Search
Close this search box.
Independence Day Spectacular
Cedar Lake Speedway | New Richmond, Wisconsin
Friday, June 30, 2023
Race Recap  

BRADGER: Brad Sweet Survives Late Challenge for Seventh Cedar Lake Victory

Not many guarantees exist in the sport of Sprint Car racing. But Brad Sweet’s speed in Wisconsin is about as close to a lock as you can get.

On Friday night at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI, the four-time and defending champion flexed his Badger State muscle yet again. Sweet took the lead early from Logan Schuchart and held on as the Shark Racing driver made one final run at him in the closing laps.

Sweet’s résumé in Wisconsin continues to grow to astonishing levels. He’s now up to a dozen World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victories in the northern state. Friday was his seventh triumph in only 20 starts at Cedar Lake in Series competition – equaling him with Sammy Swindell for the most all time.

The Kasey Kahne Racing pilot upped his career win total with The Greatest Show on Dirt to 85 – giving him sole possession of 10th all-time and within one of former teammate – Daryn Pittman – for ninth on the list. He’s now at six victories in 2023 alone, already one more than his 2022 total.

“Seven wins here, that’s pretty special,” said a grateful Sweet. “The NAPA Auto Parts guys always bring me a good race car, and this track fits my style. Just happy to get a win. We haven’t won in a little bit, so it’s nice to get back here and get some confidence. Just a nice night for the guys.”

Sweet’s path to Victory Lane began from the outside pole position. On the race’s initial start, pole-sitter Logan Schuchart jumped out to an early advantage. But Sweet never let him get far ahead.

“The Big Cat” moved his machine all over the 3/8-mile surface in search of a route by the Shark Racing #1S. On lap six, Sweet built momentum on the exit of Turn 2 and found the opportunity he needed. As the lead duo roared down the back straightaway, Sweet dipped to Schuchart’s inside and finished a slide job in Turns 3 and 4.

From there, Sweet began to pad his advantage and survive a handful of restarts as a few cautions plagued the race’s opening portion.

On a restart with 21 laps to go, Sweet was forced to face a challenge as third-running Rico Abreu aced the restart and surged into second as they accelerated down the front straightaway. Then in Turn 1, Abreu tossed a slider at Sweet and cleared him. Sweet returned the favor in the next set of corners. Abreu attempted to drive below him on the next lap in Turn 3 but didn’t have enough momentum.

Shortly after the fight for the lead, Abreu’s right rear tire went down and took him out of contention.

Without Abreu behind him, Sweet appeared as if he may cruise away to the victory. But as the race dipped inside 10 laps to go, Sweet found himself unable to make his way through lapped traffic as quick as he had early in the race. The Grass Valley, CA native searched for lines to move by slower cars but didn’t have much luck.

“This place changes a lot,” Sweet explained. “It can go from the bottom to the top back to the bottom. It can even get a little bit clean into (Turn) 3 there. You can judge yourself off the lapped cars, and the fact that Kraig (Kinser) was running back by me was making me not feel very good about what I was doing. When I tried to run the bottom, I wasn’t patient enough or just wasn’t good enough to stick down there.”

Brad Sweet racing Logan Schuchart at Cedar Lake
Brad Sweet held off a fast-closing Logan Schuchart late at Cedar Lake (Trent Gower Photo)

Sweet’s struggles allowed Schuchart to close quickly as the laps clicked away. As they came to the white flag, Schuchart looked to Sweet’s inside to let him know he was there. On the final circuit Sweet protected enough to hold him off and cross the finish line with less than two tenths of a second over Schuchart.

“You know when you’re struggling to get by lapped cars that they’re coming behind you,” Sweet said. “I just tried to keep my calm as best I could and make the best last lap I could. I think it was just good enough. I could hear him off my left rear (tire).”

Schuchart’s runner up was his seventh of the 2023 World of Outlaws campaign and his second in the last three starts. While the Hanover, PA native came away encouraged by the strong outing, he couldn’t help but wish he had a few more laps to try and get the job done.

“I kind of had the Jaws theme song in the back of my head, but it was like when they just get out of the water just in time is what it felt like,” Schuchart said with a laugh. “We were good. We were right there. This is where we got our first win, so this place is very meaningful and special.”

Rounding out the podium was David Gravel, who charged forward from sixth. The result marked his seventh podium in the last eight races aboard the Big Game Motorsports #2. The Watertown, CT native surged into second at one point but couldn’t quite hold on to the runner up spot. It was an up and down race for Gravel, but he kept his spirits high after yet another strong outing.

“This place is tricky,” Gravel said. “It gets spinny. They water the track, and it has a little bit of artificial grip to start the race. We just weren’t good early. I had a couple good things. Rico got a flat and let us get to third there and race a little bit. I found the bottom before everybody else, but it just wasn’t able to pay off.”

