September 12, 2009: Marshfield, WI – This afternoon proved to be another exciting day of racing action at one of the finest paved ovals in the Midwest. Visiting the 2009 Fall Spectacular today was the United States Super Truck Challenge Series....

The United States Super Trucks proved to be very exciting with some of the best truck drivers in the country participating. Leading the USST to the green flag for their 50-lap feature event was John Wood and Larry Fitzsimmons. The two drivers ran first and second throughout the first 12 laps. On lap 13, Wood was finally able to clear Fitzsimmons on lap 13. It appeared Wood had the truck to beat; however, Fitzsimmons closed ground on the Wisconsin driver, and looked as he was going to retake the top spot. That was not to be today, however, Larry Fitzsimmons blew his engine entering turn one bringing out the caution flag.

A driver working her way through the field was Pocahontas, IL driver, Trista Stevenson. Stevenson, an eighteen year old driver that was fresh off her win at Nashville, was looking to be the first female to visit victory lane. Just pass the halfway point of the race, Stevenson started to put heavy pressure on the truck of John Wood. On lap-32, Stevenson cleared Wood with an inside pass exiting turn two. Following Stevenson was the truck of Jerry Wood. Wood then set his sights on Stevenson reeling her in. Once Jerry Wood cut into Stevenson’s lead, the young Illinois driver slammed the door. With two laps remaining, Jerry Wood pulled up to the inside of Stevenson, and it appeared it would be a side-by-side finish. However, Wood was slightly picked by a lapped truck. Hence, this allowed Stevenson the opportunity to pull out to a comfortable lead and take home the top prize!

#45 Trista Stevenson, of Pocahontas, IL held off a hard charging #55 Jess Williams and the Tennessee valley heat to capture her first United States Super Truck (USST) Challenge Series event of 2009; during the ASALMS Music City 100 weekend at the Nashville Super Speedway.
The hot Tennessee sun did not play favorites among the United Sates Super Truck faithful. Warm temperatures and high heat had the truck motors on the ragged edge throughout the weekend. The enduring heat took a toll on several motors and teams as they endured the extreme temperatures.

One team that was not affected was teenage sensation #45 Trista Stevenson. The teenage talent Stevenson showed her hand early as she blistered the Nashville Super Speedway at 145.563 mph in qualifying.

The Nashville Super Speedway with its wide and fast racing was something new to most of the USST contingent. While the track was different from what they are accustomed to; it took little time for the USST racers to get up to speed. Drivers were quickly averaging 144 mph for the field with top speeds on the back stretch reaching 160 in the trucks.

The USST Series has run at large tracks like The Milwaukee Mile (1 mile) or Iowa Speedway (7/8 mile) but never before a Super speedway like the Nashville Super Speedway. To run fast at Nashville you had to dedicate yourself to putting your foot in it and staying there.

While several drivers experienced motor issues one driver #28 Bobby Yonkee of Loves Park, Illinois faced his issues wonderful support from his fellow competitors. After hours of tireless work by the BYR and Joselyn Jewelers crews(s) Yonkee was forced to retire the truck with transmission issues. The effort of the teams did not go unnoticed by Bobby; “I want to say special thanks to Ron Hartford, Martin Meyers and the entire Joselyn Jewelers crew for their show of support in the pits”.

While some truck were facing adversity, three racers Stevenson, Jess Williams and #7 Eric Caudell, were putting on an quite a show at the front of the pack. Caudell, the USST Southern Region point’s leader, was showing why he is so tough back home. Caudell has had misfortune at the recent USST Challenge Series events but on this day he was running strong among the lead pack.

The top 3 put on a wild race for over forty of the scheduled fifty circuits. At any given point you could throw a blanket over Stevenson, Williams and Caudell. In the final ten laps Stevenson saved her best for last as she put a hurt on the rest of the field to speed away to her first win of the season and first on a super speedway.

Ominous clouds and rain were glooming over the second event of the 2009 United States Super Truck (USST) Challenge Series Tour. Thunderstorms, high winds and changing temperatures put the “challenge” in challenge series for the racers. Twenty five competitors pre-registered with seventeen of those drivers taking the green flag.

The weather on Saturday started off calm yet portions of the infield and surrounding parking lots were under water. While the ASALMS and track officials did a wonderful job in keeping the facility above water; the worst of the weather was yet to come.

Practice went well as ORP proved to be a fast track. The only mishap in practice was the #74 truck of Gary McDonald, of Sun Prairie Wisconsin, who found the wall in the middle of turns one and two. Unfortunately the #74 was done for the afternoon.

Qualifying would not be for the faint of heart. Hot shoes such as Randy Price, Chris Sevey and Jess Williams all laid down early fast laps, thus setting the benchmark in time trials. When you have a field that also includes the Wood Brothers, Randy Price, Williams, Chris Sevey, Fitzsimmons and McClintock, you know you have your work cut out for you. Each week the competition bar keeps rising with new trucks and great drivers.

