PLOVER, Wis. (September 2, 2019) – In front of a spirited hometown crowd, Gabe Sommers smoothly sailed to his second win of the season with the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes on Labor Day at Golden Sands Speedway.

Sommers became the first driver since 2016 to claim multiple TUNDRA wins in a year. He secured the lead from the pole and showed the way for 106 of the 108 laps in The Cleaver 108 Presented by RacePal. His first win came in the North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner on July 6 at Dells Raceway Park.

It was a solid ending to the year for the young driver, who enjoyed a memorable sophomore campaign. His performance on Monday locked him in as the runner-up in the 2019 TUNDRA season standings. However, Casey Johnson had a nearly insurmountable lead entering the day. By qualifying into the dash and starting the feature, Johnson grabbed his second straight (and third overall) TUNDRA Championship. He would quietly maneuver his way to a Third Place finish late in the race.

While yellows may have benefitted Johnson in his run to Third, the caution flag was causing Sommers to cringe. Sommers seized the top spot from fellow front-row starter Justin Mondeik and started to build a lead until the first pause of the action came on lap seven.

The field settled in after the next restart and Sommers was able to build a lead over the next 40 laps. As he did, Jordan Thiel, Wyatt Brooks, and Darek Gress began to work through the field. Another caution on lap 48 brought Thiel to Sommers’ outside. Although Thiel was able to lead a lap, Sommers wrestled the top spot back. Thiel was left to deal with a speedy Gress, who secured Second and looked to run down Sommers in lapped traffic.

A debris caution brought Gress to the front row with Sommers with 33 laps to go. It also brought a cascade of yellows. Gress would have opportunities on Sommers’ outside again with 30 to go, 26 to go, and 18 to go. Each time, Sommers was able to get away from Gress. With 15 laps remaining Brooks was able to slide around Gress and secure Second just before another yellow flew.

Once again Sommers was too strong on the restart. He survived two more restarts – one with Brooks on his outside and one single file – to dash away to the win. Brooks held strong for Second, Johnson secured Third, Gress held Fourth, and Fast Qualifier Colin Reffner rounded out the Top Five.

Although marred by caution, the race had plenty of intrigue for Brooks, Johnson, Gress, and Reffner. Each driver passed seven cars on their way into the Top Five. The finishes also helped drivers improve their points positions. Brooks jumped from 13th to Seventh, Gress from 12th to Eighth, and Reffner to 11th.

For Sommers the win was an exclamation point on a strong season with only one major hiccup in the first race at WIR. He ends the season Second in points, 70 behind Johnson, but with two wins and a Second Place finish in five events.

Johnson again was the model of consistency. Along with his win at Wausau in Round Five, Johnson scored two Second Place finishes, a Third Place, and a Fourth Place finish. He also set fast time twice and had four dash appearances in five races.

With a measure of his own consistency, Rich Schumann Jr. wrapped up the Rookie of the Year title. He concluded the season with a Tenth Place finish at Golden Sands.

The TUNDRA Super Late Model Series ends it 2019 season with 53 races competing in five events and 21 teams running all five races (a sixth, scheduled race at Jefferson was rained out).

More information about the 2019 Awards Banquet and 2020 season will be available in the coming weeks through the TUNDRA web site.

WAUSAU, Wis. (August 3, 2019) – It had been nearly three years since Casey Johnson visited Victory Lane in a TUNDRA Super Late Model Series event.  The long wait ended Saturday night at State Park Speedway as he stormed to the win in Round Five Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes.

Johnson started 14th on the grid, took advantage of the outside line on several restarts, and captured the lead on lap 48 of the 75-lap affair.  The win was his first since sealing the 2016 Championship with a win on September 16 of that year at Jefferson Speedway.

Although he captured an overall bonus for the twin 55s at Dells Raceway Park last season, the defending TUNDRA Champion said there is nothing quite like being the first across the line. “Unless you take the checkered, you’re not actually winning,” Johnson said.  “We were finally able to cross the line.  I joke with my guys, ‘We have a TUNDRA race coming up, we’ll probably finish Second or Third like we always do.’  It’s just a challenging series.”

Jordan Devoy and Kevin Knuese led the field the green with Devoy gaining an early advantage.  As the field settled in for the first ten laps, the inside line proved to be the preferred groove.  Jeremy Lepak moved to Second and began to pressure Devoy for the lead.

