Menomonie WI, July 27 – The Dunn County Fair was in full session on Friday and racing at the Red Cedar Speedway was a part of the Fair. For Mike Prochnow, he’s probably hoping that the Fair is going every Friday night as he swept the boards clean, winning the Late Model feature race and the make up feature from last week’s curfew shortened night plus a heat race for good measure.
The number five was prominent for other drivers as Jason Havel, Ron Hanestad and Ben Hillman all won their fifth feature race of the year at Red Cedar Friday. Other winners on a race crammed night that saw ten feature races contested due to last week’s shortened show, were Shane Halopka, Kevin Adams, Rocky Kempe, Brenden Uetz and Mike Anderson.
Prochnow drove around Steve Isenberg early in the Late Model feature after Isenberg had taken the lead from the pole, and once in front Prochnow pulled away for an easy victory. As he drove away from the field, Rick Hanestad began to move up as he passed Chad Mahder and caught Isenberg but had to settle for third at the finish. Mahder and Scott Gilberts completed the top five.
The makeup feature, another nonstop event, was even easier for Prochnow as he started on the pole and drove away from the field again, finishing nearly a straightaway in front of Hanestad. Gilberts, Greg Nippoldt and Todd Green completed the top five in a short field of entrants. Prochnow’s wins were his third and fourth of the year at Red Cedar, by far the tops in the division.
Anderson made a nice drive up from the fourth row to win the nonstop Modified feature event and earn his first Red Cedar Speedway win sticker of the year. Ross Prochnow and Brandon Jensen battled in the early going before Prochnow went to the cushion and took the lead, at one point building up a pretty substantial advantage. However, Anderson was on the move after starting eighth and as the track got slicker and slicker, he seemed to run better as he drove under car after car getting to the front. Eventually he got into second and as the laps ran down, quickly reeled in Prochnow and dove under him in turn three and then beat him back to the top to take the lead with only a couple of laps left. Once in front, he stretched his margin as he became the eighth different Modified winner he this season. Prochnow’s run was the best of his short season to date, with Mark Hessler continuing his solid runs for third ahead of Kevin Adams and Mark Gerth.
Adams won the makeup feature, his fourth of the year at Red Cedar. He started in the front row, beat Matt Leer to take the early lead and then held off a late charge by Gerth to take the win. Adams built up several good sized leads, only to have the yellow flag bunch the field. At the finish, Gerth was challenging but Adams maintained his groove to take the win. Brent Prochnow finished third with Jesse Glenz and Craig Thatcher completing the top five.
Hillman started in the third row of the Super Stock feature, but while the rest of the field was running the low line, Ben moved to the high side and quickly drove past the pack like they were standing still. Tommy Richards had found the lead, and Hillman had to battle with him for several laps before he was finally able to secure the point, but once in front he pulled away from the field in yet another nonstop main event. Aaron Wilson made some nice moves as he worked up to second from the fourth row, and at one point looked to be closing on Hillman. However, the lead stabilized and at the end of the contest, Wilson had to fight hard to hold off Richards who was making a comeback after giving up the second spot earlier. Steve Thomas drove up from the fifth row to get fourth ahead of Mike Keller.
The Midwest Modified feature was one of the more competitive events of the night with a good three way battle between Travis Anderson, Shane Halopka and Ryan Viltz before Halopka took the lead and eventually the win, late in the contest. Justin Supri was the early leader with Jake Smith providing a challenge until Anderson moved in to take second. Travis made a solid move to the high side of the track, where there was a lack of cars and was able to make the pass and move into the lead. Halopka and Viltz were on the move from the third and fourth rows respectively though, and they found their way to second and third. Halopka pressured Anderson for the lead, but Travis covered the low groove so Viltz, with a power move of his own, moved to the second lane, drove around Halopka and then edged past Anderson but just then ,the yellow flag waved and the move was negated.
For the next few laps, the three continued to battle for the lead, but the yellow continued to plague the action, with the good race being interrupted three times by spins. Finally, they were able to get some laps run off, and Viltz got under Anderson to take the lead, only to have Halopka move back beside him in a fierce race for the lead.
Once again the yellow waved, with a five lap dash in store. However, the outside lane stopped working for Viltz, as on the green Halopka moved into the lead by racing by on the low side and Viltz had nothing for him as Shane pulled away for his second Red Cedar Speedway victory. Viltz hung on for second while Cory Crapser moved into third late in the event and finished ahead of Josh Smith and Anderson.
