WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Stock car racing returned to the historic Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park Sunday afternoon, with Austin Nason capturing the ARCA Midwest Tour Father’s Day 100.
With auto racing dating back to 1903 at the Milwaukee area oval, the event marked the return of stock car competition to the one-mile paved speed plant after a five-year hiatus.
Nason, the 24-year-old speedster from Roscoe, Ill., wheeled his Montgomery Ward/Haase Builders/Kar Korner/JRS Shocks-sponsored Ford No. 14 to the win, taking the checkered flag with a 2.237-second advantage over four-time ARCA Midwest Tour champion and the event’s fastest qualifier Ty Majeski, who was among several leaders of the 100-lap chase.
Minnesota’s Dan Fredrickson, another leader during the race, finished third with Colorado standout Preston Peltier taking fourth. Casey Roderick, Casey Johnson, who started the afternoon on top of the Midwest Tour standings, Ryan Farrell, last chance race winner Josh Brock, Eddie MacDonald and Gabe Sommers rounded out the top 10.
“I hope this becomes a tradition,” said Nason after his victory. “This is awesome just to come back to this place. I think if we make this a tradition every year, you’ll keep getting more and more fans.”
Frederickson had changed tires during the first caution period with 40 laps complete with Nason, along with Majeski, putting on new tires when the second caution flag waved with 79 laps in the books. Nason lined up fifth on the restart and charged by Fredrickson for the top spot on lap 94, leading the rest of the way.
In other feature action during an overcast, rather cold – temperatures in the 50s, afternoon, Ron Weyer was the winner of the 20-lap Mid American Stock Car Series contest. Inheriting the lead after front runners Aaron Shelton and Mark Pluer tangled while battling for the lead, the 49-year-old Weyer bested Rick Corso, Scott Ascher, Rick Tackman Jr., Steve Blair and Luke Baldwin.
Fifteen-year-old Levon Van Der Geest held off the challenges of Joe Valento to win the 20-lap Midwest Truck Tour feature. Ready to be a high school sophomore in a few months, Van Der Geest is the son of Wisconsin late model car owner, Jay Van Der Gest. Veteran Wisconsin racer James Swan took third, followed by John Ovadal Jr. and Kevin Knuese.
The ageless Woody Pool, still competing at the age of 75, drove his 1970 Ford Torino to victory in Upper Midwest Vintage Series 15-lap feature race.
The finish:
Austin Nason, Ty Majeski, Dan Frederickson, Preston Peltier, Casey Roderick, Casey Johnson, Ryan Farrell, Josh Brock, Eddie MacDonald, Gabe Sommers, John DeAngelis Jr., Luke Fenhaus, Austin Kunert, Paul Shafer Jr., John Beale, Carson Kvapil, Jason Weinkauf, Jeff Van Oudenhoven, Rich Bickle Jr., Maxwell Schultz, Travis Braden, Chad Butz, Alex Stumpf, Dalton Zehr, Matthew Craig, Justin Mondeik, Derek Doerr, Albert Francis, Andrew Morrisey, Brent Kirchner, Dillion Hammond, Tim Lampman.