Category: Results

By: Eric Huenefeld

As he has done so many times before in his Big 8 Late Model Series career, ‘Driver X’ Jon Reynolds Jr rose to the occasion in a big race. And as he has done so many times before, Reynolds stole the lead late in the going. And in winning Tuesday night’s Gandrud Chevrolet ‘Dixieland Delight’ at Wisconsin International Raceway, Reynolds also reached a milestone in his Big 8 Late Model Series career.

The Rockford Illinois native captured his eleventh career Big 8 Series victory on Tuesday evening and in the process became the all-time wins leader with the Big 8 Late Model Series, breaking a tie with four-time Big 8 Series champion Jeremy Miller.

Reynolds started the race from the fourth position, next to Michael Ostdiek and behind the front row of Bobby Wilberg and Cole Anderson. At the drop of the green flag, Wilberg pounced to the lead from his pole position, while Ostdiek followed Wilberg forward and claimed the second spot. As the rest of the field jockeyed for position, Wilberg and Ostdiek moved forward on their own, with Ostdiek challenging Wilberg for the race lead. On the ninth lap, the Minnesota youngster was able to scoot ahead of Wilberg and claim the race lead. Shortly after Ostdiek advanced to the front of the field, the first yellow flag of the race flew for outside front row starter Anderson, whose vehicle stopped at the entrance of turn three.

On the restart, Ostdiek accelerated ahead of the pack, while Wilberg faced a stiff challenge for second place in the form of Austin Nason. Nason moved into second place on the thirteenth lap, when the second caution waved for an incident between Michael Bilderback and Bryan Monday. Both cars, including the co-point leader Bilderback, were sent to the tail following the incident.

It then took just two laps for the next yellow flag to wave, when Anderson again had troubles, tangling with Eric Connell in turn one. The fracas sent Anderson sideways and Connell towards the turn one wall. Thirteen year old Grant Greisbach sailed into the incident also, sustaining the most damage of the three. Greisbach’s car was the only vehicle to be towed away.

Following the lap 16 restart, Nason made his move to the front, disposing of Ostdiek quickly. Two laps later, Reynolds made his move for second, getting past Ostdiek for the runner up slot just one lap before the final yellow flag of the race at halfway following a tangle between Adam Peschek and Mike Meyerhofer Jr.

On the final restart, Ostdiek slipped to fourth place, while Reynolds took off after race leader Nason. As the top two began to play their game of cat-and-mouse, Bilderback was blasting back through the field, making it back into the top five just thirteen laps after being at the back of the 20-car field.

Following several laps of filling Nason’s rear-view mirror, Reynolds deployed to the inside of Nason for the race lead with two laps to go. As the two drivers fought for the lead, they slid up the track in the second turn, allowing Ostdiek a chance to sneak beneath both of them for a look at the lead. The three racers went three wide, with Bilderback blasting the gas and sticking his nose into the battle as well! When the dust cleared and the white flag waved, it was Reynolds ahead of Nason. Over the course of the final lap, Reynolds kept a car-length and a half buffer between he and the three-way tango for the second. When the leaders crossed the finish line, it was Reynolds in first place, claiming his second Late Model feature win in four days. The second place race was three wide at the checkers, with Nason holding onto the spot ahead of Ostdiek and Bilderback. Fast qualifier Jesse Bernhagen rounded out the top five.

Gandrud Chevrolet ‘Dixieland Delight’
Race Results
Tuesday August 4 2015
Wisconsin International Raceway

1. Jon Reynolds Jr Rockford, IL
2. Austin Nason Roscoe, IL
3. Michael Ostdiek Lakeville, MN
4. Michael Bilderback South Beloit, IL
5. Jesse Bernhagen Markesan, WI
6. Bobby Wilberg Beloit, WI
7. Lyle Nowak Wausau, WI
8. Brandon Reichenberger Appleton, WI
9. Michael Clapper Dane, WI
10. Mike Meyerhofer Jr Hilbert, WI
11. Adam Peschek Oconomowoc, WI
12. Dave Edwards Salem, WI
13. Jake Vanoskey Hartford, WI
14. Eric Connell Ft Atkinson, WI
15. Tyler Hromodka Brookfield, WI
16. Bryan Monday Appleton, WI
17. Michael Bachaus Whitewater, WI
18. Cole Anderson Northfield, MN
19. Grant Greisbach Waukesha, WI
20. Wayne Freimund Elkhorn, WI

