front row starting spot
to dominate the feature event. Throughout the 15-lap event, Noble
went largely unchallenged and cruised to his first win of the
year at Steele County. Polesitter Jacob Dahle was second over
Bill Clemons. Doug Hillson followed in fourth while Jarod Boumeister
filled the first five spots. Heat races went to Noble and Dahle.
The
B-Modifieds drew the largest field and it was Rochester, Minnnesota's
Tyler Clark who battled Adrian Noble early in the event and held
off Owatonna's own Ron Houdek to take his first win of the year
on the big half-mile. Kenny Wytaske followed Noble to the stripe
to take fourth while Rob Hermel was fifth.
In
the Miller Lite Stock Cars, Scott Nelson remained perfect for
the season with his fourth consecutive win. The win came over
Jason Augustine, Rick Lisowski, Jason Heideman and Troy Borwege.
Season Ends Saturday
at Steele County Classic
September 12, 2006
By Justin Zoch
The season ending Bryant Heating and Cooling
Steele County Classic takes to the raceway this Saturday night,
September 16, in Owatonna, Minnesota, and the big, beautiful half-mile
Steele County Speedway. The event will feature the ASCS Northern
Plains Sprint Series, Modifieds, B-Modifieds and the Miller Lite
Stock Car division.
It will mark the third time the ASCS Northern
Plains Sprints have rumbled into the Steele County Speedway this
year. Last time they visited, Scott Winters from nearby Butterfield,
Minnesota, was the winner while veteran racer Curt Lund scored
on the first visit. As for the Modifieds, Jason Cummins and Kelly
Shryock each have victories in previous events. In the Miller
Lite Stock Cars, Scott Nelson will try to go four for four in
2006.
Racing action is set to begin at the Bryant
Heating and Cooling Steele County Classic around six o'clock on
Saturday night.
Saturday Sept 16 ASCS Sprints, A-Mods,
B-Mods, and Street Stocks
Steele County Cancels
Labor Day Event
September 3, 2006
By Justin Zoch
The Labor Day Special planned for Monday evening at the Steele
County Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota has been canceled. The
event will not be rescheduled.
“We hate to cancel the
show but the rain that hit the region over the past few days has
presented several challenges. Several other tracks have rescheduled
their events for the same date and our racetrack may or may not
be ready to race regardless because of a less than promising forecast
for the rest of the weekend,” said co-promoter Brian Madsen.
The final event of the 2006
season at the Steele County Speedway will be held on Saturday,
September 16 and will feature four classes of cars. The ASCS Northern
Plains Regional Sprints will headline with Modifieds, B-Modifieds
and the Miller Lite Stock Cars filling out the bill.
Shryock Nets Steele
County Fair Win After Hejna Drops Out
August 17, 2006
By Justin Zoch
It
was his 32nd win of the 2006 racing season but that doesn’t
mean he didn’t need a little bit of luck. Kelly Shryock
inherited the lead on lap 18 when race leader Al Hejna went pitside
on a yellow flag with a flat rear tire and cruised to the $2,000
payday at the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota. The
win was made even sweeter because it was a Thursday night special
during the Steele County Free Fair and featured a large, raucous
crowd that were treated to appearances by several USMTS Series
regulars who were rained out at their tour stop in Iowa.
The first few laps of the 25-lap Modified
A-main saw Tommy Meyer battling with Kevin Viebrock for the top
spot. Meyer held the spot through the early going but eventually
lost the lead to the seventh-starting Shryock. With 14 laps in
the books, a yellow flag appeared and bunch the leaders. At that
point, Shryock led Myer and 12th-starting Al Hejna to the green.
By the end of the backstretch, Hejna had the lead. He maintained
that until the aforementioned tire problem sidelined him.
It was not a complete cakewalk for Shryock
after Hejna exited as he had to hold off his younger brother,
Mike Hejna, over a two-lap dash. Shryock prevailed and pocketed
the winner’s check. Meyer maintained third while B-main
winner and 20th-starting Jason Krohn and Eric Dailey completed
the top five. Viebrock, Nebraska’s Jason Friesen, Brian
Shaw, Allen Mondus, who came from the back of the B-main, and
Iowa’s Richie Gustin were the next five to cross the stripe.
