By Jerry O'Brien
6-5-15 Superior, WI.
Friday night Superior's Dan Kingsley beat the speedway that put his Midwest
Modified on the scrap heap at the end of the 2014 season after a violent roll over
in the first and second turn. During the Winner's Circle interview he admitted to
some nervousness returning to the track but was happy to get the win with the
same engine that was in the car.
Officials hustled the show along as this week there was not only the cold wind,
but the icy fog off Lake Superior threatened to become the night's overall winner.
With 20 more cars on hand than the previous week, officials finished up the
qualifying heats quickly and the first feature rolled onto the track around nine
o'clock. The 17 car Midwest Modified feature rolled onto the track for 15 laps led
by Scott Herrick and Tyler Luger. Luger was looking to build on his heat win an
raced to the point at the green with Dan Kingsley into second from row two.
Herrick dropped to third ahead of Kevin Monntieth and Cody Carlson. The first
caution appeared quickly as the shuffling at the front was still going on. Justin
Madsen's car slowed on the front stretch and he was unable to make it to the pit
entrance. The restart saw Luger hold off Kingsley and Montieth but the caution
flag flew when Mack Estey spun and Carey LePage braked to avoid him. The
restart was unkind to Montieth as he slid up the hill in turn three, recovering back
in sixth as Luger Maintained the point over Kingsley. Dave Flynn appeared in
third while Tyler Kintner made his way to fourth ahead of Carlson in fifth. Headed
toward the front was Donnie Lofdahl at the wheel of the #78 of Josh Overn.
Kingsley got by Luger and Flynn took over second at the mid point as Kintner also
knocked Luger back to fourth just ahead of the fifth running Carlson. Just as it
seemed things were settling down, Kintner encountered problems in turn four
resulting in a spin and the third caution flag. With seven pals remaining the event
resumed with Kintner banished to the rear. Kingsley held a good lead over Flynn
and Carlson as Luger rebounded to fourth and Lofdahl made it to the top five.
Kingsley went on to take his first feature win of the season holding Flynn at bay
while Carlson held off Luger and Skeeter Estey who had started 15th on the field
and rounded out the top five.
The Super Stocks were set for 20 laps with Mark Smith holding down the pole
waiting for Flynn to change cars as he was set to roll off on the front row. Flynn
bolted to the lead over Smith, Nick Oreskovich and D. J. Keeler who was in a
battle with Scott Lawrence. Last week's winner Kevin Burdick joined the
Lawrence/Keeler skirmish and got past both into third. Just as the half way point
was about to be reached, a caution flag was waved and Burdick was charged. The
restart came with 11 laps remaining as Flynn was leading over Oreskovich, Smith,
Lawrence and Keeler. Burdick wasted little time slicing through the pack and was
already up to sixth. Flynn was in control and cruising when another caution flag
appeared for debris with three laps to go. The caution flag flew on the restart for a
Shane Kisling spin in turn two instigated by Keith Kern. The
green/white/checkered finish went off without a hitch and Flynn had his first
feature win of the season.
As the fog began to thicken, even coming from the two infield ponds, the
Modifieds brought the 19 of the 20 cars on hand to the green flag for a 20 lap
workout. Jody Bellefeuille started from the pole and raced away to a commanding
lead. Scott Heikkinen took advantage of a good starting spot to take second over
Brian Mikkonen, Darrell Nelson and Jeff Broking. Nelson was on the prowl and
made his way to second with four laps recorded. Mikkonen and Broking were
joined in the top five by Johnny Broking. Nelson once again found himself in
pursuit of Bellefeuille who was enjoying more than a straight away bulge. Nelson
was making up ground on Bellefeuille quickly with nine laps remaining as Jeff
Broking was up to third past Mikkonen and Johnny Broking who slipped up the
hill in turn three letting Bob Broking into fifth. Nelson finally tracked Bellefeuille
down and raced past to the lead. Nelson put some distance on second place but
that lead evaporated when the only caution flag of the event occurred for debris in
turn one. Nelson held on for the win over Bellefeuille, Jeff Broking, Al Uotinen
who had come to life and had picked off several cars to finish fourth ahead of
Johnny Broking.
The Late Models were up next with 18 cars set to go for 25 circuits in the ever
thickening fog. Don Shaw made another trip from Ham Lake, MN and was
looking for a feature win to go along with his heat win. He grabbed the lead at the
outset with Harry Hanson slipping into second ahead of Robbie Cooper, Chris
Olson and the ever present Darrell Nelson. With two laps in, Hanson apparently
hooked the marker tires to the inside of turn four and ended up in the rough near
the light poles ending his night. The restart saw Shaw fight off Nelson but a wild
spin on the front stretch by Jeff Massingill slowed the action with the second
caution flag. The green flag saw Nelson nab the lead from Shaw with Olson,
Cooper and Travis Budiaslovich watching Nelson race off to a huge lead. He
increased the margin to straight away as he began lapping back markers. The
action seemed to settle down and Nelson went on to easily take the dominating
victory.