The Street Stock race was yellow flag plagued and time limit shortened, but again it was Hanestad who made the high side work as he drove to yet another Red Cedar win. Troy Fansway found his way into the lead early with a snarling pack nipping at his heels. Hanestad found the top side open as he gradually worked his way up from the eighth starting spot, and he was able to edge past Troy and take over the lead. Keith Tourville utilized the frequent yellows and some hard driving to move into second and he started to ride the rear bumper of Hanestad.
Four times the yellow waved between laps nine and ten and finally, a two lap sprint for the checkers was called for. Hanestad guarded the low groove on the restart and while Tourville stayed right with him, Ron kept his line as he drove home for the win. Fransway finished a solid third ahead of Mike Knudtson and Sam Fankhauser.
Havel made a last lap pass to win the Pure Stock main event. Dustin Doughty had led from the start and had built up a good sized lead which was wiped out by a pair of yellow flags, the second of which saw contenders Jesse Bryan and Jeremy Dahl get together with Dahl sent to the tail. Havel started ninth but as the track dried out, his Thunderbird got faster and faster.
The four lap sprint to the finish saw him close on Doughty and then worm his way under Dustin in turn one on the final tour. Havel accelerated down the back chute to take over the lead and extended it as they raced back to the finish line. Bill Skoug battled his way to third at the finish ahead of Bryan and Randy Burton.
Rocky Kempe and Brenden Uetz split the Hornet wins with Kempe coming on to take the makeup feature after early leader Eric Schultz hammered the fourth turn wall and turned over the lead to Kempe who held off Jeremy Johnson for his second win of the year.
Uetz won the final event of the program and won his first main ever at Red Cedar after the event got off to a wild start with a violent crash just as the green flag was waved that resulted in a flip by Dan Prissel and several other cars grinding together. Uetz came from the eleventh starting spot in a race marked by all kinds of activity to get the win ahead of Derek Baskin.
The racing season at Red Cedar is rapidly drawing to a close. Next Friday night the Late Models take the night off while the other six classes run their final point race of the season. All seven classes return on Aug. 10th for the Season Championship races and then one final program will be held on Aug. 17th before the track shuts down in preparation for the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions. Race time next Friday night is 7 p.m.
SUMMARY
WISSOTA Late Models
20 lap Feature – Mike Prochnow(Menomonie), Steve Isenberg(Marshfield), Rick Hanestad(Boyceville), Chad Mahder(Eau Claire), Scott Gilberts(Menomonie), Jimmy Mars(Menomonie), Greg Nippoldt(Roberts), Todd Green(Eau Claire), A.J. Diemel(Elk Mound), Justin Ochsner(New London)
12 lap Makeup Feature – Prochnow, Hanestad, Gilberts, Nippoldt, Green
8 lap Heat 1 – Prochnow, Gilberts, Mahder, Nippoldt, Ochsner
Heat 2 – Diemel, Isenberg, Hanestad, Mars, Green
WISSOTA Modifieds
18 lap Feature – Mike Anderson(Colfax), Ross Prochnow(Boyceville), Mark Hessler(Menomonie), Kevin Adams(Cameron), Mark Gerth(Menomonie), Brandon Jensen(Hammond), Craig Thatcher(Knapp), Cory Williams(Spring Valley), Jay Richardson(Spring Valley), Brent Prochnow(Colfax), Jesse Glenz, Keith Tourville, Jerry Weigel, Larry Prochnow, Zack Drews, Chet Atkinson, Don Brightbill, Robbie Johnson, Matt Leer
