By Jerry O’Brien
7-22-16
Superior, WI
On Hall of Fame night at AMSOIL Speedway two drivers revisited Victory
Lane for the first time in literally years and one captured his first of the season.
Harry Hanson the popular Late Model racer from Eleveth, MN won his first
feature since July18th, 2014 and fellow Eveleth resident Rick Niemi won the
WISSOTA Modified feature, his first here since 2012. Kevin Burdick of Proctor,
MN also won his first Super Stock main event of the season thwarting newly HoF
inductee Scott Lawrence’s attempt to win his 28th Super Stock feature.
On a extremely hot July night in Superior, Wisconsin, the car count was
nothing to write home about but was saved by the WISSOTA Late Model count.
Due partially to another track not running them on their regular night and the
impending three day swing of the One Main Financial WISSOTA Late Model
Challenge Series coming up on the following weekend, there were 26 cars on
hand.
To pack an already busy schedule up tight, the Northern Vintage Stock Car
Racers group was on hand in conjunction with the Hall of Fame induction
ceremonies.
After qualifying heat races were completed and the main event lineups were
set, the first to take to the track was for the WISSOTA Pure Stocks. Sixteen cars
were scheduled for fifteen laps and fifteen made the call.
The race track was in optimum shape and presented high and low grooves.
Annika Hammitt made an excellent start from the outside of the front row and
grabbed the lead only to see the caution flag when Andrew Hanson went around in
the fourth turn. A lap was complete and Hammitt again got a good start taking the
lead over Tim Carlson, Dustin Follett, Dylan Shelton and defending champ Ryan
Savoy. Follett put on a charge and put the big green and pink Station Wagon out
front. Hammitt held onto second for a couple of laps but Savoy had set his sights
on Follett abd move into second. Once again the caution flag appeared when
Justin Madsen got hung up on a marker tire in turn four. Follett led the pack to the
green but the caution flew immediately as Hammitt’s strong run ended with a spin
in turn four, she was charged with the incident. Follett again pulled away as he has
done so many times this season with Savoy in hot pursuit. This time Follett was
unable to stay that far in front as Savoy, Matt Deragon, current point leader Justin
Weinberger and a quickly rebounding Andrew Hanson were all in the mix. Shaina
Rapp was the next to be bitten by the slick track in turn four bringing out caution
flag number four. Follett maintained the lead but couldn’t get away from Savoy
and Weinberger. Savoy had a run on Follett and, as the white flag flew, got past
for the lead. Follett made a desperate attempt to retake the lead at the exit of turn
four and the two collided heavily and spun wildly down the front stretch. No one
else was involved and the official call was that Follett had instigated the contact
and the finish would revert to the white flag lap giving Savoy the win. Follett was
scored as the last car running. Weinberger, Deragon, Hanson and Madsen finished
in the top five.
Sometimes it is amazing how the division with the smallest car count can
produce the closest racing. This was the case with the WISSOTA Super Stocks
who could only muster ten cars for their 20 lap main event. A pair of Superior
residents led the field to the green flag with Willie Johnsen, Jr to the lead followed
by Keith Kern. Jim Campbell and Adam Shinn tangled and Campbell was tagged
with the incident. Both continued. Kern showed his veteran side as he probably
knows the speedway better than most. His grasp on the lead was tenacious as he
raced off to a huge lead. Shane Kisling held onto second, Nick Oreskovich was
third, newly minted Hall of Famer Scott Lawrence and Dave Flynn were in
contention. Oreskovich made a rare mistake and turned around in turn four
bringing out the caution flag. Kern’s huge lead evaporated with the incident and
the restart saw a three wide scuffle for the lead. Kern held on but Lawrence snared
second ahead of Johnsen, Kisling and Burdick. Another caution flag, the third in
the early going for debris in turn two forced another restart. Kern was ganged up
on at the green and Lawrence eased to the point towing Johnsen past. Kisling was
in fourth and Burdick fifth. At this point there were still fourteen circuits
remaining. Two laps later Dave Flynn encountered trouble with his car and tried to
exit the track only to stall in the pit exit too close to the track. This would prove to
be the final yellow flag. Lawrence held onto the lead at the restart, but the always
dangerous Burdick charged into second and, with about four laps left powered by
Lawrence to the front and held on to win his first feature of the season at the
speedway. Lawrence lost second to a resurgent Oreskovich and Johnsen and
Kisling finished in the front five. Kern snared the Quik Trip Quick Lap with a lap
at 19.578 seconds.
Next up it w as 25 laps for the 26 WISSOTA Late Models. “The Coach” Dave
Esse found himself on the pole for the thundering herd and got a great start…a
little too great as he jumped the start costing him the pole. Terry Lillo then moved
to the pole and also got a good start, but not as good as Harry Hanson. This start
appeared to stick but Esse’s bad luck was not done as he was judged to have been
turned around in the pack by point leader Travis Budiaslovich who was sent to the
back. The restart saw Hanson leap out to a huge lead over Terry Lillo followed by
Tim McMann, Darrell Nelson and Mike Prochnow. Once again the caution flag
flew this time for Tim Lillo at the bottom of turn three. They were finally able to
get past that pesky first lap with Hanson dogged by a tenacious Darrell Nelson.
