Ashley Anderson Tops Red Cedar Speedway Late Models

 

By Ed Reichert

 

Menomonie WI, July 16 – Ashley Anderson and Jake Smeltzer were first time winners for 2010 in racing action Friday night at the Red Cedar Speedway. For Anderson, it was his first Late Model victory of 2010 while the rookie Smeltzer won his first ever feature win after moving up from the kart ranks. Repeat winners in other classes included Kevin Adams, Shane Kisling and Shane Halopka.

Steve Isenberg and Anderson opened by the Late Model main event by throwing slide jobs at each other on lap one, with Anderson holding on to take the early lead. John Kaanta quickly moved in to challenge him with Scott Gilberts and Brent Larson also within striking distance. Anderson was able to open up a few car lengths on the pack as Kaanta was receiving heavy pressure from Larson while Chad Mahder started to march forward after starting in row four.

Kaanta moved up beside Anderson at one point and looked ready to take over the lead, but Ashley gathered his forces and held off Kaanta and moved back to a slight lead. Mahder was seriously on the charge however, and after a pitched battle he was able to pass both Larson and Kaanta and close on the leader.

Mahder closed on the leader and got to within a couple of car lengths of Ashley but Anderson had a solid groove and he didn’t waver despite the pressure applied by Mahder and he drove on to his first win here this season. Kaanta held on to third with Larson and Scott Gilberts completing the top five.

Two early yellows slowed the action in the Pure Stock feature, but once serious racing broke out, it was Nate Spence and Mike Schuebel battling for the lead. Spence was finally able to secure the spot but Smeltzer was on the move and with a strong drive into the turns, was able to get past Spence and take over the lead. As Smeltzer put a little distance on the field, Mike Liphardt moved up to battle Spence for the second spot, and was eventually able to take over the position. He started to cut into Smeltzer’s lead as the laps ran down, but the rookie ran strong and smooth as he drove on for the historic win. Spence finished a solid third with Kory Hathaway and Jeremy Dahl next in line.

Adams put on an impressive display of speed and power as he dominated the Modifieds to take his fourth win at Red Cedar this year over a big field of cars. The event got off to a wild start when pole sitter Jerry Weigel got turned around in turn three with the entire field baring down on him. Fortunately everyone was able to take evasive action and the damage was minimal.

The second attempt at a start saw Weigel and Rich Lofthus battle for the lead with Rich securing the point. Adams had a spectacular opening lap as he charged from tenth on the grid to fourth before one circuit could be completed. He continued his impressive charge as he moved into second and came barreling up behind leader Lofthus. Rich momentarily slowed on the front chute and somehow Adams was able to crank the car left and avoid a major collision as he threw his car into a slide into turn one and took over the lead. Lofthus continued to battle, now with Steve Hallquist, as Mike Anderson was on the charge from row four and by diving to the low side, was able to steer into second.

The two top cars that have been chasing each other around area ovals all year were now lined up first and second but on this night it was Adams who held the edge as he continued to power around the track and maintain a healthy lead over the field as he drove on for the win. There were some impressive charges up through the pack as Robby Bunkelman moved up from thirteenth to finish third while Keith Tourville started sixteenth and finished fourth, just ahead of Hallquist.

Kisling, who has been up and down this year, put together a solid performance as he nailed down his second Super Stock win of the year at Red Cedar. Bernie Christianson and Andy Grymala shared the front row and there was a big scramble for the early lead until Kisling moved up on the cushion and went flying past the pack on the high side to take over the lead. Once in front, he put some major distance on the pack as a big scramble was ongoing for the second spot.

Ryan Olson, Luke Plank, Eric Olson, Cory Davis, Ben Hillman and Mike Keller were all fighting for position with the standings changing on virtually every lap. Keller seemed to settle in the second spot until Hillman went buzzing by him to take over the runner up slot and attempted to track down the leader.

A late race yellow set up a three lap sprint to the finish and gave the field a chance, but Kisling was up to the challenge as he got back up on the cushion and held off Hillman, who was also using the high side. Keller, Davis and Tom Karis completed the top five as that group waited until the final lap to settle those positions.

Halopka was the surprise winner of an event that wasn’t settled until long after the checkered flag flew. Until the change took place following technical inspection, it appeared that Rich Lofthus had just pulled off one of the best moves of the year.

It was the brothers Anderson, Travis and Bob, that started the field off in a race that saw a mad scramble up front. The Andersons were soon joined by Bob Wood, Matt Leer, Halopka, Lofthus and Mark Thomas in a wild battle for position that saw huge changes in the leading spots nearly every lap.

Travis Anderson took his turn as the leader but eventually it was Halopka that took over the top spot. He weathered hard pressure from Leer and then Thomas when suddenly Lofthus, driving a loaner car for the first time all year, came blasting up on the high side to take second after starting ninth. He was all over Halopka as he tried to edge past on the low side but Shane was able to withstand the heavy pressure. Halopka was prepared for one more assault on the final lap when Lofthus suddenly changed strategy. Going into turn three he pulled to the cushion. He got a great run off turn three and flying right up next to the wall , blew by Halopka on the high side and made a clean pass as he raced on to the win that had the crowd on their feet screaming.

