Hillman Steals Red Cedar Speedway Super Stock Feature

 

By Ed Reichert

 

Menomonie WI, June 18 – A shocking last lap breakdown by Tom Karis, when he appeared to have the Super Stock feature win in hand, allowed Ben Hillman to motor by him on the final straightaway and stun the crowd with the development as Hillman took the win to highlight the racing action Friday night at the Red Cedar Speedway. Along with Hillman, Mike Anderson and Shane Halopka both recorded their second feature wins of the year here while rookie driver Gunnar Watkins took the Pure Stock honors as the Late Models had the night off.

After an early race tangle slowed the action, the Super Stock main event went nonstop with Karis and Shane Kisling battling in the early going. They raced side by side for several laps with Hillman then pulling up to join the action and make it a  three car dice for the lead. Aaron Wilson was on the move as he battled with Mike Keller and Cory Davis for position behind the front pack.

The top three continued to duel in out with Karis eventually slowing a little more zip as be pulled into a slight lead while Hillman and Kisling continued to argue over second. No matter how hard the second running duo pushed, Karis was able to maintain his slight but constant lead. One of the fastest cars on the track now was Jason Forehand who was flying up to the front after starting in the fifth row.

Karis looked good as the white flag waved and he maintained his lead down the back chute. Suddenly, as he exited turn four, it was clear he was powerless as he slowed dramatically with his driveshaft on the track behind him. Hillman and Kisling were able to steer around him down the final chute and take the top two spots while Hillman silently rolled across the line, edging the charging Forehand for third with Wilson completing the top five.

Anderson continued his hot string on area tracks with another dominating win in the Modified feature. That event, which went nonstop, saw Steve Hallquist take the initial lead until he was overtaken by Jay Richardson. Richardson led several laps while Anderson moved past the Baxter cousins and into the runner up slot. For several laps he rode closely behind Richardson, looking for a opening as he made several preliminary attempts at a pass.

Finally, when Richardson rode up the track in turn two, Anderson ducked under him and shot into the lead down the back chute. Once in front, he then began to check out on the field. Action then switched, as back in the field Kevin Adams was on the move after starting in the fifth row. It took a few laps for things to sort out, but once everyone got a little spread out, Adams began a determined drive to the front. He was chased for awhile by Brent Prochnow, but eventually Adams was able to get by Cory Williams and move away from Prochnow. As Anderson continued alone out front, Adams began to reel in Richardson in the waning laps, and he drove past Jay for second. However, he was nearly a straightaway behind the high flying Anderson as the checkered flag came out. Williams made a late charge to take third from Richardson with Dave Baxter completing the top five.

Halopka made a strong run from the third row to win the Midwest Modified feature race. There was a huge cluster of cars battling in the lead pack in this event, with Grant Southworth and Josh Smith trading the lead back and forth several times in the early going with Clark Swartz right there to challenge. Halopka was battling with Mark Gerth, Matt Leer and Jeff Marshall as that entire group moved to the front also.

Halopka found an opening on the low side of the track and he moved past Gerth and Smith and closed on Southworth. Continuing the same strategy, he was able to drive under Southworth and take over the lead. Gerth was also continuing to charge as he pulled in to challenge Southworth for position also.

A spin triggered a yellow flag with two laps to go, which put Gerth solidly on Halopka’s rear bumper. However, Shane remained glued to the low side, and while Mark tried to get a wheel under him, Halopka refused to relinquish the lead as he drove on for the win. Gerth had to hold off the challenges of Southworth for second as Marshall made a late charge up to fourth ahead of Smith at the finish.

Watkins started on the pole for the Pure Stock main event and the youngster from Elk Mound, a rookie in both the Pure Stocks and racing, held off all challenges for the win.

Nate Spence dogged him for most of the race, running close behind but not able to muster a serious challenge. Watkins had to maintain his cool, as the race was slowed on three occasions for yellow flags, as the action behind him was furious with full body contact on several occasions.

