|
New Winners
Abound In Red Cedar Speedway Racing Action
By
Ed Reichert
Menomonie WI, July 25 - The stars were in correct
alignment Friday night at the Red Cedar Speedway as
for once the major storms bearing down on the area
somehow missed the Dunn County Rec Park and racing
went off as scheduled. But on top of that two
drivers who had never won feature races found
themselves in victory lane and another driver won
for the first time ever at Red Cedar in a memorable
night at the track.
Both
Dan Svee and Bernie Christianson won for the first
time ever while Jake Hartung won his first feature
race ever at the Menomonie oval with Chaz Ducummun
and Jimmy Mars also tasting the spoils of victory.
Christianson has been trying for ten years to find
victory lane and tonight the Menomonie driver
outfought Paul Erikson in a side by side, nonstop
feature event to win the Super Stock main event.
Erikson and Christianson flanked each other in the
front row and from the drop of the green they were
racing side by side, trying to get an edge on each
other while Rod Dregney, Joe Rhead, Ben Hillman and
Aaron Wilson all battled closely behind them.
It
was Christianson who got the early advantage as he
worked the cushion and edged out on Erikson by less
than a car length. On each corner Erikson would try
and slide under Bernie, but the distance remained
the same at less than a car length. Just past the
halfway point Christianson jumped the cushion and
slapped the wall and Erikson drove under him to take
over the lead. It stretched to about two car lengths
before Christianson gradually started to reel
Erikson back in again. Meanwhile, Shawn Huse had
worked his way up from the fourth row and was
pressuring both the leaders.
On
the last lap Christianson caught up to Erikson and
they raced side by side down the back chute. Bernie
got a good run off turn four and out raced Erikson
by less than a car length to take the win. Huse came
home a close third with Hillman and Dregney next in
line.
Svee
and Brad Hudson raced side by side for several laps
in the Midwest Modified main event before Svee was
able to edge into the lead. Once Svee took over the
top spot, he was soon being pressured by Jim Bourn.
Bourn had started in row four but had crisply
driving through traffic to secure the runner up slot
and he closed in on Svee as a battle for the lead
took place. Behind them there was some wild dicing
going on for position with Mark Gerth, Shane Halopka
and Mark Thomas all driving into contention.
Near
the halfway mark a spin bunched the field and from
then on, it was Bourn constantly applying the
pressure to Svee as Jim tried to get a nose under
Svee to take over the lead. On every corner Bourn
drove to the inside but Svee had just enough
momentum on the high side to hold off Bourn’s
challenge. This pattern continued throughout the
rest of the race.
On
the final lap Bourn made one last hard drive to the
low side but Svee kept his line and drove home for
another very close feature win. Gerth charged into
third in the late going ahead of Halopka and Thomas.
The
pace of the Modified feature may have been even more
frenetic than the two previous events. Hartung
shared the front row with Dave Cain and they battled
hard for the lead in the early going after Cain got
turned around on the opening lap which required a
restart. As Cain and Hartung dueled for the lead,
Ross and Brent Prochnow showed no brotherly love as
they battled for third. Meanwhile, Craig Thatcher,
Mike Anderson and Kevin Adams were all on the move
as the pace was blinding fast and drivers swapped
lines on each corner.
Thatcher, is his first time out with a new car,
wasted no time getting to the front from the fourth
row as he closed in on the two leaders. However, as
Thatcher tried to find a way by Hartung and Cain,
suddenly Anderson came flying up from no where and
nearly edged by the entire group. Thatcher dove into
second as Cain started to slide back slightly but
Anderson continued to be right in the thick of
things. Hartung nearly lost it all when he banged
the wall in turn three but he was able to straighten
out before either Anderson or Thatcher could get by
him.
Near
the end of the event, Thatcher dove under Hartung in
every corner with Anderson riding his rear bumper,
looking for an opening. The crowd was on their feet
on the last lap as Thatcher again dove for the low
side and the leaders came out of turn four side by
side but Hartung had the momentum and he was able to
edge out Thatcher by less than a car length with
Anderson right in tow. Ross Prochnow was able to
edge past Cain for fourth at the line.
Mars
became the first repeat winner in the Late Model
division as he scored a relatively easy win in the
nonstop main event. Scott Gilberts and Mike Prochnow
shared the front row but Duane Mahder made a strong
move on the back chute to get under Gilberts and
battle Prochnow wheel to wheel on the opening lap.
They continued to fight for the lead with Mahder
edging out on Prochnow but then Mike came right back
and they continued to run door to door.
Meanwhile, Mars started fifth on the grid and after
a couple of laps he picked up the pace and was able
to drive past Gilberts and Mike Goodremote to take
over third. He then closed up on the leaders and
sized things up.
Making the move of the night, Mars was able to split
the leaders as they raced off turn two. He got past
Prochnow and then also edged out Mahder as they
raced through turn three. Once in front, Jimmy
gradually pulled away from the field as the race
stayed under the green. Only having to occasionally
solve lapped traffic, Mars was able to build up a
straightaway lead as he cruised home for the win.
Mahder and Prochnow continued their battle with
Duane holding on for second. Brent Larson drove up
through the field to edge out Goodremote for what
turned out to be the fourth spot after the apparent
fourth place finisher Gilberts failed to report to
the tech area.
In
another nonstop main event, young Ducummun took over
the top spot in the Pure Stock feature win list with
his third victory of the season. In the early going
of the race, Ron Hoffman and Willy Hughes battled
for the lead with Ashley Husby and Mike Knudtson
pressuring. Ducummun and Dusty Brown were both
advancing through the field to join the leaders.
Ducummun was able to get to the low side and
gradually edge by Hoffman to take over the top spot.
