5/26/2017
Jake Kouba Captures Traditional Sprint Win at Red Cedar
The wins keep coming for the Kouba family in the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series, as young Jake Kouba picked up his second win of the season and his first at the Red Cedar Speedway on Friday evening May 26. Kouba took command up front from early race leader Mike Mueller on lap seven and cruised to a convincing win in the 25 lap main event. Jake celebrated in Rock Auto Victory Lane with his crew chief, his mother Jamie, in keeping the 2017 season batting average in feature races at an even .500 still for this famous racing family. Jake Kouba also set himself up for the $500 Memorial Day weekend Clean Sweep Bonus from GRP Motorsports should he happen to win the remaining two races. His dad Jimmy, who finished second at Red Cedar, along with several other strong competitors may have something to say about that before the final checkers wave at Eagle Valley.
Fifteen Traditional sprints were on hand and they ran two heat races. Brad Peterson and Jimmy Kouba topped the heats. Peterson had to hold off a charging Jake Kouba for the last several laps in his 10 lap heat in order to secure the win. The charge forward for Jake Kouba from his eighth starting spot easily put him in the top position in passing and finishing points. Peterson, Mueller and Jimmy Kouba also earned the right to draw for the top four starting spots in the main event. Following the draw, the front row for the feature would see Jake Kouba and Mueller while the second row would be comprised of Peterson and Jimmy Kouba. In the first heat race, Hunter Custer led the first three laps before his engine expired. He was done for the night.
Mueller bolted into the lead at the start of the feature race. On lap two entering turn one, Cam Schafer's car spun around backwards and shot up the track into the concrete wall, damaging the tail end of the car and bending the frame. The 2014 TSCS champion's night was done early. Scott Brandt and Ty Sampair also spun around and stopped, requiring them to tag the tail on the restart. Mueller continued to lead until lap seven. That's when Jake Kouba took command of the race and would never be seriously challenged for the remaining 18 laps. The race was under the red flag with 15 laps scored when Blake Anderson's car hopped a right rear tire of another car and executed a series of rollovers in the middle of turns 3 & 4. Blake was okay and reported afterwards that the car may be repairable for Rice Lake the next night. Jake Kouba sprinted away from the field for the final 10 laps. Jimmy Kouba, who had taken over second from Mueller on lap 14, capped off the Kouba sweep of the top two positions. Fourteenth starter Jeremy Kerzman slipped by Mueller with a couple laps to go for third. Mueller finished fourth. Neal Matuska also got by Bryan Roach in the late going for fifth. Roach, Jon Lewerer, Peterson, Kevin Bradwell and Sampair completed the top ten.
With one of the 50-50 girls from the Red Cedar Speedway conducting the draw, the $100 GRP Motorsports mystery finishing position bonus in the feature race went to Scott Brandt when the lucky number 13 was drawn by the young lady. Brandt who pulled off part way into the race, joked with his good friend Bryan Roach after the races that he made more money than Roach did. Roach then revealed that he actually had won the 50-50 drawing. Nothing like a coincidence amongst a couple of good racing buddies.
The Traditional sprints headed to the Rice Lake Speedway on Saturday to continue their scheduled three race Memorial Day Weekend tour in western Wisconsin. Keep tabs on all of the UMSS Traditional sprint car action by visiting our website at www.umsprints.com and clicking on the blue logo or by following us on Facebook.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Red Cedar Speedway May 26, 2017 (Race #6)
GRP Motorsports A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 6-Jake Kouba[1]; 2. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[4]; 3. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[14]; 4. 87-Mike Mueller[2]; 5. 48-Neal Matuska[7]; 6. 99-Bryan Roach[5]; 7. 69S-Jon Lewerer[13]; 8. 93-Brad Peterson[3]; 9. 95-Kevin Bradwell[11]; 10. N1-Ty Sampair[10]; 11. 34-Denny Stordahl[12]; 12. (DNF) 12X-Blake Anderson[6]; 13. (DNF) 7-Scott Brandt[9]; 14. (DNF) 14-Cam Schafer[8]; (DNS) 29-Hunter Custer
Lap Leaders: Mueller 1-6, Jake Kouba 7-25. Cautions (1) Yellow with 1 lap scored for 14 backed into turn 1 wall, 7 & N1 also spun. (1) Red with 15 laps scored for 12x rollover in turn 3-4 after hopping right rear tire.
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 93-Brad Peterson[3]; 2. 6-Jake Kouba[8]; 3. 99-Bryan Roach[4]; 4. N1-Ty Sampair[2]; 5. 48-Neal Matuska[7]; 6. 34-Denny Stordahl[5]; 7. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman[6]; 8. (DNF) 29-Hunter Custer[1]
Lap Leaders: Custer 1-3, Peterson 4-10. Cautions: (1) for 29 stalled turn 2 with 3 laps scored (engine).
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 2K-Jimmy Kouba[2]; 2. 87-Mike Mueller[5]; 3. 12X-Blake Anderson[1]; 4. 14-Cam Schafer[3]; 5. 7-Scott Brandt[6]; 6. 95-Kevin Bradwell[7]; 7. 69S-Jon Lewerer[4]
Lap Leaders: Anderson 1-3, J Kouba 4-10. No cautions.
Rock Auto Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
