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Nuttleman really was ready to pull into the pits at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, walk into his trailer and let loose with the “few choice words” that were reverberating in his mind.
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Of all the times his shifter had to get stuck in neutral, it had to be on a restart and with him leading the 30-lap Kwik Trip Late Model Division feature race.
Maybe someone was looking out for Nuttleman when he was able to shift into third gear just in the nick of time.
And maybe his car had just enough power to hold off both Brad Powell and Dutch Mill Trucking teammate Steve Carlson for his division-best fifth feature win of the season in front of an estimated 2,800 spectators.
But it also was one of those races where Nuttleman likely will look back and be thankful that the night was over with both his car and his sanity intact.
He certainly was close to losing the latter when he couldn’t get his car into third gear on a restart after Shawn Pfaff crashed into the wall in Turn 1 with 18 laps remaining.
“When the shifter got stuck in neutral, I really thought the night was over for me,” Nuttleman said. “I was going to pull into the pits, but I got it (shifter) in there just in time.”
For a driver who hasn’t been pleased with how his car has handled this season — Nuttleman described its performance as “up and down” — he has performed pretty well as of late. He’s won three of the last four feature races, and he’s finished out of the top 10 just twice in 15 starts.
Nuttleman’s late charge might not be enough to overtake Carlson, the defending track champion who entered Saturday with a 43-point lead over his teammate, but Nuttleman will keep plugging away.
“I’m just going to come out here and try to have fun and what happens, happens,” Nuttleman said. “Steve’s got a pretty comfortable points lead, but things can happen.”
That’s the attitude Powell had as he pursued Nuttleman. Powell, who finished third behind Nuttleman in the July 26 feature race, stayed close behind Nuttleman, while Carlson was close behind Powell. Powell held off Carlson, but couldn’t find an opening to pass Nuttleman.
“On the restart you watch to see what the car in front of you is lacking and you try to take advantage of it,” Powell said. “Kevin’s car was good on the restart, but I thought mine was a little stronger. ... I was just hoping for one more restart.”
Paul Proksch finished fourth, and Mike Carlson was fifth.
SPORTSMAN: Rick Schermerhorn won his second North Country Contractors Grand National Sportsman Division feature of the season. Jes Tenner was second, and Rob Curran was third.
THUNDERSTOX: Brad Warthan won the United Auto Supply Thunderstox feature race. Kayla Steinhoff and Jamie Dummer were second and third, respectively.
