Cedar Lake Speedway Charity Ambulance Races Canceled After Rollover Crash

The charity ambulance races at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond Saturday night didn’t go as planned.

The idea was to have three ambulance services—St. Croix EMS of Hudson, New Richmond Ambulance and Allina—race siren to siren for three 8-lap heats.

But during the first race, as Hudson’s driver Tony Pasquale was taking a steady lead going into the second lap, the New Richmond and Allina trucks connected while negotiating turn three.

The Allina truck went “momentarily airborne,” then flipped and rolled before it came to rest, Pasquale said. The driver of the rolled ambulance was transported by New Richmond Ambulance with minor injuries.

At that point, track safety officials canceled the rest of the ambulance races, Pasquale said, calling it a decision that all drivers agreed with.

• To see more photos and information about the race, visit the Ambulance Races at Cedar Lake Speedway Facebook page.

St. Croix EMS was planning to have a different driver for each of the heats. Pasquale, an EMT and Field Training Officer, was driving the first heat; St. Croix EMS Paramedic and Captain Brandon Lyksett, and EMT Charlie Smith were going to drive the other two heats. 

Each ambulance service was racing for a charity of their choice. St. Croix EMS was racing for the Wisconsin EMS Honor Guard.

For the race, an old Metro Mobility van was converted into a racer that looked like an ambulance.

Hudson EMS was sponsored by the following people and businesses who donated their time, services and efforts to make the conversion happen:

Alwin’s Northside Service & Towing, Expressive Design- Graphic Design & Apparel Decorating, Dan Lee’s Welding, Chet’s Garage and Mike Tyler donated the truck.

Others helping in preparation of the race include: Mike Bahneman, Mitch Bahneman, Mike Tietz, Tim Casa De Calvo, Broderick Myers and Josh Olson.