Lap Leaders: Wilberg (pole-8), Ostdiek (9-15), Nason (16-36), Reynolds (37-38)
Fast Qualifier: Bernhagen
Car Count: 20 Big 8 Late Models

By: Eric Huenefeld

On Friday night at State Park Speedway, Michael Bilderback returned to Big 8 Late Model Series victory lane for the first time since 2008. And for the first time in Big 8 Late Model Series history, the winning car arrived in victory lane on a wrecker.

Bilderback slid across the line inches ahead of runner up J Herbst following a frantic 12 lap sprint, the after the checkered flag waved, Bilderback’s sideways vehicle was struck on the entrance of turn one as the thundering herd of racecars charged across the line.

The build-up to the grand finale was just as exciting on this night, as twenty-two Big 8 Late Models took to the track for the 58 lap feature. Big 8 Series Rookie of the Year point leader Cole Anderson led the field to green, with local favorite Lyle Nowak on his outside. The front two raced side-by-side for the first handful of circuits, with Anderson leading lap one and Nowak slipping ahead on the second lap. By the fifth circuit, Nowak claimed the lead for himself, yet within a the span of a lap, saw pressure for the lead in the form of two-time Big 8 Series champion Casey Johnson. Within another lap, Johnson breezed into the race lead and set sail from the rest of the field.

Behind Johnson, the action was intense as Bilderback and Herbst picked their way to the front. The road forward was much smoother and quicker for Bilderback, as the South Beloit Illinois native found himself in second place by lap 17. Herbst, who started ninth, fell to eleventh early in the race, but began his charge around lap 12. While Herbst raced forward, Bilderback assumed second place and began to chip away at the lead of Johnson. Just as Bilderback began to make gains on Johnson in lapped traffic, both drivers encountered a scare which would produce the first caution flag of the race. As Johnson and Bilderback entered the third corner on the twenty-third lap, they saw Adam Peschek and Michael Clapper enter a tight space together. The two cars touched doors and slowed up, then were contacted by a quickly closing Mondell Peters. All three cars were able to continue on, but the contact popped the hood off of Peters’ Chevrolet, sending it skyward and eventually onto the race track, bringing out the yellow flag.

The stoppage allowed Bilderback to restart on the bumper of Johnson, and it also allowed Herbst a chance to close in on the rest of the field. When racing resumed, Johnson and Bilderback jumped away, while Herbst went to work on the rest of the field. As the race approached halfway, Bilderback was able to make his move to the inside of Johnson and by lap 30, Bilderback assumed the lead. Just as it seemed Bilderback may disappear from the rest of the front runners, the final yellow flag of the race appeared as a breakage on Evan Call’s #43 car sent him spinning in the third corner.

On the final restart with twenty one laps to go, Herbst began his assault up front, getting past Nowak and Austin Nason for fourth and third respectively. Herbst then set his sights on Johnson for second place, finally claiming the runner up position with 12 laps to go. With a six car length deficit, it was now or never for the two-time LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway champion Herbst. In a matter of six laps, Bilderback and Herbst were bumper-to-bumper, with Herbst taking a peek to the inside of Bilderback on lap 53 for the race lead. As the West Salem Wisconsin native made his move on the bottom of turn four, Bilderback stood his ground, sending Herbst into the infield dirt. Herbst shook off the dust and made one last run at Bilderback, and this time climbed to the outside of the track to move past Bilderback as the white flag waved. When the duo exited the fourth corner and headed for the finish, Bilderback lost traction and spun sideways, but was able to slide across the finish line merely inches ahead of Herbst. As Bilderback’s car sat sideways at the end of the front stretch, the rest of the field took evasive action, with Wausau’s Todd Handrick unable to stop his car short of collecting Bilderback. Both cars received heavy damage, with Bilderback arriving in victory lane on foot as his car arrived moments later with the help of a tow truck.

