NELSON, BURDICK AND FLYNN WISSOTA WINNERS FIRST NIGHT 0F NATIONALS
By Jerry O’Brien
9-9-16
Superior, WI
9-9-16
Superior, WI
It was a perfect early Fall night for racing as the 28th Annual Rick Gondik Law
Offices Northern Nationals moved into the meat of the event. On tap for Friday
September 9th was the annual visit of the Interstate racing Association (IRA)
Outlaw Sprint Cars as well as WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Midwest
Modifieds, Super Stocks and Modifieds.
Along with the 20 sprint cars there were 44 Midwest Modifieds, 26 Super
Stocks and 27 Modifieds for a total car count of 117 cars.
Passing points were used in the heat races for the WISSOTA divisions to set
the main event lineups. There were five heats and a pair of B Features in the
Midwest Modifieds. The heats went to Denny Cutsforth; Dave Flynn; Dale
Suomala, Brady Caul and Cody Carlson. David Swearingin and Jason VandeKamp
topped the B Features.
Willie Johnsen, Jr; Shane kisling and Curt Myers won the Super Stock heats
while Neil Balduc, Darrell Nelson and Paul Wrazidlo were Modified heat winners.
IRA Sprint heats went to Steve Meyer, Scotty Thiel and Blake Nimee and track
record holder Davey Heskins (12.652) again sat atop the pile with a lap of 13.669
seconds.
The Sprints went their usual 30 laps for $2500 to win. Last time they were here
Heskins was not the fastest timer but won the race. This time he ran into bad luck
and the first and second turns wall putting him on the sidelines six laps in. Jeremy
Schmidt grabbed the lead at the outset and raced off to a big lead while Balog
quickly worked his way into second from the outside of the third row. The only
caution flag was on laps six for Heskin’s introduction to the wall. On the restart
Balog tried a massive slide job on Schmidt but couldn’t hold it. Shortly thereafter
he made the pass on Schmidt and, for all intents and purposes it was all over as
Balog lapped all the way up to fifth place.
The Midwest Modifieds were the first WISSOTA division up for the feature
events and it would be 20 laps and a full field of 24 cars plus a provisional which
turned out to be Shane Howell. The Buffalo, MN facer would start in the 25th
position.
At the green flag pole sitter Denny Cutsforth took the lead followed by Kevin
eder, Dan kingsley,, Dave Flynn and Brady Caul. Cutsforth held sway at the front
while Eder, Kingsly, Flynn and Caul were joined by Mack Estey. Seven laps in the
first caution flag flew for Willie Thompson’s troubles in turn two. Cutsforth held
onto the lead for three more laps before Eder managed to make the pass. Eder was
in control as Flynn claimed second over Cutsforth and Kingsley who were joined
by Estey and Deven VanHouse. Eder put some distance on Flynn but Flynn was
able to regain the ground and close up as the mid point was reached. Eder held
sway at the front and looked to back up his win from the previous year, but that
was not in the cards. The second caution flag came with three laps remaining as
Cutsforth lost control and spun around in turn two. The third caution flag came on
the restart attempt when several cars tangled up on the bottom of the fourth turn
exit. Eder still had a chance for the win but unfortunately the number 40 broke in
turn four bringing out the caution and ending his race a couple laps short of the
finish. Flynn inherited the lead with two to go and held off Kingsley for his first
win in the Midwest Modifieds at the speedway for the season. Nick Daronco,
VanHouse, and Curt Myers finished in the top five.