The first caution of the race came on lap 17 and ended the day of Mike Lichtfeld.  On the restart Johnson and Justin Mondeik made some gains.  Johnson was able to move to sixth by choosing the outside line and Mondeik followed him into the next row.  The outside line faded a bit after the restart, but Mondeik slipped free and soon found himself in the Top Four.

Another caution for Chad Butz, Joel Theisen, and John Beale brought the action to a halt on lap 30.  This time Lepak joined Devoy on the front row.  Johnson followed to the outside line and would be side-by-side with defending race winner Mark Mackesy.  Mondeik elected to stay on the inside line.

When the green fell, Lepak held strong on the high side and claimed the lead.  His lead was short-lived, however, as a caution fell when Neil Knoblock slowed and stalled on the track.  Lepak elected the high side for the restart and again hold strong for several laps.  However, Devoy regained the lead and brought Johnson along.  Lepak was then forced to deal with Mackesy, Mondeik, and Jordan Thiel, who had cruised into the Top Five from his 22nd Place starting spot.

Johnson hounded Devoy for five laps, awaiting an opening. That opening finally came when he was able to get to the inside on lap 47.  By the time the field hit the backstretch Johnson had taken the lead.  He then was able to build his advantage.

“We took advantage of a couple of those early barrels,” Johnson said.  “A lot of guys want to stay on the bottom, so we tried doing the track position deal and it worked out.  You never know how it’s going to play out and you just have to roll the dice sometimes.”

Devoy was then left to joust with Mackesy and Thiel.  Mackesy found his way past on lap 60, but Johnson’s lead was too large to overcome.  Devoy held on for Third with an enormous amount of pressure from Thiel.  Mondeik rounded out the Top Five.  State Park Speedway regulars Brock Heinrich and Travis Volm enjoyed solid days by placing Sixth and Seventh.

The night was exactly what Johnson needed as he seeks his third TUNDRA Championship and second in a row.  With fast time, the win, and having passed the most cars, he stretched his advantage to 73 points over now-runner-up Gabe Sommers.  Beale fell to Third and is 97 points out.  Justin Mondeik trails him by only two markers.

The final event of the 2019 TUNDRA Super Late Model Series takes place Monday, September 2 (Labor Day) at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover, Wis.  Due to the cancellation of Round Four, the race will feature four new tires instead of three and will go extra distance – the Cleaver 108. Support divisions will be confirmed soon.

Golden Sands Speedway is located on Highway 54 between Plover and Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.  For more information visit http://www.gssraces.com.

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (July 6, 2019) – Before the North American Cup Dedicated to Carl Wegner at Dells Raceway Park Saturday night, Gabe Sommers proclaimed his car would be best on long runs. His words proved prophetic in claiming his first victory with the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes.

Sommers waited patiently as Mike Lichtfeld and Casey Johnson dueled furiously for the lead, and attacked at just the right time to dash his way to Victory Lane. In fact, Sommers had to make two passes for the lead as a caution wiped out his first advance to the front of the field.

“I knew the car would be good enough to win, and I just had to be patient,” Sommers said in reference to losing the lead due to the caution on lap 32. His fateful pass into the top spot took place on lap 55.

From the drop of the green front-row starters Lichtfeld and Johnson were engaged in battle. Regardless of which driver was on the inside and which was on the outside, neither could retain an advantage for very long. A lap-six spin reset the duo, but again they engaged in a heavy dispute.

After the restart Lichtfeld gained an advantage over Johnson only to see Johnson storm back to the bumper and eventually to the lead on lap 25. Once the top two spots were sorted out, Sommers had his chance to pounce. He slipped past Lichtfeld on lap 28 and pulled to the inside of Johnson two laps later. At one point Sommers nipped Johnson at the line, but when the caution fell on lap 32, Johnson was the leader.

Sommers elected to remain on the inside line behind Johnson, leaving the outside of the front row for Lichtfeld. When the green dropped again, Lichtfeld and Johnson ran door-to-door for a handful of laps. Lichtfeld gained an advantage on the outside but his lead was short-lived as an incident involving Jordan Devoy, fast qualifier Jake Zellmer, and Joel Theisen brought out the final yellow on lap 43.

Once again Lichtfeld and Johnson restarted in the front row. Once again neither could break free of the other. Eventually Johnson shook Lichtfeld and grabbed the lead. Just like earlier in the race, Sommers took the opportunity to capitalize. On lap 50 he made his way to Second. Just three laps later he was on Johnson’s bumper.

With a swift move to the inside out of turn two, Sommers found his way to the top spot. He held a healthy advantage over Johnson as Lichtfeld was left to deal with Justin Mondeik. Lichtfeld eventually held Mondeik at bay and secured Third.