Terry Lillo and Prochnow were joined by rookie Late Model pilot Jesse Glenz. As
laps were completed without interruption it became a duel between the two
veteran racers with Hanson clinging to the high side which became a momentum
groove and just a tiny bit faster. Nelson was able to dive to the bottom in the turns
but could not hold it there long enough to make the pass. This went on lap after
lap while Terry camped out in third, the comers and goers began to show
themselves. While Prochnow and Glenz tried to stay up front, Jake Redetzke, Pat
Doar and several others began to make their presence felt. The front five seperated
from each other as the laps began to tick off and that group also ran away from the
pack. Redetzke broke from the herd to sixth. With 17 laps remaining all that
changed when Chris Olson went around in turn two and was done for the night.
Now the field could see the front five and Hanson zipped up to his favored line
leaving Nelson on the bottom continuing to try to get past. Terry Lillo was still
encamped in third and Glenz got past Prochnow into fourth. Once again the
momentum was broken with the fourth caution flag, this time for Buddy
Hanestad’s spin in turn four. Hanson continued to hold sway trapping Nelson in
the bottom groove, Lillo was unshakable in third Redetzke was up to fourth after
starting 12th and Aaron Lillo arrived in fifth after starting 16th. The caution flag
again appeared when Hanestad once again caused a stoppage spinning in turn four.
The incident was his second cause sending him pit side. Hanson again found his
line on the restart forcing Nelson to continue to make the bottom groove work well
enough for the pass. With three or four laps left it appeared that Hanson had the
win over Nelson with Terry Lillo stout in third and Redetzke ensconced in fourth.
Almost unnoticed the speedy Budiaslovich had steadily worked his way up the
ladder and appeared in fifth as the white flag signaled one more time around.
Hanson was perfect the entire 25 laps winning for the first time since July 18th
2014. Hanson also took the fast lap bonus with a lap at 18.364 seconds.
The 20 lap Modified feature also saw a winner who had not visited victory lane
in some time. Rick Niemi found himself drawing to outside of the front row with a
clear shot at the high groove that had taken Hanson to the Late Model win. He
wasted little time moving up there, got a good jump and raced away to a huge lead.
Destin Lorimor took his #90 to second ahead of Jody Bellefeuille, Joey Jensen and
Danny Vang. Darrell Nelson moved from the 8th starting spot to battle with Jensen
an into the top five. Niemi was playing Hare to the hounds as his rear spoiler
receded in the distance. There were no caution flags to compact the pack so it was
up to the others to track down Niemi. Nelson kept edging loser to second and by
the mid point was in third behind Lorimor. He was able to finally get past into
second but Niemi continued to widen the gap until it was nearly a straight away.
Niemi was careful as he encountered some lapped traffic and Nelson began to gain
some ground on the leader. Bellefeuille got around Lorimor for third and Jensen
found a way by Vang into the top five as the white flag was ready to appear.
Nelson surged to within five car lengths of Niemi on the final circuit but it was too
little, too late. Niemi led every lap for his first trip to victory lane since 2012. His
was the fastest lap of the race on a track that remained slick but very racy and
slowed down as he turned a lap of 19.813 seconds.
The final event of the very full evening was the Midwest Modified event. Dave
Flynn, doing double duty, started the race from the pole and tried to take the lead
but he was ganged up on by Mack Estey and Deven VanHouse and the three
negotiated turns three and four in a three wide scramble for the point which Estey
won. Racers are usually pretty smart and it was easy to see the top groove was the
fast way around. This was not lost on Mack Estey as he quickly made it his own.
Brother Skeeter moved up there, too and VanHouse became the meat in the
sandwich. With no caution flags to slow the action, the mid point was quickly
reached with Mack, VanHouse, Skeeter, Tyler Kintner and Shane Howell in the
top five. Mack stayed in front but VanHouse tried the same low groove others
before him had tried. Perhaps the lower powered Midwest Modified were able to
get a hold of the low side as VanHouse began to make inroads into Mack’s lead.
As the laps wound down the two were side by side with Skeeter following closely
in third. On the white flag lap it was still anybody’s race until the pair came upon
the #61 of Jamie Smart. Lapping him while racing side by side had an effect on the
outcome as VanHouse was able to slip past to take the checkered flag for the win.
Mack Estey was able to hold off brother Skeeter for second as Shane Howell
finished fourth and Flynn hung onto fifth.