Next it was 25 laps for the Super Stocks with a full field of 26 cars set to take
the green . Dave Flynn and Curt Myers barely had time to catch their breath before
they found themselves staring through the wind screens of their Super Stocks
looking for the green flag. Myers got the jump but Willie johnsen, Jr had some
problems as did Brian Mikkonen bringing out the caution before the first lap could
be completed. Flynn was quicker on the throttle the next time and took the point
but Myers was not to be denied and wrestled the lead back. Myers and Flynn were
soon joined by Scott Lawrence, Kevin Burdick and Keith Kern while Shane
Kisling scrambled to chase them down. Lawrence and Burdick were in a tight
battle, tight enough to cause a shower of sparks as they scrapped the front stretch
wall. They finally tangled and Lawrence was sent to the rear charged with the
incident. Myers led off on the restart but Burdick heaped on the pressure and
drove past to the lead. Burdick held onto the point and pulled away while Myers,
Flynn, Kisling, Jim Campbell, Andy Grymala, Nick Oreskovich and Kern kept up
the pressure. With five laps remaining Jean Fortin’s #44 caught a marker tire in
turn one and turned over, appeared to land on it’s wheels and caught fire under the
hood. Fortin was reportedly okay and the fire was quickly extinguished. Almost
unnoticed, Lawrence had been working his way up from 25th and restarted 9th with
five to go. Myers got the good restart and had the lead going into the first turn.
Burdick didn’t panic and kept after him, lined him up and out accelerated Myers
off turn four to pull off the narrow win with a last corner pass. Flynn, Lawrence
and Jeff Klopstein finished in the top five. Klopstein was barley noticed as he
came from 16th to the top five.
All 27 cars were set to start the 30 lap Modified main event with Joey Jensen
and Paul Wrazidlo set to lead the field to the green. Jensen grabbed the lead at the
start over Wrazidlo, Jody Bellefeuille, Kelly Estey and Darrell Nelson. Neil
Balduc and Al Uotinen were also in contention. No laps were complete before the
caution flag flew when Donnie Lofdahl slid into the forth turn wall. He was able to
continue. Jensen held the lead at the restart with Wrazidlo second, Estey third,
Nelson forth and Bellefeuille fifth. Nelson began a classic run forward, made it to
second and began reeling Jensen in. With 21 laps remaining Nelson made his
move to first. At this point we began to see comers and goers as Wrazidlo still
held third, Bellefeuille was fourth and Uotinen cracked the top five. Almost
immediately the second caution flag flew for Scott Heikkinen’s car that had found
the fourth turn wall. With only ten circuits complete the car count had been
reduced to 22 still running. Nelson still had the top spot at the green but Uotinen
had one of the fastest cars on the track at this juncture as he found some traction
on the very bottom of the track and took second. Nelson was long gone by this
time but Uotinen made a valiant effort to track him down. Anouther racer also
found his car to be very fast at this point, also. Ashley Anderson raced his way
into third as Jensen began to fade. Just like a big score on Jeopardy, Nelson could
not be caught such was the size of his lead. Anderson got by Uotinen for second,
Mike Anderson moved to fourth at the checkered flag and Jensen managed to
rebound for a top five finish.
It was Nelson’s forth Northern Nationals Modified win and third in a row.
Results Northern Nationals 9-9-16
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Modifieds (27 cars)
Feature (30 laps)
Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Ashley Anderson Elk Mound; Al Uotinen Superior;
