Cory Mahder Kisses
Cousin Good Bye At
Red Cedar Speedway
By Ed Reichert
Menomonie WI, April 23 – After following Chad Mahder for nineteen laps, Cory Mahder made a turn two pass on the last lap to win the Late Model feature and highlight week two of the 2010 racing season at the Red Cedar Speedway. First time winners Friday included Robby Bunkelman, Mike Keller and Nate Spence while Mark Gerth became the first repeat winner of the season.
Last week it was the Redetzke brothers who battled it out for Late Model honors and tonight it was the Mahder cousins who fought all the way in the Late Model feature before the decision was decided on the final go round. They started side by side on the front row and after a false start on the first attempt that saw John Kaanta sitting backwards in turn four, the racing Mahder bloodlines clashed. It was Chad that got the jump and took the early lead with Cory settling into second. He was soon challenged for that position by Scott Gilberts but after a few laps Chad was able to fight him off and focus on catching Chad. Pat Doar and Ashley Anderson were fighting for position behind the top three while Jake Redetzke and Mike Prochnow were climbing up through the field after midpack starts.
Chad continued to hold about a five car length lead as the race moved into its second half with Chad preferring to run a slightly higher line on the race track that Cory. The top two cars had separated themselves from the pack and the battle for the win would be a family affair. As the laps started to wind down, Cory slowly started to close up on Chad, and he made several attempts to duck under Chad in the corners. Chad then adjusted his line and was able to neutralize Cory’s advance and looked to be in good shape.
However, there was
one other obstacle
that sat in Chad’s
way. Sprinkles, that
had been falling on
and off during the
last few feature
events of the night
started to intensify
just a bit and the
track started to get
just a bit slick. It
seemed to be
affecting the low
side of the track
more, and it was
clear that Chad was
getting loose in the
corners and starting
to spin his wheels
with just a couple
of laps left. Cory
made the decision to
move up the track
and it worked for
him. He was getting
a big run off the
corners and as the
white flag waved, he
drove high into turn
one and then cut
down across the
track. Chad had
drifted off the
bottom and was
defenseless to offer
a challenge and Cory
blasted past him to
take over the lead.
He extended his
margin down the back
chute and drove home
the winner by two
car lengths over the
frustrated Chad.
Gilberts finished a
solid third ahead of
Anderson and Redetzke, who fought
his way up from the
tenth starting spot.
Robby Bunkelman’s
luck at the Red
Cedar Speedway has
not always been the
best, but tonight he
was the dominate car
on the track as he
topped the Modified
main event over a
strong field of
cars. Bunkelman
started on the
outside pole and
quickly put distance
on the field. As Ron
Schreiner, Mark
Hessler, Scott Duval
and Mark Hanson
battled for second,
Bunkelman powered
away and extended
his lead until it
was nearly a
straightaway. That
all ended just past
the halfway point
when a spin
triggered the yellow
flag.
On the green,
Bunkelman received
his toughest
challenge of the
race, as Hessler
went to the high
side and nearly got
past Robby for the
lead. However,
Hessler’s bold
attempt went bad
when he hammered the
turn four wall and
triggered another
yellow as he
couldn’t get off the
track.
Thatcher, who had
been quietly moving
forward, now found
himself on row two
for the restart and
he drove around
Duval to take
second. However,
Bunkelman was not
going to secede the
lead on this night,
and as hard as
Thatcher tried,
Robby continued to
maintain his
advantage which he
carried the final
three laps to the
checkered. Duval
made his first
appearance of the
year a strong one
also with a solid
third. Brent
Prochnow drove from
fourteenth to fourth
ahead of Keith
Tourville to
complete the top
five.
A midrace pass by
Keller gave him the
win in the Super
Stock feature after
Cory Davis had led
up to that point.
Shane Kisling and
Davis battled in the
early going before
Davis was able to
use the outside and
take over the top
spot. Keller came up
from the third row
to challenge as well
as Jason Forehand.
