KEVIN EDER TAMES ADVANTAGE RV MOD TOUR FIELD

by · Published June 11, 2016 · Updated July 15, 2016

By Jerry O’Brien
6-10-16 Superior, WI

The Advantage RV Modified Tour rolled into Superior, WI on Friday June 10th

and once again Kevin Eder of Ashland Wisconsin vanquished all comers in the 40

lap Modified main event.

Thirty-four WISSOTA Modifieds including several travelers from the western

reaches of WISSOTA Land came to play on the banked four-tenths mile oval. The

speedway’s luck changed for the better as the string of two consecutive rain outs

was finally broken. As the day went on the rain headed toward the track shattered

against Lake Superior with a brief shower the only moisture that fell. As the

afternoon progressed the temperature continued to climb until toward the end of

the night it had reached 70 degrees.

Complimenting the Mod Tour were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and

the WISSOTA Pure Stocks. 24 Midwest Mods and 20 Pure Stocks were on hand

to swell the car count to 72 for the evening. A nice crowd was in the stands just

glad to see a race.

After qualifying was complete for all classes, the first main event was for the

WISSOTA Pure Stocks. The green flag was called back as the hood of Tyler

Carlson’s #71c flipped up covering his windscreen at the start. Pole sitter Tim

Carlson then grabbed the lead and held it for the first two circuits before Mike

Blevins driving the #10x of brother Matt Cuhna made his way to the point he was

able to hold that lead for two more laps of the 15 scheduled before the car began to

spew fluid on the track bringign out the caution flag. In the mix up front were

Shaina Rapp, Tim Carlson, Jon Hammit, Justin Weinberger and Justin Madsen.

The restart saw Tim Carlson back in front for a lap as Justin Madsen made a

charge to wrest the lead from Carlson with Jon Hammitt and Rapp in close

attendance. Madsen led the next six circuits taking a big lead over Weinberger, T.

Carlson, J. Hammitt and defending champ Ryan Savoy in the top five. J. Madsen

appeared to have the win wrapped up, but a gout of steam from the 15m halted the

bid and the race. When competition resumed, Weinberger had the lead going into

the green/white/checkered finish and held on for the apparent victory. Weinberger,

Jon Hammitt Rapp, Savoy and Ryan Madsen were the first five to take the

checkered flag. Weinberger was stripped of his win for a part judged to be outside

the rules in post race inspection but ruling was overturned and the win was

restored.

Next up it was 20 laps for the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds with david

Simpson leading the pack from the pole. At the green Simpson took off like a

scalded cat towing fellow front row starter Lance Solem, George Dalbeck, Mack

Estey and Nick Daronco along with him. Simpson widened his lead and held it for

the first nine laps as Dalbeck captured second and set out after the leader. Behind

the two the complection of the race began to change as the other three front five

positions continue to be swapped back and fourth. With seven laps in the books,

James Kannegiesser spun in turn two. The restart saw Deven VanHouse find his

way into fifth as Donnie Lofdahl grabbed sixth kicking Mack Estey back to

seventh. Two laps later Craig Lofdahl looped in turn two bringing out the caution

flag. On the restart Dalbeck got the better start and took the lead from Simpson

and stayed out front to the checkered flag. Simpson hung on to second over

Daronco, VanHouse and a surging Dave Flynn who had advanced ten spots from

the eighth row.

In the winner’s interview Dalbeck mentioned that this was his first brand new

race car which had a total of ten laps on it prior to Friday’s action.

Then it was time for 40 laps of Advantage RV Modified action. Kevin Eder

drew the pole position next to Neil Balduc. At the start Balduc surged to the lead,

but, with a lap completed, Jeffery Lien, Jr rolled to a halt and was not able to get

far enough off the track on the front stretch bringing out the caution flag. On the

restart Balduc made a strong move and maintained the lead but Kevin Adams

made his way to second ahead of Eder and Darrell Nelson. The order remained the

same in the first four positions though fifth place was in flux as Andy Jones held

the spot for two laps until J. B. Stortz took over the spot. The top five stabilized

until caution flag number two appeared with nine laps in as Rick Rivord spun at

the bottom of turn four. The restart saw Balduc still at the point but Stortz began to

make his move disposing of Nelson and moving into fourth to challenge Eder for

third. Adams began to reel in Balduc and the two went side by side for a couple of

laps. Just as Adams got his front bumper ahead of Balduc at the line, the caution

flag appeared for the stalled car of Ryan Mikkelson at the top of turn one. With 23

laps remaining, Eder got the jump on Balduc and Adams at the green flag and

grabbed the lead. They were followed by Matt Gilbertson who had started 10th and

Jeff Tardy up from 11th. The fourth caution flag was for a version of “the big one”

as Stortz appeared to encounter problems collecting Jeff Broking, Mike Stearns,

Dave Cain and Cory Bruggeman. All but Broking were able to continue. The

restart came with 22 circuits remaining and Eder assumed control of the event as

Gilbertson snared second ahead of Balduc and held onto that spot for three laps

before Balduc took it back. Eder held onto the lead fro the rest of the way. Balduc,

Adams, Gilbertson and Tardy ran the rest of the race in that order in the top five.

