Casey Jeske scores first CARS Tour Northwest win; Andrew Riehl claims inaugural Pro Late Model championship

Casey Jeske scored his first career CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Model victory Saturday night at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval in the final race of the 2026 season.

Jeske took the lead for the final time on Lap 89 and led the final 36 laps to win the Jerry Berschauer 125, while Andrew Riehl finished third to claim the inaugural CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Model championship.

For Jeske, the win capped off what he described as the best month of his life.

“Over the past month, it has been the best of my life,” Jeske said. “I can’t thank my team enough for all the hard nights in the shop. This car was a rocketship tonight and I just love this car so much.

“My job is to drive the car and put us in the best position possible but I would be nothing without my crew. This thing was a rocket and I am so damn happy.”

While Jeske would eventually find his way to the front, Andrew Riehl led the field of 17 Pro Late Models to green with the inaugural series championship on the line.

Riehl entered the night with a five-point advantage over Ethan Ebert and added two points to that advantage by winning the pole.

“We were just trying to get the most points we could,” Riehl said. “Win the pole, lead the first lap, lead the most laps. We were just trying to stretch the points out as far as we could and it worked out.”

Riehl led the opening lap to earn another bonus point and remained out front through the first 45 laps.

The first caution of the night flew on Lap 45 for the scheduled competition caution, ending a 45-lap green-flag run to open the race.

On Lap 51, Andrew Riehl and Alan Cress made contact exiting Turn 2, sending Cress into the outside wall and allowing Jeske to move into second.

Jeske stayed behind Riehl for the next 15 laps before taking the lead on Lap 67.

Riehl’s 66 laps out front also secured the bonus point for leading the most laps.

Cress recovered from the earlier contact and worked his way back around Riehl for second on Lap 72.

Ebert, meanwhile, had worked his way from sixth to fourth and was directly behind Riehl.

With just over 50 laps remaining, the two championship contenders were running nose-to-tail.

Ebert’s race changed on Lap 80.

While working through lapped traffic, Ebert made contact with Brad Clarke in Turns 1 and 2, sending Clarke around and bringing out the caution.

Clarke pulled alongside Ebert under caution to show his displeasure, while Ebert was sent to the rear for causing the caution.

On the ensuing restart, Zach Riehl and Chad Fitzpatrick made contact exiting Turn 2 before Fitzpatrick lost control and turned Zander Peters, triggering a multi-car crash down the backstretch and into Turn 3.

Chase Gardner was initially caught up in the crash and suffered a flat tire. As the incident continued into Turn 3, Gardner hit the outside wall before taking another hit in the left rear, sending his car upside down and leaving it resting on its roof.

At the same time farther up the track, Zach Riehl and Ebert made contact.

Zach Riehl’s car climbed up and over the left side of Ebert’s car, tearing off Ebert’s left-rear quarter panel, side window and rear window.

Todd Connell, Wyatt Gardner, Ken Bonney, Josh Roberts, Sydney Hamlin and Micheal Knutson were also involved in the crash, which brought out a lengthy red flag for cleanup.

Only 11 cars remained on track following the crash, but both championship contenders were able to continue.

When racing resumed, Cress went around the outside of Jeske to take the lead.

Jeske stayed with Cress before moving him up the track on Lap 89 to retake the top spot.

It would be the final lead change of the race.

Behind Jeske, Riehl and Cress continued to battle for second while Ebert began working his way back through the field with a heavily damaged race car.

Ebert was back to sixth with 35 laps remaining.

On Lap 95, Riehl and Cress made contact exiting Turn 2, rubbing doors as Riehl took second.

At nearly the same time, Ebert went around the outside of Ken Bonney to move into fifth.

Despite being sent to the rear and suffering heavy damage in the crash, Ebert had worked his way back into the top five.

“It’s just kind of one of those things,” Ebert said. “Definitely a learning race and congrats to Andrew. I mean, he worked his butt off and their team did really well. So I can’t say anything bad about it. It was awesome. It’s just an interesting race for sure.

“We definitely got run over by another race car so that was kind of hard to deal with, but my team rebounded back and we got back to racing and we were able to salvage a fifth. We were never out of the fight and we just kept going.”

Jeske went unchallenged over the final 30 laps on his way to his first career CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Model victory.

Behind him, Cress closed back in on Riehl in the closing laps.

Coming to the white flag, Cress made a run for second and the two made contact exiting Turn 4. Cress completed the pass, while Riehl saved the car and continued in third.

Jeske crossed the finish line ahead of Cress and Riehl, while Ebert completed his recovery to finish fifth.

Riehl’s third-place finish was enough to secure the inaugural CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Model championship by 11 points over Ebert.

“I feel bad for Ebert and Zach, they both got into each other,” Riehl said. “I’m just super grateful for everybody that helped out. From Garrett Evans and his crew to my family, all them, I’m just really grateful for that.”

The championship came 20 years after Riehl’s father, Brandon, won the final NASCAR Northwest Tour race at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval.

Two decades later, Andrew Riehl left Wenatchee with the inaugural CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Model championship.

CARS Tour Northwest Pro Late Models- Jerry Berschauer 125
Wenatchee Valley Super Oval
September 19, 2026

1. Casey Jeske
2. Alan Cress
3. Andrew Rihel
4. MIchael Knutson
5. Ethan Ebert
6. Zach Rihel
7. Ken Bonney
8. Sydney Hamlin
9. Wyatt Gardner
10. Brad Clarke
11. Terry Halverson
12. Chad Fitzpatrick
13. Zander Peters
14. Chase Gardner
15. Josh Roberts
16. Todd Connell
17. Greg Bennett