Finishing fourth was Sheldon Haudenschild – who made an early visit to the Federated Car Care Work Zone before charging back to the front. Completing the top five was the night’s KSE Hard Charger – Spencer Bayston – who wheeled the CJB Motorsports #5 all the way from 22nd to fifth.

Sweet’s win allowed him to add six points over Gravel in the championship battle. The margin sits at 16 markers.

Bill Balog claimed his first ever Simpson Performance Products QuickTime in Low-E Insulation Qualifying.

CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One also went to Balog (sixth Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Brad Sweet (224th of career), Gio Scelzi (30th of career), and David Gravel (228th of career).

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems “Break of the Race” went to Bill Rose. After earning his best Feature starting spot of the year (16th), Rose was caught up in an incident that ended his night early.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are right back at Cedar Lake Speedway for the Independence Day Spectacular finale on Saturday, July 1. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action on DIRTVision.

RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[2]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[1]; 3. 2-David Gravel[6]; 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 5. 5-Spencer Bayston[22]; 6. 83-James McFadden[13]; 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[7]; 8. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 9. 41-Carson Macedo[10]; 10. 1A-Jacob Allen[21]; 11. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 12. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 13. 88-Austin McCarl[18]; 14. 15-Donny Schatz[14]; 15. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[3]; 16. 7-Brooke Tatnell[19]; 17. 22-Riley Goodno[20]; 18. 20G-Noah Gass[15]; 19. 34DD-Kraig Kinser[24]; 20. (DNF) 49J-Josh Schneiderman[23]; 21. (DNF) 7S-Robbie Price[8]; 22. (DNF) 83JR-Michael Kofoid[17]; 23. (DNF) 5T-Ryan Timms[12]; 24. (DNF) 6-Bill Rose[16]