Behind that battle, Jordan Thiel was slicing through the field. In the final 24 laps he advanced from Seventh to a Fourth Place finish. Mondeik rounded out the Top Five.

The next stop for the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series is at Jefferson Speedway on Saturday, July 20. “Wisconsin’s Action Track” will also host the Midwest Truck Series, Legends, Bandeleros, and Road Warriors.

Jefferson Speedway is located at W8135 US Hwy 18 between Jefferson and Cambridge, Wis. For more information visit http://www.jeffersonspeedway.com.

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (June 8, 2019) – Eugene Gregorich Jr. had stepped away from Super Late Model racing for almost two seasons. But when an opportunity to join forces with Wisz Racing presented itself, he accepted. He capitalized in a big way.

Gregorich dominated the Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial Presented by River Valley Bank and A&A Lock Service at Marshfield Motor Speedway Saturday night. It was Gregorich’s second win with the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes at the venue.

“It’s special to win this race because of Bev,” said an emotional Gregorich in Victory Lane. “But I’d much rather she was here to celebrate this with us.”

Slicing through the field, Gregorich wasted little time getting to the lead from his Seventh Place starting spot. He was to Fourth by lap six, Third two laps later, and grabbed the lead by lap ten. Gregorich then went on to survive several restarts and build healthy advantages.

Front row starters Darek Gress and Chad Butz battled for the lead at the outset, with Butz taking the top spot away early. However, Gress came back to life and surged to the lead on lap eight. It was at this time Mike Lichtfeld and Gregorich were working their ways to the front.

Gregorich kept his machine pasted on the bottom line and awaited his openings – first past Lichtfeld, then past Gress. He would leave the Top Five to sort themselves out until a spin on lap 17 brought out the first caution.

On the restart Gregorich quickly jumped away from Gress, who was left to deal with a blazing-fast Justin Mondeik. Mondeik, who had started 11th, cruised past Gabe Sommers on the restart, then past Lichtfeld two laps later to find himself in Third. His charge was cut off, however, by another spin on lap 20.

This time Gregorich found himself alongside Mondeik, who elected to take the high line after Gress selected the inside line for the restart. The story was much the same as Mondeik held on briefly, but Gregorich proved to be too strong.

At this point three cars started to show some life in moving toward the front of the field – Sommers, Casey Johnson, and John Beale. They would find themselves in the Top Six when a spin on lap 27 brought out the final caution.

This time Sommers had the opportunity to go to the outside of Gregorich for the restart. Although he couldn’t make the pass for the top spot, Sommers was able to secure Second by lap 35. Meanwhile, Johnson and Beale were scrapping for Fourth with Gress. Beale found a seam to get through first and Johnson would follow into Fifth on lap 40.

Eventually both Beale and Johnson caught Mondeik and took Third and Fourth by lap 48. Later in the race Rich Schumann would make a charge from Eighth to clip Mondeik late and round out the Top Five.

All this happened well behind Gregorich and Sommers, however, as they rolled into the top two finishing spots of the evening. Gregorich was then greeted with a shower of adult beverages and Bev Aschenbrenner’s famous cheesecake bars in Victory Lane.

Gregorich had won TUNDRA’s first appearance at Marshfield in 2013 in very similar fashion.

Being the second event of the season, Round Two for the TUNDRA Super Late Model Series set the tone for the points race. Johnson continues to lead with Beale slicing into his point lead (22 points back). The team of Dennis Prunty and Neil Knoblock is Third (26 points back), Chad Butz is Fourth (47 points back), and Gabe Sommers rounds out the Top Five (48 points back).

Other storylines on the day include a hard-luck day for Colin Reffner – his second in a row. Reffner set fast time but developed a miss in his machine. It was his second DNF to begin 2018.

On the flip side, Jake Zellmer enjoyed one of his best TUNDRA events to date by making the fast dash and finishing Seventh. Zellmer was unable to start the race date at WIR due to mechanical issues and lost his engine in another race. The team’s tireless effort paid off with a solid day at Marshfield.

The next stop for the TUNDRA Super Late Mode Series Powered by Wisconsin Potatoes is Dells Raceway Park on Saturday, July 6. The birthplace of TUNDRA will host a special event dedicated to Carl Wegner. More information will be available through the TUNDRA web site soon.

Dells Raceway Park is located at N1070 Smith Road just north of downtown Wisconsin Dells. For more information visit http://www.dellsracewaypark.com