Spirit of 83 Memorial, naming of Hall of Famers highlight Sunday show at Chateau

Brandon Davis won the USRA Modified feature.

Brandon Davis won the USRA Modified feature.


Chateau Speedway hosted the Inaugural “Spirit of 83” Memorial on Sunday night.  The race was a continuation of the “Mike Guttormson Memorial” which started in 1998, a year after the passing of one of the tracks all-time favorite drivers and one of the all time biggest supporters of the facility.  The rebranding of the memorial event was done to not only honor Mike but all those individuals, drivers, fans, crew members and more who shared Mike's spirit for the track that are no longer with us.

The 40-lap USRA Modified feature was still referred to as the “Guttormson Memorial Feature” but the night was in memory of many more.

Since the first Memorial was held in 1998, 12 drivers have shared in the 20 feature wins.  The race was not run last year as the facility changed hands in June and did not get reopened until July.  Drivers who have claimed titles in the past included Todd Scharkey (5 wins), Brandon Davis (3), Jimmy Davis (2), defending champion Jason Cummins (2) and one each for Jason Slegh, Neil Eckhart, Brad Waits, Jason Krohn, Mike Sorensen, Ryan Gustin, Rodney Sanders and Lucas Schott.

Twenty-one USRA Modifieds signed in for the show with 20 of them taking the green flag in the main event.  Kevin Stoa of Albert Lea and Steve Wetzstein of West Concord lined up on the front row and lined up first and second on the first two laps and were working on giving themselves a little room when a debris caution on lap 3 regrouped the field.  Brandon Davis of Hayfield, who had started in row 3, was up to third when the caution flew and he used the restart to jump straight to the front.

The field then proceed to run 37 clean laps of green flag racing with Davis leading all the way to the checkers.  Cummins, starting in row 5, worked his way through the field making it to second with just a handful of laps left and no time to try and reel in Davis.  Dustin Sorensen of Rochester outran Stoa for third.  Wetzstein ended up in fifth just ahead of Adam Hensel of Baldwin, Wis.

Davis, Cummins and Joe Horgdal of Kasson took the heat wins.  Davis collected $1,900 for his win along with a beautiful glass etched trophy.  He also received a wooden American flag donated by Bobby Kilby.

In the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, Kadden Kath had to work a little harder as he started the main event in row 3.  Jett Sorensen of Rochester led the early laps which were plagued by several cautions.  Dustin Steinbrink of Austin took advantage of one of those cautions.  Off a restart on lap 4 he jumped from third to first but Kath came with him and moved up to second a few laps later.

Then off yet another restart Kath got the jump on the restart and vaulted to the front where he stayed the rest of the way.  Channing Warner of Owatonna, who had a heat win on the night, ended up coming home second after starting on the pole.  Sorensen had to settle for third ahead of Scott Demmer of Ellendale and Aaron Hoff of Mantorville.  Steinbrink broke and ended up being scored outside the top 10 at the end of the race. Jeremy Schaufenbuel of New Hampton, Iowa, had a heat win and ended up finishing sixth.


Kadden Kath won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature.

The Announcement of naming the first members of the new “Chateau Speedway Hall of Fame” was done at intermission.  The first class consists of 13 former drivers and two legacy members.  The committee  found it difficult to narrow down a group of over thousands of individuals who have been associated with the track over the years.  Over 650 drivers have won at least one feature at the track which opened in 1956 with 150 of them winning at least one track championship over the 63 years the track has been operating.  The 13 drivers combined collected over 31 championships over the years.

Those selected for the Inaugural class (track championship years) include Dave Bjorge (1962, 1970), Ole Brua (1958, 1959, 1960), Verlin Eaker (1961),  Mike Guttormson (1976, 1981, 1991), Don Lowe (1965, 1967), Don McAllister (1964), Dave Noble (1963, 1969, 1977), Greg Pfeifer (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991), LeRoy Scharkey (1990, 1992, 1993), John "Sonny" Van Willigen (1988, 1990, 1992), Mert Williams (1974, 1975, 1980), Gerhard Wollenburg (1967, 1968, 1970) and Don Wytaske (1973).

The legacy member category was created to honor Individuals who may never have raced but had a big part of the track's history,   The honor for the inaugural class was given to two individuals: Art and Howard Smith, two of the men who were behind the birth of the track in 1956. Smith is listed as the original owner and both are listed as promoters for those early years.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday night, June 21, at intermission of that night's race program.  It is hoped that those members will be available to be there that night for introduction to the fans.  Those members who are no longer with us will have a family member invited to represent them.

