QUALIFYING • HEATS & LC • FEATURE • PHOTOS

By: Kevin Ramsell
JEFFERSON, WI (Saturday, May 17, 2008) – It has been a tough start to the 2008 season for Jonathan Eilen and it appeared that streak would continue. But, luck would turn around for him as he would capture the Kwik Trip Stores 100 ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment event at Jefferson Speedway in Cambridge, WI.

“Boy we really needed this,� a happy Eilen stated in victory lane. “We had our problems all day with the motor. We actually had the back up car out ready to go and we thought for sure we would have to go to that one, but this car was like a rocket on rails.�

Eilen started on the outside of the front row and got the lead from polesitter Adam Hensel.

ASAMT officials hurried to get the start of this race going as rain was approaching the track. The caution flew on lap 27 when precipitation started to fall on the track causing a one hour and 28 minute delay.

After the Jefferson Speedway Hobby Stocks and Bandits assisted with the drying of the track, the field of 26 cars took the green flag and was able to complete the event before the next band of showers hit the track.

Eilen would work his way through lap traffic while Jamie Iverson worked on holding off Andrew Morrissey for the second position. “I didn’t think it was going to be easy, I thought it would be a little risky out there, but it worked out,� Eilen stated.

Iverson would get his shot at Eilen when the caution flew with five laps to go after Rich Loch and Kyle Calmes made contact in turn two causing Calmes to spin. Per the ASAMT rules, the lap traffic was placed behind the lead lap cars.

With four laps to go, Iverson made his move to the inside going into turn one but bobbled in the middle of turns one and two. “I tried getting underneath Jonathan there and I got a little squirrely there and I thought I better just settle for second,� Iverson stated after the race. “I just wanted to make sure I got a finish this time.�

For Eilen, he becomes the second driver to win more than one ASAMT race. “I can’t forget to thank my crew guys and my sponsors, this is awesome.�

Morrissey would hold off Dan Fredrickson for his second third place finish three starts this season. “It was a good run, I just wanted to come out of here with all four fenders on it,� Morrissey said afterwards. “With never being here before I am very happy with how we ended up.�

Fredrickson would pick up his third consecutive top five finish with his fourth place run while fast qualifier, Blake Horstman, came home fifth.

Mark Kraus would finish sixth with defending race winner, Nathan Haseleu finishing seventh. Travis Sauter was eighth while Doug Mahlik was ninth. Donny Reuvers would recover from an earlier spin to finish tenth.

Earlier in the day, Horstman set a new track record with a lap time 13.729 seconds beating the mark set last year by Dan Lensing, who had a lap time of 13.815 seconds.

The next event for the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment will be on Sunday, June 1st at Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells, WI with the running of the Miller Lite 100 presented by Arby’s.

For more information, please visit their website at www.jeffersonspeedway.com.
To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and the engine giveaway program, please contact the ASA Midwest Tour office by calling (262) 514-3880 or by e-mailing Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more about 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 all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.