Today, it was the second day of the Annual Fall Shootout, a year end celebration created by former track owner Jim Langreck back in the mid-1990’s. The tradition continued this weekend as many fans and race teams filled the campground, enjoy great racing and camaraderie!
With the UMA ALL-STAR super late models on hand to complete for the third leg of the triple crown series, Verona, WI driver John Beale was looking to seal his first super late model series championship. Beale started off the day very well as he locked down fast time honors with a lap time of 18.131 seconds. Heat winners today were veteran driver Mark Mackesy of Wausau, WI, and young hotshoe Justin Mondeik, who calls Gleason, WI home.
Once the drivers took to the track for their 75-lap feature event, it was Nekoosa, WI Darren Jackson jumping out to the early lead. Jackson, once he took the green flag, was announced as the 2019 SLM track champion. Jackson would lead the first three laps, however, on lap four, it was Harley Jankowski putting his high-powered #95 slm in the top spot with an outside pass of Jackson. By lap 10, Corey Jankowski put his #31 car into the second spot, followed closely by Justin Mondeik. Harley Jankowski had enjoyed a 5-car length lead, but with fast timer John Beale on the move, Jankowski’s lead diminished rapidly. By lap 19, Jankowski slipped up the track in the middle of turns 3/4, and Beale took advantage of the low side, and motored to the front of the pack. With Beale’s car on an absolute rail, it appeared the race would be for the other podium spots. Colin Reffner, maybe the most successful driver in recent history at Marshfield, moved his familiar #87 blue/white hot rod to the third spot by lap 34. Reffner, who captured a feature win on day one of the Fall Shootout, started to set his sight on a very fast Justin Mondeik. On lap 40, Reffner made the pass of Mondeik for the second spot. Colin Reffner looked out front of his window and had to wonder where the first place Beale car was. While Reffner and Mondeik were doing battle for the second spot, John Beale simply checked out on the field. In the closing laps, the battle for the final podium spot had heated up. Dan Lindsley closed within a few car lengths of the third place Mondeik car.
Once the drivers took the checkered flag, it was John Beale capturing the feature win and ALL-STAR Triple Crown Championship. With Colin Reffner gliding to an easy second place finish, Justin Mondeik held off Dan Lindsley for third. Mark Mackesy drove his purple #12 car to a fifth place finish.
