• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Haseleu rules opening Shear Classic

OREGON — Nathan Haseleu never raced against Joe Shear, but grew up watching him.

Before a packed crowd Sunday at Madison International Speedway, Haseleu did what the late Shear was famous for—dominate a big money race at a Wisconsin short track.

Haseleu, a former Sun Prairie resident now living in Wyocena, took the lead on lap 64 and led the rest of the way to win he ASA Midwest Tour Joe Shear Classic. It was his first ever SA win.

Haseleu had a big lead when the race was halted after 100 laps for a mandatory pit stop. The race then featured another 36 laps in honor of Shear’s car number.

The 36-lap dash to the finish quickly became a heated duel between Haseleu and fast qualifier Jeremy Lepak of Wausau.

“I’ve never been that emotional in the car the last few laps,” Haseleu said. “I never got to race against Joe, but I watched him a lot. He was one of the best racers there ever was.”

During the pit stop after lap 100, crews were not allowed to put any new tires on the car, but the tires could be rotated and minor suspension changes could be made.

Haseleu’ crew decided to not make any major changes.

“The car was that good,” Haseleu said. “We just could think of anything to do that would make it better.”

Tim Shendel of Sparta and veteran Steve Carlson of West Salem looked like winners early on. The two led the early laps, but both faded about halfway through the 100-lap first segment of the race.

“At the beginning we couldn’t get going and Steve and Tim really got out there,” Haseleu said. “We were able to run those two down, but I knew Jeremy was good and it turned out to be quit the battle.”

By lap 89 when Lepak slotted into the second spot, it was a two-car race between the 87 of Haseleu and Lepak’s number 40.

Once he got the lead, he never relinquished it, but Lepak’s pressure nearly paid off on lap 114. Haseleu’s car got loose entering turn one and got sideways. Lepak pulled alongside, but could not make the pass although he was inside Haseleu in turns three and four.

Nate’s always awesome here and he does a great job of saving the equipment for the end,” Lepak said. “We gave him and run, but bout halfway through the 36-lap dash, the car got loose and that was all we had.”

Lepak, like Haseleu, never raced against Shear but felt the race had a special meaning.

“I had the privilege of winning the Short Track National at Rockford Speedway, and that was a race Joe had won several times,” Lepak said. “Just watching Joe and Matt (Kenseth) and those guys battle in the ARTGO days was something special, and I’ve learned from that experience.”

Lepak said it was not failure to finish second to Haseleu, who had a brief stint with Roush racing in the NASCAR Craftsman truck Series.

“Nate’s a class act, and so to finish second to him, well I have no problem with that, he said.

Rounding out the top five were Travis Sauter of the Necedah racing family, NASCAR driver Kelly Bires of Mauston and Dan Fredrickson of Lakeville, Minn., last year’s winner of the ASA Midwest Series race at Madison International.

Ross Kenseth, son of NASCAR Cup and Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth, won the opening act, the Big 8 Series season opener. Kenseth inherited the lead on lap 23 when leader Zack Riddle was sidelined in a bizarre series of events.

Riddle was leading when a yellow flag came out after a blown engine covered the track with oil. Riddle, who had no radio contact with his crew when his radio cord came loose, stopped on the track, but was told he would have to go to the rear of the field if his crew helped plug the radio cord in.

Riddle rejoined the field, which was directed through the pits to avoid the oil. As he entered pit lane, he hit a garbage can damaging the front of his car and putting him out of the race.

Kenseth was pressured for the last 10 laps by Scott Broughton, but held on for the win. Following Kenseth and Broughton across the finish line were Casey Johnson, Michael Bilderback and his uncle, Ricky Bilderback.

Joe Shear Classic

At Madison International Speedway

RESULTS SUNDAY

1. Nathan Haseleu (Pardeeville); 2. Jeremy Lepak (Plover); 3. Travis Sauter (Necedah); 4. Kelly Bires (Mauston); 5. Dan Fredrickson (Lakeville, Minn.); 6. Dave Feiler (Appleton); 7. Jacob Goede (Shakopee, Minn.); 8. Jeff Storm (East Troy); 9. Tim Schendel (Sparta); 10. Andy Monday (Appleton); 11. Russ Blakeley (Whitewater); 12. Jonathan Eilen (Hampon, Minn.); 13. Nick Neville (Mackinaw, Ill.); 14. Andrew Morrissey (DeForest); 15. Kyle Calmes (Freedom); 16. Nick Murgic (Rosemount, Minn.); 17. Steve Rubeck (Monroe); 18. Steve Carlson (West Salem); 19. Dalton Zehr (Daytona Beach, Fla.); 20. Bobby Wilberg (Orfordville); 21. Jamie Iverson (Escanaba, Minn.); 22. Frank Kreyer (Wisconsin Dells); 23. Dan Lensing (Roscoe, Ill.); 24. Chris Wimmer (Wausau); 25. Donny Reuvers (Dundas, Minn.); 26. Mark Eswein (Wisconsin Rapids).