8/30/2013
Fantastic Finish To TSCS Season At SCVR
Parsons In Fantastic Feature In TSCS Finale At SCVR
St. Croix Falls, WI (8-30-13)
The final race of the 2013 Traditional Sprint Car Series proved to be one of the best yet, as the TSCS non-winged cars truly did save their best race for the last show of the 2013 season in front of a very good size crowd on hand at the St. Croix Valley Raceway on Friday August 30.
Johnny Parsons III capped off the fantastic UMSS Traditional Sprint Car feature to conclude the season for the non-winged sprints on a beautiful summer evening. The TSCS sprint feature at the Bullring Blast #2 was one of the best seen in this division on a night that was highlighted by the open wheel modifieds and WISSOTA late models are in action. The race featured four lead changes amongst three drivers with Parsons leading the final three circuits around the 1/4 mile dirt oval for a close victory over 2013 TSCS Champion Rob Caho, Jr. The outcome was in doubt during the final three laps of entertaining and exciting racing with any one of three or four drivers having a shot at the top spot.
The 20 lap Traditional sprint feature was set to go with Schafer and rookie Jake Kouba on the front row. Schafer grabbed the early lead on the bottom with Kouba working the cushion along with fourth starter Rob Caho, Jr. Parsons was in his usual bottom lane on a track that was absolutely fabulous for racing! Schafer led the first six laps before Kouba took his turn up front. It was a thrilling moment for the young Minneapolis driver, as he led his first feature laps. A slight bobble on lap 12 saw Schafer regain the lead over Kouba with Parsons and Caho close behind.
The lone caution of the race slowed the pace when 2013 Rookie of the Year Mike Mueller's car popped out of gear on the back stretch and stalled on lap 13. Schafer continued to lead Kouba and company on the restart, but it was Parsons now making his presence felt in the low lane. Schafer had switched to the top groove by now, and this left the door open on the bottom. Parsons kept digging and on lap 18 slipped by Schafer. Suddenly Caho was in the mix and making it three wide. Schafer fell back to third with less than two to go while Caho was now putting the pressure on Parsons. In a close finish at the line, Parsons picked up his third win of the season over Caho. Kouba came back on the final lap to take third away from Schafer. In his sprint car debut, Jason Schill drove Jeff Pellersels car to an impressive fifth place finish after starting 12th.
In a side story to the 2013 season, Parsons, Schafer and Mueller were also battling for the runner-up spot in the TSCS series point standings. Parsons came into the final night with a slim 2 point lead over Schafer. In the end, Parsons locked up second place in the series standings with his victory while Schafer finished third in season points ahead of Mueller in fourth. Fifth place in the series points was Brain VanMeveren. VanMeveren was not in attendance on the final night, as he was too sick to race according to Reactor Racing owner Mark Daniels. 2012 Rookie of the Year Denny Stordahl end up sixth in TSCS points ahead of Katrina Sautbine. "Hurricane Katrina" recorded her first two sprint car victories in 2013. Kevin Bradwell, Tom Porter and Lucas Milz completed the top ten in the 2013 TSCS final point standings. Bradwell was not racing his traditional sprint on the final night of the season, as he had a 360 powerplant in his car with a wing on top in preparation for the upcoming Mighty Axe UMSS shows on Saturday and Sunday. Bradwell hotlapped his winged sprint a few times during the night and drove the experimental fuel-injected non-winged car in the second heat race.
UMSS Traditional Sprint Results:
Heat 1 (8 laps) - Johnny Parsons III, Jake Kouba, Cam Schafer, Lucas Milz, Jesse Tripp, Josh Hendrickson, Tom Porter.
Heat 2 (8 laps) - Rob Caho Jr, Mike Mueller, Jason Schill, Katrina Sautbine, Denny Storadhl, D Taubert.
Feature (20 laps) - Parsons, Caho, Kouba, Schafer, Schill, Milz, Sautbine, Mueller, Stordahl, Taubert, Porter, Hendrickson, Tripp.
Lap Leaders: Schafer 1-6, Kouba 7-11, Schafer 12-17, Parsons 18-20.
Cautions: (1)
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
