7/27/2017
It's A Clean Sweep For Mike Mueller At Menomonie
Break out the brooms! In a dominating performance on Thursday evening July 27 at the Red Cedar Speedway, Mike Mueller executed a clean sweep by winning his heat, the dash for cash and the feature. The current Traditional Sprint Car Series point leader from Stacy picked up his first win at Menomonie and second of the season, having won recently at Rice Lake. Mueller took the lead on lap two from Hunter Custer and led the final 24 circuits on his way to the clean sweep and a visit to Rock Auto Victory Lane. Mueller earned $500 for his evening's work at the Dunn County Fair. It was Mueller's eighth career TSCS triumph, as he looks to win his first championship title in the popular non-winged sprint car series. In his post-race interview with Loren Miller, Mueller commented that "I think we should race here every Friday night." With his performance on this night, his fellow competitors might not be in total agreement.
A rare Thursday night show for the Traditional sprints turned out a thirteen car field. Jake Hendrickson made his season debut while Eric Becker was racing for the second time this season. Hunter Custer picked up his first heat win of the season while Mueller topped the second heat. Mueller won the dash for cash for the second time this season. Custer and Ty Sampair drew front row starting positions for the 25 lap feature with Mueller and Jake Kouba in row two. Jake and his dad Jimmy had previously won at the Red Cedar Speedway this season, as the UMSS Traditional sprints were making their third and final appearance at the western Wisconsin oval.
Custer led the opening lap of the feature before Mueller drove under him on lap two. Coming to complete lap three, the red flag appeared when Ty Sampair hopped a tire and barrel-rolled two and a half times in turn four. With Sampair complaining of back pain, safety crews took the necessary time to properly remove him from his car. Sampair was taken to the local hospital to be checked over, as he was alert and talking with the EMT crew and was able to stand up in his seat. The red flag, only the second of the season in Traditional sprint car racing action, caused a nearly 30 minute delay before the race went green again.
Eight laps into the main event, Jake Kouba spun in turn four to bring out the yellow. On the restart, Cam Schafer attempted to move inside of Anna Hippe coming down the front stretch. Contact resulted with the right front tire on Schafer's car coming off and rolling harmlessly to a stop in turn one near the concrete wall. Schafer, who was driving the Pellersel's 22 car with the CT525 Pace Performance engine, saw his night come to an end with a trip to the pits on the hook. The race then clicked off 17 laps green to the finish with Mueller opening up a comfortable lead on his way to the clean sweep. Anna Hippe topped her uncle Jimmy Kouba for second. Bryan Roach and Jon Lewerer rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten finishers was Custer, Jake Kouba, Blake Anderson, Brad Peterson and Becker.
The Traditional sprint cars return for the seventh time this season to the Cedar Lake Speedway near New Richmond as part of the Eric Herbison Memorial show on Saturday July 29 before taking a couple of weeks off for their "traditional" midsummer break. Keep tabs on all of the Traditional sprint car racing 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 July 27, 2017 (Race #14)
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 87-Mike Mueller, [3]; 2. 16-Anna Hippe, [7]; 3. 2K-Jimmy Kouba, [5]; 4. 99-Bryan Roach, [9]; 5. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [12]; 6. 29-Hunter Custer, [1]; 7. 6-Jake Kouba, [4]; 8. 12X-Blake Anderson, [10]; 9. 93-Brad Peterson, [6]; 10. (DNF) 17B-Eric Becker, [13]; 11. (DNF) 23-Jake Hendrickson, [11]; 12. (DNF) 22-Cam Schafer, [8]; 13. (DNF) N1-Ty Sampair, [2]
Lap Leaders: Custer 1, Mueller 2-25. Cautions: (1) Red & (2) Yellows. Red Flag with 2 laps scored for N1 flip turn 4. Long delay to get Ty out of the car, as he was complaining of back pain. First yellow with 8 laps scored for 6 spin turn 4. Second yellow on restart for 22 car losing RF tire in turn 1 after contact with 16 car. 22 car on hook to pits.
Dash 1 (6 Laps): 1. 87-Mike Mueller, [1]; 2. 6-Jake Kouba, [4]; 3. 16-Anna Hippe, [3]; 4. N1-Ty Sampair, [5]; 5. 2K-Jimmy Kouba, [6]; 6. 29-Hunter Custer, [2]
Lap Leader: Mueller 1-6. No cautions.
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 29-Hunter Custer, [2]; 2. 2K-Jimmy Kouba, [1]; 3. N1-Ty Sampair, [5]; 4. 93-Brad Peterson, [6]; 5. 99-Bryan Roach, [4]; 6. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [3]
Lap Leader: Custer 1-10. No cautions.
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 87-Mike Mueller, [1]; 2. 6-Jake Kouba, [4]; 3. 16-Anna Hippe, [3]; 4. 22-Cam Schafer, [5]; 5. 12X-Blake Anderson, [2]; 6. 23-Jake Hendrickson, [6]; 7. (DNF) 17B-Eric Becker, [7]
Lap Leader: Mueller 1-10. No cautions.
Rock Auto Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
