GILSTER GLIDES TO FIRST MASCS WIN IN THUNDERSTRUCK

Topics:  Dan Gilster

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
September 22, 2013

ELKO, Minn. (September 21, 2013) - Typically rookies don't make things look so simple. Then again, there hasn't been much typical about Dan Gilster's rookie season with the Mid-American Stock Car Series.

After fighting off some early-season gremlins, Gilster picked up his first win Saturday night at Elko Speedway in the Thunderstruck 30 presented by Bravo Trailers. He cruised from the pole-position, and led wire-to-wire in the caution-free feature event.

"It's pretty special," the West Salem, Wis., driver said. "This year is my first year doing a traveling series, and it's been a struggle at times."

Gilster came to Mid-American this season with a résumé boasting five sportsman championships at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway. After dabbling with the series on several occasions when the MASCS visited La Crosse, Gilster and his owner Frog Racing decided to join the series full time in 2013.

The win at Elko may have started well before the week of preparing for the Thunderstruck. Gilster's sour luck from early in the season started to dwindle in the last MASCS race at La Crosse. After tweaking and preparing his second car Gilster set fast time and finished third at his home track in August. Gilster said that confidence from La Crosse helped prepare him for the run at Elko.

That extra boost entering the Thunderstruck was important, as Elko had yet to be kind to Gilster. His most recent visit was three years ago with Thunder cars. "It's been a while. It hasn't been a really good experience [at Elko], so it's pretty rewarding to come here and have a great car tonight."

Gilster and 1996 MASCS Champion Mark Pluer led the field to green. Wasting no time, Gilster had the lead secured by the time the field hit the stripe for lap ten. Pluer was then left to battle defending Mid-Am Champ Jeremy Spoonmore and a pack of hungry veterans.

Early in the race Spoonmore jumped to the third spot on the outside of Adam Bendzick. One lap later Nowak challenged for the fourth spot, but could not secure it until lap seven. By this point, Spoonmore had escaped the battle and was challenging Pluer. Gilster, however, was beginning the process of separating from the field. By lap ten, he had nearly a straightaway on the pack.

"I just had to tell myself to be smooth because there were some pretty heavy hitters behind me," Gilster said. "I thought if we got a yellow that we might have a challenger on our hands. Things start going through your mind."

The driver who may have come to Gilster's mind and bumper was MASCS point-leader Brad Keith. After an out-of-character qualifying effort Keith was forced to start behind fast-qualifier Lyle Nowak. At the midway point, Keith clearly was the fastest competitor not named Gilster.

After securing a spot in the top five on lap 12, Keith continued to work the high line. He got to the outside of Lyle nowak for fourth on lap 20. Five laps later he stole the third spot from Spoonmore and set his sights on Pluer for second. Unfortunately for Keith, there was enough time to take second from Pluer, but not enough to chew up the massive amount of real estate built up by Gilster.

"When we unloaded today we were terrible," Keith said. "We changed a couple springs and sway bars before the feature. About ten laps in the car really came in on the outside. I think had we had a caution we might have had something for Danny Gilster, but he was pretty much in his own area code."

Gilster was glad the caution didn't fly, but was confident that he would have been capable of holding on to his right to visit victory lane. "I think we would have been pretty good if a yellow would have come out, but I guess we never got to see that happen."

Keith was forced to settle for second, Nowak nipped Spoonmore at the line for third, and Rick Tackman rounded out the top five.

Although he didn't get the chance to contend for the win, Keith dodged a bullet in the Championship chase for the second consecutive race. At LaCrosse he had to borrow Dusty Krebs' machine to hang on to his title race. Elko's bounce back performance was key to keeping a robust lead heading into the final two events of 2013.

"We just keep thrashing away, checking little stuff here and there making sure we don't have any maintenance problems," Keith said. "Hopefully a week from now when we leave Rockford everything is still hunky-dory and we'll just keep doing what we're doing."

The next event for Mid-American is this Sunday, September 29. Mid-American continues carrying on part of the Rockford Speedway tradition with a 75-lap feature event as part of the 48th Annual National Short Track Championships. Qualifying is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. with racing slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. More information is available at www.rockfordspeedway.com