[Read More]
Results  
Feature Results
POSStart+/-#DriverLapsBehindLedStatusPointsMoney
12+149Brad Sweet 350.00030Running150$10,000
21-11SLogan Schuchart 35-0.1725Running146$5,500
36+32David Gravel 35-0.629Running144$3,200
49+517Sheldon Haudenschild 35-1.131Running142$2,600
522+175Spencer Bayston 35-2.230Running140$2,350
613+783James McFadden 35-3.173Running138$2,150
77018Giovanni Scelzi 35-4.147Running136$2,100
85-317BBill Balog 35-4.606Running134$1,950
910+141Carson Macedo 35-5.493Running132$1,900
1021+111AJacob Allen 35-6.289Running130$1,850
111103ZBrock Zearfoss 35-6.887Running128$1,400
124-824Rico Abreu 35-7.970Running126$1,200
1318+588Austin McCarl 35-8.819Running124$1,000
1414015Donny Schatz 35-9.277Running122$950
153-1215HSam Hafertepe Jr35-10.068Running120$900
1619+37Brooke Tatnell 35-11.199Running118$900
1720+322Riley Goodno 35-13.298Running116$900
1815-320GNoah Gass 35-14.042Running114$900
1924+534DDKraig Kinser 34-1 LapsRunning112$900
2023+349JJosh Schneiderman 27-8 LapsDNF110$900
218-137SRobbie Price 2-33 LapsDNF108$900
2217-583JRMichael Kofoid 2-33 LapsDNF106$900
2312-115TRyan Timms 0-35 LapsDNF104$900
2416-86Bill Rose 0-35 LapsDNF102$900
KSE Hard Charger: Spencer Bayston
Last Chance Showdown Results
POSStart+/-#DriverLapsBehindLedStatusPointsMoney
1101AJacob Allen 120.00011Running0$0
23+15Spencer Bayston 12-0.447Running0$0
32-149JJosh Schneiderman 12-0.8131Running0$0
46+234DDKraig Kinser 12-1.614Running0$0
54-1199Ryan Bowers 12-3.114Running90$300
612+6G5Gage Pulkrabek 12-8.128Running90$250
77019BJack Berger 12-9.369Running90$225
880105Cody Ihlen 12-11.097Running90$200
910+12KKevin Ingle 12-11.366Running90$200
109-191Reed Allex 11-1 LapsRunning90$200
115-624TChristopher Thram 7-5 LapsDNF90$200
1211-119Trent Pigdon 0-12 LapsDNS90$0
Dash 1 Results
POSStart+/-#DriverLapsBehindLedStatusPointsMoney
1101SLogan Schuchart 80.0008Running0$0
22049Brad Sweet 8-1.598Running0$0
33015HSam Hafertepe Jr8-2.364Running0$0
44024Rico Abreu 8-3.910Running0$0
56+117BBill Balog 8-5.006Running0$0
68+22David Gravel 8-5.249Running0$0
77018Giovanni Scelzi 8-5.829Running0$0
85-37SRobbie Price 8-7.208Running0$0
Heat 1 Results
Pos.Start+/-#DriverLaps CompletedBehindLaps LedStatus
11017BBill Balog 100.00010Running
22024Rico Abreu 10-0.801Running
33017Sheldon Haudenschild 10-2.190Running
44083James McFadden 10-3.020Running
55083JRMichael Kofoid 10-4.327Running
6605Spencer Bayston 10-5.446Running
77034DDKraig Kinser 10-7.223Running
88091Reed Allex 10-16.948Running
Heat 2 Results
Pos.Start+/-#DriverLaps CompletedBehindLaps LedStatus
12+149Brad Sweet 100.0009Running
21-17SRobbie Price 10-2.3181Running
34+141Carson Macedo 10-3.395Running
43-115Donny Schatz 10-4.411Running
56+188Austin McCarl 10-6.733Running
65-149JJosh Schneiderman 10-7.547Running
77019BJack Berger 7-3 LapsDNF
8802KKevin Ingle 5-5 LapsDNF
Heat 3 Results
Pos.Start+/-#DriverLaps CompletedBehindLaps LedStatus
11018Giovanni Scelzi 100.00010Running
25+31SLogan Schuchart 10-1.859Running
3303ZBrock Zearfoss 10-1.873Running
44020GNoah Gass 10-3.687Running
56+17Brooke Tatnell 10-4.552Running
67+1199Ryan Bowers 10-6.507Running
72-51AJacob Allen 4-6 LapsDNF
88019Trent Pigdon 0-10 LapsDNF
Heat 4 Results
Pos.Start+/-#DriverLaps CompletedBehindLaps LedStatus
12+12David Gravel 100.0004Running
21-115HSam Hafertepe Jr10-1.1706Running
3305TRyan Timms 10-4.010Running
4406Bill Rose 10-6.147Running
56+122Riley Goodno 10-6.149Running
65-124TChristopher Thram 10-7.644Running
770105Cody Ihlen 10-8.843Running
880G5Gage Pulkrabek 10-9.422Running
Qualifying Flight 1 Results
POSStartCarDriverHometownTimeDifference
1117BBill Balog North Pole, AK11.2570.000
257SRobbie Price Cobble Hill, BC11.344-0.087
3718Giovanni Scelzi Fresno, CA11.373-0.116
4615HSam Hafertepe JrSunnyvale, TX11.477-0.220
51424Rico Abreu St. Helena, CA11.520-0.263
6949Brad Sweet Grass Valley, CA11.531-0.274
7101AJacob Allen Hanover, PA11.608-0.351
8312David Gravel Watertown, CT11.641-0.384
91217Sheldon Haudenschild Wooster, OH11.648-0.391
101715Donny Schatz Fargo, ND11.651-0.394
11193ZBrock Zearfoss Jonestown, PA11.713-0.456
12205TRyan Timms Oklahoma City, OK11.718-0.461
133283James McFadden Alice Springs, NT11.727-0.470
142441Carson Macedo Lemoore, CA11.731-0.474
151120GNoah Gass Mounds, OK11.741-0.484
1626Bill Rose Plainfield, IN11.748-0.491
173083JRMichael Kofoid Penngrove, CA11.774-0.517
18849JJosh Schneiderman West Burlington, IA11.807-0.550
19251SLogan Schuchart Hanover, PA11.814-0.557
201624TChristopher Thram Sanborn, MN11.848-0.591
21235Spencer Bayston Lebanon, IN11.905-0.648
222988Austin McCarl Altoona, IA11.942-0.685
23217Brooke Tatnell San Souci, NSW12.012-0.755
242722Riley Goodno Knoxville, IA12.096-0.839
252234DDKraig Kinser Bloomington, IN12.098-0.841
26419BJack Berger Lake Elmo, MN12.299-1.042
2726199Ryan Bowers Nowthen, MN12.349-1.092
2818105Cody Ihlen Pipestone, MN12.556-1.299
29391Reed Allex St. Cloud, MN12.849-1.592
30282KKevin Ingle Huron, SD12.995-1.738
311519Trent Pigdon , 11.980-0.723
3213G5Gage Pulkrabek East Grand Forks, MN12.382-1.125
Hot Laps Results
POSStartCarDriverHometownTimeDifference
11424Rico Abreu St. Helena, CA11.2250.000
21217Sheldon Haudenschild Wooster, OH11.292-0.067
3312David Gravel Watertown, CT11.320-0.095
4615HSam Hafertepe JrSunnyvale, TX11.350-0.125
5949Brad Sweet Grass Valley, CA11.402-0.177
657SRobbie Price Cobble Hill, BC11.423-0.198
7101AJacob Allen Hanover, PA11.450-0.225
81715Donny Schatz Fargo, ND11.501-0.276
9235Spencer Bayston Lebanon, IN11.521-0.296
101624TChristopher Thram Sanborn, MN11.527-0.302
112441Carson Macedo Lemoore, CA11.527-0.302
12205TRyan Timms Oklahoma City, OK11.530-0.305
133083JRMichael Kofoid Penngrove, CA11.536-0.311
143283James McFadden Alice Springs, NT11.536-0.311
15251SLogan Schuchart Hanover, PA11.553-0.328
16718Giovanni Scelzi Fresno, CA11.554-0.329
172988Austin McCarl Altoona, IA11.561-0.336
181120GNoah Gass Mounds, OK11.627-0.402
19117BBill Balog North Pole, AK11.658-0.433
201519Trent Pigdon , 11.663-0.438
21849JJosh Schneiderman West Burlington, IA11.726-0.501
2226Bill Rose Plainfield, IN11.776-0.551
232722Riley Goodno Knoxville, IA11.859-0.634
2426199Ryan Bowers Nowthen, MN12.002-0.777
2518105Cody Ihlen Pipestone, MN12.048-0.823
26193ZBrock Zearfoss Jonestown, PA12.127-0.902
27419BJack Berger Lake Elmo, MN12.147-0.922
2813G5Gage Pulkrabek East Grand Forks, MN12.358-1.133
29282KKevin Ingle Huron, SD12.505-1.280
30391Reed Allex St. Cloud, MN12.722-1.497
31217Brooke Tatnell San Souci, NSW12.722-1.497
322234DDKraig Kinser Bloomington, IN12.722-1.497
King of the Hill Results
POSStart+/-#DriverLapsBehindLedStatusPointsMoney
12+11AJacob Allen 00.000Running0$0
214+122KKevin Ingle 043.897Running0$0
316+1383JRMichael Kofoid 081.106Running0$0
415+1134DDKraig Kinser 067.282Running0$0
519+1483James McFadden 052.199Running0$0
DIRTVision Highlights  
Event Info  

