By Jerry O’Brien
8-20-16
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With the previous week’s rain out and virtually no time left in the 2016 weekly
racing at AMSOIL Speedway, Friday night was the last chance for the AFCO
Race of Champions Qualifiers as well as the Bob Croft Memorial race.
Briefly, the back story of the Bob Croft Memorial event. It was put on by
Croft’s family. Bob Croft was an early racer in the area and always ran under the
number 44. He was very close with the Nelson family and when he retired, he
passed the number on to Billy Nelson who raced that number for 25 years until his
retirement, after a very successful career. Billy then passed the number 44 on to
his son Darrell Nelson who continues the tradition, also very successfully.
A nice field of 92 cars came to compete with the Midwest Modifieds leading
the way with twp dozen. After qualifying heats were run, the first division to take
to the four tenths mile speedway were the WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series
Pure Stocks. A little controversy to spice the action as the pole car owned by Jared
Akervik was being driven by a guest driver. Unfortunately this driver did not have
a WISSOTA Licence. Consequently the car was disqualified for the race and the
night.
At the green flag newcomer Dustin Doughty of Oakdale, MN who had inherited
the pole, jumped out to a lead he would never give up the entire distance. Three
caution flags brought the field back to him, but he was able to handle the threats
with little trouble. While Doughty stayed out front, the battle roiled behind him as
rookie Kyle Copp took second. A bit further behind the battle for position was
intense between Dustin Follett, Andy Poll, Justin Weinberger and Shaina Rapp.
Follett soon caught and passed Copp and set off after Doughty. Another rookie
Dylan Shelton joined the battle as did Cory Jorgenson. Follett began to cut into
Doughty’s lead and Weinberger and Shelton dueled for third just ahead of Copp.
The third caution flag was for Follett who’s night came to a fiery end as the station
wagon’s engine erupted in a cloud of smoke and fire. Follett was apparently
uninjured, but his race was over. This occurred with eight laps remaining and, on
the restart, Doughty drove away from the field continuing his dominance. Shelton
won the battle of #11’s to finish second over Weinberger while Copp held onto
fourth ahead of Poll at the checkered flag. It was the first ever win at the speedway
for Doughty who had only competed here during the Northern Nationals in 2010-
‘11.
It was 20 laps for the WISSOTA Super Stocks with 13 0f 15 cars starting the
main event. Keith Kern started from the pole but it was Nick Oreskovich who took
the 21F to the lead from the outside of the front row. The caution flag appeared
early in this one as a tangle in turn two left Jim Campbell stalled at the inside of
turn two. The restart came with 19 to go and Oreskovich again took the lead with
Kevin Burdick, Dave Flynn, DJ Keeler and Kern trailing. Oreskovich raced off to
a huge lead with Burdick in hot pursuit. Flynn was third while Keeler and Kern
squabbled over fourth and were soon joined by Pat Beeksma. Keeler battled with
Joe Oliver and Scott Lawrence as Campbell was making a run toward the front
after the early incident. Flynn tracked down Burdick and tried an inside move
exiting turn four. There was contact and Flynn went off the track and collided with
the berm guarding the corner light pole. The contact with the berm was severe
enough to end his night. The restart came with 11 laps remaining and the final
caution came on the restart when Campbell again spun, this time off the bottom of
turn four. Though his car sustained minimal damage, his race was over as this was
his second cause of a caution. By rule, two is cause for disqualification. The restart
came with 10 laps to go and Oreskovich was able to stay out front followed by
Burdick, Beeksma, Kern and Oliver. As the laps wore on, it seemed that
Oreskovich was in command but Burdick never gave up and began to reel him in.
Beeksma was entrenched in third, Kern had fourth and Oliver was fifth. Those five
were able to pull away form the rest and would ultimately finish in that order…or
would they? Oreskovich looked to have the race well in hand, but Burdick’s rush
toward the front would land him on Oreskovich’s bumper as the white flag flew.
Burdick found a bag of traction somewhere and got past Oreskovich on the last lap
for the exciting win.
