WEST SALEM — J. Herbst, fresh off his first Kwik Trip Late Model feature win of the season, was enjoying the moment with his family late Saturday night. The next moment, however, was spent thinking about something else: Not how, but when to prove a point.

Herbst is one of two drivers in the Kwik Trip Late Model Division whose car is powered by a crate motor. Rookie Cole Howland is the other, but his is a Chevy crate motor, while Herbst’s is a Ford. A crate motor is a factory-sealed race engine that is legal to race with at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, but it still is creating quite a buzz.

Some of the other race teams at the track openly have wondered what level of horsepower the crate motor is cranking out, and if the Herbst team has an advantage because of it.

“We came to the track two weeks ago and put the 9-to-1 (regular race engine) in,” Herbst said. “We never got to use it (because of the rain). We’re going to put it back in.”

Why would Herbst, who has climbed back into the top five in the season points despite two DNF’s (Did Not Finish), mess with his rocket-ship of a car?

“To prove a point,” Herbst quickly responded.

There is no doubt Herbst’s Ford powerplant has plenty of zip, but his car is fast, smooth and consistent through the turns. That has allowed him to be consistently fast throughout the season.

“This is probably the best one (car) I have ever had,” Herbst said. “For consistency, for drivability, for setting it up. We got this new Race Tech Chassis, and it has been really good.”

There is no doubt that the chassis is good, but Tony Bagstad — who finished second to Herbst in the feature — is convinced Herbst has some pretty strong horses, too.

“He’s got a lot of horsepower under the hood,” Bagstad said. “He still outcornered me. He’s got a good car.”

FAN ACCIDENT: A fan who was leaving the pit area after the races, apparently fell as she walked up the steps to the grandstand. She allegedly fell to the track, and stayed there for at least 15 minutes. She was attended to by track personnel, then later taken to the hospital by ambulance. No condition report was available.

FIRST CHECKERS: Howland, who just completed his junior year at Logan High School, picked up his first Kwik Trip Late Model win when he crossed the line ahead of Todd Oliver in a heat race. Howland is on a hot streak, having finished second to Emily Sue Steck in the 25-lap feature race last week.

“That was nice finish he had,” said Herbst of Howland, who is mentoring the 17-year-old La Crosse driver. “I was pretty proud of him. He is going to get better with experience.”

WHAT A RACE: Cashton’s Tony Bagstad and Tim Nelson engaged in an intense battle in a Kwik

Trip Late Model heat race Saturday night. Nelson led much of the race until Bagstad decided to take the outside groove, and attempt to steal the checkered flag.

Bagstad worked hard for it, and was able to beat Nelson across the line by a bumper — or a foot — at the most.

FAN PHOTO: The front stretch of the five-eighths-mile track at the Fairgrounds Speedway was packed with fans Saturday night during the track’s annual fan photo night. Fans, young and old and every age in between, were on hand getting autographs, trading cars and photos of their favorite drivers.

CAR COUNT: It was a big night at the Speedway as 131 drivers turned out for four divisions of racing. There were 48 Hornet Division drivers, 31 United Auto Supply Thunderstox competitors, 29 North Country Contractors Sportsman drivers and 23 drivers behind the wheel of Late Model machines.