KEVIN EDER TAMES ADVANTAGE RV MOD TOUR FIELD
By Jerry O’Brien
6-10-16 Superior, WI
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
