Story originally printed in the Coulee News or online at www.couleenews.com
Published - Thursday, July 09, 2009
‘A long time coming’
WEST SALEM — A late accident on the back straightaway at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway made the Kwik Trip Late Model feature a two-lap race Saturday night.
But just like he had from Lap 6 on, Matt Henderson was up to the challenge of holding off the rest of the field.
Henderson, a 20-year-old Coon Valley resident, maintained his re-start lead on second-place Todd Korish for those last two laps and claimed his first feature victory in three years of racing in the division.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Henderson, who took the lead from Bill Niles on the sixth lap and only relinquished it once the rest of the way. “It’s always been a dream of mine.”
Henderson qualified 11th, but he moved up from his starting spot in the second row almost immediately. Niles led Laps 2-5 before Henderson passed him on the second turn of the sixth lap.
Kevin Nuttleman pushed his car a nose ahead of Henderson midway through the race, but that only lasted one lap.
The final showdown between Henderson and Korish was set up when Niles and Emily Sue Steck made contact on the back straightaway. Steck’s car ended up on top of Niles’ just off the track, and the yellow flag couldn’t have come at a worse time for Korish.
“I thought I had a shot (to get by Henderson) at the caution,” said Korish, who was looking for his first feature win of the season, “but it didn’t happen.”
Henderson knew he had his hands full on the re-start. In addition to Korish, he had to deal with a charging Steve Carlson and Nuttleman, who was looking for his 105th career victory.
Nuttleman started in the third row and ran in the top three for 21 of the the last 22 laps of the race. Carlson caught him at the end and placed third.
“I thought Todd had the fastest car out there,” Henderson said. “I got really tight at the end, so I’m glad I was able to hold him off.”
TENNER, WINCHEL THE WINNERS IN SPORTSMAN AND THUNDERSTOX: Jes Tenner of Melrose won his third Sportsman feature and is now tied with Powell for the most feature victories — in any division — this season.
Sparta’s Rusty Winchel won the Thunderstox feature. It’s his first win this season.
SPORTSMAN RECORD: Randy Humfeld of Chaseburg set a track record with a time of 21.846 in qualifying. That was one-thousandth of a second faster than the previous best set by Tony Leis.
HANCOCK DISQUALIFIED: Travis Hancock, who finished ninth in the Late Model feature, was disqualified after the race for running with an illegal carburetor.
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