As Kisling fell
back, it was
Forehand that put
the pressure on
Davis. A spin at the
halfway point
bunched the field
and on the green ,
Keller made a great
move as he went from
third to first by
diving low into turn
one. Once he took
over the lead,
everyone else was in
the chasing mode as
Mike was strong on
the point.
A late yellow after
the two Mike
Anderson’s hammered
the back stretch
wall bunched the
field, but Keller
again pulled away
from the pack to
record the win.
Davis and Forehand
maintained their
spots, while both
Tom Karis and Shaun
Huse repeated solid
runs last week to
complete the top
five.
Gerth became the
first repeat winner
of the season as he
used a solid run and
some good fortune on
yellow flags to come
from the ninth
starting spot to win
the Midwest Modified
main event. Justin
Supri and Jesse
Glenz battled on the
opening lap with
Glenz then leading
the first few laps.
The caution came out
frequently in the
early going with a
series of spins
slowing the action.
Shane Halopka and
Mark Thomas moved in
to challenge the
leaders with Gerth
also moving to the
front. By the
halfway point, Gerth
was in the top five
and still advancing.
Following yet
another yellow,
Gerth went to the
outside and was able
to drive around both
Halopka and Glenz
and take over the
lead. One last
yellow bunched the
field, but Mark
continued his charge
as he drove home
uncontested for the
win. Halopka fought
his way up to second
ahead of Glenz,
Supri and Thomas at
the line.
The first feature
win of his career
was a sweet one for
Nate Spence as he
fought off the
challenges of Chaz
Ducommun for the
win. After a spin
stopped the first
attempt to race, it
was Spence and
Ducommun side by
side in the front
row and Spence got
the jump and pulled
into the lead.
Spence was on a rail
as he smoothly
negotiated the
track, and despite
close pursuit by
Ducommun, Spence
never bobbled and
took the win. Mike
Liphardt made a nice
charge to take the
third spot ahead of
Willy Hughes and
rookie Jake
Smeltzer.
Next Friday, April
30th, is
Miller Lite night at
the speedway and
discounted adult
admission will be
available to
residents of
Menomonie, Colfax
and Durand. Race
time is 6:45 p.m.
SUMMARY
Red Cedar Speedway,
Menomonie, WI
April 23, 2010
WISSOTA Late Models
20 lap Feature –
Cory Mahder, Elk
Mound; Chad Mahder,
Eau Claire; Scott
Gilberts, Menomonie;
Ashley Anderson, Elk
Mound; Jake
Redetzke, Eau
Claire; Mike
Prochnow, Menomonie;
Pat Doar, New
Richmond; Brent
Larson, Lake Elmo
MN; Kyle Peterlin,
Hibbing MN; Jake
Hartung, Elmwood;
Chris Oertel,
Marshfield; Scott
Meeds, Spooner; Joey
Ogston, Duluth MN;
Jesse Redetzke,
Altoona; John
Kaanta, Elk Mound.
8 lap Heat 1 –B.
Larson; Kaanta; Co.
Mahder; Gilberts;
Prochnow; Hartung;
Oertel; D. Larson.
Heat 2 – C. Mahder;
Doar; Anderson;
Peterlin; J.
Redetzke; Je.
Redetzke; Meeds;
Ogston.
WISSOTA Modifieds
15 lap Feature –
Robby Bunkelman,
Abbotsford; Craig
Thatcher, Knapp;
Scott Duval,
Bloomer; Brent
Prochnow, Colfax;
Keith Tourville,
Ellsworth; Mike
Anderson, Colfax;
Ron Schreiner,
Hudson; Mark Hanson,
Chippewa Falls;
Wayne Stricker,
Highbridge; Rich
Lofthus, Bloomer;
Jay Richardson,
Spring Valley; Kevin
Adams, Cameron; Luke
Schilling, Granton;
Jerry Hartman,
Marenisco MI; Mike
Truscott, Chippewa
Falls; Paul Niznik,
Medford; Don
Brightbill, Hudson,
Cory Crapser,
Chippewa Falls;
Bryan Nayes,
Chippewa Falls; Mark
Hessler, Menomonie;
Cory Williams,
Spring Valley; Steve
Lavasseur, River
Falls; Steve
Hallquist, Eau
Claire.
