Hermersmann Finally Breaks Through
BEAVER DAM, Wis. – It wasn’t long ago when Scott Hermersmann was on the verge of his first career victory in the grand national division at Beaver Dam Raceway.
Unfortunately, he fell two laps short.
On Saturday night, he made sure those two laps wouldn’t come back to haunt him again.
Hermersmann took the checkered flag in the 20-lap grand national “A” main, his first career victory.
His victory highlighted what was a wild and hard-fought night of racing as the championship point battles got closer to a settlement.
With two weeks remaining in the season, a handful of drivers saw their championship dreams evaporate, while others continue to hang in there for a shot at the coveted prize in their respective divisions.
The most wide-open battle for the final two weeks of the season is the sport modified division as 10 drivers are still mathematically eligible to win the championship.
Colton Van Hierden passed Kevin Tillema with two laps to go and won the “A” main and kept his championship hopes alive.
Aaron Muhle finished second, followed by Tillema, Jesse Bray (Two Rivers) and Tony Rialson to round out the top five.
In the legends, the points battle could’ve really gotten shaken up. But a hard-charging Brandon Schmitt, the division points leader, wasn’t going to let it happen.
Schmitt, who’s used a hot streak to get to the top of the points standings, got into a hard crash with Kim Clover during one of the three heat races and was unable to finish.
His crew frantically got Schmitt’s car back together, but Schmitt had to start 17th in the 20-car “A” main feature. And for a while Schmitt struggled to get through the field as he was in 13th place just passed the halfway point of the 20-lap feature. But a couple cautions, bunched the field back together and Schmitt was able to pick off cars and go on to finish eighth.
Joel Wyttenbach was initially credited the race victory. But a multi-car accident on the front stretch just as the field was taking the white flag, brought out the caution. Wyttenbach passed Eric Barth, the defending track and national champion, just as the yellow came out.
It was ruled that Barth was the leader when the yellow came out. And because a yellow- and checkered-flag was displayed, the race was over and Barth was credited with the victory.
Wyttenbach was scored second.
Dustin Smits (Randolph) won the street stocks feature, keeping him barely alive for the championship.
The last feature of the night was the modifieds and what a race this turned out to be. Dave Schoenberger fought off numerous challenges from Craig Priewe to win the feature.
Posted by NSSN Staff
on Sep 2 2012 Filed under MIDWEST, Racing Nation.
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