Bryan Hessler Tops Red Cedar Midwest Modifieds

By Ed Reichert

Menomonie WI, June 6 – Bryan Hessler won his first feature race in twenty two years and stopped Shane Halopka’s win streak at three to highlight the Friday night racing action at the Red Cedar Speedway. On a windy but comfortable night, Craig Thatcher kept his perfect streak alive with his fourth straight feature win in the Modifieds while other winners included Tommy Richards, Shawn Huse and Rick Hanestad with Huse and Hanestad both recorded their first wins of the year at Red Cedar.

Eighteen cars took the green flag for the Midwest Modified main event and after a first lap spin by Mike Truscott, the race nearly went nonstop from there. Hessler started on the outside pole and he immediately jumped into the lead over Dan Svee and Justin Supri. Mark Thomas moved up to challenge Supri for third as Shane Sabraski and Shane Halopka moved up from farther back in the pack. Hessler was flying as he opened up nearly a straightway lead on the field as Halopka continued his charge, moving in to challenge Svee for second. Shane was able to take over the runnerup slot but Hessler had checked out until a spin in the late going triggered a yellow flag and set up a two lap dash to the finish. Halopka pressured Hessler on the green but Bryan kept his car in the groove and pulled away for a two car length victory over Halopka and Svee. Sabraski made a late charge to nip Thomas for fourth.

Thatcher kept his win streak alive but was hard pressed by Brent Prochnow to do so as Prochnow went to the front of the Modified field early and it took Thatcher most of the race to track him down. Rookie Mark Hanson and Jay Richardson battled in the early going for the lead. Prochnow quickly moved into contention working the low side of the track while Thatcher hustled up from row four with Mike Anderson trailing him. Prochnow continued his attack as he drove under Richardson and Hanson to take over the lead with Thatcher knifing through the field to the front. A midrace spin by Joey Jensen proved to be the only yellow of the race but it bunched up the field. Thatcher moved into second on the green and started his move on Prochnow. Craig was able to drive to the inside of the track while most of the field was working the high side. He got beside Prochnow and powered into the lead, after which he moved back to the cushion and pulled away. At the finish he had a comfortable margin over Prochnow and Anderson with Richardson and Hanson rounding out the top five.

Kelly Anderson and Brent Larson shared the front row for the Late Model headliner with Larson getting the jump and putting some distance on the field early. Hanestad moved to the high side and was able to fight his way past Anderson into second, although Kelly made the task hard. Chad Mahder moved beside John Kaanta and they raced hard for third as both tried to catch the lead pack. A spin near mid race bunched the pack and on the green Hanestad was all over Larson for the lead. Rick dove to the low side and was able to pull up beside Larson as they circled the track. After running side by side, Larson slid up slightly in turn two and that was all Hanestad needed to jump into the lead. Larson pushed hard to try and retake the lead but Hanestad was in the groove and maintained a small but steady advantage all the way to the finish. Kaanta was able to fight his way past Anderson for third with Mahder settling for fifth at the end.

Another first time winner was Shawn Huse as he took the Super Stock main event after a tough fight from Tim Borgeson. Pole sitter Greg Nippoldt spun on the first lap triggering a yellow, but after that the race went green to checkered. Borgeson took the green on the restart and Huse immediately set out to catch him. Charley Obermueller, Aaron Wilson and Jason Forehand were providing the competition while Curt Myers was on the move after starting seventh. Huse would run down Borgeson several times at the end of the chutes, but couldn’t quite make the pass for the lead. When he changed his plan of action and dove to the low side, he was able to pull up beside Borgeson and gradually edge away past him. Once in front, he moved back to the cushion and opened up some distance on the field. Myers continued his charge as he pulled beside Borgeson, and after a brief battle , took over the second spot. However, he found himself nearly a straightaway behind the leader and Huse was not about to give up his lead. With the race staying under the green, Myers got no opportunity to close up and Huse drove home unchallenged for the win. Wilson made a late move to edge Borgeson for third with Forehand completing the top five.

Richards had an easy time of it as he took his second Pure Stock win of the year here. Although he started eighth on the grid, he quickly moved to the front where Luke Plank, Jordan Johnson and Dusty Brown had been battling for the lead. Two quick spins bunched the field, and on the final green Richards drove to the high side to take over the lead, after which he checked out on the field. Johnson was able to into second and while Brown put heavy pressure on him during the late laps, Jordan was up to the task of holding onto second. Nick Field and Plank completed the top five.

Nate Szymoniak was named as the best appearing car in the preseason car show and he received his award in pre race ceremonies.

Racing action will continue next Friday night at 7 p.m. on Tri Mart-Slush Puppy Night at the races with the Northern Vintage Racing group scheduled to make an appearance also.

