LEER CAPTURES ADVANTAGE 4O LAP FEATURE AT AMSOIL SPEEDWAY

By Jerry O’Brien 6-26-15 Superior WI.
On the best weather night thus far this season at AMSOIL Speedway, the
Advantage RV Modified Series was in town for the second of three races in the
area. Thirty-six WISSOTA Modifieds came to play on the big fast four tenths mile
clay speedway.
The Late Models had the night off leaving a four division program which drew
a nice total of 97 cars. Qualifying heats for all divisions were completed by 8:30
but some track preparation was required as heavy rain during the week had
affected the racing surface.

The second half of the program began with a pair of B Features for the
Modifieds to complete the 20 car Modified feature lineups.
The 15 lap main event for the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds took to the track
and Don Craig jumped to the early lead which lasted a lap before Jake Gondik
blasted past and raced off to a huge lead. Craig hung in there in second over Nick
Daronco, Tyler Luger and Dan Kingsley. While Gondik headed for a different zip
code, Craig held onto second as Dave Flynn and Tyler Kintner joined the party
along with Kingsley and Luger. While the battle for basically second place raged,
Gondik steadily increased his lead. A caution flag or a break down of Gondik’s car
was sorely needed for anyone else to have a chance, but none was forthcoming as
the event went flag to flag giving Gondik the well earned win. Craig was in
control of second place, Flynn was marked third, Kintner fourth and Kingsley
fifth. Later a rule infraction was discovered on Flynn’s car and he was disqualified
moving everyone up one spot which put Luger in fifth.
Next up it was 20 laps for the Super Stocks. Sixteen cars took the green flag
and Donnie Lofdahl driving Joe Vork’s #7JV grabbed the early lead as Dave
Flynn slid into second, Tristan LaBarge third, Keith Kern Fourth and Nick
Oreskovich fifth. After a caution flag slowed the action, Flynn took the point over
Lofdahl, Oreskovich, Kevin Burdick, Shane Kisling and Scott Larence in a pack.
Burdick made a charge and took second as Oreskovich got by Lofdahl into third
while Kisling and Lawrence skirmished for fifth. Burdick went for the lead and
tried to get inside Flynn in turn two but hit two of the marker tires and spun wildly
off the turn two exit bringing out the second caution flag of the race. Flynn led the
field to the green with Oreskovich, LaBarge, Kisling and Lawrence in close
attendance. Oreskovich tried the same maneuver as Burdick in the same place in
turn two going for the lead but Flynn held him off. After this try Flynn remained in
control and put a little distance on the battle behind him, going on to take the win.
Oreskovich, LaBarge, Lawrence and 16th starting Dave Mass finished in the top
five.
The Advantage RV Modified Tour limits it’s features to a maximum of 20 cars
and, with 36 cars on hand the competition for the feature line up was fierce. The
final starting lineup had a good mix of traveling series regulars and local cars with
the split being even at ten and ten.
The start of the 40 laps degenerated quickly as a wild wreck occurred off he exit
of turn two involving at least six cars. Most were able to drive away, but the
incident seemed to set the tone for the rest of the event. The restart saw Johnny
Broking and Mike Stearns neck and neck for the lead with Dale Mathisen close
behind. Matt Leer, Bob Broking and Jesse Glenz battled for fourth but the caution
flag made another appearance when Glenz brushed the concrete flattening the
right front tire. Stearns took the lead at the restart with Mathisen second but
Johnny Broking’s night ended early as he departed into the pits leaving Stearns
and Mathisen to battle for the lead. The next caution flag was for a spin by Jayson
Good in turn two. The restart saw Mathisen take the lead off turn two with Stearns
falling to second, Bob Broking third, Joey Jensen fourth from 15th and Matt
Gilbertson in the top five from 16th. Mathisen and Stearns traded the lead with
Leeer rebounding to third ahead of Broking and Gilbertson. The fourth caution
flag flew for Glenz who found himself backwards in turn three. There were still 22
laps remaining at the restart with Mathisen still in control but Leer was gaining
strength and took second. Leer surged ahead and had the lead but couldn’t clear
Mathisen. The two raced side by side and gained fifteen car lengths on Stearns and
Dave Mass who had arrived at the front from his 12th starting spot. A number of
cars had dropped out and it became an endurance race as positions were gained by
the misfortune of others as the event neared the end. The fifth and final caution
flag flew when Jensen spun after contact with Bob Broking. With eight laps
remaining Leer was firmly in control as Mathisen and Mass battled for second.
Leer went on to win his second feature of the season at the speedway as he was the
opening night winner as well. Mathisen, Stearns and Gilbertson finished in the top
five. Only nine of the 20 starters finished.
The Pure Stocks had a rough go of it in their 12 lap feature that started out with
a red flag on the first lap and a wild finish after three caution flags. Turn two was a
difficult place for most divisions as this time Josh Loucks was hit by someone off
the exit which set his car into the start of a spin toward the wall. Ryan Savoy had
nowhere to go and hit Loucks broadside lifting and spinning the Loucks car onto
it’s roof. No injuries were reported to either driver but both cars sustained heavy
damage. The restart saw Tim Carlson lead Alex Smith, Lucas Carlson, Annika
Hammitt and Chad Carlson. Smith brought out the caution when his car stalled at
the flag stand. Lucas Carlson held the restart lead Shaina Rapp’s car began
emitting heavy smoke on the back stretch and stopped in turn three bringing the
caution flag back out. The restart saw carlson hold the lead while Jon Hammitt and
sister Annika had a battle for second. The final caution flag occurred for an Erik
Pederson spin in turn three. Lucas Carlson led on the restart as the laps wound
down coming off turn four for the win, Annika Hammitt nudged Carlson who went
sideways, Jon Hammitt dived inside and nicked the spinning Carlson everyone
almost made it across, but Carlson was awarded the win, Jon Hammit was second
and Annika Hammitt was scored tenth, the final car running.