The crowd had barely caught their collective breath when the 25 lap feature for
the mighty WISSOTA Late Models rolled onto the track. The always dangerous
Darrell Nelson was slated to start on the outside of the front row next to Jay
Kintner. At the green flag Nelson shot into the lead ahead of Kintner while John
Kaanta, Aaron Lkillo, Jesse Glenz and Travis Budiaslovich trailed. As Nelson
pulled away, Kaanta moved to second ahead of Kintner with Lillo fourth and
Glenz up to fifth. Three laps in Nelson had a huge lead that Kaanta tried to cut into
for the next several circuits with little luck. Glenz moved to third ahead of A. Lillo
while Jeff Massingill arrived in fifth. The first of two caution flags flew with ten
laps complete as Kintner backed into the fourth turn wall. With 15 laps remaining,
the green flag flew and the scramble began. Budiaslovich and Glenz had contact
and Glenz spun at the top of turn two. Budiasovich was tagged with the incident
and sent to the back. Nelson was still in control when the race got back under way
with Kaanta still in second, Glenz third, A. Lillo fourth and Massingill fifth. On
the move from his tenth starting spot was veteran Harry Hanson. He began picking
them off one by one as he found a very fast groove. He blew by Massingill and
then Lillo. As Nelson’s lead grew, Glenz picked up the pace and got by Kaanta for
second, then set off to track down Nelson. A caution flag would have helped, but
none were to be found and Nelson kept on going leading every lap for the win.
Glenz had to settle for the runner up spot. Hanson made it as high as third in his
charge toward the front but was unable to hold off a resurgent Massingill and
settled for fourth. Lillo also rebounded in the closing laps to take fifth as Kaanta
faded to sixth at the checkered flag. Nelson turned in a dominating performance
including turning the Quik Trip Quick Lap with a time of 17.322 seconds for an
average of 77,94 MPH.
Next up was the 20 lap feature for the WISSOTA Modifieds seventeen of the
eighteen cars started the event with only superior’s Destin Lorimor failing to
answer the bell. At the green flag Rick Niemi took the lead from the preferred
outside front row as pole sitter Pat Cook slipped into second followed by Darrell
Nelson, Paul Wrazidlo and Jody Bellefeuille. Niemi, who had won at the
speedway earlier in the season, kept the #54 out front as Nelson charged to
second. The first caution flag came soon as Wrazidlo slid into the first turn wall
and Brian Mikkonen was also involved. Neil Balduc was chaarged with the
incident and sent to the back. On the restart Nelson wasted little time wresting the
head from Niemi. Meanwhile defending track champion Al Uotinen was on the
charge headed toward the front from his seventh starting spot. He quickly disposed
of Bellefeuille and Jeff Broking to take third towing Kevin Eder into fifth. Uotinen
worked on Niemi for a couple of laps and made the pass to second. Eder worked
his way up to third. At this point Jeff Massingill driving the plain black 9m began
to make his presence felt. Starting 16th in the seventeen car field he carved his way
forward making his way to eighth, then seventh. He stalled around seventh until he
found a way past into the top five. Uotinen’s valiant run fell just short as Nelson
won his second feature of the night. Eder was third, Bellefeuille fourth and
Massingill fifth, his second top five of the night. Nelson also turned QTQL with a
lap of 18.762 seconds for an average of 71.95 MPH. He dedicated both wins to his
Father Billy Nelson who is in the hospital with reported Heart problems.
The finale for the evening was a 20 lap go for the WISSOTA Midwest
Modifieds. Twenty-three of the two dozen cars on hand answered the call with
Shane Howell who makes the long tow each Friday from Buffalo, MN, on the pole
flanked by point leader Nick Daronco. In a departure from the usual, Howell took
the L1 to the point right away at the green flag and Skeeter Estey followed him
through from row two to second. Dale Suomala, Nick Koehler and Dave Flynn in
the top five. Four laps in Daronco got past Howell for the lead and Estey move to
third. The first caution flag appeared when Denny Cutsforth spun at the bottom of
turn four. At the restart Daronco held onto the point but Howell was overwhelmed
as Estey and Flynn shot by into second and third. The second caution flag came
during the restart as Midwest Modified rookie in his first race Alex Smith, Craig
Lofdahl driving Mike Jacques’ #5 and Cutsforth were involved in a tangle in turn
one. The restart came with five laps in the books and the lead was restored to
Howell ahead of Estey, Daronco, Flynn and Suomala. A lap later Estey took over
at the front with Howell strong in second. Flynn got by Daronco and Suomala was
rock solid in fifth. It was pretty much status quo though Mack Estey had made a
nice charge from the rear after a flat tire repair during the second caution period
and was now up to eight as the laps wound down. The third and final caution flag
came with four laps remaining as Lofdahl spun in turn two. Estey completed the
race for his sixth win of the season here. Howell, Flynn, Suomala and Daronco
runded out the top five. Mack Estey’s fine run ended as he recorded a DNF and a
19th place finish. Kevin Eder recorded a top ten finish with a strong run from 19th
after failing to finish his heat, Skeeter Estey turned the QTQL with a time of
19.842 at an average of 68.4 MPH.