As Nelson rolled into victory circle for his interview it was announced that the
fog had won and the Pure Stock feature would be made up at the next race.
Results AMSOIL Speedway 6-5-15 (86 cars)
WISSOTA Late Model (18 cars)
Feature (25 laps): Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Don Shaw Ham lake, MN; Chris
Olson Hibbing; Travis budiaslovich Minneapolis; Jeff Massingill Keewatin;
Aaron Lillo Duluth; Terry Lillo Duluth; Todd Gehl Solon Springs, WI; Tim
mcMann Duluth; Cory Jorgenson Hermantown; Dave Esse Cloquet, MN; Trevor
Wilson Superior; Robbie Cooper South Range DNF: Tim Lillo Duluth; Zach
Wohlers Pengilly, MN; Gregg Hill Eveleth, MN; T. J. Adams Hayward, WI; Harry
Hanson Eveleth (Fastest lap Nelson 17.550 seconds, 76.9 MPH Average)
Heat 1: Shaw; Nelson; Olson; Massingill; McMann; Jorgenson; A. Lillo; Wilson
DNF: Hill
Heat 2: Hanson; Budiaslovich; Cooper; Adams; T. Lillo; Esse; Gehl; Wohlers; T.
Lillo
WISSOTA Modified (20 cars)
Feature (20 laps): Darrell Nelson; Jody Bellefeuille Duluth; Jeff Broking Grand
Rapids, MN; Al Uotinen Superior; Johnny Broking Grand rapids; Bob Broking
Grand rapids; Neil Balduc Bessemer, MI; Bill Byholm Glidden, WI; Kelly Estey
Kelly Lake, MN; Brian Mikkonen Iron River;Deven VanHouse Silver Bay, MN;
Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay, Ont.; Nikki Wrazidlo Duluth Jeffery Lien, Jr
Mora, MN; Pat Cook Washburn, WI DNF: Rick Niemi Eveleth; Rick Rivord
Superior; Dustin hudack Ashland, WI DNS: Bobby Houston Siren, WI (Fast Lap
Nelson, 18.452 seconds, 73.2 MPH Average)
Heat 1: B. Broking; Heikkinen; Wrazidlo; Rivord; Niemi DNF: Balduc; Estey
Heat 2: J. Broking; Mikkonen; Wolkowski; Uotinen; Lien, Jr,; Hudack DNF:
VanHouse
Heat 3:Bellefeuille; Nelson; Johnny Broking; Byholm; Cook DNF: Houston
WISSOTA Super Stock (14 cars)
Feature (20 laps): Dave Flynn Superior; Nick Oreskovich Mason, WI; Mark Smith
Solon Springs; Kevin Burdick Proctor; Scott Lawrence Superior; Shane Kisling
Sarona, WI; Pat Heikkinen Eveleth; D. J. Keeler Superior; Jim Campbell Two
Harbors, MN; Keith Kern Superior; Andy Grymala Superior; Don Muzzy
Ironwood, MI; Spencer Sorenson Duluth DNF: Brad Kisling Rice Lake, WI
(Fast Lap Flynn, 18.591, 72.6 MPH Average)
Heat 1: Flynn; Kern; Smith; Keeler; Grymala DNFL Muzzy; Heikkinen
Heat 2: Lawrence; Burdick; Oreskovich; S. Kisling; Campbell; Sorenson DNS: B.
Kisling
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds (17 cars)
Feature (15 laps): Dan Kingsley Superior; Dave Flynn Superior; Cody Carlson
Superior; Tyler Luger Iron River; Skeeter Estey Kelly Lake; Donnie Lofdahl
Duluth; Jake Gondik Foxboro; Kevin Montieth Thunder Bay; Mack Estey
Hibbing; Tyler Kintner Hibbing; David Simpson Thunder Bay; Deven VanHouse
Silver Bay; Scott Herrick Proctor; Don Craig Thunder Bay; Carey LePage Culver,
MN; Tanner Byholm Glidden DNF: Justin Madsen Foxboro (Fast lap Kingsley,
18.808 seconds, 71,8 MPH average)
Heat 1; Kintner; Flynn; Kingsley; Simpson; VanHouse; Byholm; Madsen DNF: S.
Estey; M. Estey
Heat 2: Luger; Carlson; Montieth; Herrick; Gondik' Lofdahl; LePage DNF: Craig
Pure Stock (17 cars)
(Feature Postponed to next Friday due to fog)
Heat 1: Tim Carlson Superior; Chad Carlson Superior; Ryan Madsen Foxboro;
Keven Getchell Cloquet; Shaina Rapp Saginaw, MN; melissa Blaylock Solo
Springs; Alex Smith Solon Springs; Zene Anderson Superior
Heat 2: Ryan Savoy Superior; Lucas Carlson Cloquet; Justin Weinberger Park
Falls, WI; Craig Horak Grand Maris, MN; Andy Poll Two harbors; Jason
Simenson Superior; Nick Ziegler Cloquet