There were 36 Modifieds that competed in the non-sanctioned event.
In
the companion B-Modified A-feature, Darrin Toot raced to his second
straight win at Steele County as he decimated the field in his
14 car. The Albert Lea driver led by nearly a half a lap at certain
points during the event. Joey Dengler barely held off Jim Arnold
for the second spot while Jerry Boumeester and Kenny Wytaske were
fourth and fifth. Wytaske and Toot now have two wins each at Steele
County in 2006.
The
Miller Lite Stock Cars were the first event on the card and Scott
Nelson remained perfect, winning his third straight feature over
Tony Shaner and Jason Augustine.
The next event at the Steele County Speedway
is on the Monday of Labor Day weekend and will feature Modifieds,
B-Modifieds, Miller Lite Stock Cars and the 317 Sprints. The date
is Monday, September 4.
Modifieds Headline
Steele County Fair Event
August 4, 2006
By Justin Zoch
The
tilt-a-whirls will be spinning, the caramel corn will be popping
and the race cars will be roaring. The Steele County Free Fair
is coming soon and the Modifieds are coming back to town. The
raceway has been revitalized in 2006 but the Mighty Mods have
not been to the half-mile in Owatonna, Minnesota, since Memorial
Day weekend. That’s about to change!
The Modifieds will headline a special Thursday
night event during the Steele County Free Fair on August 17. The
night will also feature the B-Modifieds and the Miller Lite Stock
Cars. The Modified field will be racing for a elevated purse that
will send the winner home with $2,000 while second will get $1,500
and third will pocket $1,000. The B-Modifieds, meanwhile, will
be gunning for $600-to-win in their feature event. (For
more payout information see our new payout page).
The last time the Modifieds raced at the
Steele County Speedway, it was Jason Cummins who took home the
win over Garry Oskerson. In the B-Modifieds, Kenny Wytaske won
the first two events while Darrin Toot cleaned up in the third
event for the division.
For more information on the Steele County
Free Fair, the website is www.SSCF.org.
Winters Blasts by
Swenson’s X for Owatonna Checkers
July 9, 2006
By Justin Zoch
Scott
Winters started on the pole of the 25-lap A-main but surrendered
the lead to fellow front row starter Chuck Swenson for the first
half of the feature for the ASCS Northern Plains Sprint Cars at
the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota, on Sunday night.
However, Winters strode back to the inside of Swenson on the 14th
lap and cruised to his first ASCS victory of the season. It was
his second win of the weekend following a Saturday night score
in Jackson, Minnesota.
Winters nearly took the lead on the seventh
lap when he chased Swenson into turn one behind the lapped machine
of Spike Lempelius. Winters tangled with Lempelius, who spun to
a stop in turn three, and Swenson maintained the lead on the restart.
On lap 18, Johnny Parsons III brought out the final yellow flag
of the event but it was not enough for Swenson to take the lead
back. Following Winters and Swenson it was Curt Lund, who started
fifth and won the first ASCS event at Steele County in 2006. Lee
Grosz and Ryan Bickett filled the fastest five spots. Heat races
for the 21 cars went to Winters and Swenson, who extended his
point lead in the regional standings over the fourth-finishing
Grosz.
In the companion B-modified A-feature,
Darrin Toot raced past early leader Jerry Young to claim his first
feature win of the year at Steele County. It was Toot’s
first race of the season at the half-mile. Young followed the
Albert Lea native to the line to take the second place money.
Craig Bentzgin was third over Matt Deml and Jason Born. The two
heat races for the 13 modifieds went to Young and Deml.
The Miller Lite Stock Cars returned for
their second race of the season and it was Scott Nelson in victory
lane for the second time this year. Nelson jumped for fourth to
first on the first lap and never looked back en route to the victory.
