WEST SALEM, Wis.— Brent Kirchner and his pit crew were in full scramble mode Saturday night. And yes, they were a tad concerned. Perhaps the flat right rear tire, the result of running over debris after winning the Kwik Trip Late Model Division Even Dash, was an omen that Kirchner’s luck was about to change.

He was one week removed from failing to finish in the top 10 in a feature race this season. And now Kirchner had very little time to make sure that didn’t happen again.

Brent Kirchner

What happened next is indicative of the way Kirchner can, and usually does, turn a negative into a positive. His car was good enough to take a commanding lead in the feature race. And it was just good enough to fight off a hard-charging J. Herbst for his second feature victory of the season.

“I faded at the end, but I’m sure it was because of my tire,” Kirchner said. “But that’s why they call it racing.”

At this point Kirchner could call his 2008 season a success even though catching Late Model points leader Steve Carlson over the final three weeks of the regular season likely will be very difficult to do.

Recording 13 top-10 and nine top-five finishes has put Kirchner in a very good mood, not to mention fourth in the points standings. So is the fact he continues to feel more and more comfortable in his 10-year-old car. So when problems like the one he faced Saturday night arise, Kirchner is confident enough to believe he can fight through difficult situations.

“As a team (having an older car) has made us work that much harder,” Kirchner said. “It’s turned out to be a good move.”

LEAVING WITH NO REGRETS: Herbst, who entered Saturday night’s competition 10th in the Late Model Division points standings, plans to miss the final weekend of regular-season racing on Aug. 30. But he’s eager to compete in the ASA Northern Series in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

“I’m not (at the Fairgrounds Speedway) for points,” Herbst said. “We’re out here to have some fun and run some good races.”

TWELVE TERRIFIC FOR CARLSON: Carlson, who finished fifth in the Late Model feature, notched his division-best 12th top-five finish.

BACK NEAR THE TOP: As well as both Kirchner and Herbst performed, Ty Reedy quietly put together a good night. His third-place finish after starting on the pole was the first time he’s had a top-five finish in a feature race since May 17.

AND HE’S OK: Jerrod Loging, a driver in the North Country Contractors Sportsman Division, had a close call during the Budweiser Dash. His car went up the wall coming out of Turn 2 and flipped over, but he escaped the accident unscathed.

NICE DRIVING: Maybe Andy Moore finished last in his Sportsman Division heat, but he still received a nice round of applause. Moore lost control of his car coming out of Turn 4 and appeared headed toward a nasty crash into the wall. However, he regained control, avoided trouble and stayed in the race.

Advertisement