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No offense to any of the drivers locally or from the area who compete at other tracks, but it was hard to get excited about a driver, or a team, when they would do well one week, then have to wait two weeks to race again.
That intangible thing called momentum is not just for drivers. It applies to fans, too. If fans see a great race one week, then have to wait a week or two because of rainouts, their excitement level drops considerably.
Maybe that’s why it appears to be a challenging season for race tracks across the state. Maybe that’s why crowds have been down a bit at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway. Through it all, there are some very interesting storylines developing, such as:
All of these storylines will take a week off, however, as the Fairgrounds Speedway plays host to something called Smash O Rama tonight. The show features a number of entertaining acts, including cycle stuntman Ryan Suchanek, who continues to perform daredevil cycle acts despite losing his left leg in a car-motorcycle accident less than a year ago.
In addition, Chuck Deery, the Fairgrounds Speedway manager, said there will be a Gauntlet of Doom. OK, stop laughing — if you can. The Gauntlet of Doom is similar to a house of cards, only done with cars.
“It’s the first time we have tried it,” Deery said. “Stunt drivers will be knocking over cars that are standing up, on their side, stacked on top of each other.”
While conventional wisdom might ask why an event such as Smash O Rama is taking place when the regular Saturday night racing season is just heating up, the answer is simple: It was put on the schedule long before anyone knew that three of the first eight regular-season race nights would be rained out.
But there is another reason, too.
“Some of the other race tracks (around the country) have taken a regular night off and some of these things,” Deery said. “The fans have loved it, and it gives our regular drivers a night off, which they appreciate. We’re just going to give it a try.”
ROLLING BEAN: Dexter Bean, a 21-year-old racer from Westby, Wis., is making a steady climb toward the top 10 in the ARCA RE/MAX Series points standings. Bean, who struggled with his new Team Glock in the first month of the season, has come roaring back.
Bean finished ninth in the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway last weekend, and has climbed all the way to 11th in points with 1,580. That leaves him 60 points behind 10th-place Ken Butler III. Just six weeks ago, Bean was stuck in 19th place in the points, and looking for any kind of consistency.
He has certainly found that, and is looking to continue his momentum June 29 at the Cayuga ARCA RE/MAX 250 at Cuyuga Motor Speedway in Nelles Corners, Ontario. In nine starts, Bean has one top-five finish, and three top-10 performances.
TIM SCHENDEL: Sparta, Wis., driver Tim Schendel, a NASCAR Touring Series past champion, is spending some of his time running in the ASA Midwest Tour Series this summer. Schendel is currently eighth in the ASA Midwest Tour standings, having earned one top-five and one top-10 finish.
BLAKE HORSTMAN: Bangor’s Blake Horstman, a former Late Model driver for the Barry Wehrs team when it competed at the Fairgrounds Speedway, is currently fifth in the ASA Midwest Tour point standings. Horstman, who has 404 points, has one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
Dan Fredrickson, who has one win to his credit, leads the ASA Midwest Tour Series point standings with 537.
COLE HOWLAND: Cole Howland, a 16-year-old from La Crosse, has done quite well in the United States Super Truck Series this season — when he has raced. Three of the first five USST races have been rained out.
Howland finished 14th at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, then came back from a heat race crash to finish fourth at the 141 Speedway near Appleton, Wis. Howland is currently fifth in the season points standings, one point out of fourth. A total of 17 drivers have earned points in the USST series this season.
Ralph Cottone of Onalaska, Wis., is 12th in the USST point standings, while Lucas Korish of La Crosse is 14th.
SKYLAR HOLZHAUSEN: The Bangor, Wis., driver finished 13th in the Limited Late Model race at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover, Wis., on June 13. Holzhausen had the top qualifying time on the night.
Jeff Brown can be reached at (608) 791-8403, or at jbrown@lacrossetribune.com