Jason Heidemann was second with Mark LaMont, Sammie Fromm and
Tom Kaiser following.
The next event at the Steele County Speedway
is during the Steele County Fair on Thursday night, August 17,
and will feature Modifieds and B-Modifieds.
Sprints Return to Owatonna this Sunday
July 7, 2006
By Justin Zoch
With beautiful weather predicted for the
weekend in southern Minnesota, the ASCS Northern Plains Sprint
Car Series heads back to the Steele County Speedway for a Sunday
night special on July 9. The series made its debut at the half-mile
in Owatonna, Minnesota, on Wednesday night, June 21, and sent
Morton, Minnesota’s Curt Lund home with the winner’s
check. The first event featured 28
Sprint Cars and a similar field is expected for the second of
three appearances for the ASCS Northern Plains Sprint Cars this
year. They will return for their final appearance on Saturday,
September 16.
In addition to the ASCS Sprint Cars, this
Sunday’s show will also feature the 317 Limited Sprints,
B-Modifieds and the Miller Lite Stock Cars. Racing action is scheduled
to start at 6PM on Sunday night, July 9.
Lund Lassoes Sprints,
Wytaske Again in B-Mods
June 21, 2006
By Justin Zoch
For
Morton, Minnesota’s Curt Lund, the pole position paid huge
dividends on Wednesday night. On the first lap of the 25-lap ASCS
Northern Plains Regional Sprint Car race at the Steele County
Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota, third-starting Roger Rager appeared
to get loose, loop his race car and spin to the high side of the
racetrack. The raceway quickly became blocked as nearly half the
field spun to avoid. Jerry Richert Jr. took a wild flip off turn
two but was uninjured. Six cars were eliminated in the melee.
As for Lund, he was ahead of the fracas
and unscathed. Following a long delay to clear the track and burn
off a fuel spill, the race restarted with Lund on the pole alongside
fellow Minnesotan Dustin Lindquist. Lund quickly jumped out the
lead while Chuck Swenson moved by Lindquist for second. The laps
ran off quickly until a yellow on lap 16 for a spun Leigh Thomas.
On the restart, Lund again took off with the lead over Swenson.
Gregg Bakker took advantage of the restart and moved to third.
Lund held off Swenson and Bakker, despite a green-white-checker
finish after another yellow for a stalled Thomas. Following that
trio to the stripe was Lindquist and Iowa’s Bill Boles.
Heat races for the 28 ASCS Sprint Cars went to Lund, Rager and
Boles while 16-year-old Mike Sitzman Jr. won the B-main over Donavon
Peterson.
In the B-Modifieds, it was second verse,
same as the first for Kenny Wytaske, who also won the Memorial
Day Special for B-Mods at Steele County. Wytaske went primarily
unchallenged in the event although Owatonna’s Ron Houdek
came close on several occasions. At the finish, it was Wytaske,
Houdek and Trevis Underdahl in the top-three. Wytaske and Underdahl
were heat winners.
The first feature of the evening was the
Miller Lite Stock Cars and Scott Nelson strode off to an easy
victory from his front row starting spot. Behind him, Jason Augustine
and Andy Altenberg continued their battle from the heat race with
Augustine again coming out on top.
The next event at the Steele County Speedway
is on Sunday night, July 9, and will feature the ASCS Northern
Plains Region 360 Sprint Cars, the B-Modifieds and the Miller
Lite Stock Car Division.
ASCS
Northern Plains Rumbles into
Steele County on Wednesday
Night
June 19, 2006
Lonnie Wheatley - Tulsa, OK
Coming off a stellar three-night set of
events last week, the American Sprint Car Series Northern Plains
Region fires back into action with a midweek event at Steele County
Speedway in Owatonna, MN, on Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s card marks the first
of three stops atop the ½-mile Steele County Speedway dirt
oval for the all-new ASCS Northern Plains Region, which has averaged
nearly 45 cars per event through the opening six shows of 2006.
