TRACK RECORD HOLDER KNOCKS DOWN FIRST FEATURE WIN
By Jerry O’Brien
Superior, WI 9-11-15
The first night of the 27th Annual Rick Gondik Law Offices Northern Nationals
featured the annual visit from the Interstate Racing Association (IRA) 410 Outlaw
Sprints who brought 23 cars to the speedway. Also competing were WISSOTA
Polydome Dirt Track Series Modifieds, Super Stocks and Midwest Modifieds. A
packed house saw plenty of racing on the first night of the two day special event.
Davey Heskin holds the IRA 410 Outlaw Sprint track record at AMSOIL
Speedway with a lap of just over 12 seconds on the four tenths mile oval but has
never taken the red #56 to the top of the podium until Friday night September 11th
when he finally made the big step.
Heskins could not match his record time and finished second to the only female
driver in the field. Paige Polyak turned a lap of 13.515 seconds to edge Heskins
(13.720) and IRA point leader Ben Schmidt (13.802) for the to honor. It was
Polyak’s second consecutive fast time at the speedway.
Poylak continued her winning ways winning the first of three qualifying heats
over Steve Meyer and Blake Nimee. Scott Uttech and Josh Walter won the other
two heats.
The Sprint feature was set for 30 laps but trouble occurred before the green flag
could even be waved as Scott Uttech and Michael Decker made contact and Uttech
flipped. Both recorded DNF’s for the event while local driver Duane Olson did not
start.
Pole sitter Scott Neitzel jumped to the early lead and drove off to a huge lead
which evaporated when Schmitz stalled on the front stretch. The restart saw
Heskin in second from 7th on Neitzel’s rear nerf bar. Blake Nimee, Dave Uttech
and Russell Borland were in the top five. Right at the half way point Heskin blew
by Neitzel in the first turn and quickly expanded his lead as the race remained
under the green flag the rest of the distance. Bill Rose who came into the event
second to Schmidt in IRA points, charged from last to 7th after a wild heat race flip
that saw him crash hard into the third turn wall and flip into the catch fence
forcing him to bring out the back up car. Neitzel, Nimee, Roger Crockett and
Wayne Modjeski finished in the top five.
Local hot shoe and multiple Late Model and Modified champion at AMSOIL
Speedway Darrell Nelson drove his first ever laps in a Sprint car but did not finish
the feature. Also Super Stock driver Pat Heikkinen drove a Sprint car for the third
time in Wayne Modjeski’s back up car recording a 17th place finish.
The Polydome Dirt Track Series Modifieds took to the track with Jesse Glenz
holding down the pole alongside Deven VanHouse. The first caution flag flew
when Kevin Eder and Rick Rivord clashed in turn one. Both were able to continue
and Glenz took the lead over VanHouse, Matt Leer, Jeff Broking and Darrell
Nelson. Glenz held onto the lead by four car lengths while the combatants battled
for position. Leer moved past Glenz with 21 laps remaining leaving him to
contend with Nelson and Eder who had moved to fourth. Nelson charged to
second behind Leer but the second caution flag flew and changed the complexion
of the race as now the top five were in a bunch and there were still 19 of the 27
scheduled starters still in play. After the restart the race between Leer and Nelson
intensified and the Leer appeared to squeeze Nelson toward the bottom of the
track in the fourth turn. Nelson spun out and was judged at fault as cars scattered
to avoid the spinning car. Some were caught up in the incident and 2015 track
champion Al Uotinen who had moved up from 14th to just outside the top five,
suffered a flat tire. Eder and Jeff Broking also suffered damage but were able to
continue. On the restart with Leer still on top, Eder made a bold move and drove
past him to the lead and raced off to a huge lead. Leer began to fall back and
exited with a flat right rear tire leaving second to Andy Jones. Eder won with east
from that point in a very battered race car. Jones, Glenz, Mike Anderson and Steve
Stuart were top five finishers. It was Eder’s second Northern Nationals win as he
had also win in 2013. Stuart’s run was the best of the night as he had started 18th
and Uotinen was able to get back to 11th at the finish.
