By: Eric Huenefeld
It’s often said that it takes several different components to make a championship caliber driver. Firstly, the equipment must be there for a driver to compete. Also that driver must have more than an average amount of skill to wheel the great equipment. But also, no matter how good a driver and his equipment are, that driver can always use a little luck to go there way and push them towards their ultimate result.
The above three components were on the side of current Big 8 Series point leader and defending series champion Jeremy Miller Tuesday night, as he powered through the field and inherited the lead through a late race spin to win the ‘Dixieland 38’ at Wisconsin International Raceway, in front of a large Tuesday night crowd.
Miller would have to work from deep in the field to pick up his 7th career Big 8 Series win though, as he took the green flag from 12th in the 24-car starting field. Big 8 series rookie Ty Reedy led the field to the green flag, but relinquished the lead on the backstretch to fellow rookie Wes Coon. Coon made it look very early like it may be a runaway up front, as he stretched his lead to 15 car lengths by lap six. But soon, Coon’s lead began to shrink, as emerging from the field in the early going was another Late Model rookie, Kyle Shear. From his sixth starting spot, Shear found second by lap 5 and set sail for Coon and the lead that he held. By lap 11, Shear made the move out of turn two and led the field on circuit number twelve.
And while the lead was being traded, the action was furious behind the leaders as well. Miller began to slice through the field, along with defending WIR champion Kris Kelly. The two made there way through the field and into spots two and three by lap 20. Behind Miller and Kelly, fast-timer Ryan Carlson also was on the charge. Carlson rolled a full invert on the dice in pre-race ceremonies, putting him in the challenging starting spot of 14th. Carlson made nine spots in the first 11 laps and found fourth by lap 20.
Meanwhile, Shear paced the field and, after Miller passed Kelly for second, it seemed that barring a yellow flag, the young Shear would hold off the veteran Miller for his first-ever Late Model win. Unfortunately, that yellow came. And unfortunately, is was for Shear. As Shear exited turn 4, he lost control of his #36 car and spun around, narrowly missing the infield wall. The spin was part Shear and part liquid-aided, as Kris Kelly had laid fluid on the track the lap before and Shear was the first and only driver to hit it. Kelly would be sent to the pits and Miller would be handed the lead with 12 laps to go.
As the race went back to green, a new contender emerged from the pack. It was 15-year old Ross Kenseth, winner of the Big 8 Series’ last event at Golden Sands Speedway. Behind him sat Carlson in third. Kenseth would catch Miller and go side-by-side with him as five laps remained. Miller would get away, and one last Kenseth challenge would come up short. Miller took the win, ahead of Kenseth and Carlson. The top three drivers all made their way to the Top 3 from starting spots deep in the field. Miller started 12th, Kenseth 11th and Carlson, as mentioned, 14th.
Ryan Miles ended the night with his best ever Big 8 finish, taking home fourth spot. And Michael Bilderback kept in step with Jeremy Miller at the top of the Big 8 Series points standings, bringing home a fifth place finish.
Carlson’s fast time earlier in the night set the new Big 8 Series track record at WIR. The Loves Park, Illinois driver toured the challenging half-mile with a time of 20.690 seconds.