OREGON, Wis. -- The magic of the Big 8 Late Model Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet comes in its concept. Pitting the best weekly warriors from across the Midwest versus the top guns at each track the series will travel to throughout the spring, summer and fall. And with the series' last two trips to Madison International Speedway, Big 8's best are having trouble keeping up with one of Madison's very own.

For the second straight time at his home track, Brooklyn's Zach Riddle topped the Big 8 mountain , taking his second career series win over a stellar field of Big 8 Late Models on a warm summer night. Riddle, who started in sixth spot, would have to work hard to maneuver his way to the head of the class on this night, and felt the pressure right down to the final lap from some of the very best the Big 8 has to offer. With his win Riddle joins Jon Reynolds, Jr, Ryan Carlson and Jeremy Miller by becoming the fourth different winner in four Big 8 Series events this season.

With rain threatening and at one point delaying the night's activities at "Wisconsin's Fastest Half Mile", the decision was made to drop a last chance race and let all remaining running cars start the feature. This led to a full boat of 29 starters taking the green for the "Salute to America 48". Two-time Big 8 series winner John Ovadal Jr would lead the field to the green, with Madison regular Bill Baumeister to his outside. The two raced hard, side-by-side through the first lap, with Baumeister making the move for the lead on the high side. As the field looked to complete the second lap, the first yellow flag of the evening would fly, as Rob Myers spun in turn four. The rest of the field would avoid Myers, and the Hartford driver continued on from the back of the field.

On the restart, with a front row to himself, Baumeister got away from the field just a little bit. With Ovadal in-tow in second spot, the battle was on for third on back. With action up front heating up, the battling in the middle of the pack was frantic as well, and on lap nine, the tight battling mid-pack would lead to the second and final caution of the evening. Kyle Shear, who came into the event third in Big 8 Series points, would spin his machine in front of a large pack of cars. Everyone was able to avoid Shear except for Rookie of the Year point leader Jesse Bernhagen, who caught a small bit of Shear on the way by. Both cars would continue on and the field would get ready for what would amount to the stretch run in the 48 lap affair.

On the restart, Baumeister again led Ovadal. Behind them, there was a great mix of contenders, including Riddle, Columbus Big 8 winner Ryan Carlson and 2012 Madison weekly winner John Baumeister Jr. Again on the green, Bill Baumeister was able to get away, with Ovadal holding second. The battle was on for third on back. Baumeister, Jr and Riddle were at the head of the battling, as the two Madison regulars went at it for third, Carlson meanwhile, would have multi-time Madison and Big 8 champ Jeremy Miller behind him as the race neared its halfway point.

When the race hit lap 24, Riddle found himself in third spot, moving past Baumeister, Jr. Carlson went after the fourth spot bringing Jeremy Miller along with. By lap 28, Riddle had worked his way past Ovadal and taken second and was now merely one spot off of the top of the field. it would take a little work, but as the field completed the 32nd lap, Riddle would move to the lead, finally finding a way past Bill Baumeister, who then fell into a second place tussle with Carlson, again with Miller in tow.

Riddle opened up a five car length lead, and begin to work lap traffic over the final 10 laps, as Carlson tried to wrestle second from Baumeister. The defending Rockford Speedway track champion Carlson would advance to second on lap 35 and the next lap Miller would find third. It seemed as if Riddle would go unchallenged for the win until the final lap, when lapped traffic would hold Riddle up just enough to allow Carlson to close on the leaders bumper. As the field charged out of turn four, Carlson looked low, but could not make the move on Riddle, and would settle for second.

Behind the led duo, it was Miller garnering the third place finish, and holding onto a slim 8 point lead over Carlson in the season long standings. Bill Baumeister held onto fourth place, his best ever finish with the Big 8 Series. Casey Johnson, fresh off a runner up finish with series at the Milwaukee Mile, would be credited with fifth place.

Next stop on the Big 8 Series Summer Nationals is Tuesday Night July 3 at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway followed by the series’ first visit to State Park Speedway in Wausau, WI. For additional information visit www.big8series.com or call 815-633-0035.

RESULTS

Big 8 Late Model Series
A-Main 01 -- 1. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 2. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 3. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 4. Billy Baumeister, Janesville, Wis; 5. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 6. John Ovadal, Jr., Watertown, Wis; 7. Rich Hinerichsen, Machesney Park; 8. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 9. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 10. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 11. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 12. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 13. Danny Church (r), Big Bend, Wis; 14. Ed Szelagowski Jr, Westfield, Wis; 15. Nathan Oppliger, Oregon, Wis; 16. Gregg Pawelski (r), West Allis, Wis; 17. Cory Kemkes (r), Appleton, Wis; 18. Mike Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 19. Rob Myers, Hartford, Wis; 20. Mike Taylor, Stoughton, Wis; 21. Bill Balog, West Bend, Wis; 22. Gary Krueger, Edgerton, Wis; 23. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 24. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 25. Tim Lange (r), Dousman, Wis; 26. Bob Wilberg, Beloit, Wis; 27. Andy Evraets, Menomonee Falls, Wis; 28. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 29. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis

Heat 01 -- 1. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 2. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 3. Rob Myers, Hartford, Wis; 4. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 5. Ed Szelagowski Jr, Westfield, Wis; 6. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 7. Mike
Taylor, Stoughton, Wis; 8. Gary Krueger, Edgerton, Wis.

Heat 02 -- 1. Rich Hinerichsen, Machesney Park; 2. Cory Kemkes (r), Appleton, Wis; 3. Danny Church (r), Big Bend, Wis; 4. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 5. Gregg Pawelski (r), West Allis, Wis; 6. Bill Balog, West Bend, Wis; 7. Mike
Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 8. Tim Lange (r), Dousman, Wis.

Qualifying Dash 01 -- 1. John Ovadal, Jr., Watertown, Wis; 2. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 3. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 4. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 5. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 6. John DeAngelis, Jr, Hubertus, Wis; 7. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis.

Qualifying Dash 02 -- 1. Billy Baumeister, Janesville, Wis; 2. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 3. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 4. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 5. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 6. Andy Evraets, Menomonee Falls, Wis; 7. Nathan Oppliger, Oregon, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 2. Zack Riddle, Cottage Grove, Wis; 3. Bob Wilberg, Beloit, Wis; 4. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 5. Brady Liddle, Oregon, Wis; 6. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 7. Casey Johnson, Stoughton, Wis; 8. Nathan Oppliger, Oregon, Wis; 9. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 10. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 11. John Ovadal, Jr., Watertown, Wis; 12. Andy Evraets, Menomonee Falls, Wis; 13. John DeAngelis, Jr, Hubertus, Wis; 14. Billy Baumeister, Janesville, Wis; 15. Danny Church (r), Big Bend, Wis; 16. Jimmy Ganski, Rosholt, Wis; 17. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 18. Casey Strese, Johnson Creek, Wis; 19. Gregg Pawelski (r), West Allis, Wis; 20. Ed Szelagowski Jr, Westfield, Wis; 21. Rich Hinerichsen, Machesney Park; 22. Jesse Bernhagen (r), Markesan, Wis; 23. Cory Kemkes (r), Appleton, Wis; 24. Rob Myers, Hartford, Wis; 25. Mike Ehde, Prairie du Chien, Wis; 26. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 27. Bill Balog, West Bend, Wis; 28. Mike Taylor, Stoughton, Wis; 29. Tim Lange (r), Dousman, Wis; 30. Gary Krueger, Edgerton, Wis; 31. Jacob Vanoskey, Hartford, Wis; 32. Dave Edwards, Salem