GILSTER A HOMETOWN HERO AND FEST WINNER, KEITH TAKES TITLE |
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Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
October 5, 2013
WEST SALEM, Wis. (Ocotber 5, 2013) – The August 24 visit of the Mid-American Stock Car Series to LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway proved to be truly critical to the outcome of the 2013 version of Oktoberfest. The late-summer preview gave a glimpse of a rising hometown star and a critical moment in the 2013 title chase.
Dan Gilster set fast time and finished third in the August race at LFS. He was not able to keep pace with Jeremy Spoonmore and winner Bill Prietzel. This time, however, with a large and bias crowd on hand, the Mid-American Rookie of the Year was not denied.
Gilster took the lead from Tyler Bauknecht with 13 laps remaining in the Oktoberfest 40 and dashed away, much to the delight of those who had seen him claim five Sportsman titles at LFS. It was his second win in the final three MASCS events and propelled him to a third-place finish in standings.
A frantic start highlighted the beginning of the 40-lap Oktoberfest feature. Although Rick Tackman and Jack Stern sat in the front row, Tyler Bauknecht led the first lap. Bauknecht wasted no time diving to the inside line after the green fell and made a daring three-wide pass of the front-row starters.
Bauknecht began to pull away as Tackman and Stern remained under attack from the rest of the field. Tackman held his ground and remained in the top three by the time the first caution fell on lap 11. By that point former MASCS Champions Rick Corso and James Swan were in the top five. Brad Keith and Gilster were, as well.
Two more cautions plagued the continuation of the feature as Stephen Cox spun on lap 14 and Tackman and Stern came together on lap 18. The second incident claimed Stern, Ben Glasscock, Chris Storey and Lyle Nowak. Stern and Glasscock did not continue.
The lap 18 restart saw Bauknecht flanked by Swan, who was looking for his third straight MASCS Oktoberfest win. It was not to be, however, as Swan was beaten on the restart by Bauknecht and dropped out with mechanical issues two laps later.
As the laps clicked off Bauknecht looked as though he was on his way to his second Oktoberfest win. Little by little, however, Gilster erased Bauknecht’s advantage. With 15 laps remaining Gilster caught the 2010 ‘Fest winner. Just two laps later Gilster slid to the inside and took the lead away.
Bauknecht held on to second, Brad Keith was third, Bill Prietzel finished fourth and Bobby Gutknecht came out of retirement to complete the top five.
KEITH CLAIMS TITLE
Brad Keith’s trip to LFS was a much better experience in October than it was in August. In the August 24 event Keith was forced to call on Dusty Krebs’ help to keep his title hopes healthy. This time Keith controlled his own fate, in his own ride. He controlled it well.
Fifty-seven points held as a cushion for Keith to second-place Jeremy Spoonmore. Spoonmore, the 2012 MASCS Champ, made up 62 points on Lyle Nowak at last season’s ‘Fest to claim the crown. Knowing this bit of history Keith placed an emphasis on qualifying.
Keith qualified fourth out of 24 competitors. He gained three points on Spoonmore who qualified seventh.
The heat race proved critical, as well, for Keith. Racing his way to third, Keith put pressure on Spoonmore. Spoonmore zigged and zagged through his heat to finish second, and event attempted a three-wide pass to take the win. After the heats Keith held a 59 point advantage. The maximum amount of points that can be gained in a feature is 58.
Once Keith took the green flag he was assured the 2013 title. The podium finish was a solid bonus, much like the champagne to cap off a monstrous burnout and a title celebration. It was Keith’s first major title in stock car racing.
The story could have been much different if not for Krebs’ help. Keith gained 78 points in the August race with Krebs’ car. Had Keith not competed in that race and lost the 78 points, Jeremy Spoonmore would have won his second title by four markers over Keith.
When looking back at his 2013 crown, Keith can point to LFS as the most critical track of his campaign – as the track where his title hopes were saved, and as the one where he left no doubt at Oktoberfest that he deserved to capture the Championship.
Full results and final 2013 standings available by clicking the Motorstats link above.