7/26/2014
Cam Schafer Captures Fifth TSCS Win With Cedar Lake Speedway Victory
New Richmond, WI
By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director (7-26-14)
A late addition to the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series schedule certainly proved to be a good choice, as the non-winged sprints put on very good show for the fans during the Summer Sprint Special at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday July 26. When the final checkers waved, Cam Schafer of Clearbrook, MN raced to his fifth TSCS win of the season and his first career at the popular western Wisconsin 3/8 mile dirt oval. Cam celebrated his win in Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup Victory Lane with his father Dave. For Schafer, it was his ninth win in the series since coming on board last season as a regular competitor. The win also allowed Schafer to slip past Rob Caho, Jr. in the current GRP Motorsports TSCS point standings, as the pair have been swapping the top spot over the past couple of weeks. By all indications, the battle for the series championship is looking like it be up for grabs right through the final race of the season.
With an impressive thunderhead cloud to the northeast of the track, the Traditional sprint feature rolled out for their 25 lap main event. Caho was the high point driver following the heat races and he drew the six pill for the feature race invert. This put rookie Mike Walters and Mike Mueller on the front row. Walters, who nearly had a win a couple weeks ago at the Open Wheel Nationals, grabbed the early lead with a pack of cars right behind him including Schafer, Caho and the hottest driver during the month of July, Mike Mueller. The red light blinked on with 10 laps scored when Johnny Parsons III hooked one of the buried infield tires in turn four and rolled over. Parsons was okay but out of action.
Four laps after the race restarted, Schafer was finally able to get by Walters for the lead. Walters, Caho and Mueller continued a torrid battle for the runner-up spot for pretty much the rest of the race. One final caution with 19 laps in for a Jake Hendrickson spin in turn two bunched up the field, but Schafer was able to reestablish his lead and drove to victory. The battle for second was not decided until the last few laps, as Walters regained the spot from Mueller. Jake Kouba and Chase Viebrock had joined the pack of cars and settled for fourth and fifth. Caho slipped back to sixth at the finish.
Heat races were won by Jake Kouba and Chase Viebrock. In the first heat, Brad Nelson slammed into the back stretch concrete wall and rolled over 3 or 4 times in a spectacular-looking crash. Most importantly the driver from Brainerd was okay, but his car was badly damaged and out of action for the remainder of the evening.
The UMSS Traditional sprints return to their regular weekly track the next two Fridays at the St. Croix Valley Raceway before making their first appearance at the Princeton Speedway on August 15 for Night #1 of the Kouba Memorial. St. Croix Valley Raceway then hosts Night #2 of the Kouba Memorial on Saturday August 16, as both the winged and non-winged sprints will be in action each night. The Traditional sprints truly have been putting on some incredible shows throughout the season, so race fans will certainly want to make plans to take in one or more nights in the upcoming weeks as we work out way towards the finale on August 29.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Cedar Lake Speedway July 26, 2014 (Race #17)
Hoosier Racing Tire Heat #1 (10 laps): 2K Jake Kouba, 27 Mike Walters, 78 Rob Caho Jr, 81 Alex Peper, 69S Jon Lewerer, 21J Jori Hughes, 23 Jake Hendrickson DNF, 7N Brad Nelson DNF.
Driverwebsites Heat #2 (10 laps): 50 Chase Viebrock, 54 Cam Schafer, 87 Mike Mueller, 21 Jimmy Kouba, 95 Kevin Bradwell, 55 Joseph Kouba, 12 Johnny Parsons III.
GRP Motorsports A Main (25 laps): Schafer, Walters, Mueller, Jake Kouba, Viebrock, Caho, Joseph Kouba, Alex peper, Jori Hughes, Jimmy Kouba DNF, Jake Hendrickson DNF, Jon Lewerer DNF, Kevin Bradwell DNF, Johnny Parsons III DNF, Brad Nelson DNS.
Lap Leaders: Walters 1-13, Schafer 14-25.
Cautions: (2)
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