Watertown, South Dakota’s Chuck Swenson
is out to the early lead in the ASCS Northern Plains championship
points chase, holding a 57 points lead over Sioux Falls racer
Jake Peters. Peters holds the second spot by just five markers
over Floodwood, MN, hotshoe Dustin Lindquist. St. Peter, Minnesota’s
Brett Geldner enters Wednesday’s card ranked fourth, with
Eric Lutz rounding out the current top five. The balance of the
current top ten includes Curt Lund, Lee Grosz, Gregg Bakker, Jesse
Drost and Brian Brown.
Wednesday’s racing action at Steele
County Speedway is slated to get under way at 7:00 p.m. Steele
County Speedway is located in Owatonna, MN, off I-35 Exit 40,
then one mile east on US 14, then 1.2 miles north on CR 45. For
more information, contact the track at 507-363-9124.
In its first year of action, the all-new
ASCS Northern Plains Region has a full slate of 21 events at ten
different tracks throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin. In its 15th year of sanctioning
Sprint Car racing in the United States, the American Sprint Car
Series will present approximately 180 nights of racing at nearly
100 tracks throughout 27 different states and Canada in 2006 including
the National Tour and its Regional Tours (Gulf South, Mid-South,
Midwest, Northern Plains, Patriot Sprint Group, Rocky Mountain,
Sooner, Southern and Sprints on Dirt).
Additional information regarding the American
Sprint Car Series is available at
Steele County Preps
for ASCS Sprints Next Wednesday, Adds Hobby Stocks
June 15, 2006
By Justin Zoch
Finally the sound of 360 Sprint Cars will
rattle through the grandstands at the Steele County Speedway for
a special midweek appearance by the ASCS Northern Plains Region
next Wednesday, June 21. The ASCS 360 Sprints will be joined by
B-Mods and the recently added Hobby Stock division.
“Johnny Parsons III and I have raced
360 Sprint Cars for several seasons and we’re really looking
forward to putting on this show not only for the fans, but for
our fellow competitors,” said Steele County Speedway promoter
Brian Madsen, who promotes the races with his Parsons and Steve
Whalen. “It should be a great show with a great field of
cars. Midweek racing during the summer – you just can’t
beat it!”
The Northern Plains Region was formed last
winter to take over for the defunct Wissota Sprint Series and
has quickly established itself as the premier series for Sprint
Cars in the Upper Midwest. Stars like Jake Peters from Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, and Chuck Swenson from Watertown, South Dakota,
are expected to join Minnesotans like Dustin Lindquist from Floodwood,
Forest Lake’s Jerry Richert Jr. and St. Peter’s Brett
Geldner, among others.
Cummins
in Modifieds, Leighty in Sprints
at Steele County Opener
May 29, 2006
By Justin Zoch
It took a double dose of luck but Jason Cummins came out $2,000
richer after the 20-lap Modified A-main to wrap up the first night
of racing at Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota, last
Monday. After waiting a rain delay just before hot laps, the track
was extra fast when Cummins and Garry Oskerson, who got the front
row by the luck of the draw, brought the Modified A-main field
down for the green flag. Oskerson got the best of Cummins on the
high side and led the first nine laps when the caution waved.
Meanwhile, Brad Waits of Zumbrota, Minnesota, was charging from
the seventh starting position to take the runner up spot from
Cummins. On the restart, Waits powered by Oskerson to take the
top spot. For a spell it looked like Waits was going to cruise
to an easy victory. Just then, with only a few laps remaining,
he suddenly went pitside with mechanical failure, giving the lead
to Cummins. The New Richland, Minnesota, driver held off Oskerson
and Iowa’s Roger Nielsen for several laps to take a comfortable
win in the Modified division. Oskerson was second with Neilsen
in the third spot. Brian Shaw and Doug Hillson rounded out the
top five.
In the 317 Limited Sprint
class, Jake Leighty of Worthington, Minnesota, drove to a clean
sweep of the heat race and the 15-lap A-main. Leighty was never
seriously challenged after drawing the pole position for the A-main.