The win was Bilderback’s third career Big 8 Late Model Series victory and fourth Late Model win overall in 2015. The runner up finish for J Herbst was his second straight podium finish in Big 8 competition, following his runner up finish at Hawkeye Downs back in June. Earlier in the evening, Herbst also collected his first Quartermaster Quick Time Award, setting the new Big 8 Late Model Series Track Record at State Park Speedway with a lap of 14.622. Johnson, making his first Big 8 Series start since Rockford in April, finished in third place and in the process collected his twenty-fifth career Big 8 Series top-five.

Austin Nason continued his recent trend of strong runs with the Big 8 Late Model Series, following up his Madison win with a fourth place finish at Wausau. Outside pole-sitter Lyle Nowak stayed inside the top five all night and was rewarded with a fifth place finish, which was the first ever top-five finish in Big 8 Series competition for the former Mid-American Stock Car Series champion.

Bobby Wilberg, who came into the race as the Big 8 Late Model Series point leader, made the best of a bad night. After a poor qualifying effort, Wilberg was regulated to the Qualifying Race, where the veteran took the lead early and went on to victory. The win put Wilberg in the fifteenth starting postion for the main event and despite a slow start, Wilberg eventually picked up steam and ended the race in the eighth position. Wilberg was one of three drivers, along with Bilderback and Herbst, who advanced seven positions in the 58 lapper.

Following Bilderback’s victory and Wilberg’s off night, the two drivers are now in a tie atop the Big 8 Late Model Series point standing as the ‘Best Weekly Warriors in the Country’ begin the second half of their eight-race slate Tuesday night August 4 at Wisconsin International Raceway for the running of the Gandrud Chevrolet ‘Dixieland Delight’ 38 lap feature.

BIG 8 LATE MODEL SERIES
RACE RESULTS
‘Larry Detjens Memorial 58’
State Park Speedway (Wausau, WI)
Friday July 24, 2015

1. Michael Bilderback South Beloit, IL
2. J. Herbst West Salem, WI
3. Casey Johnson Edgerton, WI
4. Austin Nason Roscoe, IL
5. Lyle Nowak Wausau, WI
6. Tim Sargent South Beloit IL
7. Brent Edmunds Monticello, WI
8. Bobby Wilberg Beloit, WI
9. Michael Ostdiek Lakeville, MN
10. Cole Anderson (R) Northfield, MN
11. Dave Edwards Salem, WI
12. Wayne Freimund Elkhorn, WI
13. Justin Mondeik Gleason, WI
14. JeffNowak Weston, WI
15. Jon Reynolds Jr Rockford, IL
16. Adam Peschek Oconomowoc, WI
17. Eric Connell Fort Atkinson, WI
18. Todd Handrick Wausau, WI
19. Mondell Peters Weston, WI
20. Evan Call Weston, WI
21.Michael Bachaus Milton, WI
22. Michael Clapper Dane, WI

Preliminary Winners: Wilberg, Anderson, Nowak
Fast Qualifier: Herbst (14.622- NTR)
Entries: 22 Big 8 Series Late Models

After eleven years of waiting, a one hour rain delay was nothing for Bobby Wilberg.

One of the most notable and consistent drivers in the history of the Big 8 Late Model Series presented Gandrud Chevrolet, Wilberg had never visited victory lane in a Big 8 Series event. That changed Sunday afternoon during the 38th Annual Spring Classic, when Wilberg bested 25 other competitors in the 88 lap season-opening race at Rockford Speedway.

Wilberg, who raced inside the top five all day long, slipped past two-time Big 8 Series champion Casey Johnson with 15 laps to go, following contact entering turn one which sent Johnson towards the turn one wall, ending Johnson’s quest for victory and his race.

