By: Kevin Ramsell
(West Salem, WI) – Following the July 20th Echo Chain Saw/Five Star Race Car Bodies No Bull 100 at Madison International Speedway, Nate Haseleu saw himself sitting 31 points behind point leader Donny Reuvers. But, two events later Haseleu found himself ahead of Reuvers by 47 points heading into the season finale at the Oktoberfest Race Weekend on Oktober 4-7 at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway.

Haseleu went into the next event, Factory Motor Parts 150 at Wisconsin International Raceway, and took home a third place finish where Reuvers was ninth. Five days later, at Shakopee’s (MN) Raceway Park, he would come home with a fifth place finish while Reuvers developed engine problems and finished 22nd.

“It was a real good week for us,� Haseleu recently stated. “We have been gaining on Reuvers and (Dave) Feiler over the second half of the season. We had some good runs and the competition level is so tight that you never know what is going to happen, but it turned out to be a good week for us.�

Haseleu, Reuvers and Feiler are the only three drivers mathematically eligible to win the inaugural ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment championship at Oktoberfest. While Haseleu holds a 47-point lead over Reuvers, he also holds a 55-point lead over Feiler. Jonathan Eilen sits in fourth, 142 points behind while Kenny Richards is fifth only 148 points back.

Haseleu recently captured his third straight Wisconsin Challenge Series championship this past weekend at Marshfield Super Speedway over Richards.

But, Haseleu realizes that he won’t have an easy task to claiming this championship at one of the most famous racing weekends. “They are both really good race car drivers to start with and both have adapted well to everywhere we have gone,� Haseleu stated about Reuvers and Feiler. “I have raced with Dave (Feiler) for a long time so I knew that he was real good and just heard about Donny (Reuvers) and all of his accomplishments so you knew he was going to be good. At the beginning of the year we had a couple of DNF’s that put us behind and the second half of the year, we have been running just a little bit stronger where Donny had some trouble at Shakopee. Dave has been real consistent every week by just finishing races, taking what he can get and getting some good finishes too.�

For Haseleu, a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor, an ASAMT championship would mean a lot to him. “It would be huge; I mean that was our goal as well as the same goal as the other drivers,� Haseleu stated. “There is some luck involved in it. But it would be huge for our team and The Swiss Colony and my owner, Gary Schultz, and for everyone else involved. It’s a huge deal to win the first one.�

Not only is Haseleu looking forward to the run for the championship, but he is also looking forward to competing again at La Crosse and the Oktoberfest Race Weekend. “We have had a pretty good car when we were up there for that Tuesday night race (back on Tuesday, July 3rd) but got caught up in a crash going for third place, like half way into the race,� Haseleu remembered. “I think we are going to have a good car. We are hoping to go up there and test and I am looking forward to racing at La Crosse and being a part of Oktoberfest. We will go and do the best we can do and see what happens.�

Not only will Haseleu be competing in the ASAMT 100-lap finale, he will also take part in the inaugural Dick Trickle “99� event on Friday, Oktober 5th at Oktoberfest. It’s a unique race that will be competed in three 33-lap segments with an overall winner at the end. Dick Trickle, who has made two ASAMT starts in 2007, will also be competing in the event. “We got two cars and we are going to take both up there and run one on Friday night,� Haseleu stated. “Maybe I will be less nervous if I am racing then just there thinking about the championship. We are going to go up there and have some fun and race both the Dick Trickle ‘99’ and the ASA Midwest Tour race.�

For Haseleu, it’s trying to find the balance of fun and pressure, “I enjoy racing a lot,� Haseleu commented. “Sometimes when you race, even at this level you want to do well, win races and even try to win a championship, racing isn’t always that fun. But we try to have fun and sometimes there is a lot of pressure.�

The next event for the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment is Oktober 6-7 at the Oktoberfest Race Weekend at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, WI. The entry form for this event is now available at www.asamidwesttour.com. All competitors are reminded to get their entry forms paid and mailed prior to the September 21 deadline to avoid late entry fees.

You can download the 14-page Oktoberfest Flyer at www.lacrossespeedway.com. In the flyer, you will find the answers to all of your questions as you make your plans to be a part of this great racing weekend.

The 38th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend is “Racing’s Family Reunion.