It looked as though 2015 track champion Scott Lawrence was going to use the
pole position to his advantage as he took the lead at the outset and widened is lead
over 2014 champion Nick Oreskovich, Randy Spacek, Andy Grymala and dave
Flynn. Former track champion Dale Gangl found himself in trouble in a clash with
Cory Casari. Gangl was charged with the caution. Lawrence continued out front
while Spacek and Oreskovich battled for second. The always dangerous Curt
Myers started 7th and moved quickly into the top five and made his way to second
with fifteen laps to go and began to reel in Lawrence. Myers caught Lawrence and
gor past for the lead with eleven remaining. The second and final caution flag flew
when Gangl again charged. Myera was able to pull away from Lawrence over le
last laps for the win and Flynn was able to take second. Randy Spacek hung onto
fourth and Kevin Burdick was fifth from his 12th starting slot. It was Myers’ 34th
feature win of the season in his quest for the 2015 WISSOTA National Super
Stock crown.
Speaking of dangerous drivers, Brady Caul of Ft. Frances, Ontario always
seems to run very well when he makes the trip to AMSOIL Speedway and this
time was no different as he started on the outside of the front row and took the
lead at the green flag. There was a $100 bonus from Town & Country Realty from
Thunder Bay for the winners in all divisions especially if they were from Canada
early on four of the top five drivers fit that bill. The only interloper was Nick
Daronco. The first caution flag flew when Dave Flynn stopped on the front stretch.
The restart saw Caul get a good one and fellow Canadian and pole sitter Dan
Tocheri slip into second with another Canadian veteran Kevin Montieth in third,
then Daronco and another Canadian David Simpson fifth. Close behind were
Lance Solem, Dale Soumala, Mark Kangas and Ricky Davis. Caul was running
away from the field, but was brought back when Daronco and Soumala collided in
turn four bringing out caution number two. Caul was still in charge as the green
flag flew with Montieth, Tocheri and Simpson in tow. Daronco fell into a skirmish
with Deven VanHouse for fourth. Caul cruised out to a long lead while Montieth
did the same. At the mid point of the 20 lap event it was Caul, Montieth, Simpson
VanHouse and Daronco in the top five with Tocheri just out in sixth. Little
changed to the checkered flag with caul taking his first Northern Nationals title.
Montieth, VanHouse and Daronco rounded out the top five.
Results Day One 27th Annual Rick Gondik Law Offices Northern Nationals
presented by Budweiser.
IRA Sprints (23 cars)
Feature (30 laps) Davey Heskin; Scott Neitzel;Blake Nimee; Roger Crockett;
Wayne Modjeski; Russell Borland; Bil Rose; Phillip Mock; Jeremy Schultz; Paige
Polyak; Kris Spitz; Dave Uttech; Steve Meyer; Rick kelsey; Kyle Marten; Leigh
Thomas; Pat Hekkinen DNF: Josh Walter; Ben Schmidt; Darrell nelson; Scott
Uttech DNS: Duane Olson
Heat 1: Polyak; Meyer; Nimee; Neitzel; Spitz; Decker; Rose
Heat 2: S. Uttech; Marten; Crockett; Heskin; Mock; Schultz; Heikkinen
Heat 3: Walter; Modjeski; Schmidt; D. Uttech; Borland; Thomas; Nelson
WISSOTA Modifieds (27 cars)
Feature (25 laps) Kevin Eder; Andy Jones; Jesse Glenz; Mike Anderson; Steve
Stuart; Brian Mikkonen; Jody Bellefeuille; Deven VanHouse; Chris Wolden; Greg
Chesley; Al Uotinen; Scott Heikkinen; Cody Wolkowski DNF: Matt Leer; Nikki
Wradizlo; Garett Gamby; Jeffery Lien, Jr; Jeff Broking; Darrell Nelson; Rick
Cannata; Rick Rivord; Tim McMann; Paul Schultz; Jared Loos; Jeff Tardy; Neil
Balduc DNS: Ashley Anderson
Heat 1: Glenz; Rivoord; Nelson; Cannata; Loos; Wolkowski; Gamby DNF: A.
