Plover, WI – A season-long journey across the Midwest has only one true final destination in the short track racing scene; Lacrosse Fairgrounds Speedway. For over half a century, the most talented and storied names in stock car racing have made the trip to the fabled ⅝ mile facility for a four day long racing extravaganza, with racers from all walks of life turning laps under the starry October skies. GSR would be set to compete in two of the four days of competition, with Friday night’s Trickle 99 first on the docket.
A three segment race, comprised of 33 lap sprints, is kept track of using a golf style scoring system. One point for first in each segment, with another point added for each descending position, with the lowest scoring driver crowned that year’s winner. Of the almost forty cars that took time in Trickle 99 qualifying, Gabe would put the No. 15 Ford Mustang firmly in second place with a blistering 18.861 second lap time, averaging 119.3 mph on his fastest lap. A five car invert would set Sommers up for a fourth place starting spot in Segment One, and he’d waste no time trying to muscle his way to the front. Clearing his way into third place within the first five laps, Gabe would set sail and look to track down a broken away front pair of racing machines. With laps clicking off rapidly, The No.15 would be set back and mired in lap traffic with under fifteen laps to go, allowing the gap between the front three to open up. Rolling across the line still on the podium, all eyes were on the frontstretch as the invert was rolled for Segment 2. A roll of one on the die meant an 11 car invert, which would put the No. 15 on the inside of the fifth row.
Segment Two kicked off with a bang, as the caution flew with only two circuits complete for a spinner off of turn two. The field would quickly congregate together and go back green for the next eighteen laps, and Gabe would work his way up into the top five during the quick green flag run. Another ten lap jaunt would be halted at the lap thirty mark, with Gabe continuing to claw his way up, now sitting in the fourth position in a beehive of Super Late Models. On the final restart, the No. 15 would go high side hustling to finish in the third spot once again, tying Sommers for the lead heading into the third and final segment of the Trickle 99. Rolling off from the fourteenth spot, Sommers’ night would take a massive hit only a hundred feet past the start finish line, as checkups caused spins and no place for the No. 15 to go but into the pile of mangled racecars. GSR’s run for a Trickle 99 trophy was dead before turn one of the first lap in Segment 3. With their night now over, the team would shift their focus to the second part of their Oktoberfest race weekend.
The big draw of the weekend has long and away been the Oktoberfest 200, previously run under CWRA, ARTGO, and NASCAR Re/Max rules, but now controlled since 2007 by the ASA (formerly ARCA) Midwest Tour. The 2023 edition of the race was won by none other than Gabe Sommers, and his team had brought back the same chassis to compete in. With qualifying on Saturday, the tensions would stretch into multiple days as GSR nursed a small points lead in the championship standings. Each position in qualifying would mean points to push Gabe away from his fellow competitors. Of the thirty cars that took time for the Oktoberfest 200, Gabe would slide in at the fifth position with a 18.939 second lap,and a 118.80 mph average. The effort would be good enough to grow his points gap to second, and the Travis Sauter led crew would prepare their steed for heat race action. Starting from the fifth spot after the invert, Sommers would methodically work his way into the runner up spot as the laps expired, and a very happy driver emerged from the car in the pits. The car was deemed great, and had a lot more in the tank compared to its showing on track.
An eighth place starting position awaited Gabe Sommers on Sunday, and he was prepared to do anything but stay there. A wild crash on the backstretch would slow the field only four laps in, just behind Sommers’ special red No. 15 Ford emblazoned with Kwik Trip’s iconic branding. Relining in the seventh position, Gabe would pick up another pair of spots as the field sorted itself out, now finding himself inside of the top five. By the time twenty laps had vaporized from the count, the No. 15 was now into a podium position, reeling in the leaders. A self spinner with 167 laps remaining would see the field slow for the second time of the afternoon shortly after GSR moved into the runner up position, now stalking the leader. On the ensuing restart, Sommers would power around the outside to snag the lead with 41 laps complete.
Relinquishing the lead on Lap 58/200, another spinner would set Gabe up shortly after for a chaotic restart. Forced three wide, then drove up a groove in the following corner, it took composure to settle back in the seat and continue to look forward. More cautions dotted the speedway, allowing Sommers to retake the lead on Lap 85, but once again giving it up just ten laps later. Great racing and a back and forth chase by the top four thrilled the fans as they hit the halfway mark, but Gabe would slide back to fifth place as they neared pit stops. On Lap 118/200, it was time to come in for service under a controlled caution. A few adjustments were made, with the No. 15 returning to the track still in fifth. Two more cautions and a stalemate within the lead group of cars meant no movement for many cars, with Gabe still running fifth as a caution slowed the field with 23 to go. It was officially “go time”, and shuffling ensued in the closing laps. Gabe would cross the line in fourth place, on the heels of third, while clinching his second straight ASA Midwest Tour championship.
While another championship brought smiles to the faces of all at Gabe Sommers Racing, they still have one more opportunity to double down in 2024 at Dells Raceway Park’s Falloween 150. Just three points out of the championship lead, Gabe has the rare opportunity to become a double champion by securing the Alive For 5 Super Late Model Series Championship. Can he do it? Tune in to Pit Row TV on October 19 to find out!