BUSY FRIDAY NIGHT AT AMSOIL SPEEDWAY AFCO R. O. C. Qualifiers and Bob Croft Memorial On Tap
By Jerry O’Brien
8-20-16.With the previous week’s rain out and virtually no time left in the 2016 weeklyracing at AMSOIL Speedway, Friday night was the last chance for the AFCORace 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 byCroft’s family. Bob Croft was an early racer in the area and always ran under thenumber 44. He was very close with the Nelson family and when he retired, hepassed the number on to Billy Nelson who raced that number for 25 years until hisretirement, after a very successful career. Billy then passed the number 44 on tohis son Darrell Nelson who continues the tradition, also very successfully.A nice field of 92 cars came to compete with the Midwest Modifieds leadingthe way with twp dozen. After qualifying heats were run, the first division to taketo the four tenths mile speedway were the WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track SeriesPure Stocks. A little controversy to spice the action as the pole car owned by JaredAkervik was being driven by a guest driver. Unfortunately this driver did not havea WISSOTA Licence. Consequently the car was disqualified for the race and thenight.At the green flag newcomer Dustin Doughty of Oakdale, MN who had inheritedthe pole, jumped out to a lead he would never give up the entire distance. Threecaution flags brought the field back to him, but he was able to handle the threatswith little trouble. While Doughty stayed out front, the battle roiled behind him asrookie Kyle Copp took second. A bit further behind the battle for position wasintense between Dustin Follett, Andy Poll, Justin Weinberger and Shaina Rapp.Follett soon caught and passed Copp and set off after Doughty. Another rookieDylan Shelton joined the battle as did Cory Jorgenson. Follett began to cut intoDoughty’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 stationwagon’s engine erupted in a cloud of smoke and fire. Follett was apparentlyuninjured, but his race was over. This occurred with eight laps remaining and, onthe restart, Doughty drove away from the field continuing his dominance. Sheltonwon the battle of #11’s to finish second over Weinberger while Copp held ontofourth ahead of Poll at the checkered flag. It was the first ever win at the speedwayfor 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 themain event. Keith Kern started from the pole but it was Nick Oreskovich who tookthe 21F to the lead from the outside of the front row. The caution flag appearedearly in this one as a tangle in turn two left Jim Campbell stalled at the inside ofturn two. The restart came with 19 to go and Oreskovich again took the lead withKevin Burdick, Dave Flynn, DJ Keeler and Kern trailing. Oreskovich raced off toa huge lead with Burdick in hot pursuit. Flynn was third while Keeler and Kernsquabbled over fourth and were soon joined by Pat Beeksma. Keeler battled withJoe Oliver and Scott Lawrence as Campbell was making a run toward the frontafter the early incident. Flynn tracked down Burdick and tried an inside moveexiting turn four. There was contact and Flynn went off the track and collided withthe berm guarding the corner light pole. The contact with the berm was severeenough to end his night. The restart came with 11 laps remaining and the finalcaution came on the restart when Campbell again spun, this time off the bottom ofturn four. Though his car sustained minimal damage, his race was over as this washis second cause of a caution. By rule, two is cause for disqualification. The restartcame with 10 laps to go and Oreskovich was able to stay out front followed byBurdick, Beeksma, Kern and Oliver. As the laps wore on, it seemed thatOreskovich 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 fivewere able to pull away form the rest and would ultimately finish in that order…orwould they? Oreskovich looked to have the race well in hand, but Burdick’s rushtoward 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 lapfor the exciting win.The crowd had barely caught their collective breath when the 25 lap