Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Friday, June 20, 2008
Off-track preparation paying off for Dutch Mill Trucking team
 From left, Emily Sue Steck, Steve Carlson and Kevin Nuttleman. Erik Daily |
WEST SALEM, Wis. — There always is advice to be shared and questions to be asked. Emily Sue Steck says with a smile she’s usually the one asking most of the questions.
Steck knows being a member of the Dutch Mill Trucking racing team is a neverending education on how to do things the right way on the track. It means putting in an average of 12 hours a week tinkering with and fine-tuning the car. It means being at the garage at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday to start preparing for a night of racing at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway.
Expectations are high not only for Steck, but also DMT’s veteran drivers, Steve Carlson and Kevin Nuttleman. Not that any of them are bothered by that.
When Steck says DMT is a good team, she’s not kidding. Carlson, the defending track champion, won Saturday’s Kwik Trip Late Model Division feature race. Steck was third, her best finish in a feature race this season. And Nuttleman, who has won 10 track titles and 101 career feature races, finished fifth to give DMT three spots in the top five.
Carlson and Nuttleman have done what’s expected of them, combining for three feature victories and 10 top-10 finishes so far this season. Throw in Steck, who has five top-10 finishes, and DMT has three quality drivers who are capable of running at the front of the pack.
“I’m thankful to be a part of (this team),” Steck said. “I’m happy to be up front with (Carlson and Nuttleman). It’s cool to watch them.”
And Carlson knows it’s fun to work hard and see positive results every Saturday.
“These cars are always so well-prepared,” Carlson said. “It’s a lot of fun driving for Dutch Mill Trucking.”
WELCOME TO VICTORY LANE: Rob Curran and Tim Steinhoff won their first feature race of the season in their respective divisions. Curran won the North Country Contractors Sportsmen Division feature, and Steinhoff won the United Auto Supply Thunderstox Division feature. Steinhoff entered Saturday night’s races 35th in the points standings with 46.
SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR: Greg Scheck was less than a lap away from winning the Sportsmen B-Feature. However, he was involved in a four-car accident between turns three and four and knocked out of the race. Jeff Winterfield won the race.
Kirk Bey can be reached at kbey@lacrossetribune.com
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.