Chad Mahder and Forehand Top Red Cedar Speedway ROC Qualifiers

By Ed Reichert

Menomonie WI, July 9 – Chad Mahder and Jason Forehand were among four drivers that qualified Friday night at the Red Cedar Speedway for the AMSOIL WISSOTA Race of Champions event to be held at the Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron South Dakota in September. Other feature winners tonight were Kevin Adams, Mark Gerth and Jordan Johnson.

Mahder’s win in the Late Model feature was a relatively easy one as he led all the way and was only challenged early and not for long. Chad jumped off the pole and took the early lead over Ashley Anderson and Brent Larson with Cory Mahder also quickly moving in. Cory was working the low side and he drove past Anderson and then pulled beside Larson as they fought for the second spot. Meanwhile, running the high side, Chad was in the process of pulling away from the field.

Larson and Cory Mahder put on a good battle for second as they ran side by side for several laps until Cory got into the wall under the flag stand and ground to a halt, triggering the only yellow of the event. Chad pulled away again on the restart but suddenly it was Scott Gilberts on the charge. After starting eighth, he worked the low side into fourth and on the restart was able to jump past a whole row of cars and challenge Larson for second. Continuing his advance, he ducked under Brent and took over the second spot and for a few laps was even cutting into the lead of Chad. However, that eventually stabilized , and with no yellow flag opportunities to close up, Chad ran home uncontested for his third win of the year here. Behind Gilberts and Larson, it was Jake Hartung with a good advancement to fourth and Mike Prochnow to complete the top five.

Forehand was the survivor in a wild, late race scramble in the Super Stock feature that had the crowd up on their feet. It was Tom Karis who controlled most of the event as he started on the outside pole and jumped into the immediate lead. He began to pull away from the field as the race remained under green, with the battle for second and other positions behind the focus of the crowd’s attention.

Mark Stender settled into the second spot but he was receiving a lot of pressure from Shawn Huse who was challenging on every lap. Forehand, Steve Thomas, Mike Keller and Ben Hillman were all arguing for positions with lots of swapping of territory as the race progressed. Huse continued to pressure Stender, who was proving to be very tough to pass. Finally, Huse was able to squeeze by down the front chute in a breath taking move that propelled him into second. Stender then began to fade as Forehand and Hillman were both eventually able to pass him.

Despite Huse’s advancement, Karis was still alone up front until just as the leaders were taking the white flag, a spin triggered a two lap sprint to the finish and set up the fireworks. Huse got a great jump on the green and pulled up beside Karis who opted to stay low through the first set of turns. They raced side by side down the back chute with Huse edging in front. As they raced into turn three, Karis came up the track and both drivers started to edge toward the wall. They continued to slide to the high side and Huse made contact with the wall. As all this was happening, Forehand dove to the low side and he came flying out of turn four the leader, with Huse and Karis all locked up. Forehand maintained his line on the final lap, and drove home a surprised winner of his second feature race of the year. Karis recovered for second over Hillman, a frustrated Huse and Keller.

Adams dominated the Modified feature as he ran away from the field by nearly a straightaway. The opening lap was a battle with Luke Schilling though, as Luke got the jump but Adams was able to squeeze past him on the high side leaving turn four to take the lead. Once in front, following a lap two slowdown, the rest of the race went nonstop and Adams gradually built on his lead while the focus was on second. Schilling battled with Jay Richardson who was eventually able to take over the second position. However, Schilling didn’t give up and continued to pressure for the runnerup slot until they were joined by Mike Anderson, who had started in the fourth row. Anderson put the heat on and was finally able to drop both Schilling and Richardson behind him as he took over the second spot.

Adams continued unchecked as he took his third feature win of the year here, but since he had already qualified for the ROC at another track, Anderson, as the second place finisher will represent Red Cedar. Jason Swan made a great late race charge as he drove past Richardson to take third with Brent Prochnow finishing fifth.

Gerth made the winning pass with two laps to go to win his track leading fifth feature win at Red Cedar. Jesse Glenz was the early leader over Tito Viltz until Viltz was overtaken by a charging Mark Thomas. Coach Thomas was running the high side very well and after buzzing past Viltz, he also drove past Glenz to take over the lead.

As Thomas stretched his lead, Gerth and Matt Leer were on the charge with Mark making the low side of the track work for him. He drove under Glenz and set off after Thomas for the lead. Gerth was flying and he rapidly cut into Coach T’s lead, and with a power move down the back chute took over the top spot. Just after the leaders took the white flag, a spin stopped the action with the event being scored complete to the white flag with Leer, Shane Halopka, up from sixteenth starting spot and Viltz rounding out the top finishers. Gerth had previously qualified for the ROC also, so Coach Thomas will have to find a way to work a trip to South Dakota in amongst his football duties in September.

The Pure Stock feature was slowed several times in the opening laps which made it hard to get a rhythm. Polesiter Willy Hughes dropped out before the green flag dropped, and second place Jake Smeltzer dropped out under the first yellow.