feature forthe mighty WISSOTA Late Models rolled onto the track. The always dangerousDarrell Nelson was slated to start on the outside of the front row next to JayKintner. At the green flag Nelson shot into the lead ahead of Kintner while JohnKaanta, Aaron Lkillo, Jesse Glenz and Travis Budiaslovich trailed. As Nelsonpulled away, Kaanta moved to second ahead of Kintner with Lillo fourth andGlenz up to fifth. Three laps in Nelson had a huge lead that Kaanta tried to cut intofor the next several circuits with little luck. Glenz moved to third ahead of A. Lillowhile Jeff Massingill arrived in fifth. The first of two caution flags flew with tenlaps 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 contactand Glenz spun at the top of turn two. Budiasovich was tagged with the incidentand sent to the back. Nelson was still in control when the race got back under waywith Kaanta still in second, Glenz third, A. Lillo fourth and Massingill fifth. Onthe move from his tenth starting spot was veteran Harry Hanson. He began pickingthem off one by one as he found a very fast groove. He blew by Massingill andthen Lillo. As Nelson’s lead grew, Glenz picked up the pace and got by Kaanta forsecond, then set off to track down Nelson. A caution flag would have helped, butnone 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 hischarge toward the front but was unable to hold off a resurgent Massingill andsettled for fourth. Lillo also rebounded in the closing laps to take fifth as Kaantafaded to sixth at the checkered flag. Nelson turned in a dominating performanceincluding turning the Quik Trip Quick Lap with a time of 17.322 seconds for anaverage of 77,94 MPH.Next up was the 20 lap feature for the WISSOTA Modifieds seventeen of theeighteen cars started the event with only superior’s Destin Lorimor failing toanswer the bell. At the green flag Rick Niemi took the lead from the preferredoutside front row as pole sitter Pat Cook slipped into second followed by DarrellNelson, Paul Wrazidlo and Jody Bellefeuille. Niemi, who had won at thespeedway earlier in the season, kept the #54 out front as Nelson charged tosecond. The first caution flag came soon as Wrazidlo slid into the first turn walland Brian Mikkonen was also involved. Neil Balduc was chaarged with theincident and sent to the back. On the restart Nelson wasted little time wresting thehead from Niemi. Meanwhile defending track champion Al Uotinen was on thecharge headed toward the front from his seventh starting spot. He quickly disposedof Bellefeuille and Jeff Broking to take third towing Kevin Eder into fifth. Uotinenworked on Niemi for a couple of laps and made the pass to second. Eder workedhis way up to third. At this point Jeff Massingill driving the plain black 9m beganto make his presence felt. Starting 16th in the seventeen car field he carved his wayforward making his way to eighth, then seventh. He stalled around seventh until hefound a way past into the top five. Uotinen’s valiant run fell just short as Nelsonwon his second feature of the night. Eder was third, Bellefeuille fourth andMassingill fifth, his second top five of the night. Nelson also turned QTQL with alap of 18.762 seconds for an average of 71.95 MPH. He dedicated both wins to hisFather Billy Nelson who is in the hospital with reported Heart problems.The finale for the evening was a 20 lap go for the WISSOTA MidwestModifieds. Twenty-three of the two dozen cars on hand answered the call withShane Howell who makes the long tow each Friday from Buffalo, MN, on the poleflanked by point leader Nick Daronco. In a departure from the usual, Howell tookthe L1 to the point right away at the green flag and Skeeter Estey followed himthrough from row two to second. Dale Suomala, Nick Koehler and Dave Flynn inthe top five. Four laps in Daronco got past Howell for the lead and Estey move tothird. The first caution flag appeared when Denny Cutsforth spun at the bottom ofturn four. At the restart Daronco held onto the point but Howell was overwhelmedas Estey and Flynn shot by into second and third. The second caution flag cameduring the restart as