2018-19 Round 3

West Bend Grand Prix - Lack Track - West Bend, WI

October 4, 2018

Round 3 of 16

2018 West Bend Grand Prix

Wiedemann Wallops West Bend

West Bend GP podium (l-r): (not)Ev Kamikawa 2nd, John Wiedemann, Pete Dorn 3rd

(West Bend, WI) -- John Wiedemann opened up the night with a record qualifying run and kept on running past the field to set a new race record in his dominating victory at the West Bend Grand Prix on the Lack Track.

It was apparent early that the Angry Squirrel Speedsport team brought some serious firepower for Wiedemann. While the provisional pole was set by his teammate Mike Lack, at 4.009 seconds for his best lap, Wiedemann came along and not only destroyed the field by three-tenths of a second, but went two-tenths below his own track record with a 3.791 second circuit. The A.S.S. team also brought in a rookie, Steve Rist, but it quickly became obvious that he was a ringer, as he qualified behind only his two teammates.

While the Wiedemann's #17 US Air Force car took off to the atmosphere in the first heat race, Lack's #1 Sealmaster car struggled with handling problems and just held on for a fifth place finish, but at least, unlike the two opening races of the season, he did, finish, but missed the final for the first time this season. Their rookie teammate challenged Lack and eventually was able to get by him for second place and the lap total would be good enough for the transfer position, to become just the second driver in series history to make it to the final in his debut start. (The answer to the trivia question is: Dave Rosno). However, getting to the final is one thing, making a challenge in it, is another, here, Rist struggled and would settle for fourth place on the night.

Pete Dorn returned to the Lack Track with high hopes, Lack Track being the site of his first ever final four appearance the the field missing a couple of stout regulars, Dan Margetta and Dean Strom, Dorn's gold and black #5 would easily handle Mike Kristof's Michael Shank-It Racing's SiriusXM machine and his Black-Atom Racing teammate Bill Black, who would finish seventh and eighth respectively.

The third heat featured two drivers who had crashed out together at the Fall Brawl, so Ev Kamikawa and Mike Fitzlaff were looking to change their fortunes. Kamikawa qualified well back in seventh, but he raced out to a lead over "Fitz" and Tom Spehert who came into the night with the championship points lead after a win and a third place. But Fitzlaff and Spehert could not challenge the PenskeHO #12 as Fitz would come up a couple laps short of the transfer to finish sixth, while Tom wound up ninth.

With Kamikawa in his first final of the season and while quick, had nothing to challenge Wiedemann finishing second and Dorn unable to challenge was pleased to make a podium for the first time since the Stardust 500 in March.

Wiedemann's 21st career victory set an event record by completely 261 laps, trouncing the old record of 250 that he set in 2016. The win also moves him to first place in the Husarsbilt Cup championship points, nine ahead of Tom Spehert.

More good news for Wiedemann as the series makes a visit to his home track, Turtle Creek Park Raceway, for a rare "Club Car" event early in the season in two weeks.

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West Bend Grand Prix Fast Facts

Race date: Thursday, Oct 4

Track: Lack Track, 1.8 mile road course in West Bend, WI

Race distance: 20 minutes

Twitter: @indyslotcar

IndySlotCar Website: indyslotcar.com

2017 race winner: Mike Lack (No. 1 Angry Squirrel Speedsport, ABC Supply)

2017 Chick-fil-A Brookfield P1 Award winner: John Wiedemann (No. 59 Angry Squirrel Speedsport, Team Lotus)

One-lap qualifying record: John Wiedemann, 3.971 seconds, 2013

Race record: John Wiedemann, 250 laps, 2016

YouTube Broadcast: IndySlotCar Channel

At-track schedule (all times local):

6:30 – Driver introductions

6:55 – Drivers Meeting

7:00 – IndySlotCar Series Practice

7:20 – Qualifying for the Chick-fil-A Brookfield P1 Award (group qualifying/ fastest single lap)

7:45 – Heat races

8:30 – West Bend Grand Prix (20 minutes)

Race Notes:

· Tom Spehert continues to dominate the new season with a win and a third place opening up a 21 point lead.

· Defending champion Mike Lack has DNFed both races so far, however, since they were in the final, it’s a pair of fourth places.

· John Wiedemann’s third place and fifth place finishes tie him with his Angry Squirrel Speedsport teammate for second place in the championship.

· There have been seven West Bend Grands Prix, Angry Squirrel Speedsport teammates have traded wins in the last six runnings, Mike Lack taking four and John Wiedemann two.

WEST BEND GRAND PRIX PRE-EVENT QUOTES:

Ev Kamikawa No. 12 Team PenskeHO: Don’t forget I’m still the only guy not names Lack or Wiedemann to win this race!

Tom Spehert No. 28 Spehert Autosport: If I’m leading the points, I better keep showing up to the races.

Pete Dorn No. 5 Black/Atom Racing: Margetta better watch out on and off the track, I made the final here last season.


LACK TRACK HISTORY (7 events, 2011 - Present)

Date Race Winner Event Name

10/8/2011 Ev Kamikawa West Bend Grand Prix

10/13/2012 Mike Lack West Bend Grand Prix

9/28/2013 John Wiedemann West Bend Grand Prix

10/4/2014 Mike Lack West Bend Grand Prix

10/1/2015 Mike Lack West Bend Grand Prix

9/29/2016 John Wiedemann West Bend Grand Prix

9/21/2017 Mike Lack West Bend Grand Prix