WEINBERGER VANHOUSE AND BURDICK AMSOIL SPEEDWAY CHAMPS
By Jerry O’Brien
8-26-16
Superior, WI
The weekly racing at AMSOIL Speedway came to a close at the Head of the
Lakes Fair Friday August 26th as the final three seasons champions were named.
Two of the races were very close and the third was close enough that it might
possibly have gone the other way in a worst case scenario. After heat action, Justin
Weinberger was assured of the WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Pure Stock
crown while Kevin Burdick held a small lead over former champion Nick
Oerskovich and 16 points over defending champion Scott Lawrence.
Shaina Rapp was out to give her parents Al and Tracey Rapp a 27thAnnaversary
present of a feature win. To that end she jumped to the lead from the pole and led
nine of the 15 circuits before a miscue let former track champion Mike Blevins by.
She recovered by lost several spots to finish a disappointing sixth. Blevins
completed the sweep over defending champ Ryan Savoy and veteran Jeff
Christman. Weinberger began the event with a 22 point lead and just needed to
start to become the 2016 champion. He put an exclamation point on the title with a
strong fourth place finish ahead of rookie sensation Dylan Shelton.
Next up was the 20 lap WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Midwest
Modifieds. The race turned out to be star crossed as it took over three hours to
complete. With only ten points between Deven VanHouse and Skeeter Estey the
title was very much in in doubt. It was Mack Estey who led the entire distance for
the win with VanHouse and Dan Kingsley along with Davis Simpson and Nick
Daronco. Daronco was also mathematically in the hunt four points behind Skeeter
Estey. Mack Estey was comfortably in the lead over VanHouse past half way, but
Simpson put the pressure on and took second but to no avail as the 5L of Donnie
Lofdahl brought out the first caution flag. With eight laps remaining the second
caution flag flew for an incident in turn two on the restart that ultimately involved
seven cars with three sidelined. The restart was about to get under way when the
entire front stretch including the grandstands and scoring tower was suddenly
plunged into darkness at about 8:31. This power outage was reported to have
affected more than the Fairgrounds and took over two hours for the lighting to
reappear. All cars had remained in the dark on the front stretch until the event was
picked back up still with eight to go. If the race had ended when the lights went
out, VanHouse would be champion by one point. The remaining drivers were
given five minutes to enter the pits for a tire pressure check before continuing.
Drivers were not able to exit the cars during this time. Racing began on lap 12 and
the caution stopped that try. Daronco was chared with the foul and sent to the rear.
He would ultimately finish in 11th. Mack Estey led the final laps over VanHouse
while Skeeter Estey dropped from competition. David Simpson, Dave Flynn and
Shane Howell were the top five and VanHouse was named the 2016 track
champion.
The season finale was a 20 lap go for the WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track
series Super Stocks. Three drivers were in contention, Kevin Burdick, Nick
Oreskovich and defending champion Scott Lawrence. Those three started third,
fourth and fifth. It was Jim Campbell who took advantage of the pole to take the
lead with Shane Kisling, Lawrence, Oreskovich and Burdick in the top five.
Campbell led the first five laps before Oreskovich scooted past to the point.
Oreskovich led while there was a scramble behind him with Burdick finally taking
second. The order was Oreskovich, Burdick, Campbell, Willie Johnsen, Jr Kisling
and Lawrence as the first caution flag flew for a Brian Carl spin in turn two. The
second of two caution flags occurred a lap later as Carl and Adam Shinn tangled.
It was the second ccaution flag attributed to Carl who was sent to the pits soon
followed by Shinn. Oreskovich led the rest of the way over Burdick, a surging
Johnsen, Jr, Kisling and the high flying D. J. Keeler who had started 12th.
Oreskovich won the battle for his third feature of the season at the track, but it was
Burdick who completed the season with the championship by four points.
AMSOIL Speedway Championship night (part 2)
AMSOIL Speedway PolyDome Dirt Track Series Champions
WISSOTA Super Stock: Kevin Burdick Proctor, MN
WISSOTA Midwest Modified: Deven VanHouse Silver Bay, MN
WISSOTA Pure Stock: Justin Weinberger Park Fallw, WI
WISSOTA Super Stock (17 cars)
Feature (20 laps)
Nick Oreskovich Mason; Kevin Burdick Proctor; Willie Johnsen, Jr Superior;
Shane Kisling Park Falls; D. J. Keeler Superior; Scott Lawrence Superior; Keith
Kern Superior; Dave Flynn Superior; Jim Campbell Two Harbors; Don Muzz
Ironwood; Joe Oliver Superior; Colton Vernon Ashland; Austin McWilliams
Thunder bay; Keith Corcilius Phillips DNF: Brian Carl Duluth; Andy Grymala
Superior DQ Adam Shinn Duluth
Heat 1; Johnsen, Jr; lawrence; Oliver; Muzzy; Flynn; Kern; McWilliams; Shinn;
Vernon
Heat 2: Kisling; Oreskovich; Campbell; Burdick; Grymala; Keeler; Carl; Corcilius
WISSOTA Midwest Modified (24 cars)
Feature: Mack Estey Hibbing; Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Dave Flynn Superior;
Shane Howell Buffalo, MN; Dan Kingsley Superior; Carey LePage Culver, MN;
Cody Carlson Superior; Brandon Copp Brule; Craig Lofdahl Duluth; Nick
Daronco Mountain Iron, MN; Cole Chernosky Thunder Bay; Don Craig Thunder
Bay; Mike Jacques Thunder Bay; Dale Suomala, Jr Hermantown DNF: Skeeter
Estey Kelly Lake; Donnie Lofdahl Duluth; Tyler Vernon Ashland; Tyler Hudack
Ashland; Mike Blevins Hibbing; James Kannegiesser Hayward; Alex Smith Solon
Springs; Jeff Forseen Mountain Iron DNS: Jason Goldfine Superior
Heat 1: VanHouse; M. Estey; Suomala, Jr; Hudack; Lepage Craig; Goldfine DNF:
Flynn
Heat 2: S. Estey; Daronco; Simpson; D. Lofdahl; Blevins; Copp; Forseen; jacques
Heat 3: Carlson; Howell; Kingsley; Vernon; Kannegiesser; chernosky DNF:
Smith; C. Lofdahl
WISSOTA Pure Stocks (12 cars)
Feature (15 laps)
Mike Blevins Hibbing; Ryan Savoy Superior; Jeff Christman South Range; Justin
Weinberger Park Falls; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall; Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Kyle
Copp Brule; Justin Madsen Foxboro; Andy Poll Two Harbors; Travis Zembo
Superior DNF: Tyler Keup Superior; Matt Deragon Ashland
Heat 1; Blevins; Copp; Weinberger; Rapp; Poll DNF: Keup
Heat 2: Savoy; Deragon; Shekton; Christman; Madsen; Zembo