Unfortunately, in technical inspection following the event that all top running cars must go through, his car failed to pass muster and he was disqualified from the event. Halopka inherited the win, his third of the year here, and he was trailed by Leer, Thomas, Travis Anderson and Josh Smith in the officials run down.

Next Friday night, July 23^rd, the racing continues with another five class program as the season starts to wind down already. It will be Quality Auto Body and Dean & Sue’s night at the track. It will also be River Falls, Prescott and Hager City night at the races with those residents qualifying for reduced adult admission tickets. Race time will be 7 p.m and the Dunn Co. Rec Park.

 

SUMMARY

 

Red Cedar Speedway

Menomonie WI

July 16, 2010

 

WISSOTA Late Models

 

20 lap Feature – Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Chad Mahder, Eau Claire; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Kerry Hansen, Spencer; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Steve Isenberg, Marshfield; Scott Meeds, Spooner; Cory Jorgensen, Hermantown MN; Rice Hanestad, Boyceville; Kerry Hanson, Baldwin; Jake Hartung, Elmwood; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound; Steve Laursen, Cumberland.

8 lap Heat 1 – Je. Redetzke; Kaanta; Isenberg; Hanestad; Hansen; Laursen; Meeds

Heat 2 – Larson; Hanson; Gilberts; Ja. Redetzke; Co. Mahder; Prochnow

Heat 3 – Justin Ritchie; Ch. Mahder; Anderson; Rihn; Hartung; Jorgensen

 

WISSOTA Modifieds

 

15 lap Feature – Kevin Adams, Cameron; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Keith Tourville, Dairyland; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Brent Prochnow, Menomonie; Mike Goodremote, Sand Creek; Jerry Weigel, Jim Falls; Eric Pember, Pittsville; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Dave Baxter, Eau Claire; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Jason Swan, Chippewa Falls; Mark Baxter, Dorchester; Scott Vesely, Mosinee; Rich Lofthus, Bloomer; Luke Schilling, Granton; Craig Thatcher, Knapp

8 lap B Feature – Tourville; Pember; Richardson; Lavasseur; Swan; Cory Williams; Don Brightbill; Mark Hessler.

8 lap Heat 1 – D. Baxter; Thatcher; Goodremote; Adams; Bunkelman; Tourville; Jeremy Houle; Lavasseur; Brightbill

Heat 2 – Hallquist; Nayes; Anderson; Hanson; Prochnow; Richardson; Pember; Williams; Swan

Heat 3 – Weigel; Lofthus; Schilling; M. Baxter; Vesely; Jared Loos; Hessler

 

WISSOTA Super Stocks

 

15 lap Feature – Shane Kisling, Sarona; Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Cory Davis, Turtle Lake; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Eric Olson, Ladysmith; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Charley Obermueller, Menomonie; Wayne Harris Jr, Bloomer; Andy Grymala, Superior; Lance Schilling, Chili; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Jay Quilling, Menomonie; Bart Steffen, Eau Claire; Wayne Bignell, Menomonie; Wayne Dean, Fall Creek; Paul Erikson, Abbotsford; Jeff Heintz, Turtle Lake; Ryan Olson, Chippewa Falls; Rick Hallquist, Eau Claire

8 lap Heat 1 – Plank; Christianson; Davis; Schilling; Erikson; Karis; Steffen; Quilling

Heat 2 – Kisling; Grymala; Keller; Thomas; Dean; Harris Jr; Johnson

Heat 3 – Hillman; R. Olson; E. Olson; Obermueller; Heintz; Hallquist; Bignell

 

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

 

15 lap Feature – Shane Halopka, Greenwood; Matt Leer, Bruce; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Travis Anderson, Colfax; Josh Smith, Chippewa Falls; Bob Wood, Cadott; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Jake Smith, Eau Claire; Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Jordan Hessler, Elk Mound; A.J. Roschen, Hudson; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Bryce Johnson, Barron; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Darrel Hazelton, Chippewa Falls; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Gary Sorenson, Eau Claire; Cooper Dohms, Menomonie; Bob Anderson, Colfax; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Cory Jackson, Chippewa Falls

8 lap Heat 1 – Rich Lofthus; Ja. Smith; Wood; Swartz; Jackson; B. Johnson; Roschen; Hessler

Heat 2 – B. Anderson; Gerth; Leer; Supri; Jo. Smith; Sorenson; Hazelton

Heat 3 – T. Anderson; R. Smeltzer; Halopka; Thomas; Dohms; K. Smeltzer; R. Johnson

 

Pure Stocks

 

10 lap Feature – Jake Smeltzer, Menomonie; Mike Liphardt, Menomonie; Nate Spence, Spring Valley; Kory Hathaway, Elmwood; Jeremy Dahl, Knapp; Scotty Schoettle, Osseo; Randy Burton, Menomonie; Matt Klukas, Colfax; Gunnar Watkins, Elk Mound; Mike Schuebel, Boyd; Bill Skoug, Osseo; Jason Hoyt, Menomonie; Steve Johnson, Hugo MN; Rod Ryba, Boyd; Willy Hughes, Elmwood; Armond Love, Eau Claire.

6 lap Heat 1 – Dahl; Smeltzer; Watkins; Schuebel; Hoyt; Schoettle; Brandon Davis; Clay Potaczek; Burton

Heat 2 – Hathaway; Spence; Liphardt; Skoug; Ryba; Johnson; Klukas; Love; Hughes