Photo courtesy of Jess Riedner / Website
Oregon, WI – With an off weekend for the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment, many of the ARCA Midwest Tour Touring Stars traveled to Madison International Speedway in Oregon, WI this past Friday night for Round One of the Triple Crown Series. At the end of the night, five Touring Stars logged a top-ten finish with two-time Tour Champion Dan Fredrickson taking the checkered flag.
Fredrickson started eighth and passed 13-time MIS track champion Bobby Wilberg with 12 laps to go in the 50-lap main event to drive off to his second ever win at Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile Oval.
“I was a little nervous when I got to third. Travis (Sauter) and Bobby (Wilberg) were way out there,” Fredrickson said after the race. “I was kind of on the radio talking about how everybody was running smooth and clean, thinking there won’t be a caution. We had to go a long way to get them and I thought I had the lead five or six laps earlier, but a lapped car picked me off, but we got the lead.”
Fredrickson was pleased with the performance of his Super Late Model.
“It was really fun for me. My car was a frickin pleasure to drive and it was so much fun, just wish I got to do it more often,” Fredrickson said with his famous grin on his face. “I could probably end up being good at it if I had a little more time.”
Wilberg was satisfied with a strong run in Super Late Model at that honors the late Dick Trickle’s classic #99 White Night SuperAmerica car.
“It was a good night,’ Wilberg said. “To finish second with these guys it was pretty good:”
Rich Bickle Jr., another Touring Star finished third. He got the podium spot near the end of the race after Touring Star Paul Shafer Jr. and John Beale were battling for third. Both went high in turn two allowing the veteran to sneak by for the spot.
“I got a good run off one and it hooked really good,” Bickle said. “They were doing their thing and I got the room to make the move. I don’t feel bad about doing it.”
Shafer would finish fourth with Beale in fifth.
Two other Touring Stars finished in the top ten with Andrew Morrissey in seventh and Dennis Prunty in tenth.
2015 ARCAMT Rookie of the Year and current Touring Star Austin Nason was the fast qualifier and was running up with the front with leaders until mechanical issues sidelined him with a 20th place finish.
For Dan Fredrickson, he really doesn’t have a set racing schedule as he owns and operates a busy printing company. But he did provide some insight on when he plans to go to a race.
“The worse thing ever is try to commit me to go racing,” Fredrickson said with a smile. “I only do it if I get at least three hours of time to prepare the car and less than a 20-hour work day the night before, then I will go, other than that I am not going.”
Does this mean if all those things fall into place, will he back for Round Two?
“I enjoyed it here tonight, I will tell you that much,” Fredrickson said. “I am in this to have a good time. I think I am decent at it, but I am also old enough to know that I won’t be looking for the next Cup ride, so if I am having fun, I am going.”
Round Two of the Triple Crown Series is scheduled for Friday, July 7th at Madison International Speedway.
The ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment will be back in action this Saturday night, June 10th at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield, Wisconsin for the Bev Aschenbrenner Memorial. Racing will get underway at 7pm.
Visit midwesttour.racing for the full schedule and be sure to follow the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment on Facebook (/midwesttour) and Twitter (@midwesttour).