Midwest Modified rookie in his first race Alex Smith, CraigLofdahl driving Mike Jacques’ #5 and Cutsforth were involved in a tangle in turnone. The restart came with five laps in the books and the lead was restored toHowell ahead of Estey, Daronco, Flynn and Suomala. A lap later Estey took overat the front with Howell strong in second. Flynn got by Daronco and Suomala wasrock solid in fifth. It was pretty much status quo though Mack Estey had made anice charge from the rear after a flat tire repair during the second caution periodand was now up to eight as the laps wound down. The third and final caution flagcame with four laps remaining as Lofdahl spun in turn two. Estey completed therace for his sixth win of the season here. Howell, Flynn, Suomala and Daroncorunded out the top five. Mack Estey’s fine run ended as he recorded a DNF and a19th place finish. Kevin Eder recorded a top ten finish with a strong run from 19thafter failing to finish his heat, Skeeter Estey turned the QTQL with a time of19.842 at an average of 68.4 MPH.Results 8-20-16 AMSOIL SpeedwayWISSOTA 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; RickHanestad Boyceville; Travis Budisalovich Minneapolis; Tim McMann Duluth;Buddy Hanestad Boyceville; Trevor Wilson Superior; Dave Esse Cloquet; GreggHill Eveleth; Robbie Cooper South Range DNF: Tim Lillo Superior; Jay KintnerHibbing; Terry Lillo DuluthHeat 1: Budisalovich; Massingill; Kintner; Kaanta; Tim Lillo; B. Hanestad;Wilson; CooperHeat 2: Glenz; Nelson; A. Lillo; Hanson; R. Hanestad; Hill; Esse; Tim LilloWISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Modifieds (18 cars)Feature (20 laps)Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Al Uotinen Superior; Kevin Eder Ashland; JodyBellefeuille 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; CodyWolkowski Thunder Bay; Brian Mikkonen Iron River; Zack Drews Duluth DNF:Kevin Adams Cameron DNS: Destin Lorimor SuperiorHeat 1: Wrazidlo; Bellefeuille; Broking; Niemi; Eder; Rivord; VanHouse; Drews;WolkoeskiHeat 2: Uotinen; Balduc; Nelson; Mikkonen; Adams; Lien, Jr; Massingill;LorimorWISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Super Stocks (15 cars)Feature (20 laps)Kevin Burdick Proctor; Nick Oreskovich Mason; Pat Beeksma Ironwood; KeithKern Superior; Joe Oliver Superior; D. J. Keeler Superior; Scott LawrenceSuperior; Adam Soltis Ladysmith; Larry Both Thunder Bay DNF: Adam ShinnDuluth; Jim Campbell Two Harbors; Dave Flynn Superior; Curt Myers CameronDNS: Willie Johnsen, Jr. Superior; Brian Carl DuluthHeat 1: Campbell; Lawrence; Kern; Keeler; Soltis; Both DNF: Shinn DNS: CarlHeat 2: Beeksma; Oreskovich; Burdick; Flynn; Oliver; Myers DNF Johnsen, JrWISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Midwest Modifieds (24 cars)Feature (20 laps)Skeeter Estey Kelly Lake; Shane Howell Buffalo; Dave Flynn Superior; DaleSuomala, Jr. Hermantown; Nick Daronco Mountain Iron; Deven VanHouse SilverBay; Kevin Eder Ashland; Nick Koehler Bloomer; Dan Kingsley Superior; CodyCarlson 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: MackEstey Hibbing; Jeff Forseen Mountain Iron; Tyler Luger Iron River; DennyCutsforth Rice Lake; Alex Smith Solon Springs DNS: Clark Swartz BloomerHeat 1: Koehler; M. Estey; S. Estey; Kingsley; Cafrlson; Swartz; Vernon; CoppHeat 2: VanHouse; Suomala, Jr.; Lofdahl; Luger; Kannegiesser; Eder; Smith DNF:Chernosky; EderHeat 3: Flynn; Daronco; Howell; Simpson; Craig; Forseen; Goldfine DNF:CutsforthWISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Pure Stocks ( 15 cars)Feature (15 laps)Dustin Doughty Oakdale, MN; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall; Justin Weinberger ParkFalls; Kyle Copp Brule; Andy Poll Two Harbors; Cory Jorgenson Hermantown;John Smith Foxboro; Chris Johnson Superior; Justin Madsen Foxboro; DustinFollett Cloquet; Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Carter Nelson Hermantown; JasonSimonson SuperiorDNS: Ryan Savoy Superior; Annika Hammitt CloquetHeat 1: Doughty; Poll; Johnson; Smith DNF: Simonson; Madsen; SheltonHeat 2: Follett; Weinberger; Copp; Rapp DNF:Savoy; Nelson; Hammitt;Jorgenson