7/30/2011
Joseph Kouba Captures First TSCS Feature Win
Joseph Kouba Captures First TSCS Feature Win At Cedar Lake Speedway
New Richmond, WI
By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
Completing back-to-back nights in the Reactor Racing team car normally driven by Johnny Parsons III, North Branch, Minnesota's Joseph Kouba raced to his first career nonwinged sprint car feature win at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday night July 30. The UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series (TSCS) was making its second appearance at Cedar Lake, and the #22 sprinter has graced victory lane on both occasions. Kouba passed race leader Rob Caho, Jr. on lap four of the twelve lap exhibition style main event on his way to victory. A field of six nonwinged sprint cars were on hand, as approaching storms on the warm and humid summer evening lit up the northern and western skies during feature race action.
Caho was looking for a weekend sweep of TSCS feature races, and he immediately drove into the early lead from his outside front row starting position. Kouba dove under rookie Aaron Wisch on the second lap to take the second spot and quickly tracked down Caho. Ducking under Caho on lap four, Kouba was glued to his patented bottom line that he is noted for running in his winged sprint car. On this night, the bottom line was the quick way around and Kouba wasted little time in expanding the margin between himself and the remainder of the field. "It's been a long time since I was in victory lane. These cars are fun to drive," stated a very happy Kouba following his win.
Coming off his first-ever win in a sprint car during earlier heat race action, Jeff "Race Doc" Pellersels from Woodbury and Jack Clark from Knapp made contact in turn three during the early laps of the feature. Clark's sprinter bounced airborn with all four wheels off the ground. Clark managed to regain control and amazingly was able to continue racing as was Pellersels. A few laps later Pellersels overtook Caho for second while Clark got back up to fourth place in the nonstop feature race. At the checkers it was Kouba, Pellersels, Caho, Clark and Wisch still running. Kevin Bradwell did not finish. The second Reactor Racing team car driven by Tom Kamrath was not able to make repairs in time to race after getting upside down the night before at the St. Croix Valley Raceway. Adam Taubert and Jalen Morris were also not on hand. The Morris racing team has sold the motor in their car and are in the process of building a new engine.
The new series continues to gain interest, as several more cars are in various stages of being put together. With a weekly Friday night track now and several more dates with their winged 360 sprint car counterparts, the concept of affordable nonwinged sprint car racing is appealing to more and more as the series marches through its inaugural season. The exhibition style of racing in the first year really is more than the name implies. When the drivers strap themselves into their sprint cars they want to win. The important point is they are having fun, as the new series attracts attention in its first season without an actual structured racing program.
Traditional sprint car fans can follow the growth of the UMSS TSCS series throughout the course of its initial season on the UMSS website at www.umsprints.com by clicking on the blue logo to enter the TSCS home page. TSCS news and results will also be on the UMSS Facebook page and highlighted in the free UMSS Report newsletter available at each event.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Cedar Lake Speedway July 30, 2011 (Race #7):
SprintSource.com Ultimate Exhibition Heat Race (8 laps): Jeff Pellersels, Woodbury MN, Joseph Kouba, North Branch MN, Jack Clark, Knapp WI, Rob Caho Jr, Wyoming MN, Aaron Wisch, Arlington MN, Kevin Bradwell Luck, WI DNF.
Mora Motorworks Exhibition A Main (12 laps): Kouba #22, Pellersels #1, Caho #78, Clark #41s, Wisch #73, Bradwell #95 DNF.
Lap Leaders: Caho 1-3, Kouba 4-12
No cautions.
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Stan Meissner at Minnesota Dirt Track Racing.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
