The weekly warriors of the Big 8 Late Model Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet made their inaugural visit to State Park Speedway in Wausau (WI) Thursday night and discovered a fantastic two lane track nestled at the base of Rib Mountain. A three way battle for the win came down to the final turn with Jeremy Miller besting local favorite Jeremy Lepak and fast qualifier Casey Johnson.

Jimmy Ganski took advantage of an impressive dash win to capture the pole position for the 58 lap main event and shot past front row mate Jon Reynolds, Jr to take command early. Reynolds settled into second during the opening stages and soon had Jeremy Miller, Jeremy Lepak and Mike Ehde in tow behind him. The high side became very active as Miller shot around Reynolds eight laps into the run and set his sights on Ganski. Lepak moved into third, shuffling Driver X to fourth four laps later. After two laps of challenging Ganski on the outside, Miller finally closed the deal as the leaders charged down the backstretch completing the twentieth lap.

From his ninth starting position, fast qualifier and most recent Big 8 winner Casey Johnson began an impressive march on the high line, moving past Kyle Shear on the twenty fifth circuit to put his ride into the top five and into fourth past Reynolds shortly thereafter. Positions swapped throughout the field and when the first caution waved on lap forty, Lepak had begun to reel Miller into his sights after wrestling the runner-up spot from Ganski. The choose restart became interesting as Lepak, Zach Riddle, Ryan Carlson and Shear all chose to go up top. Lepak cleared the inside line and glued his ride to Miller’s bumper as Johnson moved into third, allowing him to join the fight for the win. The State Park experience favored Lepak who dove inside Miller on multiple occasions as the field approached the fiftieth lap, pulling to the leader’s door. One final caution for a Casey Strese spin on the frontstretch set up one last four lap showdown.

This time it was Johnson choosing the high side for the restart along with Riddle, Reynolds and Carlson. Once again the lead trio of Miller, Lepak and Johnson proved they were the class of the field on this night. The Pontiac of Lepak struggled to find the right rhythm inside of Miller’s Ford to get the job done as Lepak completed a power slide through turn four as the white flag was displayed.

Miller became the first repeat winner of the 2012 Big 8 Series season as he narrowly escaped Lepak’s last challenge. Johnson, the current Jefferson Speedway Point Leader continued his solid season with a third place effort. Behind the leaders things got wild when Ganski and Riddle made contact coming to the checkered flag, this allowed Brady Liddle to shoot the gap and go from sixth to fourth in the final turn, Riddle, the Powersource Racing Engines Power Mover of the Race fell to fifth and Ganski finished sixth.

The Race Car Help qualifying heat win went to leading Rookie of the Year contender Jesse Bernhagen. Ganski and Reynolds captured Assembly Products Fast Dash victories. The win was the tenth career Big 8 triumph for Miller who extended his point lead to fifty-five points over Ryan Carlson.

The Big 8 Series takes a two month break to allow the weekly warriors to battle for their respective home track Championships and will return to action on September 14 and 15 during The Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson Speedway. For additional information visit www.big8series.com or call 815-633-0035.

RESULTS

Big 8 Late Model Series
A-Main 01 -- 1. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 2. Jeremy Lepak, Ringle, Wis; 3. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 4. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 5. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 6. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 7. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 8. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 9. Kyle Wolosek (r), Wisconsin Rapids, Wis; 10. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 11. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 12. Mike Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 13. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 14.
Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 15. Natalie Decker, Eagle River, Wis; 16. Noel Ramge, Helenville, Wis; 17. Todd Handrick, Wausau, Wis; 18. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 19. Mondell Peters, Mosinee, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 2. Natalie Decker, Eagle River, Wis; 3. Noel Ramge, Helenville, Wis; 4. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 5. Todd Handrick, Wausau, Wis.
Qualifying Dash 01 -- 1. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 2. Mike Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 3. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 4. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 5. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 6. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 7. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park.
Qualifying Dash 02 -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 2. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 3. Jeremy Lepak, Ringle, Wis; 4. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 5. Kyle Wolosek (r), Wisconsin Rapids, Wis; 6. Mondell Peters, Mosinee, Wis; 7. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis.
Time Trial -- 1. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 2. Jeremy Lepak, Ringle, Wis; 3. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 4. Kyle Wolosek (r), Wisconsin Rapids, Wis; 5. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 6. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 7. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 8. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 9. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 10. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 11. Mike Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 12. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 13. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 14. Mondell Peters, Mosinee, Wis; 15. Noel Ramge, Helenville, Wis; 16. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 17. Natalie Decker, Eagle
River, Wis; 18. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 19. Todd Handrick, Wausau, Wis.