Mike Liphardt took over the lead and held off Jordan Johnson for several laps until Johnson was able to drive under him for the point. Kory Hathaway then made a big charge using the high side as he drove into second and put the heat on for the lead. A late yellow gave him one last chance, but he pushed up the track on his final assault and Johnson held on for his first win of the year. Post race technical inspection found the cars of Liphardt and Karl Knopps to not be in compliance with the rules though, so the finishing order was somewhat scrambled with Johnson officially the winner over Hathaway, Nate Spence, Randy Davis and Randy Burton.

Next Friday, July 16^th, all five classes again return for a full racing program starting at 7 p.m. It will be Connorsville, Ellsworth and El Paso night at the track with residents of those communities eligible for reduced spectator gate admission prices.

SUMMARY

Red Cedar Speedway

Menomonie WI

July 9, 2010

WISSOTA Late Models

20 lap Feature – Chad Mahder, Eau Claire; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Jake Hartung, Elmwood; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Chris Oertel, Marshfield; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Rick Hanestad, Boyceville; Kyle Jumbeck, Houston MN; Kerry Hansen, Spencer; Steve Isenberg, Marshfield; Randy Gullixson, Baldwin; Dennis Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Greg Nippoldt, Roberts; Scott Meeds, Spooner; Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound.

8 lap Heat 1 – B. Larson; Ch. Mahder; Prochnow; Gilberts; Hartung; Hanestad; Isenberg; D. Larson; Gullixson

Heat 2 – Anderson; Co. Mahder; Oertel; Redetzke; Jumbeck; Hansen; Meeds; Nippoldt

WISSOTA Modifieds

18 lap Feature – Kevin Adams, Cameron; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Jason Swan, Chippewa Falls; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Brent Prochnow, Colfax; Luke Schilling, Granton; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Craig Thatcher, Knapp; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Jeremy Houle, Ham Lake MN; Dave Baxter, Eau Claire; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Paul Knauf, Marshfield; Jerry Weigel, Jim Falls; John Hazelton, New Auburn; Don Brightbill, Hudson; Mark Baxter, Dorchester; Mark Hessler, Menomonie.

8 lap Heat 1 – Hallquist; Weigel; Swan; Lavasseur; Prochnow; Hazelton; Knauf

Heat 2 – D. Baxter; Richardson; Anderson; Thatcher; Bunkelman; Hanson; Nayes

Heat 3 – Adams; Schilling; Houle; Hessler; M. Baxter; Brightbill; Cory Williams.

WISSOTA Super Stocks

18 lap Feature – Jason Forehand, Eau Claire; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Mark Stender, Holcombe; Cory Davis, Turtle Lake; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie; Eric Olson, Ladysmith; Wayne Dean, Fall Creek; Charley Obermueller, Menomonie; Tommy Richards, Mondovi; Jim Harris, Menomonie; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Chad Johnson, Colfax; Jeff Heintz, Turtle Lake; Bart Steffen, Eau Claire; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Shane Kisling, Sarona.

9 lap B Feature – Wilson; Kisling; Heintz; C. Johnson; Plank; Bernie Christianson; Lance Schilling; Wayne Bignell; Ron Hoffman, Ridgeland

8 lap Heat 1 – Forehand; Thomas; Davis; Richards; B. Johnson; Heintz; Bignell; Schilling

Heat 2 – Hillman; Keller; Stender; Olson; Harris; Wilson; C. Johnson; Christianson

Heat 3 – Karis; Dean; Huse; Obermueller; Steffen; Hoffman; Rick Hallquist; Plank

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

17 lap Feature – Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Matt Leer, Bruce; Shane Halopka, Greenwood; Tito Viltz, Cameron; Jesse Glenz, Cadott; Jake Smith, Eau Claire; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Josh Smith, Chippewa Falls; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Jordan Hessler, Elk Mound; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Steve Houle, Forest Lake MN; Bob Wood, Cadott; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Gary Sorenson, Eau Claire; Bob Anderson, Colfax; Grant Southworth, Bloomer; Travis Anderson, Colfax; Mark Turner, Rice Lake

6 lap B Feature – Halopka; Wood; Southworth; K. Smeltzer; Sorenson; Bryce Johnson; Robbie Johnson; Cory Jackson

8 lap Heat 1 – Leer; Gerth; B. Anderson; R. Smeltzer; Turner; Wood; Southworth; Ryan Viltz

Heat 2 – Supri; Thomas; T. Anderson; Ja. Smith; Hessler; Sorenson; Jackson; B. Johnson

Heat 3 – T. Viltz; Glenz; Jo. Smith; Swartz; Houle; K. Smeltzer; R. Johnson; Halopka

Pure Stocks

10 lap Feature – Jordan Johnson, Augusta; Kory Hathaway, Elmwood; Nate Spence, Spring Valley; Randy Davis, Comstock; Randy Burton, Menomonie; Gunnar Watkins, Elk Mound; Matt Klukas, Colfax; Scotty Schoettle, Osseo; Dalton Hazelton, New Auburn; Jeremy Dahl, Knapp; Jake Smeltzer, Menomonie; Armond Love, Eau Claire; Willy Hughes, Elmwood

6 lap Heat 1 – Schoettle; Karl Knopps; Smeltzer; Hathaway; Johnson; Burton; Klukas; Love