Baumeister Jr. Bursts Into Victory Lane at Madison, Claims First
Big 8 Triumph
By Jordan Kuehne
OREGON, Wis. (Friday, July 2nd, 2010) – Two races, two first-time
winners. A year removed from a 2009 campaign that was Ross Kenseth’s
coming out party, the BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet
has a new storyline emerging this season: parity. Johnny Baumeister
Jr. did his part to add support to that growing theme on Friday
evening, going wire-to-wire to march into the winner’s circle
for the first time in his Big 8 Series career, staving off late
race challenges from Ryan Goldade and Steve Rubeck to take the
checkers in the ‘Gordie Boucher Fireworks 48’ at Madison
International Speedway. Two months after Casey Johnson found his
way into the winner’s circle at the Spring Classic at Rockford
Speedway, Baumeister Jr. paced himself around ‘Wisconsin’s
Fastest Half-Mile’ and saved his tires for the end, wisely
anticipating the late race dash that would ensue.
Baumeister Jr. led the 26 car field to green in the BRP Big 8
Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet ‘Gordie Boucher Fireworks
48’ tonight at Madison International Speedway. Baumeister
Jr. wasted no time building a four car length cushion over fast
qualifier and second place Ryan Goldade.
Behind the leaders, Steve Rubeck rocketed up to third, gaining
five spots from his starting position in just six laps. Two-time
series champion Jeremy Miller’s love tap to the rear bumper
of Kyle Shear allowed the MIS veteran to sneak into fourth place
as Shear quickly dropped seven spots after the move.
With 19 laps in the books, Baumeister Jr. continued to pace the
field, having extended his lead to ten car lengths over second
place Goldade as the leader began to maneuver around lapped traffic
at the tail end of the field. As the halfway mark came and went,
the top five cars began to slowly bunch together with the aid of
lapped traffic, setting up a furious dash to the finish.
The late race showdown gained momentum when the first caution
of the event flew for a Dan Lensing spin in turn two. On the ensuing
double-file restart, Baumeister broke loose to the lead as Steve
Rubeck made his move past Goldade on the inside for second bringing
Miller with him into third.
Rubeck wasn’t done however, immediately turning his sights
towards the trophy as he gunned for the lead. Miller refused to
allow Rubeck to escape his clutches, peeking on the bottom for
the bridesmaid’s position as Baumeister Jr. assessed the
action in his rearview mirror and tried to pad his margin out front.
With five circuits to go, fifth place Kris Kelly got loose on
the frontstretch and made a great save to keep his machine straight,
only dropping one spot as the leaders battled hot tires. As the
white flag waved, Miller made his move for second, pushing past
Rubeck for the position as Bobby Wilberg forcefully took third,
dropping Rubeck to fourth.
The night belonged to Johnny Baumeister Jr. though as the MIS
veteran went wire-to-wire to collect the trophy and his first career
Big 8 Series win.
“The car was really good through the corners tonight,” an
ecstatic Baumeister Jr. stated in the winner’s circle. “It
was a lot of fun to drive and I was happy with how the tires held
up in the latter stages of the race. My crew did a great job giving
me a nice car and I just tried to keep the nose clean out front.
We were hooked up for a good portion of that race and it was fun
to drive. The lapped traffic and that late caution worried me but
the car was strong tonight.”
After post-race inspection, Ryan Goldade and Steve Rubeck were
both disqualified for their transmissions. Jeremy Miller ended
up with a stellar second place effort as Bobby Wilberg notched
a nice third place finish on his home track. Kris Kelly managed
a fine fourth place effort despite his late race bobble while Zack
Riddle rounded out the top five in fifth.
The BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet returns to
action in two weeks as the series makes its heavily anticipated
first ever trek to the highly renowned Slinger Speedway for the ‘King
of the High Banks 88’ on Sunday, July 18th.
For more information on the BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud
Chevrolet, including a full 2010 schedule, visit the series website
at www.big8series.com or call the Rockford Speedway Box Office
at (815)633-1500.
BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet Results (7.2.2010)
