Menomonie WI, June 24 – Two Late Model features were held at the Red Cedar Speedway on Friday to make up for a rain shortened program two weeks ago, and first time winners topped both events as Rick Hanestad and Brent Larson drove home to the wins. They joined with Pure Stock driver Scottie Schoettle to become first time winners for the 2011 racing season at Red Cedar. Kevin Adams and Cory Crapser charged through the fields to win their respective main events and Cory Davis and Ernie Schultz became repeat winners to highlight a busy Friday night at the Speedway.
Hanestad led all the way to win the make up Late Model feature after starting on the outside pole. The event got off to a shaky start with a five car pileup in turn one on the opening lap that eliminated Scott Gilberts and Jake Hartung for the event. Hanestad got up on the cushion and moved into the immediate lead, chased by Cory Mahder, Mike Prochnow and Scott Duval. Ashley Anderson and Ron Berna were both on the move as they raced into the top five positions and continued to move forward.
The rest of the event went nonstop and Hanestad continued to be the Captain of the ship as he controlled the event from start to finish. Berna completed an impressive charge as he worked his way into second at the finish ahead of Anderson, Scott Duval and Kerry Hanson.
The regular Late Model headliner saw Larson lead all the way from the pole for the win, in what was an easy first part of the race until Jake Redetzke came from deep in the pack to make things interesting. Larson checked out on the field early, with Cory Mahder and Gilberts having a great battle for second as they sliced and diced on the tacky track, running very close together as they were soon joined by Duval and Chad Mahder to make it a four car battle for position.
Redetzke started in the sixth row, but fresh off of a $4,000 win Thursday night in North Dakota, he was not content to just ride around as he got up on the cushion and made a determined charge to the front. He was picking off cars in quick fashion and soon found himself in the runner up slot. He closed in on Larson, who was feeling his first challenge of the night, and made some serious attempts to get by Brent.
The yellow flag flew with sixteen laps complete and the restart seemed to help Larson as he was able to open some distance on Redetzke, who made a late charge but it came up short as Larson held on for the win. Cory Mahder took the third spot over his cousin Chad with Anderson completing the top five.
Adams may have recorded the charge of the year so far, as the Cameron driver came from the seventh row to win the Modified feature in what was a scintillating event. A technical issue following the first Modified heat race saw the top three runners, Adams, Mark Gerth and Eric Pember all disqualified so all three had to start at the back of the pack for the main event, leading to some real fireworks as they charged toward the front.
Mike Anderson took the early lead in the main event with Bryan Nayes applying considerable pressure as Craig Thatcher moved in to make it a three car battle up front. Nayes looked to the bottom on several occasions and nearly snuck by, as Thatcher looked on, waiting for an opening for himself.
Meanwhile, the three amigos from the tail of the pack were racing as if their hair was on fire as they tore through the field with some astonishing moves. Soon, Adams was up to fourth with Pember and Gerth close behind.
Nayes was continuing to pressure Anderson for the lead, but he tried too hard in turn three and spun, triggering the yellow flag and giving Adams the break he needed. He started in the high groove beside Thatcher and right behind leader Anderson and on the green he tore into the corner, closing up beside Anderson in a great battle for the lead. They raced side by side for the top spot with Adams edging into the lead. However, Mike would have one more chance when with only three laps to go, Jesse Glenz, having a great top five finish, also spun and triggered the yellow bunting.
Adams would lead on the green but with two laps to go, Anderson got a great run into turn one and edged under Adams to take over the lead. However Kevin just laid back for a second and then dived back under Anderson for the top spot as the crowd went wild. Adams had Anderson on his bumper as he took the white flag. Mike made one more hard dive into the last corner as Adams drove home for his third win here, but when Anderson slid high, Thatcher was right there to edge him by inches for the second spot. Pember and Brandon Jensen completed the top five as only Gerth failed to charge from the back to a top finish, completing his run one spot short of a top five finish.
A five car crash on the opening lap eliminated two Super Stock top runners from the event and dinged up a lot of other equipment. Luke Plank took the lead on the restart and led a number of laps until Davis, who had moved up from the third row, slid past him for the lead. Davis put some distance on the field as Aaron Wilson used the high side to drive into second and he then began to close on the leader. Plank lost a top five finish when his car suddenly burst into flames and the red flag was needed.
On the restart, Davis was able to get away from the pack as he drove home for his second straight win at Red Cedar. Wilson finished a solid second ahead of Jason Forehand. Ashley Anderson, subbing for Jay Quilling, came home fourth ahead of Chad Johnson.
Josh Smith had his best run of the year, taking the early lead from Dusty Brown and leading a number of laps of the Midwest Modified feature race. Smith was eventually challenged by Shane Halopka for the position with Smith successfully fighting off Shane on several occasions. As those two battled for the lead however, Cory Crapser suddenly appeared from the fourth row and dove to the low side, making it a three wide battle down the back chute. Crapser continued his charge as he pulled into the lead with Halopka now second and pressuring him.
Justin Oestreich was having a good run also as he moved into the third spot and began to chase down the leaders. However, Crapser continued his strong run as he took his second feature win of the year here. Halopka finished a strong second but Oestreich had issues at the inspection center and he was disqualified for a violation. That moved Matt Leer into third ahead of Zach Manley and Smith.
Schoettle got his first Pure Stock win of the year as he led all the way, front start to finish. He was pressured in the late going by Chaz Ducommun but withstood the challenges as he drove on for the win. Jason Supri finished third ahead of another rookie driver, Ton Dubois while a third rookie, Colt Hartwish lost his best finish when he failed to scale following the event. He was replaced in the official running order by yet another rookie, Dave Nogle.
