By: Kevin Ramsell
SAUK CENTRE, MN (Saturday, July 05, 2008) – At the last ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment event at Grundy County Speedway, Dan Fredrickson stated that wanted to start getting some trophies since he had not won one since May 4th at Madison International Speedway. Tonight, the hungry point leader from Elko, MN dominated the ECHO Bear Cat July Spectacular 100 at I-94 Raceway by lapping 24 of the 26 cars in the field.
Fredrickson started tenth and quickly jumped to the lead by lap 12 over Adam Hensel. “I knew it was hot rod in the heat race,” an exhausted Fredrickson stated in victory lane. “We struggled all day, the car was fast, but it wasn’t how I wanted it to feel. This is sweet, never lapped the field before.”
“I felt like this was a good place for me, I have run here a few times and won some races. It’s an awesome passing race track, it’s the most worn out race track in the world besides maybe Pensacola,” Fredrickson stated about the tire management needed to run at I-94. “When you got a good car you don’t have to worry too much about, you just can’t beat on them or stuff like that. It has a lot more to do with finesse.”
The 100-lap event only saw one caution flag with occurred on lap 3 when Nick Panitzke tapped the left rear corner of Jon Olson going into turn one, causing Olson to spin. On the re-start, Hensel would hold off an early charge from Nick Murgic for the top spot, but that battle would end as Fredrickson flew past both of them and set the cruise control on his super late model.
He would finish almost a half a lap over second place finisher and defending ASAMT Champion Nathan Haseleu.
“We brought a different type of car and it wasn’t very good in the heat race so I was very worried when we got all of the cars together that we wouldn’t be able to keep up,” Haseleu stated. “We got going and the car was really good. Obviously Danny lapped the field, except for me, but I am happy. I never ran this good at I-94 and we are starting to get this turned around and we will take it.”
This was Haseleu’s first podium finish since August 7, 2007 when he finished third at Wisconsin International Raceway. “This race team didn’t forget to know how to race, we just got off path a little bit, we are back on and we hope to keep it going. This is a tough series and we will just keep plugging away.”
Steve Anderson finished third with his first podium finish in the ASAMT, “I started sixth and I thought that it would be nice to get up there and lead this thing. My car wasn’t very good in the beginning and I couldn’t move up without wrecking somebody so I kind of let them go and I knew my car would come in about 30-40 laps and it did and I was able to make my way back up.”
Anderson was pleased with his run and had nothing but praise for the race track, “I got to guess this is a great race to watch, you know this is some of the best racing I go I think,” Anderson stated. “We go to some tracks that got some new pavement and are fast but boy its tough to get around and pass on tracks like that where this is a lot easier.”
And Anderson was pleased with his first podium finish, “I couldn’t be any happier unless we were first.”
Donny Reuvers came home fourth with Jonathan Eilen in fifth. I-94 weekly competitor Eugene Dick was sixth with Hensel coming home seventh. Travis Sauter was eighth with Jeff Storm ninth. Fast qualifier Chris Wimmer rounded out the top ten.
But for Fredrickson, who collects his fifth ASAMT win, he had a simple answer for his domination, “I want to keep it going and I wanna, I guess, show that I am one of the better in the Midwest.”
The ASAMT will now prepare for its “Western Swing” as they will be competing in two events in three days in the state of Iowa. On Friday, July 18th the ASAMT will make their return to Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids for the re-scheduled running of the Keith Fleck Miller 100. Then the caravan of teams will travel 1 ½ hours to the west for its first appearance at Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA for a 150-lap event. NASCAR stars Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch will be competing with the best Midwest Super Late Model drivers on the new 7/8 mile tri-oval.
To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.
To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asaracing.com.
This article was posted to the website on July 6th, 2008
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