Results 8-20-16 AMSOIL Speedway
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Late Models (17 cars)
Feature (25 laps)
Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Jesse Glenz Cadott, WI; Jeff Massingill Keewatin;
Harry Hanson Eveleth; Aaron Lillo Proctor; John Kaanta Elk Mound; Rick
Hanestad Boyceville; Travis Budisalovich Minneapolis; Tim McMann Duluth;
Buddy Hanestad Boyceville; Trevor Wilson Superior; Dave Esse Cloquet; Gregg
Hill Eveleth; Robbie Cooper South Range DNF: Tim Lillo Superior; Jay Kintner
Hibbing; Terry Lillo Duluth
Heat 1: Budisalovich; Massingill; Kintner; Kaanta; Tim Lillo; B. Hanestad;
Wilson; Cooper
Heat 2: Glenz; Nelson; A. Lillo; Hanson; R. Hanestad; Hill; Esse; Tim Lillo
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Modifieds (18 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Al Uotinen Superior; Kevin Eder Ashland; Jody
Bellefeuille Duluth; Jeff Massingill Keewatin; Rick Niemi Eveleth; Jeff Lien, Jr.
Mora; Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Rick Rivord Superior; Pat Cook Washburn;
Neil Balduc Bessemer; Jeff Broking Grand Rapids; Paul Wrazidlo Duluth; Cody
Wolkowski Thunder Bay; Brian Mikkonen Iron River; Zack Drews Duluth DNF:
Kevin Adams Cameron DNS: Destin Lorimor Superior
Heat 1: Wrazidlo; Bellefeuille; Broking; Niemi; Eder; Rivord; VanHouse; Drews;
Wolkoeski
Heat 2: Uotinen; Balduc; Nelson; Mikkonen; Adams; Lien, Jr; Massingill;
Lorimor
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Super Stocks (15 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Kevin Burdick Proctor; Nick Oreskovich Mason; Pat Beeksma Ironwood; Keith
Kern Superior; Joe Oliver Superior; D. J. Keeler Superior; Scott Lawrence
Superior; Adam Soltis Ladysmith; Larry Both Thunder Bay DNF: Adam Shinn
Duluth; Jim Campbell Two Harbors; Dave Flynn Superior; Curt Myers Cameron
DNS: Willie Johnsen, Jr. Superior; Brian Carl Duluth
Heat 1: Campbell; Lawrence; Kern; Keeler; Soltis; Both DNF: Shinn DNS: Carl
Heat 2: Beeksma; Oreskovich; Burdick; Flynn; Oliver; Myers DNF Johnsen, Jr
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Midwest Modifieds (24 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Skeeter Estey Kelly Lake; Shane Howell Buffalo; Dave Flynn Superior; Dale
Suomala, Jr. Hermantown; Nick Daronco Mountain Iron; Deven VanHouse Silver
Bay; Kevin Eder Ashland; Nick Koehler Bloomer; Dan Kingsley Superior; Cody
Carlson Superior; David Simpson Thunder Bay; Cole Chernosky Thunder Bay;
James Kennegieser Hayward; Don Craig Thunder Bay; Tyler Vernon Ashland;
Brandon Copp Brule; Craig Lofdahl Duluth; Jason Goldfine Superior DNF: Mack
Estey Hibbing; Jeff Forseen Mountain Iron; Tyler Luger Iron River; Denny
Cutsforth Rice Lake; Alex Smith Solon Springs DNS: Clark Swartz Bloomer
Heat 1: Koehler; M. Estey; S. Estey; Kingsley; Cafrlson; Swartz; Vernon; Copp
Heat 2: VanHouse; Suomala, Jr.; Lofdahl; Luger; Kannegiesser; Eder; Smith DNF:
Chernosky; Eder
Heat 3: Flynn; Daronco; Howell; Simpson; Craig; Forseen; Goldfine DNF:
Cutsforth
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Pure Stocks ( 15 cars)
Feature (15 laps)
Dustin Doughty Oakdale, MN; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall; Justin Weinberger Park
Falls; Kyle Copp Brule; Andy Poll Two Harbors; Cory Jorgenson Hermantown;
John Smith Foxboro; Chris Johnson Superior; Justin Madsen Foxboro; Dustin
Follett Cloquet; Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Carter Nelson Hermantown; Jason
Simonson SuperiorDNS: Ryan Savoy Superior; Annika Hammitt Cloquet
Heat 1: Doughty; Poll; Johnson; Smith DNF: Simonson; Madsen; Shelton
Heat 2: Follett; Weinberger; Copp; Rapp DNF:Savoy; Nelson; Hammitt;
Jorgenson