The Hornets made their second appearance of the year at Red Cedar, and just like on their last race here, Ernie Schultz destroyed the field, leading from virtually the green flag on and stretching his lead during the entire ten lap event. He finished nearly a straightaway ahead of Jay Welk, Brad Edington, Brendan Uetz and Bill Voeltz.
The wild action of the Modifieds Friday should be just a warm up session for next week. On Friday, July 1st, the featured attraction will be a Modified special paying $1,500 to win the main event. A big field of cars is expected on Altoona Family Child Care Center night at the track. While the Late Models will have the night off, all other classes will be running a full program. Race time is 7 p.m.
SUMMARY
Red Cedar Speedway
Menomonie WI
June 24, 2011
WISSOTA Late Models
20 lap Feature – Brent Larson(Lake Elmo MN), Jake Redetzke(Eau Claire), Cory Mahder(Elk Mound), Chad Mahder(Eau Claire), Ashley Anderson(Elk Mound), Jake Hartung(Elmwood), Rick Hanestad(Boyceville), Doug Herrick(West Concord MN), Ron Berna(Green Bay), Steve Isenberg(Marshfield), Kerry Hanson, Mike Prochnow, Greg Nippoldt, Kerry Hansen, John Meeds, John Kaanta, Scott Duval, Scott Gilberts
20 lap Make up Feature – Hanestad, Berna, Anderson, Duval, Hanson, Prochnow, Chris Oertel(Marshfield), Hansen, Co. Mahder, Ch. Mahder, Hartung, Gilberts
8 lap Heat 1 – Ch. Mahder, Larson, Duval, Herrick, Scott Meeds, Nippoldt, J. Meeds
Heat 2 – Isenberg, Kaanta, Gilberts, Berna, Anderson, Prochnow
Heat 3 – Co. Mahder, Hanestad, Hartung, Redetzke, Hanson, Hansen
WISSOTA Modifieds
20 lap Feature – Kevin Adams(Cameron), Craig Thatcher(Knapp), Mike Anderson(Colfax), Eric Pember(Pittsville), Brandon Jensen(Hammond), Mark Gerth(Menomonie), Cory Williams(Spring Valley), Jesse Glenz(Cadott), Ross Prochnow(Boyceville), Bryan Nayes(Chippewa Falls), Steve Hallquist, Robbie Johnson, Paul Niznik, Robby Bunkelman, Don Brightbill, Mark Hessler, Jay Richardson.
8 lap Heat 1 – Niznik, Richardson, Glenz, Prochnow, Brightbill, Hallquist
Heat 2 – Thatcher, Anderson, Williams, Nayes, Jensen, Bunkelman, M. Hessler, Bryan Hessler
WISSOTA Super Stocks
20 lap Feature – Cory Davis(Turtle Lake), Aaron Wilson(Menomonie), Jason Forehand(Eau Claire), Ashley Anderson(Elk Mound), Chad Johnson(Colfax), Wayne Dean(Fall Creek), Mike Keller(Menomonie), Jesse Redetzke(Eau Claire), Luke Plank(Eau Claire), Wayne Bignell(Menomonie), Frank Fabio, Brad Johnson, Bernie Christiansen, Tom Karis, Bart Steffen, Steve Thomas, Ben Hillman, Tony Falkner
8 lap Heat 1 – Thomas, Forehand, Steffen, Davis, Hillman, Karis, B. Johnson, Fabio, Christiansen
Heat 2 – Wilson, Anderson, C. Johnson, Plank, Keller, Dean, Redetzke, Falkner, Bignell
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
15 lap Feature – Cory Crapser(Chippewa Falls), Shane Halopka(Greenwood), Matt Leer(Bruce), Zach Manley(Cameron), Josh Smith(Eau Claire), Nick Koehler(Bloomer), Dusty Brown(Rice Lake), Justin Supri(Eau Claire), Kevin Smeltzer(Menomonie), Jordan Hessler(Elk Mound), Jake Smeltzer, Jake Stai, Kerry Halopka, Grant Southworth, Mark Thomas, B.J. Huse, Brad Spence, Ben Schultz, Shawn Carlson
8 lap Heat 1 – Crapser, Leer, Justin Oestreich, Stai, J. Smeltzer, K. Halopka, Schultz
Heat 2 – Supri, Smith, Manley, Hessler, K. Smeltzer, Southworth, Carlson
Heat 3- Koehler, S. Halopka, Brown, Thomas, Huse, Spence, Mitch Anderson
Pure Stocks
12 lap Feature – Scottie Schoettle(Osseo), Chaz Ducommun(Chetek), Jason Supri(Chippewa Falls), Tony Dubois(Cottege Grove MN), Dave Nogle(Hastings MN), Randy Burton(Menomonie), Bill Skoug(Osseo), Jason Stevens(Menomonie), Donovan Gregory(Baldwin), Kyle Hallin(Lino Lakes MN), Jesse Bryan, Kory Hathaway, Jeremy Dahl
6 lap Heat 1 – Ducommun, Hathaway, Supri, Hallin, Dubois, Burton, Stevens
Heat 2 – Dahl, Skoug, Schoettle, Gregory, Nogle, Bryan, Colt Hartwish
Hornets
10 lap Feature – Ernie Schultz(Downing), Jay Welk(Cadott), Brad Edington(Elk Mound), Brendan Uetz(Menomonie), Bill Voeltz(Glenwood City), Randy Goss(Elk Mound), Jake Cormican(Glenwood City)