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WEST SALEM, Wis. — Longtime race fans at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway may have shaken their heads when watching Saturday night’s Kwik Trip Late Model feature race.
What was this? Kevin Nuttleman and Brad Powell going back-and-forth in the closing laps of the main event? Couldn’t be, could it? This was déjà vu for both drivers — and many fans — as Nuttleman, then Powell, then Nuttleman led the field around the five-eighth’s mile track.
When flag man Greg Oliver waved the checkered flag, it was Nuttleman who captured the 25-lap feature race while Powell — who runs a limited schedule — had to settle for third place. La Crosse’s Brent Kirchner, who is fast becoming Mr. Runner-Up, finished second for the third straight week.
“I just lost bite right where the corner turns into the straightaway. I would lose all momentum right there,” said Powell, a former track champion who stole the lead from Nuttleman on Lap 16 only to relinquish it back to the 10-time track champ on Lap 17. “I thought I had him. I needed to run him up the track. … Nah, I wasn’t going to do that. We’re not points racing.”
Nuttleman was able to take the lead back, then hold it for what turned out to be a three-lap sprint to the finish. The caution flag came out on Lap 22 when Shawn Pfaff — who started on the pole — spun on the front stretch. As one of the biggest crowds of the season — estimated at 3,700 — looked on, Nuttleman wasn’t about to let Powell grab the lead on the restart.
“I had to really fight for it,” said Nuttleman of the victory, which was his third feature win of the season, and 102nd of his storied career. “What helped me is I knew I could trust him to race me clean and he could trust me. On that second restart, I knew I had to hold him back.”
While Nuttleman was able to hold off Powell on the restart, Powell couldn’t keep the hard-charging Kirchner from coming up, then passing him. Kirchner, who has been consistently strong all season, took second place away from Powell on Lap 24, and held it for the last lap.
“We just ran out of time, otherwise we would have had him (Nuttleman),” Kirchner said. “We just needed another three or four laps. The car feels really good, and in the second half of the race it came to life. I don’t want to touch anything on this car, it’s that good.”
Mike Carlson continued his impressive season by finishing fourth, one spot ahead of his dad, Steve, who happens to be the points leader in the division. Steve Carlson had a 10-lap battle for fifth place with Todd Korish, and wasn’t able to get by the determined Korish until one lap remained.
It was a good points night for Nuttleman, who earned 50 for the feature, which is nine more than Carlson earned for fifth place. Carlson entered the night with a 41-point lead over Nuttleman (569 to 528).
“I don’t think it’s over,” said Nuttleman when asked about the track championship. “Steve’s got a great car, but we’re working hard on this car. We’ve got some catching up to do, but it’s not over.”
SPORTSMAN: La Crosse’s Matt Inglett won a special 20-lap North Country Contractors Sportman Division race. Inglett pocketed an extra $500 for the win, which was donated by John Pettibone of Black River Falls, Wis. Pettibone donated the money in a tribune to his son, Darus, who was killed in a car accident in March. Darus Pettibone is a former Sportsman Division racer.
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