Results AMSOIL Speedway 6-26-15
Advantage RV Modified Tour (36 cars)
Feature (40 laps): Matt Leer Bruce; Dave Mass East Bethel MN; Dale Mathisen
Clearwater, MN; Mike Stearns Hecla SD; Matt Gilbertson Montevideo, MN; Dave
Cain Corcoran, MN; Bill Byholm Glidden; Greg Chesley Duluth; Aaron Olson
Mekinock, ND DNF: Al Uotinen Superior; Destin Lorimor Superior; Bob Broking
Grand rapids; Joey Jensen Forest Lake; Dan Ebert Lakeshore, MN; Jesse Glenz
Cadott; Jayson GoodWatertown, SD; Johnny Broking Grand Rapids; brian
Mikkonen Iron River; Kelly Estey Kelly Lake; Jeff Broking Grand Rapids
B Feature #1: Ebert; Jensen; Cain; Olson; Rick Rivord Superior; Ken Hron
Nashwauk; Pat Cook Washburn; Jody Bellefeuille Duluth; Steve Stuart Ashland;
Rick Cannata Hibbing DNS; Nikki Wrazidlo Duluth
B Feature #2: Uotinen; Gilbertson; Byholm; Good; Travis Saurer Elizabeth, MN;
Jason Voigt St. Cloud, MN; Delray Dykstra Litchville ND; Denver Nickerson
Veblen, SD; Jeffery Lien, Jr. Mora DNF: Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay; Deven
VanHouse Silver Bay; Brent Dutenhoffer Wattertown, SD
Heat 1: Stearns; Mathison; Mikkonen; Olson; Bellefeuille; Jensen; Cain; Wrazidlo
DNF: Cook
Heat 2: Lorimor; Leer; Chesley; Byholm; Voigt; Wolkowski DNF: VanHouse;
Dutenhoffer
Heat 3: Johnny Broking; Bob Broking; Glenz; Ebert; Stuart; Hron; Mikkelson;
Rivord DNF: Cannata
Heat 4: Jeff Broking; Estey; Mass; Uotinen; Saurer; Good; Nickerson; Dykstra
DNF: Gilbertson
WISSOTA Super Stock (16 cars)
Feature (20 laps): Dave Flynn Superior; Nick Oreskovich Mason’ Tristan LaBarge
Kelly Lake; Scott Lawrence Superior; Dave Mass East Bethel; Shane Kisling
Sarona; Kurt Becken Otsego, MN; Jim Campbell Two Harbors; Spencer Sorenson
Duluth; Adam Shinn Duluth DNF: D. J. Keeler Superior; Kevin Burdick Proctor;
Keith Kern Superior; Curt Myers Cameron; Willie Johnsen Superior
Heat 1; Lawrence; Burdick; Oreskovich; Kern; Kisling; Campbell; Keeler DNFL
Myers
Heat 2: LaBarge; Flynn; Johnsen; Lofdahl; Becken; Sorenson; Shinn DNFL: Mass
WISSOTA Midwest Modified (21 cars)
Feature (15 laps): Jake Gondik Foxboro; Don Craig Thunder Bay; Tyler Kintner
Hibbing’ Dan Kingsley superior; Tyler Luger Iron River; Skeeter Estey Kelly
Lake; Mack Estey Hibbing; Willy Thompson Hibbing; Nick Daronco Mountain
Iron; Scott Herrick Proctor; Travis Saurer; Cory Asmussen Waseca, MN; David
Simpson Thunder Bay; Jamie Smart Kakabaka Falls; Jason Goldfine Superior;
Chris Bretting Washburn; Mike Jacques Thunder Bay DNF: Deven VanHouse
Silver Bay; Brady Caul Ft, Frances DQ: Dave Flynn Superior DNS: Cody Carlson
Superior
Heat 1; Luger; Caul; Craig; M. Estey; VanHouse; Thompson; Bretting
Heat 2: Daronco; Flynn; Kingsley; Goldfine; Asmussen DNF: Smart DNS: carlson
Heat 3: Gondik; S. Estey; Kintner; Saurer; Herrick DNF:Simpson; Jacques
Pure Stock (17 cars)
Feature (12 laps): Lucas Carlson; Jon Hammitt; Aaron Olson; Chad carlson; Devin
Reynolds’ Andy Poll; Erik Pederson; Nick Ziegler; Jason Simonson; Annika
Hammitt DNF: Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Tim Carlson Superior; Alex Smith Solon
Springs; Josh Loucks Carlton; Ryan Savoy Superior DQ: Ryan Madsen DNS:
Kevin Getchell
Heat 1; J. Hammitt; T. Carlson; Smith; Olson; C. Carlson; Poll; Getchell; Rapp;
Simonson
Heat 2: L. Carlson; A. Hammitt; Pederson; Ziegler DNF: Reynolds; Madsen DQ:
Savoy