The last yellow set up a three lap sprint to the line, and Kory Hathaway shot to the outside line on the green and suddenly became a factor. He motored past Spence on the high side and looked like he was going to blow by Watkins also. However, he got a little too high in turn two, and lost some ground while Watkins maintained control, raced his line and held on for the memorable win by a couple of car lengths over Hathaway and Spence. Karl Knopps and Jeremy Dahl completed the top five as they rubbed each other all the way to the checkered flag.

Regular racing action returns to the speedway next Friday with the Late Models back to join the other four classes of competition. It will be Dirt Track Specialties and Baxter Speed Shop night at the track with residents of Baldwin, Woodville and Wilson receiving discounted adult admission tickets with proof of residence. Race time is 7 p.m. On July 2^nd, the special event will be a $1,500 to win, forty lap Modified special with no increase in admission prices for that special.

 

SUMMARY

 

Red Cedar Speedway

Menomonie WI

June 18, 2010

 

WISSOTA Modifieds

 

15 lap Feature – Mike Anderson, Colfax; Kevin Adams, Cameron; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Dave Baxter, Eau Claire; Brent P:rochnow, Colfax; Luke Schilling, Granton; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Mark Hessler, Menomonie; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Kent Baxter, Elk Mound; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Brandon Jensen, Hammond; Rich Lofthus, Bloomer; Jason Swan, Chippewa Falls; Scott Duval, Bloomer; Don Brightbill, Hudson.

8 lap Heat 1 – Duval; Schilling; K. Baxter; Lavasseur; Nayes; Brightbill

Heat 2 – Adams; Anderson; D. Baxter; Prochnow; Swan; Lofthus

Heat 3 – Hallquist; Williams; Richardson; Hessler; Hanson; Jensen

 

WISSOTA Super Stocks

 

15 lap Feature – Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie; Cory Davis, Turtle Lake; Charley Obermueller, Menomonie; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Paul Erikson, Abbotsford; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Lance Schilling, Chili; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Bart Steffen, Eau Claire; Rick Hallquist, Eau Claire; Chad Tarvis, Chetek; Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Ron Hoffman, Ridgeland; Ryan Olson, Chippewa Falls.

8 lap Heat 1 – Karis; Forehand; Davis; Schilling; Erikson; Christianson; Hoffman;

Heat 2 – Thomas; Kisling; Obermueller; Plank ;Steffen; Tarvis

Heat 3 – Hillman; Keller; Wilson; Johnson; Hallquist; Olson

 

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

 

15 lap Feature – Shane Halopka, Greenwood; Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Grant Southworth, Bloomer; Jeff Marshall, Thunder Bay ONT; Josh Smith, Chippewa Falls; Matt Leer, Bruce; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Travis Anderson, Colfax; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Jake Smith, Eau Claire; Jordan Hessler, Elk Mound; Bob Wood, Cadott; Cooper Dohms, Menomonie; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Cory Jackson, Chippewa Falls; Gary Sorenson, Eau Claire; Jesse Glenz, Cadott.

8 lap Heat 1 – Halopka; Leer; Marshall; Anderson; Rihn; Sorenson; Dalton Yohnk; Wood

Heat 2 – Gerth; Swartz; Glenz; Hessler; K. Smeltzer; Jackson; Johnson; Bill Stettner

Heat 3 – Jo. Smith; Supri; Southworth; R. Smeltzer; Ja. Smith; Thomas; Dohms.

 

Pure Stocks

 

10 lap Feature – Gunnar Watkins, Elk Mound; Kory Hathaway, Elmwood; Nate Spence, Spring Valley; Karl Knopps, Chippewa Falls; Jeremy Dahl, Knapp; Steve Zurek, Colfax; Chaz Ducommun, Chetek; Jake Smeltzer, Menomonie; Mike Liphardt, Menomonie; Scotty Schoettle, Osseo; Matt Klukas, Colfax; Brandon Davis, Chetek; Randy Burton, Menomonie; Jason Hoyt, Menomonie

6 lap Heat 1 – Hathaway; Schoettle; Smeltzer; Watkins; Ducommun; Burton; Klukas

Heat 2 – Zurek; Knopps; Spence; Liphardt; Davis; Kyle Gilbertson; Dahl