By: Kevin Ramsell
BUCHANAN, WI (Tuesday, August 4, 2009) - A great crowd was on hand to watch Steve Carlson add another historic win to his already impressive racing resume as he won his seventh Dixieland 150 presented by Gandrud Chevrolet at Wisconsin International Raceway tonight. It is the third time that Carlson has won the event back to back. He won it in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and now 2009.
NASCAR Sprint Cup star Kevin Harvick came home eighth.
Carlson made the winning pass on Chris Wimmer with nine laps to go in the event, “I got a really good run off of four and I got the spot on Wimmer and made the pass,” Carlson said about making the winning move on the inside of Wimmer. “The car worked real well.”
Wimmer would fall back to finish third in the event after current American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment points leader Nathan Haseleu got by him with five laps to go. “We’ll take second, the car was ok and I am happy with it,” Haseleu said after the race. After he made the pass, he knew he wouldn’t have a chance to catch Carlson, “I wouldn’t have been able to challenge him anyhow, I didn’t have anything for him all night.”
After the race, Wimmer was pleased with another podium finish in the ASAMT, “That was a lot of fun, I was just sitting there and leading Carlson just used me up and I was overdriving my stuff,” Wimmer said. “He burned me up and he got by me, but I am happy to come home third.”
Frank Kreyer followed up his win at the last ASAMT event at Dells Raceway Park, an ASA Member Track, with a fourth place run. Kris Kelly, who led the first 112 laps of the 150-lap event finished fifth.
Tim Schendel was sixth with Nick Panitzke having an outstanding run to come home seventh, his first top-ten of the season.
Harvick came home eighth after starting 27th, “We just kept our nose clean there. The car didn’t handle that good, I thought it was better than that, the track changed quite a bit,” Harvick said. “For our first outing, I don’t think it was not to bad. First time out with the car and a lot of fun with a very unique racetrack here. I had a great time and appreciate everybody’s hospitality.”
Blake Brown had another top-ten run by finishing ninth with Mark Kraus rounding out the top-ten.
Ron Hornaday Jr.’s night ended early on lap 5 when his car got loose in turn two and got into John Meidam. Both spun down the backstretch. Jeff Storm, Doug Mahlik and Robb Vanderloop were also involved. Vanderloop was able to continue and finish 15th.
The win was Carlson’s fourth of the season in eight events. But Haseleu, unofficially still holds an 83-point lead over Carlson in the standings. Chris Wimmer is up to third only 154 points back.
The ASAMT returns to action on Sunday, August 16th at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN.
This article was posted to the website on August 5th, 2009