Madison International Speedway 2010 Race: 2 of 6
'Gordie Boucher Fireworks 48': 1. John Baumeister Jr. (Lake Geneva,
WI), 2. Jeremy Miller (Rockton, IL), 3. Bobby Wilberg (Beloit,
WI), 4. Kris Kelly (Norway, MI), 5. Zack Riddle (Brooklyn, WI),
6. Michael Bachaus (Milton, WI), 7. Chad Wood (Madison, WI), 8.
Chad Stevens (Orfordville, WI), 9. Scott Broughton (Stoughton,
WI), 10. Tyler Kelley (Oregon, WI), 11. Brady Liddle (Oregon, WI),
12. Shaun Scheel (Lake Mills, WI), 13. James Swan (Lake Geneva,
WI), 14. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 15. Dan Lensing (Roscoe,
IL), 16. Wayne Freimund (Elkhorn, WI), 17. Kyle Shear (Roscoe,
IL), 18. Bill Baumeister (Janesville, WI), 19. Nathan Oppliger
(Oregon, WI), 20. Shane Morrissey (Cuba City, WI), 21. Jeremy Lepak
(Ringle, WI), 22. Ed Szelagowski Jr (Westfield, WI), 23. Vern Fagerberg
Jr. (Bloomingdale, IL), 24. Tanner Whitten (Carlock, IL), 25. Steve
Rubeck (Monroe Center, IL), 26. Ryan Goldade (Edgerton, WI),
12 Lap Qualifying Race 1 :1. Shane Morrissey (Cuba City, WI),
2. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 3. James Swan (Lake Geneva, WI),
4. Tanner Whitten (Carlock, IL), 5. Wayne Freimund (Elkhorn, WI),
6. Corey Jankowski (Tomah, WI), 7. Vern Fagerberg Jr. (Bloomingdale,
IL), 8. Don Wickstrum (Monroe, WI), 9. Bill Shavlik (Slinger, WI),
10. Jay Foster, 11. Troy Rave (Westby, WI), 12. John Beinlich (Cary,
IL), 13. Mackenzie Piller (Amboy, IL),
12 Lap Qualifying Race 2: 1. Brady Liddle (Oregon, WI), 2. Shaun
Scheel (Lake Mills, WI), 3. Jeremy Lepak (Ringle, WI), 4. Nick
Barstad (Prior Lake, MN), 5. Scott McGettigan (Verona, WI), 6.
Jake Finney (Sycamore, IL), 7. Bill Baumeister (Janesville, WI),
8. Dave Edwards (Salem, WI), 9. Tyler Kelley (Oregon, WI), 10.
Ed Szelagowski Jr (Westfield, WI), 11. Jacob Vanoskey (Hartford,
WI), 12. Steve Lichtfeld (Pardeeville, WI), 13. Andy Evraets (Hartland,
WI), 14. Bruce Lee (Cambridge, WI),
15 Lap Last Chance: 1. James Swan (Lake Geneva, WI), 2. Tanner
Whitten (Carlock, IL), 3. Jeremy Lepak (Ringle, WI), 4. Bill Baumeister
(Janesville, WI), 5. Nick Barstad (Prior Lake, MN), 6. Scott McGettigan
(Verona, WI), 7. John Beinlich (Cary, IL), 8. Wayne Freimund (Elkhorn,
WI), 9. Jake Finney (Sycamore, IL), 10. Jason Hicks (Elkhorn, WI),
11. Dave Edwards (Salem, WI), 12. Vern Fagerberg Jr. (Bloomingdale,
IL), 13. Don Wickstrum (Monroe, WI), 14. Troy Rave (Westby, WI),
15. Andy Evraets (Hartland, WI), 16. Ed Szelagowski Jr (Westfield,
WI), 17. Jacob Vanoskey (Hartford, WI), 18. Steve Lichtfeld (Pardeeville,
WI), 19. Mackenzie Piller (Amboy, IL), 20. Bruce Lee (Cambridge,
WI), 21. Tyler Kelley (Oregon, WI), 22. Bill Shavlik (Slinger,
WI)-DNS, 23. Jay Foster (Sycamore, IL)-DNS
Qualifying: 1. Ryan Goldade (Edgerton, WI), 2. Jeremy Miller (Rockton,
IL), 3. Steve Rubeck (Monroe Center, IL), 4. Bobby Wilberg (Beloit,
WI), 5. Dan Lensing (Roscoe, IL), 6. Kyle Shear (Roscoe, IL), 7.
Zack Riddle (Brooklyn, WI), 8. Chad Wood (Madison, WI), 9. Chad
Stevens (Orfordville, WI), 10. Scott Broughton (Stoughton, WI),
11. Nathan Oppliger (Oregon, WI), 12. Kris Kelly (Norway, MI),
13. John Baumeister Jr. (Lake Geneva, WI), 14. Michael Bachaus
(Milton, WI), 15. Tanner Whitten (Carlock, IL), 16. Tyler Kelley
(Oregon, WI), 17. Kevin Knuese (Waukesha, WI), 18. Brady Liddle
(Oregon, WI), 19. Wayne Freimund (Elkhorn, WI), 20. Andy Evraets
(Hartland, WI), 21. Shane Morrissey (Cuba City, WI), 22. Shaun
Scheel (Lake Mills, WI), 23. James Swan (Lake Geneva, WI), 24.
Ed Szelagowski Jr (Westfield, WI), 25. Jason Hicks (Elkhorn, WI),
26. Steve Lichtfeld (Pardeeville, WI), 27. John Beinlich (Cary,
IL), 28. Jake Finney (Sycamore, IL), 29. Troy Rave (Westby, WI),
30. Jeremy Lepak (Ringle, WI), 31. Corey Jankowski (Tomah, WI),
32. Scott McGettigan (Verona, WI), 33. Don Wickstrum (Monroe, WI),
34. Jacob Vanoskey (Hartford, WI), 35. Vern Fagerberg Jr. (Bloomingdale,
IL), 36. Bill Baumeister (Janesville, WI), 37. Mackenzie Piller
(Amboy, IL), 38. Nick Barstad (Prior Lake, MN), 39. Jay Foster,
40. Dave Edwards (Salem, WI), 41. Bill Shavlik (Slinger, WI), 42.
Jimmy Ganski (Rosholt, WI), 43. Bruce Lee (Cambridge, WI),
For more information on the Big 8 Series, please visit their
website at www.big8series.com.
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