Gabe Sommers had an eventful day at the 54th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend, but he came out on top, winning the Oktoberfest 200 and clinching the 2023 ASA Midwest Tour championship. The race took place at the La Crosse Speedway in West Salem, Wisconsin, and it certainly lived up to its reputation for excitement.
The drama began when leader Johnny Sauter encountered a mechanical issue and was forced to pull off the track with just ten laps to go. Sommers, battling at the front of the pack, inherited the lead under caution and saw an opportunity to seize victory.
But the action didn’t stop there. Earlier in the race, a caution had flown on lap 179 when Dalton Zehr and Ty Majeski fought for the lead in turn four. Unfortunately, their battle led to a collision involving Chris Weinkauf and Dan Fredrickson. Sommers managed to navigate the chaos and continue unharmed.
Majeski, the current point leader in the ASA STARS National Tour, had started at the rear of the field and was aiming for a $10,000+ Ultimate Challenge bonus. He restarted third after the caution but boldly moved to the inside of Zehr and Sauter for the lead. However, the battle ended in disaster when the incident occurred in turn four. Zehr took full responsibility for the accident, admitting his mistake.
With Sauter out of the picture, Sommers restarted side-by-side with 14-year-old Ty Fredrickson. Sommers took the lead, while Bryan Syer-Keske made an impressive move to secure the third position.
Ultimately, Sommers crossed the finish line with a 1.43-second lead over Syer-Keske, securing the victory and the points championship. Sommers expressed his joy in victory lane, saying, “Oh man, it’s awesome! Finally on the other end of it, and was in the perfect position to win it.” He acknowledged that he had come close to getting caught up in the Zehr/Majeski incident, but luck was on his side.
Syer-Keske’s second-place finish marked a strong performance and allowed him to claim the 2023 ASA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year title. Reflecting on the achievement, Syer-Keske said, “Means a lot, I have wanted to be a Rookie of the Year in the Midwest Tour for the longest time.”
Ty Fredrickson also made history, becoming the youngest driver at 14 to finish on the podium in the ASA Midwest Tour. Despite narrowly missing out on the victory, Fredrickson remained optimistic, stating, “We got them warmed up and almost got to Syer-Keske at the end.”
Ryan Farrell rounded out the top five finishers in fourth place and Riley Stenjem in fifth. Travis Volm secured a sixth-place finish, while Dan Fredrickson, Kolton Guralski, Jacob Goede, and Justin Mondeik completed the top ten.
It was an intense race filled with twists and turns, but Gabe Sommers emerged as the ultimate champion. His victory at the Oktoberfest 200 and the ASA Midwest Tour title solidified his position as a force to be reckoned with in the world of NASCAR.
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