Johnson, winner of the most recent Big 8 Series event at Rockford last September, started the race from the front row alongside polesitter Rich Schumann Jr. When the green flag dropped, Johnson tip-toed into lead ahead of Schumann and 2014 Rockford Speedway champion Jon Reynolds Jr. As the top three tried to pull away, mayhem ensued behind them as Austin Nason and Michael Bachaus came together in turn three. The contact sent Bachaus sideways, collecting Kyle Shear and forcing evasive action out of the eighteen drivers behind them. When the smoke cleared, eleven cars became collected in the melee, including several cars who started the event in the middle of the pack. Despite the large sum of cars involved, most drivers were able to drive away from the scene, with about half of those involved rejoining the field following work in the pit area.

When the race resumed, Johnson was able to clear the field and ride alone at the front. The battle for second heated up, with Wilberg and Jake Gille eventually driving past both Reynolds and Schumann. Shortly after the restart, Schumann’s car began to slow, and the former Dells Raceway Park champion drove his car to the pit area and ended his day. Following Schumann’s departure, the longest green-flag run of the day began with a 31 lap jaunt which saw the top three of Johnson, Wilberg and Gille separating themselves from the field. Over the course of the race’s next 60 laps, Wilberg and Gille would trade second position numerous times. Both racers also were able to take their best shot at Johnson, with the Edgerton Wisconsin native able to hold off each and every challenge.

As the race wore on, raindrops began to trickle from the sky. The race was finally yellow flagged for weather with 20 laps to go and after several minutes of circling the track trying to stay ahead of the weather, the field was sent to pit road. Over the course of the next hour, light rain tapered on and off but after a sizable wait, the field of Late Models was summoned back to the track to complete the final 20 laps.

When the race resumed, Johnson lead Gille and Wilberg to green. Wilberg got the best of Gille on the bottom groove and set his sights on Johnson. The two racers then became bumper to bumper, with Wilberg delivering a bump to Johnson entering turn one on the 73rd lap. Johnson’s car wobbled and ended up smacking the outside wall with the right rear. The impact disabled the rear end of Johnson’s machine, ending the former race leader’s day one lap later.

After the caution flew, Johnson’s machine stopped in turn two. Johnson emerged from the vehicle visibly displeased with the situation and the abrupt end to his day. When the action picked back up, it was Wilberg ahead of Gille, with Reynolds restarting on the bottom of the track in third. Reynolds and Gille raced hard for second over the final laps, leading to Wilberg’s escape to the checkered flag. Jake Gille ended the race in second place, his best ever Big 8 Series finish. Reynolds’ steady effort was rewarded with a third place finish. Michael Bachaus fought back from his second lap misfortune to finish the race in fourth place, while Elkhorn Wisconsin’s Wayne Freimund rounded out the top five.

Wilberg was also the afternoon’s Fast Qualifier, turning a lap of 13.808 in Quartermaster Time Trials. 2014 Big 8 Series Rookie of the Year Collin Olson was the Powersource Power Mover of the Race, advancing fifteen positions from 24th to 9th over the course of 88 laps.

The next race for the Big 8 Late Model Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet is scheduled for Friday night June 5 at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids Iowa, the first ever trip for the Series to the Hawkeye State.

FINAL RESULTS
Big 8 Late Model Series Spring Classic
Rockford (IL) Speedway

1. Bobby Wilberg Beloit WI
2. Jacob Gille Machesney Park
3. Jon Reynolds Jr Rockford
4. Michael Bachaus Columbia City, IN
5. Wayne Freimund Elkhorn WI
6. Michael Bilderback South Beloit
7. Dana Czach Wauconda
8. Josh Nelms Lockport
9. Collin Olson Maplewood MN
10. Duke Long West Bend WI
11. Dave Edwards Salem WI
12. Casey Johnson Edgerton WI
13. Austin Nason Roscoe
14. John Beinlich Prairie View
15. Cole Anderson (R) Northfield MN
16. Tony Brutti Dyer IN
17. Michael Ostdiek Lakeville, MN
18. Tory Adams Madison WI
19. Alex Papini Machesney Park
20. Adam Peschek Oconomowoc WI
21. Rich Schumann Jr Portage WI
22. Kyle Shear Roscoe
23. Mike Lloyd Davis
24. J. Herbst West Salem WI
25. Adam Bendzick (R), Elko MN
26. Michael Clapper Dane WI