He was followed by Bruce Anderson, first year Sprint driver Troy
Pankow, Ben Crees and Iowa’s Jeff Metli.
The first feature of the evening
was the B-Modifieds and it was veteran racer Kenny Wytaske from
Lansing, Minnesota, beating his brother Albert Wytaske and hometown
hope Matt Larson to the stripe.
The next event at the Steele
County Speedway is on Wednesday night, June 21, and will feature
the ASCS Northern Plains Region 360 Sprint Cars and the B-Modifieds.
Steele County Offers
$1 Admission to Active Military Personnel on Memorial Day
May 25, 2006
Owatonna, Minnesota
While Memorial Day is often thought of
as a time to take your family to the lake, go golfing or hit your
favorite racetrack, it is also a time to remember the sacrifices
of our veterans and current military personnel. The Steele County
Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota, will offer $1 admission to anyone
currently active in the military, with proper identification,
for the Memorial Day Special on Monday, May 29.
The show will feature Modifieds, B-modifieds
and the 317 Limited Sprints. “It is important to remember
the sacrifices that those in the military are making. This is
one small way that we can give back to them on this special day,”
said co-promoter Brian Madsen.
The gates will open at 3PM and the racing will begin promptly
at 6PM. The track returns to action three weeks later on June
21 with a Wednesday night special featuring the ASCS Northern
Plains Sprint Cars and B-modifieds.
Steele County Ready
For $2,000-to-win Memorial Day Mod Special
May 19, 2006
Owatonna, Minnesota
After a winter spent readying a dormant
raceway for six scheduled shows, the new promotional group at
the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minnesota, is ready for
action on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29. Opening night will feature
a $2,000-to-win event for Modifieds with B-Modifieds racing for
$400-to-win. The Limited 317 Sprints will also be on the card.
Races are set to start at 6PM while the competitor gates will
open at 3PM.
“We’re very exciting about
getting things rolling at the Steele County Speedway and we’re
expecting a great car count for this first race,” said promoter
Brian Madsen. “It’s been a long winter and we’re
ready to go racing.” Madsen, together with Johnny Parsons
III and Steve Whalen, head up the promotional group at the speedway.
Following the Memorial Day Special for
the Modifieds, the Steele County Speedway returns on Wednesday,
June 21, and Sunday, July 9, with the ASCS Sprints and B-mods.
The Limited Sprints join for the Sunday tilt. The Modifieds return
for the Steele County Fair Special on August 17 and the Miller
Beer and H&S Distributing Labor Day Special on Monday, September
4. The final event of the year is sponsored by Bryant Heating
and Air and features ASCS Sprints, Modifieds, B-Mods and Limited
Sprints.
In a special gesture to our armed forces
on Memorial Day weekend, any active military personnel will be
admitted for $1 with proper identification.
Steele County Speedway
Returns with Six Dates in 2006
March 13, 2006
Owatonna, Minnesota
The Steele County Speedway
in Owatonna, Minnesota, has been running on a very occasional
basis over the past few seasons but a new promotional group aims
to change that. Brian Madsen from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota,
Johnny Parsons III and Steve Whalen, each from Owatonna, have
taken over operations at the speedway and have an intriguing mix
of events scheduled at the spacious half-mile oval.
The group will kick off the 2006 season on Memorial Day with a
Modified special that will also feature B-Modifieds and winged
317 Sprints. The ASCS Northern Plains Sprint region tour rolls
into town on Wednesday June 21 and Sunday July 9 while the Modifieds
take top billing on August 17 in conjunction with the Steele County
Fair. Labor Day will feature Monday Modified Madness as the B-Modifieds
and the 317s join the Modifieds. They will wrap things up with
a four class spectacular featuring the conclusion of the ASCS
Northern Plains inaugural tour.
The Modifieds will be non-sanctioned and
the B-Modifieds will also be non-sanctioned, although that class
will run under Wissota rules. The 317 Sprints will run under the
same rules the class runs at Jackson Speedway.