Anderson; Balduc
Heat 2; VanHouse; Mikkonen; M. Anderson; Wolden; Uotinen; Tardy; Wrazidlo;
Chesley DNF: Lien, Jr
Heat 3; Broking; Leer; Eder; Jones; Schultz; Stuart; Heikkinen DNF: Bellefeuille;
McMann
Super Stock (40 cars)
Feature (25 laps) Curt Myers; Dave Flynn; Scott Lawrence; Randy Spacek; Kevin
Burdick; Jeff Klopstein, Jr; Shane Kisling; Nick Oreskovich; D. J. Keeler; Shawn
McFadden; Andy Davey; Tristan LaBarge; James Trantina III; Terran Spacek;
Andy Grymala; Cory Casari; Keith Kern; Butch Butcher; Jim Campbell; Ben
Wolden DNF: Dale Gangl; Bob Kintner; Willie Johnsen, Jr; ; Mike Weber DNS:
Kevin Salin
B Feature #1: LaBarge; Trantina III; Spencer Sorenson; keith koski; Luke Schulz;
Keith Corcilius; Austin McWilliams DNF: Mark Smith; Par Heikkinen; Joe Oliver
B Feature #2: Weber; Casari; Tommy Richards; Jeff Lindsey; Terry Kroening;
Wayne Dean; Brian Carl DNF: Cole Spacek; Todd Gillitzer; Keith Kern
Heat 1: Grymala; Myers; Kisling; Burdick; Kintner; LaBarge; Trantina III; Smith;
Koski; Carl
Heat 2; Oreskovich; McFadden; Wolden; Butcher; Keeler; C. Spacek; Richards;
Kern; Lindsey; Sorenson
Heat 3: Lawrence; Flynn; T. Spacek; Johnsen, jr.; Salin; Heikkinen; McWilliams;
Schulz; Corcilius DNF: Oliver
Heat 4: R. Spacek; Davey; Campbell; Klopstein, Jr; Gangl; Weber; Gillitzer;
Kroening DNF: Casari; Dean
WISSOTA Midwest Modified (38 cars)
Feature (20 laps) Brady Caul; Kevin Montieth; Deven VanHouse; David Simpson;
Nick Daronco; Dan Tocheri; Mark Kangas; Scott Herrick; Dan Kingsley; Ryan
Adamzak; Tyler Kintner; Lance Solem; Dale Soumala, Jr; Cody Carlson; Al
Stettner; Jamie Smart DNF: Don Craig; Kevin Eder; Chris Bretting; Dave Flynn;
Cole Chernosky
B Feature #1: Kintner; Bretting; Craig; Andrew inman; Tyler vernon; Eric
Anderson; Jason Goldfine DNF: Justin Madsen; Jeff Forseen
B Feature #2: Eder; Brad Hanson; Jeremy Lindquist; Mke Blevins; Carey LePage;
Mike Jacques; Josh Overn; Greg Arnt DNS: Shawn Rivord
Heat 1: Montieth; Solem; Adamzak; Boyum; Kingsley; Craig DNF: Rivord;
Kintner; Eder; Goldfine
Heat 2: Caul; Davis; Kangas; Herrick; Chernosky; LePage; Inman; Overn; E.
Anderson DNF: Jacques
Heat 3: Daronco; Simpson; Suomala, Jr; Luger; Carlson; Bretting; Arnt; Madsen
DNF: Vernon
Heat 4: Tocheri; Flynn; VanHouse; Stettner; Smart; Lindquist; Forseen; Blevins
DNF: Hanson