SUMMARY

Red Cedar Speedway

Menomonie WI

June 6, 2008

WISSOTA Late Models

20 lap Feature – Rick Hanestad, Boyceville; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo MN; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Kelly Anderson, Hager City; Chad Mahder, Eau Claire; Mike Goodremote, Sand Creek; Steve Laursen, Cumberland; Pat Doar, New Richmond; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire;  Shawn Mahder, Eau Claire; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Randy Gullixson, Baldwin; Steve Isenberg, Marshfield; Davin Larson, Trego; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound; Chuckie DeSmith, Glenwood City; Tom Nesbitt, Thunder Bay On.

10 lap Heat 1 – Ch Mahder; Doar; Anderson; Kaanta; Prochnow; Gilberts; Je Redetzke; S. Mahder; Nesbitt; Gullixson.

Heat 2 – B. Larson; Goodremote; Hanestad; Laursen; DeSmith; Isenberg; Co. Mahder; D. Larson; J. Redetzke.

WISSOTA Modifieds

15 lap Feature – Craig Thatcher, Knapp; Brent Prochnow, Menomonie; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Ross Prochnow, Knapp; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Shane Sabraski, Rice Mn; Dale Mathison, Clearwater Mn; Rich Lofthus, Bloomer; Jake Hartung, Elmwood; Keith Tourville, Star Prairie; Mike Goodremote, Sand Creek; Don Brightbill, Hudson; Mark Hessler, Menomonie; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Joey Ogston, Duluth Mn; Joey Jensen, Forest Lake Mn.

10 lap Heat 1 – Thatcher; Richardson; B. Prochnow; R. Prochnow; Mathison; Tourville; Brightbill; Williams; Ogston; Goodremote.

Heat 2 – Hanson; Anderson; Jensen; Bunkelman; Lofthus; Sabraski; Hartung; Hessler; Nayes.

WISSOTA Super Stocks

15 lap Feature – Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Curt Myers, Cameron; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie; Tim Borgeson, New Richmond; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Rod Dregney, Mondovi; Charley Obermueller, Menomonie; Joe Rhead, Menomonie; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Paul Erikson, Abbotsford; Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Greg Nippoldt, Roberts; Rick Hallquist, Eau Claire; Chad Johnson, Colfax; Dan Arneson, Eleva; Brandon Jensen, Hammond.

3 lap B Feature – Erikson; C. Johnson; Dan Preston; Bill Hughes; Tom Karis.

10 lap Heat 1 – Wilson; Obermueller; Nippoldt; Arneson; Christianson; Rhead; Preston; Brad Johnson.

Heat 2 – Myers; Borgeson; Keller; Hillman; S. Hallquist; Jensen; Erikson; Karis.

Heat 3 – Huse; Forehand; Steve Thomas; Dregney; Kisling; R. Hallquist; C. Johnson; Hughes.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

15 lap Feature – Bryan Hessler, Chetek; Shane Halopka, Medford; Dan Svee, Colfax; Shane Sabraski, Rice Mn; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Jim Bourn, Menomonie; Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Scott Erickson, Barron; A.J. Roschen, Hudson; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Bryce Johnson, Turtle Lake; Josh Michel, Chippewa Falls;  Jeremy Houle, Forest Lake Mn; Denis Czech, Sauk Rapids Mn; Mike Truscott, Chippewa Falls.

6 lap B Feature – R. Johnson; Roschen; Nate Szymoniak, Eau Claire; Bob Wood, Chippewa Falls; Gary Sorenson, Eau Claire; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie.

10 lap Heat 1 – Bourn; Supri; Sabraski; Erickson; Houle; R. Smeltzer; R. Johnson; K. Smeltzer.

Heat 2 – Thomas; B. Johnson; Gerth; Rihn; Czech; Truscott; Wood; Szymoniak; Brad Hudson.

Heat 3 – Halopka; Svee; Hessler; Michel; Josh Smith; Cooper Dohms; Jason Swan; Sorenson.

Pure Stocks

8 lap Feature – Tommy Richards, Mondovi; Jordan Johnson, Augusta; Dusty Brown, Rick Lake; Nick Field, Elmwood; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Ron Hoffman, Ridgeland; Ashley Husby, Menomonie; Chris Wert, Roberts; Adam Berg, Chippewa Falls; Rob Lawrence, Eau Claire; Amy Jo Hughes, Knapp; Mike Knudtson, Osseo; Chaz Ducommun, Chetek; Willy Hughes, Arkansas.

6 lap Heat 1 – Richards; Brown; Johnson; Hoffman; A. Hughes; Ducommun; Lawrence; Kyle Finnegan.

Heat 2 – Field; Plank; Wert; Husby; Knudtson; Berg; W. Hughes.