8 lap Heat 1 –
Schreiner; Hanson;
Anderson; Truscott;
Stricker; Niznik;
Brightbill; Adams.
Heat 2 – Thatcher;
Duval; Bunkelman;
Tourville; Prochnow;
Richardson;
Schilling; Crapser.
Heat 3 – Hartman;
Hessler; Lofthus;
Lavasseur; Nayes;
Hallquist; Williams.
WISSOTA Super Stocks
15 lap Feature –
Mike Keller,
Menomonie; Cory
Davis, Turtle Lake;
Jason Forehand, Eau
Claire; Tom Karis,
Menomonie; Shaun
Huse, Bloomer; Shane
Kisling, Sarona;
Aaron Wilson,
Menomonie; Brad
Johnson, Wilson;
Wayne Dean, Fall
Creek; Charley
Obermueller,
Menomonie; Steve
Thomas, Menomonie;
Kevin Eder, Ashland;
Lance Schilling,
Chili; Bernie
Christianson,
Menomonie; Rick
Hallquist, Eau
Claire; Luke Plank,
Eau Claire; Tony
Falkner, Menomonie;
Bart Steffen, Eau
Claire; Wayne
Bignell, Menomonie;
Mike Anderson,
Colfax; Mike
Anderson, Dallas;
Darrel Hazelton,
Chippewa Falls.
8 lap Heat 1 –
Karis; Thomas;
Anderson(Dallas);
Schilling;
Christianson;
Hallquist; Falkner;
Steffen.
Heat 2 – Kisling;
Keller; Davis; Eder;
Wilson; Johnson;
Hazelton; Dean.
Heat 3 –
Anderson(Colfax);
Forehand; Huse;
Plank; Obermueller;
Bignell; Ben
Hillman.
WISSOTA Midwest
Modifieds
15 lap Feature –
Mark Gerth,
Menomonie; Shane
Halopka, Greenwood;
Jesse Glenz, Cadott;
Justin Supri, Eau
Claire; Mark Thomas,
Menomonie; Randy
Smeltzer, Colfax;
Clark Swartz,
Bloomer; Brad
Hudson, Chippewa
Falls; Bob Wood,
Cadott; Steve Houle,
Forest Lake MN;
Jordan Hessler, Elk
Mound; Darrel
Hazelton, Chippewa
Falls; Grant
Southworth, Bloomer;
Mark Clements,
Bloomer; Kevin
Smeltzer, Menomonie;
Bob Anderson,
Colfax; Joe Olson,
Chetek; Gary
Sorenson, Eau
Claire; Travis
Anderson, Colfax;
Jake Smith, Eau
Claire; Matt Leer,
Bruce; Robbie
Johnson, Wilson.
8 lap Heat 1 –
Gerth; Glenz; Supri;
Hudson; Hazelton;
Olson; R. Johnson;
Bryce Johnson.
Heat 2 – Halopka;
Wood; Houle;
Southworth; Smith;
Hessler; T.
Anderson; Jason
Swan.
Heat 3 – Thomas;
Leer; Swartz; R.
Smeltzer; K.
Smeltzer; Clements;
B. Anderson;
Sorenson.
Pure Stocks
8 lap Feature – Nate
Spence, Spring
Valley; Chaz
Ducommun, Chetek;
Mike Liphardt,
Menomonie; Willy
Hughes, Elmwood;
Jake Smeltzer,
Menomonie; Kory
Hathaway, Elmwood;
Karl Knopps,
Chippewa Falls; Brad
Spence, Spring
Valley; Ron Zurek,
Chippewa Falls;
Scotty Schoettle,
Osseo; Chris Wert,
Roberts; Jeremy
Dahl, Knapp; Gunnar
Watkins, Elk Mound;
William Adams,
Menomonie.
6 lap Heat 1 –
Ducommun; Wert;
Dahl; Hathaway;
Smeltzer; Watkins;
Zurek.
Heat 2 – N. Spence;
Liphardt; Schoettle;
Adams; B. Spence;
Hughes