Independence Day Spectacular
Friday, June 30, 2023
Cedar Lake Speedway
2275 County Road CC
New Richmond, Wisconsin 54017 

Event Description
The 4th of July tradition continues with an Independence Day Spectacular in New Richmond, WI. Last year, Jacob Allen & Brock Zearfoss snapped Brad Sweet's three-year winning streak.

Series Racing
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series

Event Schedule
FRIDAY:
Grandstands at 5PM
Racing at 7PM

SATURDAY:
Grandstands at 5PM
Racing at 7PM
HUGE FIREWORKS!
*All times Central

Ticket Options  
Ticket Phone
(612) 363-0479

Options And Prices
FRIDAY:
$40 adults; $20 student age 6-16; 5 and under FREE; $40 Pit Pass

SATURDAY:
$45 adults; $22 student age 6-16; 5 and under FREE; $45 Pit Pass

Grandstand Type
Bleachers / chairbacks

Reserved Seating
You can reserve any seat in advance

Family Section Location
all areas are family friendly

Handicapped Seating Location
Both sides of stadium have wheel chair accessible seating

Pit Age Requirement
NO age restriction for pits. 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian.

Parking Cost
$0.00

Handicapped Parking Location
Outside the front gate

Camping Availability
non-electric, onsite, sanitary facility, showers, waste services

Camping Cost
$60 for the Weekend

Frequently Asked Questions  
Reserved Seating
You can reserve any seat in advance

Type of Grandstand
Bleachers / chairbacks

Stadium Seating
Stadium seats are allowed.

Handicapped Seating
Both sides of stadium have wheel chair accessible seating

Handicapped Parking
Outside the front gate

Pit Age Limit
NO age restriction for pits. 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian.

Personal Coolers
Coolers are permitted at the speedway, however you are NOT ALLOWED to bring in any alcoholic beverages or glass containers.

ATMs
1

Credit Card Use
Ticket Window

Alcohol Sales
Beer and wine will be available to purchase

Smoking Policy
No smoking in Grandstands

Family Section
all areas are family friendly

Parking Cost
$0.00

Camping Availability
non-electric, onsite, sanitary facility, showers, waste services

Camping Cost
$60 for the Weekend

Track Info  

Cedar Lake Speedway
2275 County Road CC
New Richmond, Wisconsin 54017 

Track Phone
(715) 248-7119

Ticket Phone
(612) 363-0479

Track Email
[email protected]

Track Type
0.375;

Sprint Car Track Record
10.775 seconds by Terry McCarl on 9/11/04

Late Model Track Record
12.950 by Shannon Babb on 8/3/23

Closest Airport
Minneapolis, MN (MSP / KMSP) Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

Other Airport
Eau Claire, WI (EAU / KEAU) Chippewa Valley Regional Airport

Track Map
Competitor Info  

Which Schedule Would You like to Print?

2022_CASE_LMS_LOGO.png

Which Schedule Would You like to Add to Your Calendar

2022_CASE_LMS_LOGO