No Way to Top Nowak at Norway (Again)
by Matt Panure
 NORWAY, Mich. (July 16, 2010) – Let the love affair begin.
The fans at Norway Speedway gave a boisterous salute to Lyle
Nowak as he exited his racer in victory lane for the second straight
year in the Mid-American Stock Car Series Eh Main on Friday.
Nowak saluted right back. “I really love Norway Speedway,” said
Nowak as his first comment to the large crowd.
Friday’s feature event was a story that was told one year
ago. Nowak grabbed the lead and held off a late charging Bill
Prietzel. This time, however, Prietzel got within a car length,
but was unable to get to the outside lane in time to challenge
during the waning moments of the 40-lap feature.
Although they didn’t race side by side, Nowak still sensed
his Norway rival from last season was looking for vindication. “Any
time you have Bill Prietzel in your rearview mirror you know
you’re in for a fight because Bill is a hard racer,” Nowak
said. “We’re the best of friends. We race hard, we
help one another and it’s just a pleasure.”
The first 14 circuits of the feature event got off to a tumultuous
start with the caution flag flying over the field a total of
three times.
Racing side-by-side for the first three circuits, front-row
starters Austin Luedtke and Ryan Gutknecht swapped the lead three
times. Luedtke ultimately won the battle and secured the lead
on the fourth lap. At the same time Nowak moved from his sixth-place
starting position to third using the outside line.
Nowak spied the line of Travis Rodewald, who used the high groove
to move around Gutknecht into second on the fifth lap. While
Rodewald worked to clear Gutknecht, Luedtke jumped to a three-car-length
lead.
Once Rodewald cleared Gutknecht, he began reeling in the MASCS
rookie pacing the field. Three laps after moving to second Rodewald
caught Luedtke, and passed him one lap later on the inside exiting
turn four.
On the same lap the mayhem had begun with Jake Finney, James
Swan and Mark Pluer racing three wide on the tight third-mile.
Although they escaped unscathed on lap nine, Pluer applied the
bumper to Finney one lap later, sending the 2006 MASCS rookie
of the year into a spin cycle. Finney was unable to continue
as oil poured from his machine. Pluer was sent to the tail of
the field and recovered for a seventh place finish.
The field restarted behind Rodewald, who was tailed by Luedtke
and Nowak. When the field was set back into motion, Nowak slid
to the outside to take second from Luedtke. He brought Crystal
Wood along on the outside into third. Another three-wide venture
involving Swan, Adam Bendzick and Gutknecht set off a chain reaction
resulting in a Bret Widdis spin in turn three on lap 11.
Nowak and Wood hounded Rodewald back to the restart. Nowak took
one lap to dispose of Wood and began applying pressure to Rodewald.
The caution flew for the final time on lap 14 when Luedtke and
Bendzick spun after making contact while racing for fourth.
With his rear view mirror filled with yellow and bright green
from Nowak and Wood again, Rodewald jumped away on the restart.
Two laps after the restart, Prietzel worked to the inside of
Wood for third and towed Swan into fourth. The following lap
Nowak found an opening as Rodewald pushed high in turns one and
two. Marching down the back chute, Nowak secured the lead.
“I was pretty worried. I didn’t know if I was going
to be able to pass Travis,” Nowak said. He could really
come off the corner good, but he would push and drift up. I was
thinking about sticking my nose underneath him and I was worried
that if I went to the outside there wouldn’t be enough
room. He got pretty loose coming off the turn, he opened the
door up and it was time to go.”
Watching Nowak power past Rodewald, Prietzel saw the his opportunity
start to slip away. Three laps after Nowak made his move Prietzel
and Rodewald were locked in a battle for second. Prietzel took
the spot on lap 21 and began the enormous task of trying to catch
Nowak.
As Prietzel started to chop into the one-second lead of Nowak,
Swan and Rodewald engaged in a battle for third. Swan had numerous
looks to the inside of Rodewald, but the four-time MASCS champion
couldn’t find the grip to make his run. On lap 33 Swan
finally got close enough to Rodewald to make his move. Rodewald
tried to shut the door on Swan entering turn one, but the nose
of Swan’s Chevy Impala was unrelenting. Rodewald washed
up the track and Swan swiped the spot exiting turn two.
By that point Nowak and Prietzel were too far away to be challenged
by Swan. However, Prietzel had erased Nowak’s large lead
and was within striking distance by lap 35. With Prietzel sizing
him up, Nowak made sure to stay mistake free. He guarded the
inside line and gave Prietzel no opportunity to grab his third
consecutive MASCS feature.
Swan stayed put in third, Rodewald was fourth and Crystal Wood
held on for a fifth place finish.
Now victorious in his only two visits to Norway Speedway, the
question remains: Why is Lyle Nowak so good at Mid-American’s
only Michigan stop? Having a lot of track experience helps. A
friend who has turned a lot of laps at the third-mile doesn’t
hurt either.
Nowak likened Norway to Tomahawk Speedway, where he won several
late model track championships. If that wasn’t enough,
two-time and defending late model champion Troy Nelson had some
advice.
“My friend Troy Nelson told me to set it up just like
Tomahawk,” said Nowak of the Antigo, Wis., driver who was
victorious in the late model feature earlier in the evening. “He
knows what he’s talking about. It’s good to have
team players and a lot of help in the pits.”
With an honorary home track now in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,
Nowak will have little time to savor the win before Mid-American
invades his real home territory Saturday at Marshfield (Wis.)
Motor Speedway. Nowak will, however, go home with the confidence
of being second in points, unofficially 12 markers behind Prietzel.
Mid-American is slated to run a 40-lap feature at Marshfield
Saturday. After the trip to Marshfield, Mid-American returns
to Dells Raceway Park next Saturday, July 24 for Dells Duel Part
Two.
Marshfield Motor Speedway is located on County Road H, just
west of Highway 13 in Marshfield, Wis. For more information visit
www.marshfieldspeedway.com
For more information about the Mid-American Stock Car Series,
including the full 2010 schedule, results, standings and driver
information visit www.midamericanracing.com.
Main 40-lap Feature
1. Lyle Nowak, Wausau, Wis.; 2. Bill Prietzel, Richfield, Wis.;
3. James Swan, Lake Geneva, Wis.; 4. Travis Rodewald, Manitowoc,
Wis.; 5. Crystal Wood, Denmark, Wis.; 6. Tyler Bauknecht, Reedsville,
Wis.; 7. Mark Pluer, Brookfield, Wis.; 8. Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk,
Ill.; 9. Brian Back, Rudolph, Wis.; 10. Gregg Haese, Two Rivers,
Wis.
Last Chance Race 15 Laps
1. Bret Widdis, Manistique, Mich. (Transfer); 2. Josh Sand,
Two Rivers, Wis. (Transfer); 3. Paige Decker, Eagle River, Wis.
(Transfer); 4. Scott Null, Lake Mills, Wis.; 5. Nick Crawford,
New Prague, Minn.
10-lap Dash
1. Swan; 2. Back; 3. Bauknecht
10-lap Heat One
1. Sand; 2. Haese; 3. Pluer
10-lap Heat Two
1. Crawford; 2. Nowak; 3. Null
Fast Qualifier: Back – 15.345 (New MASCS Track Record)
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