The Chateau Speedway will return to its regular Friday night schedule next weekend with Kids Night with car rides for the kids before the races as well as bicycle giveaways at intermission.  Parents are encouraged to get the kids who would like a ride in one of the cars to get out to the track early as the rides will begin between 6:15 and 6:30.  That will be followed by the night's regular schedule of hot laps, a pit meeting and the opening ceremonies with first green flag scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Chateau Speedway, Lansing, Minn.
Sunday, May 26, 2019

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (4) 34 Jeremy Schaufenbuel, New Hampton, Iowa
2. (6) 54 Jett Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 83X Kadden Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
4. (2) 02K Hunter Kennedy, St. Ansgar, Iowa
5. (5) 30 Scott Demmer, Ellendale, Minn.
6. (1) 15 Todd Schaufenbuel, New Hampton, Iowa
7. (7) 83K Kobie Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
8. (8) 44Z Anton Nelson, Hayfield, Minn.
DNS – 693 Cody Torgerson, Pemberton, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (1) 27 Channing Warner, Owatonna, Minn.
2. (5) 55H Aaron Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
3. (6) 33S Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn.
4. (7) 99 Noah Grinstead, Austin, Minn.
5. (4) 4W Tucker Williams, Rochester, Minn.
6. (2) 0D Thomas Rolfes, Carpenter, Iowa
7. (3) 71 Jamie Tapp, Myrtle, Iowa
DNS – 66V Dustin Von Hagen, Glenville, Minn.

Feature:
1. (5) 83X Kadden Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
2. (1) 27 Channing Warner, Owatonna, Minn.
3. (2) 54 Jett Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (8) 30 Scott Demmer, Ellendale, Minn.
5. (10) 55H Aaron Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
6. (9) 34 Jeremy Schaufenbuel, New Hampton, Iowa
7. (13) 83K Kobie Kath, Owatonna, Minn.
8. (7) 4W Tucker Williams, Rochester, Minn.
9. (6) 99 Noah Grinstead, Austin, Minn.
10. (16) 693 Cody Torgerson, Pemberton, Minn.
11. (3) 33S Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn.
12. (4) 02K Hunter Kennedy, St. Ansgar, Iowa
13. (12) 0D Thomas Rolfes, Carpenter, Iowa
14. (11) 15 Todd Schaufenbuel, New Hampton, Iowa
15. (15) 66V Dustin Von Hagen, Glenville, Minn.
16. (14) 44Z Anton Nelson, Hayfield, Minn.
DNS – 71 Jamie Tapp, Myrtle, Iowa

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1:
1. (6) 50 Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
2. (1) 24 Charlie Steinberg, Kasson, Minn.
3. (2) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
4. (3) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
5. (4) 51 Blake Arndt, Browndale, Minn.
6. (5) 51W J.T. Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
7. (7) 21 Troy Gudmonson, Savage, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (1) 29H Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
2. (6) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (7) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Hea, Minn.
4. (5) 111JR Keith Tourville, Janesville, Minn.
5. (3) 12 Chad Porter, Madison Lake, Minn.
6. (4) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.
7. (2) 5D Devon Havlik, Iowa Falls, Iowa

Heat #3:
1. (1) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
2. (4) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis.
3. (5) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
4. (3) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
5. (2) 6 Dustin Kruse, Brandon, S.D.
6. (6) S43 Shaun Olson, Albert Lea, Minn.
DNS – 15 Chris Loberg, Elma, Iowa

Feature:
1. (6) 50 Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
2. (10) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
3. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (1) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Hea, Minn.
5. (2) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
6. (7) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis.
7. (8) 111JR Keith Tourville, Janesville, Minn.
8. (13) 51 Blake Arndt, Browndale, Minn.
9. (9) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
10. (16) 51W J.T. Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
11. (5) 24 Charlie Steinberg, Kasson, Minn.
12. (3) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
13. (20) 5D Devon Havlik, Iowa Falls, Iowa
14. (11) 29H Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
15. (15) 6 Dustin Kruse, Brandon, S.D.
16. (12) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
17. (18) S43 Shaun Olson, Albert Lea, Minn.
18. (17) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.
19. (14) 12 Chad Porter, Madison Lake, Minn.
20. (19) 21 Troy Gudmonson, Savage, Minn.
DNS – 15 Chris Loberg, Elma, Iowa