Mike Anderson Colfax; Joey Jensen Harris MN; Jody Bellefeuille Duluth; Kelly
Estey Kelly Lake; Neil Balduc Bessemer; Kevin Eder Ashland; Paul Wrazidlo
Duluth; Paul Niznik Medford, WI; Rick Niemi Eveleth; Jeff Broking Grand
Rapids; Steve Lavesseur River Falls, WI; Rick Rivord Superior; Jeff Tardy
Hibbing; Pat Cook Washburn; Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay; Jake Hiatt New
Richmond DMF: Destin Lorimor Superior; Brian Mikkonen Iron River; Al
Stettner Newport, MN; Jaymde Lautigar Gilbert, MN; Donnie Lofdahl Duluth;
Dustin Hudack Ashland; Scott Heikkinen Eveleth; Peter Loecken Paynesville, MN
Heat 1: Balduc; Eder; Estey; A. Anderson; Mikkonen; Lautigar; Lavasseur;
Loecken; Wolkowski
Heat 2: Nelson; Uotinen; Bellefeuille; Niemi; Rivord; Niznik; Hudack; Tardy
Hiatt
Heat 3: Wrazidlo; Jensen; M. Anderson; Lorimor; Broking; Cook; Stettner;
Heikkonen DNF: Lofdahl
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Super Stocks (26 cars)
Feature (25 laps)
Kevin Burdick Proctor; Curt Myers Cameron; Dave Flynn Superior; Scott
Lawrence Superior; Jeff Klopstein, Jr Tomahawk, WI; Andy grymala Superior;
Keith Kern Superior; Shawn McFadden, Jr Ashland; Jim Campbell Two Harbors;
Pat Beeksma Ironwood; Terran Spacek Phillips; Don Muzzy Ironwood; Brian Carl
Duluth; Butch Butcher Buhl, MN; Mike Weber Osceola; Luke Schultz Cameron;
D. J. Keeler Superior; Larry Both Thunder Bay; Adam Shinn Duluth DNF: Shane
Kisling Phillips; Jean Guy Fortin Neebing, ON; Nick Oreskovich; Matt Hammitt
Clooquet; Willie Johnsen, Jr Superior DNS: Keith Corcilius Phillips
Heat 1: Johnsen, Jr; Lawrence; Burdick; Spacek; Beeksma; Klopstein, Jr; Both
DNF: Corcilius; Fortin
Heat 2: Kisling; Campbell; Kern; Keeler; Oreskovich; Weber; Hammitt DNF:
Shinn; Mikkonen
Heat 3: Myers; Flynn; McFadden; Grymala; Muzzy; carl; Schultz; Butccher
WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Midwest Modifieds (44 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Dave Flynn Superior; Dan Kingsley Superior; Nick Daronco Mountain Iron;
Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Curt Myers Cameron; Dale Suomala, Jr
Hermantown; Jason VandeKamp Scandia, MN; David Swearingen Little Canada,
MN; Cody Carlson Superior; Craig Lofdahl Duluth; Ryan Adamzak Ashland;
Denny Cutsforth Rice Lake, WI; Keith Niemi Forest Lake, MN; Shane Howell
Buffalo, MN; Kevin Montieth Thunder Bay; Brandon Copp Brule; Cole Spacek
Phillips; Brady Caul Fort Frances, ON DNF: Wyatt Boyum International Falls;
Jason Haugerud Somerset, WI; Brad Hanson Mountain Iron; Kevin Eder Ashland;
David Simpson Thunder Bay; Mack Estey Hibbing; Willy Thompson Hibbing
B Feature #1: Swearingen; Simpson; Hanson; Spacek; Jason Williamson Fort
Frances; Cole Chernosky Thunder Bay; Mike Jacques Thunder Bay; Jamie Smart
Kakabeka Falls, ON; Alex Smith Solon Springs; Tyler Hudack Ashland; Tyler
Vernon Ashland; Al Stettner Newport, MN DNF: Carey Lepage Culver; Ross
Siiter Cloquet; Jeremy lindqwuist Ashland DNS: Jason Goldfine Superior
B Feature #2: VandeKamp; Adamzak; K. Niemi; Montieth; T. Hudack; T.
Vernon; Howell; David Kivi Nolalu, ON; Don Craig Thunder bay; Gunner
Peterson Cable DNF: Jeff Forseen Mountain Iron; Eric Anderson Chisholm; Nick
Koehler Bloomer DNS: Mike Blevins Hibbing
Heat 1: Cutsforth; Kingsley; Boyum; Daronco; Niemi; VandeKamp; Kivi DNF:
Koehler DNS: Goldfine
Heat 2; Flynn; Copp; Jacques; Lindquist; Adamzak; Chernosky; Williamson;
Siiter; Smith
Heat 3: Suomala; Estey; Eder; Thompson; Spacek; Smart; Howell DNF: Peterson;
Blevins
Heat 4: Caul; VanHouse; Hudack; Haugerud; Craig; Montieth; Stettner DNF:
Simpson; Anderson
Heat 5: Carlson; Lofdahl; Hanson; Myers; Swearingen; Forseen DNF: LePage;
Veron