Go ahead, Emily Sue, push it. Push it to the limit, and then a little more. Push, push, push.
Emily Sue Steck, the sole woman competing in the Kwik Trip Late Model Division at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, hears that little voice in her head all the time. Sometimes, it’s not an imagined voice, either.
Steck, admittedly too conservative at times in past seasons, has told herself to be more aggressive this season. Saturday night, she showed she can indeed push her stock car to the edge — and maybe even teetering on it — as she popped to the high groove on Lap 8, got past vastly improved runner Bill Niles, and grabbed second place.
Six laps later, she took advantage of rookie Kyle Peters’ misfortune on the front stretch to grab the lead. The 23-year-old Holmen woman wouldn’t relinquish it either, as she held off the Carlsons — Mike and Steve — to win her second career Late Model feature race.
“I’m really happy to finish ahead of two Carlsons, both of whom are top runners here every race,” a jubilant Steck said. “Anytime you can finish among the top three, it’s ‘Oh Man!’”
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