Also on the packed card were two heats and two features for the Northern
Vintage Stock Car Racers. In the Full Bodied division Paul Dolphy of Mounds
View took his ‘69 Ford Torino to a convincing heat win over Tom Godfrey of
Backus, MN and Bobby LePage’s #44. In the Super Modified heat Marke Peine,
White Bear Lake, MN won over Dennis Olson, Braham and Ken Sabey of River
Falls, WI.
LePage grabbed the win over Steve Baker of Grantsberg, WI and Godfrey.
Sabey won the Super Modified feature over Olson and Peine.
Results AMSOIL Speedway 7-22-16 Hall of Fame Night.
WISSOTA Late Model (26 cars)
Feature (25 laps)
Harry Hanson Eveleth; Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Terry Lillo duluth; Jake
Redetzke Eau Claire; Travis Budiaslovich Minneapiolis; Pat Doar New
Richmond; Aaron Lillo proctor; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie, WI; Jesse Glenz
Cadott, WI; Jeff Massingill; Keewatin; Zach Wohlers Hibbing; Tim McMann
Duluth; Dave Esse Cloquet; Trevor Wilson Superior; Kevin Carlson Hermantown;
Robbie Cooper South Range DNF: Todd Gehl Solon Springs; Jay Kintner
Hibbing; Jeff Provinzino Hibbing; George Ledin Grand Rapids; Gregg Hill
Eveleth; Buddy Hanestad Boyceville, WI; Joh Toppozini Thunder Bay; Steve
Laursen Cumberland; Chris Olson Hibbing; Tim Lillo Superior
Heat 1; Nelson; Hanson; T. Lillo; Hanestad; Doar; A. Lillo; Wilson; Kintner;
Toppozini
Heat 2: Laursen; Budiaslovich; McMann; Provinzino; Gehl; Cooper DNF: carlson;
Massingill; Tim Lillo
Heat 3: Glenz; Prochnow; Esse; Redetzke; Olson; Ledin; Wohlers; Hill
WISSOTA Modified (13 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Rick Niemi Eveleth; Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Jody Bellefeuile Duluth; Destin
Lorimor Superior; Danny vang deerwood, MN; Joey Jensen Harris, MN; Deven
VanHouse Silver Bay; Al Uotinen Superior; Paul Wrazidlo Duluth; Rick Rivord
Superior; Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay DNF: Kevin Adams Cameron DNS: Neil
Balduc Bessemer
Heat 1: Jensen; Bellefeuille; Lorimor; Niemi; Wrazidlo; Rivord DNF” Balduc
Heat 2: Nelson; Uotinen; Vang; VanHouse; Adams; Wolkowski
WISSOTA Super Stock (10 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Kevin Burdick Proctor; Nick Oreskovich Mason; Scott Lawrence Superior; Willie
Johnsen, Jr; Shane Kisling Park Falls; Jim Campbell Two Harbors DNF” Adam
Shinn Duluth; Keith kern Superior;Dave Flynn Superior DNS: Joe Oliver Superior
Heat 1: Oreskovich; Kern; Flynn; Johnsen, Jr DNF Shinn
Heat 2: Lawrence; Kisling; Burdick; Oliver; Campbell
WISSOTA Midwest Modified (17 cars)
Feature (15 laps)
Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Skeeter Estey KellY Lake; Mack Estey Hibbing;
Shane Howell Buffalo, MN; Dave flynn Superior; Nick Daronco Mountain Iron;
Tyler Kintner Hibbing; Dale Suomala, Jr Hermantown; Cole Chernosky Thunder
Bay; Brandon Copp Brule; Brady Caul Ft. Frances; Jamie Smart Kaskabaka Falls
DNF: Craig Lofdahl Duluth; David Simpson Thunder Bay DNS: Dan Kingsley
Superior; Shane Kisling Park Falls
Heat 1; Flynn; VanHouse; Caul; Suomala; Howell; Smart; Simpson DNF:
Kingsley
Heat 2: M. Estey; S. Estey; Daronco; Kintner; Copp; Lofdahl; Chernosky DNS:
Kisling
WISSOTA Pure Stock (16 cars)
Feature (15 laps)
Ryan savoy Superior; Justin Weinberger Park Falls; Matt Deragon Ashland;
Andrew Hanson Iron River; Justin Madsen Foxboro; Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Cory
Jorgenson Hermantown; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall; Carter Nelson Hermantown;
Chad Nikstad Superior; Kyle Copp Brule; Dustin Follett Cloquet DNF: Chris
Johnson Superior; Tim Carlson Superior; Annika Hammitt Cloquet; Andy Poll
Two Harbors; Jared Akervik Superior DNS: Devin Reynolds Cloquet
Heat 1: Savoy; A. Hammitt; Madsen; Jorgenson; Rapp DNF: Hanson; Reynolds;
Nikstad; Poll
Heat 2: Follett; Deragon; T. Carlson; Shelton; Weinberger; Nelson; Akervik; K.
Copp DNF: C. Johnson
