BUCHANAN, Wis. (May 11, 2024) – Wisconsin International Raceway is not a race track where a driver is supposed to win in his first visit to the historic half-mile. Unless that driver happens to be Ty Fredrickson.
The 15-year-old Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist from Webster, Minn., scored his first TUNDRA Super Late Model Series feature win in The Battle for ‘The Bear’ at Wisconsin International Raceway, becoming the youngest winner in the series’ 14-year history. He also set fast time earlier in the afternoon.
Fredrickson engaged in a back-and-forth battle with four-time series Champion Dalton Zehr on multiple restarts and throughout the second half of the race. He was able to capitalize when Zehr had mechanical issues with 7 laps to go, and cruised to the checkered flag.
“The restarts with the double files were pretty difficult, but we made them work,” Fredrickson said. “I’ve got to thank Hoosier because these tires didn’t wear out. I had the same handling all race.”
Drivers settled in early behind Brock Heinrich. On lap two things began to open up as Jordan Thiel looked to settle in behind Max Schultz. Contact sent Thiel up the track and others scrambling. It also opened up the outside line for Fredrickson to close in on the Top Five. Just a couple laps later Fredrickson was challenging Zehr until a yellow fell for an incident involving Lowell Bennett and Andy Monday.
The first caution fell on lap four for an incident involving Mitch Haver and Josh Butler. On the restart Heinrich was again able to get away from the field, leaving everyone to battle for Second. As the laps clicked off the field settled in with Schultz, Thiel, Zehr, and Grant Griesbach rounding out the Top Five. Fredrickson then charged to Fifth on lap ten.
Heinrich again rocketed away from the field on the restart, leaving Schultz, Zehr and Thiel to settle in. Defending race winner Sawyer Effertz also jumped into the mix for a Top Five spot. As the laps clicked off, Fredrickson slid back to Fourth with Effertz following to Fifth on lap 17.
From that point, Fredrickson began to climb. He worked his way past Zehr on lap 23, then battled Schutlz for Second on lap 25. He started to close the gap until a caution with 41 laps to go. Effertz had a part failure that sent him hard into the outside wall in turn three. He was able to get out of the car under his own power.
When the green fell again Fredrickson shot past Heinrich into the lead. Zehr immediately went in to challenge for Second. Heinrich was able to hold on for several laps, until Zehr finally slipped by on lap 40. Another caution fell four laps later, setting up a series of cat-and-mouse restarts between Zehr and Fredrickson.
After the jousting, it was Zehr who got away and set the pace. Fredrickson stayed close, but Zehr was able to turn away all of his advances. The race took another turn when Zehr closed in on the lapped car of Jerry Mueller and closed in a bit quicker than he had anticipated. The incident brought out another caution, setting up yet another double file restart between Zehr and Fredrickson.
Again Zehr was able to get the advantage off the restart, but Fredrickson quickly swept to the inside trying to take the lead. Coming to the line with five laps remaining, Zehr slowed down the front stretch and Fredrickson slipped by. He held a strong lead over Heinrich, while Justin Mondeik powered past Schultz into Third.
Fredrickson cruised to the victory over Heinrich, Mondeik, Schultz and Alex Prunty rounding out the Top Five.
The next event for the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series is the Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial at Marshfield Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 8. More information on the event will be available soon.
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