On each lap he would gain just the smallest of
margins but he never wavered once as he gradually
eased away from the pack that was dicing directly
behind him.
At
the line, Hoffman made a charge but Chaz had things
under control as he took another checkered flag.
Jordan Johnson made a late surge to take third ahead
of Brown and Chris Wert.
Racing continues next Friday night, August 1st
, at 7 p.m. on Dunn County Veteran’s Service
Organization night. The Northern Vintage Race Cars
will also be on hand.
SUMMARY
Red
Cedar Speedway
Menomonie WI
July
25, 2008
WISSOTA Late Models
20
lap Feature – Jimmy Mars, Menomonie; Duane Mahder,
Eau Claire; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Brent Larson,
Lake Elmo Mn; Mike Goodremote, Sand Creek; Chris
Oertel, Marshfield; Dave Cain, Concoran Mn; Cory
Mahder, Elk Mound; Kelly Anderson, Hager City; Shawn
Mahder, Eau Claire; Kerry Hanson, Baldwin; Chuckie
DeSmith, Glenwood City; Scott Meeds, Siren; Jesse
Redetzke, Altoona.
10
lap Heat 1 – Goodremote; Larson; Scott Gilberts;
Mars; Oertel; C. Mahder; Redetzke; Meeds.
Heat
2 – Prochnow; D. Mahder; Hanson; Cain; Anderson; S.
Mahder; DeSmith.
WISSOTA Modifieds
15
lap Feature – Jake Hartung, Elmwood; Craig Thatcher,
Knapp; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Ross Prochnow, Knapp;
Dave Cain, Corcoran Mn; Kevin Adams, Cameron; Robby
Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Mark Hessler, Menomonie;
Brent Prochnow, Menomonie; Scott Duval, Bloomer; Jay
Richardson, Spring Valley; Rich Lofthus, Bloomer;
Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Dave Baxter, Eau
Claire; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Luke
Schilling, Granton; Don Brightbill, Hudson; Paul
Niznik, Medford; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Bryan
Nayes, Chippewa Falls.
8
lap B Feature – Brightbill; Niznik; Hessler; Duval;
Hanson; Cory Crapser, Keith Tourville; Darrel
Hazelton; Bill Stettner; Dana Lerum.
10
lap Heat 1 – Adams; Thatcher; Bunkelman; Baxter;
Lavasseur; Brightbill; Stettner; Brandon Kallenbach;
Duval.
Heat
2 – Anderson; Cain; Hartung; Williams; Lofthus;
Niznik; Hanson; Hazelton; Lerum.
Heat
3 – B. Prochnow; Schilling; R. Prochnow; Nayes;
Richardson; Hessler; Crapser; Tourville.
WISSOTA Super Stocks
15
lap Feature – Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Paul
Erikson, Abbotsford; Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Ben
Hillman, Menomonie; Rod Dregney, Mondovi; Tim
Borgeson, New Richmond; Joe Rhead, Menomonie; Aaron
Wilson, Menomonie; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Greg
Nippoldt, Roberts; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Brandon
Jensen, Hammond; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Steve
Hallquist, Eau Claire; Charley Obermueller,
Menomonie; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Gary Wiersgalla,
Fountain City; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Rick Hallquist,
Eau Claire; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire.
6
lap B Feature – R. Hallquist, Obermueller; Keller;
Karis; Kisling; Chad Johnson; David Nastvold; Donnie
Talmage; Bob Sorenson.
10
lap Heat 1 – Borgeson; Christianson; Wilson;
Nippoldt; B. Johnson; Obermueller; Sorenson; Keller.
Heat
2 – Erikson; Rhead; Hillman; Jensen; S. Hallquist;
R. Hallquist; Kisling; C. Johnson.
Heat
3 – Huse; Thomas; Dregney; Wiersgalla; Forehand;
Karis; Nastvold; Talmage.
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
15
lap Feature – Dan Svee, Colfax; Jim Bourn,
Menomonie; Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Shane Halopka,
Medford; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Brad Hudson,
Chippewa Falls; Bryan Bisonette, Rice Lake; Ronnie
Rihn, Bloomer; Mark Clements, Bloomer; Bryan Hessler,
Chetek; Mike Truscott, Chippewa Falls; Randy
Smeltzer, Colfax; Scott Erickson, Barron; Cooper
Dohms, Menomonie; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Jesse
Glenz, Cadott; A.J. Roschen, Hudson; Nate Szymoniak,
Eau Claire; Bob Wood, Chippewa Falls; Jason Swan,
Chippewa Falls.
5
lap B Feature – Truscott; Roschen; Johnson;
Szymoniak; Wood; Kevin Smeltzer.
10
lap Heat 1 – Thomas; Svee; Swan; Clements; Dohms;
Johnson; K. Smeltzer; Roschen.
Heat
2 – Halopka; Hudson; Gerth; R. Smeltzer; Glenz;
Truscott; Szymoniak.
Heat
3 – Bourn; Bisonette; Rihn; Hessler; Erickson; Wood;
Chad Marson.
Pure
Stocks
10
lap Feature – Chaz Ducummun, Chetek; Ron Hoffman,
Ridgeland; Jordan Johnson, Augusta; Dusty Brown,
Rice Lake; Chris Wert, Roberts; Mike Knudtson,
Osseo; Nick Field, Elmwood; Austin Galloway,
Boyceville; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Rob Lawrence,
Eau Claire; Amy Jo Hughes, Knapp; Ashley Husby,
Menomonie; Willy Hughes, Arkansas.
6
lap Heat 1 – Brown; W. Hughes; Plank; Hoffman;
Johnson; Field; Lawrence.
Heat
2 – Wert; Knudtson; Ducummun; Husby; A. Hughes; Nick
Spence; Galloway. |