18 lap Makeup Feature – Adams, Gerth, B. Prochnow, Glenz(Cadott), Thatcher, Anderson, Richardson, Leer(Bruce), R. Prochnow, Weigel(Jim Falls), Tourville, Drews, Brightbill, Williams, Johnson, Ashley Anderson, Steve Hallquist, Hessler
8 lap Heat 1 – R. Prochnow, Gerth, Adams, B. Prochnow, Leer, Tourville, Atkinson
Heat 2 – Anderson, Jensen, Thatcher, Richardson, Weigel, Drews, Johnson
Heat 3 – Willams, Hessler, Glenz, L. Prochnow(Menomonie), Brightbill(Hudson), Anderson ,Hallquist
WISSOTA Super Stocks
18 lap Feature – Ben Hillman(Menomonie), Aaron Wilson(Eau Claire), Tommy Richards(Mondovi), Steve Thomas(Menomonie), Mike Keller(Menomonie), Jesse Redetzke(Eau Claire), Tom Karis(Menomonie), Rick Hallquist(Eau Claire), Luke Plank(Eau Claire), Bart Steffen(Eau Claire), Chad Johnson, Brad Edington, Gunnar Watkins, Wayne Bignell, Brad Johnson, Ryan Olson
8 lap Heat 1 – Keller, Richards, Redetzke, Steffen, Karis, Watkins, Plank, B. Johnson
Heat 2 – Wilson, Hillman, Edington(Elk Mound), Hallquist, Thomas, C. Johnson, Bignell, Olson
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Shane Halopka(Greenwood), Ryan Viltz(Chetek), Cory Crapser(Chippewa Falls), Josh Smith(Eau Claire), Travis Anderson(Colfax), Justin Supri(Eau Claire), Kerry Halopka(Wheeler), Kevin Smeltzer(Menomonie), Mark Thomas(Menomonie), Jake Smeltzer(Menomonie), Jake Stai, Jason Richardson, Crystal Hanson, James Green, Clark Swartz, Mike Truscott, Brandon Lofgren, Jake Smith, Luke Shackleton
8 lap Heat 1 – S. Halopka, Stai(New Auburn), Supri, Thomas, Lofgren(Taylor), K. Smeltzer, Green
Heat 2 – Crapser, Jo. Smith, Ja. Smith(Eau Claire), K. Halopka, J. Smeltzer, Shackleton, Hanson
Heat 3 – Anderson, Swartz(Bloomer), Viltz, Truscott(Chippewa Falls), Richardson(Spring Valley), Carl Wall, Robbie Johnson
WISSOTA Street Stocks
12 lap Feature – Ron Hanestad(Glenwood City), Keith Tourville(Dairyland), Troy Fransway(Elk Mound), Mike Knudtson(Osseo), Sam Fankhauser(Chetek), Mike Conrad(Independence), Adam Soltis(Ladysmith), Derek Ludington(Zumbrota MN), Jared Lindner(Greenwood), Andrew Ausman(Pepin), Danny Richards, Darryl Foegen, Ashley Husby, Josh Wahlstrom
8 lap Heat 1 – Hanestad, Fransway, Fankhauser, Husby(Menomonie), Ludington, Lindner, Wahlstrom, Tourville
Heat 2 – Richards(Mondovi), Soltis, Conrad, Knudtson, Foegen(Cochrane), Ausman, Cody Kummer
Pure Stocks
10 lap Feature – Jason Havel(Rice Lake), Dustin Doughty(Ladysmith), Bill Skoug(Osseo), Jesse Bryan(Menomonie), Randy Burton(Menomonie), Brandon Davis(Chetek), Krysta Swearingen(Little Canada MN), Mike Grover(Chetek), Jeremy Dahl(Knapp), Gunnar Zurek(Menomonie), Scottie Schoettle
8 lap Heat 1 – Dahl, Schoettle(Osseo), Bryan, Burton, Havel, Zurek
Heat 2 – Skoug, Davis, Doughty, Swearingen, Grover
Hornets
10 lap Feature – Brenden Uetz(Menomonie), Derek Baskin(Menomonie), Rocky Kempe(Chippewa Falls), Jeremy Johnson(Elmwood), Eric Nelson(Chippewa Falls), Robert Ellsworth(Prairie Farm), Joseph Kurschner(Wheeler), Buddy Hanestad(Boyceville), Tyler Lamm(Boyceville), Dan Brandenberg(Menomonie), Jake Hanson, Dean Butler, Doug Johnson, Chad Prissel, Eric Albrightson, Dave Clausen, Matt Klukas, Dan Prissel, Jake Rubenzer, William Voeltz
10 lap Makeup Feature – Kempe, J. Johnson, Klukas(Colfax), Baskin, Clausen(Mondovi), Hanestad, Uetz, C. Prissel(Durand), Kurschner, Albrightson(Woodville), Hanson, Eric Schultz, D. Prissel, Derek Knutson, Nelson, Lamm