When the smoke cleared on qualifying one driver stood alone. That driver was none other than #45 Trista Stevenson of Pocahontas, Illinois. This young female talent is as articulate and she is talented. Driving a J&D chassis, 604 crate motored truck, Stevenson (a participant in the NASCAR Driver Diversity Program) has worked hard to gain the respect of her peers in Motorsports. Trista and her dad focused getting their truck just right for this race. The team came to ORP wanting the pole and getting the pole they did! Stevenson’s record setting performance of 24.038 set a new speed mark for the USST at O’Reilly Raceway Park.

The feature events were prepared to start on time, however, so was the rain. Precipitation blanketed the track, infield and pits. The rain dampened the track but not the spirits of the racers or the fans. Everyone came to see a great truck race and the USST gang did NOT disappoint. A two hour plus rain delay would not keep this fantastic field from seeing action.

#73 Jerry Wood, of Sun Prairie (making his USST Challenge series debut) lead the fire breathing field of talented racers to the long awaited green flag. JJ Sonneveldt driving the Racinboys.com racing truck, jumped to the lead as (Jerry) Wood was shuffled back to 4th place. JJ and Jess Williams started to break away from the pack.

The night’s first caution came on lap three when a mechanical issue on the truck of Eric Caudell, Piedmont, OK, slowed on the race track. On the re-start Sonneveldt and Williams picked up were they left off but this time female driving sensation Trista Stevenson was hot on their heels. Although the three trucks broke away from the rest of the pack, they put on a driving display which included three wide racing down the front stretch. The gap widened to fifteen truck lengths over fourth place racing Chris Sevey of Waterloo IA, current USST Challenge Series point’s leader #72 John Wood and front row starter Jerry Wood.

Although the field was starting to stretch out, the battle for the lead was heating up. Stevenson wrestled her way past Jess Williams and set her sites on the leader Sonneveldt. As Stevenson powered her way towards the lead, on lap thirty three, the two trucks made contact as Trista’s truck clipped JJ’s nose. The contact sent Stevenson into the wall and thus ending what looked to be a potentially memorable night.

Written by: Rob Spires

The economy may be slumping, but there was no sign of that at Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday. A strong number of teams representing each of Fairgrounds Speedway’s ten divisions of racing were on hand to show off new equipment at the track’s first Open House and Media Day.

Among the drivers who had race cars on display was last year’s third-place finisher in Supertruck points, nineteen year-old Daniel Bolden. Bolden’s #09 truck was sporting a flashy new paint job. “We hung a new body on it over the winter,” Bolden commented.

Bolden wasn’t the only driver with a different look. Returning track champion Andy Johnson and Trista Stevenson (who missed playing a game in her high school softball tournament to be at the track) were also sporting new paint on their Late Models. However, don’t be fooled by the paint scheme on Johnson’s car, it’s the same car and motor that propelled him to last year’s championship, assured Johnson.

Of course, the economy wasn’t the only concern for racers over the off-season. Former track promoter Joe Mattioli wasn’t granted a lease extension for the Speedway, putting in the hands of the Metro Fair Board to name a new promoter. Eventually, co-owner of Full Throttle Race Parts Danny Denson was granted the lease at the end of January. Not wanting to begin preparing for the season until a new promoter was confirmed put many racers in a bind to prepare for opening night.

“We didn’t start (preparing) until January,” said Supertruck driver Jess Williams, “but we have two trucks together now.” Johnson took a different approach. “We went on with plans (after last season). We figured there would be racing here,” he said.

Though there hasn’t been racing at Fairgrounds Speedway since September, it doesn’t mean that the drivers haven’t been busy. Bolden and Williams competed in the United States Supertruck Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park in November, a race that Bolden ended up winning. “We were down on power, but we handled better,” Bolden said. Many of the competitors in that race were using heavier NASCAR Camping World Truck Series style chassis. Williams said he believed that many of the USST’s regular competitors would switch to Fairgrounds Speedway’s style trucks because of their better handling characteristics.

Last year’s Sportsman champion Lee Goddard said he is looking forward to the upcoming season. “Danny (Denson) runs a business; he knows what he’s doing. He’ll make it fair for everybody. I love it- it’s a big improvement,” he said.

While racing will indeed go on, the economic downturn and sponsorship woes are concerning drivers. Both Williams and Stevenson travel to Fairgrounds Speedway from out of state; Mississippi and Illinois respectively. “We drive up here and back every Saturday,” Williams said. “We don’t have money for hotel rooms.” Williams, who won a race last season, added that it’s especially difficult for out-of-state drivers to find sponsorship because of their location. “We don’t know them and they don’t know us,” he said. Both Williams and Stevenson are seeking local sponsors to enable them to run the entire season.