Stearns, Rick Niemi who started 17th and stayed out of trouble finished seventh,

Deven VanHouse, Jody Bellefeuille who had an up and down night and Destin

Lorimor finished in the top ten.

It was the second consecutive Advantage RV Modified Tour victory for Kevin

Eder. He has a good point lead in the Tour and said he needed to do some soul

searching overnight to see if they would continue to follow the tour.

Results: Advantage RV Modified Tour Presented by Watertown (SD) Ford (34

cars)

Feature (40 laps)

Kevin Eder Ashland; Neil Balduc Bessemer; Kevin Adams Cameron; Matt

Gilbertson Montevideo, MN; Jeff tardy Hibbing; Mike Stearns Hecla, SD; Rick

Niemi Eveleth; Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Jody Bellefeuille Duluth; Destin

Lorimor Superior; Travis Saurer Elisabeth, MN; Cory Bruggeman Stillwater; Dave

Corcoran, MN; Ken Hron Nashwauk; Rick Rivord Superior DNF: Jeff Broking

Grand Rapids; J. B. Stortz Big Lake, MN; Darrell Nelson hermantown; Andy

Jones Princeton, MN; Joey Jensen harris, MN; Ryan Mikkelson Jamestown, ND;

Al Uotinen Superior; Danny Vang Deerwood, MN; Jeremy Nelson Rogers, MN;

Jeffery lien, Jr. Mora

Heat 1: D. Nelson; Bellefeuille; J. Broking; Bruggeman; Lorimor; Brody Strachan

Emo, On DNF: Lien, Jr; Alex Guthmiller Watertown, SD; Matt Leer bruce

Heat 2; Balduc; Jones; Gilbertson; VanHouse; Mikkelson; Hron; Kelly Estey

Kelly Lake DNF: Jeff Spacek Phillips; Paul Wrazidlo Duluth

Heat 3: Adams; Cain; Stearns; J. Nelson; Niemi; Saurer; Scott Heikkinen Eveleth

Heat 4: Eder; Stortz; Vang; Jensen; Uotinen; Rivord; Brian Mikkonen Iron River;

Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay

B Feature #1: Bruggeman; Stearns; Niemi; Lien, Jr; Saurer; Lorimor; Leer;

Heikkinen; Strachen DNF: J. Nelson DNS: Guthmiller

B Feature#2: VanHouse; Jensen; Mikkelson; Hron; Uotinen; Rivord; Mikkonen;

Spacek; Wolkowski DNF: Estey DNS: Wrazidlo

Midwest Modifieds (24 cars)

Feature (20 laps)

George Dalbeck Wakefield; David Simpson Thunder Bay; Nick Daronco

Mountain Iron; Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Dave Flynn Superior; Donnie

Lofdahl Duluth; lance Solem Duluth; Dale Soumala, Jr Hermantown; Skeeter

Estey Kelly Lake; Travis Saurer Elisabeth; Brady Caul Fort Frances; Shawn

Rivord Superior; James Kannegiesser Hayward; Andrew Inman Hermantown;

Jason Goldfine Superior DNF: Jamie Smart Kakabeka Falls; Kevin Eder Ashland;

Dan Kingsley Superior; Matthew Dibb Milaca; Craig Lofdahl Duluth; Jason

Williamson Fort Frances; Mack Estey Hibbing; Mkike jacques Thunder Bay;

Derek Berg Siren

Heat 1: Solem; Caul; Eder; Inman; Smart; Williamson; Jaques; Berg

Heat 2; vanHouse; M. Estey; Simpson; D. Lofdahl; Dibb; Rivord; Goldfine;

Kannegiesser

Heat 3: Kingsley; Dalbeck; Daronco; S. Estey; Flynn; Saurer; Soumala, Jr; Berg

WISSOTA Pure Stock (20 cars)

Feature (15 laps)

Justin Weinberger Park Falls; Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Ryan Savoy Superior; Ryan

Madsen Foxboro; Carter Nelson Hermantown; Jason Simonson Superior; Kyle

Copp Brule DNF: Justin Madsen Foxboro; Tim Carlson Superior; Jim Campbell

Two Harbors; Jared Akervik Superior; Chad Carlson Superior; Andy Poll Two

Harbors; Devin Reynolds Cloquet; Mike Blevins Hibbing; Zene Anderson

Superior; Tyler Carlson Cloquet DQ: Annika Hammitt; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall

Heat 1: Blevins; T. Carlson; Rapp; Campbell DNF: J. Madsen; Ty Carlson; R.

Madsen; Reynolds DQ: Simonson; Anderson

Heat 2: Savoy; J. Hammitt; Weinberger; Poll; Copp; Carter Nelson DNF: Chad

Carlson DQ: Shelton; A. Hammitt; Akervik