By Ed Reichert
Jimmy Mars made a rare visit to his hometown race track, the Red Cedar Speedway, Friday night and when he was done, the Midseason Championship was his as the rest of the field was left on another planet. Other winners of Midseason Championships included Mike Anderson, Shane Kisling, Mark Gerth and George Richards.

After a strong heat race run, Mars improved his starting position to fifth for the main event but he quickly showed he wouldn’t be satisfied with that. As Jake Redetzke and John Kaanta battled for the lead on the opening lap, Mars split Ashley Anderson and Cory Mahder with a bold move in turn three to move into third. One lap later Mars used the same dynamic strategy to split the leaders in the same corner and two laps into the race, the lead was his. Once in front, Mars pulled away from the field, leaving everyone to battle for second. Once Jimmy gained a straightaway lead over the field, he throttled back as he worked his way through lapped traffic in the nonstop main event. The battle for second was a good one though, as Kaanta and Redetzke raced side by side for many laps before Kaanta took the spot. Then Anderson moved up and passed both of them for second. However, Redetzke, who had slumped back to fourth wasn’t done yet and he found another gear and drove back up to second at the end, leaving Kaanta to fight off Anderson for third while Mahder completed the top five.

Anderson used the top side to get the early jump on Craig Thatcher and lead the Modified feature. As a series of yellow flags slowed the first half of the event, Thatcher and Robby Bunkelman battled for second with them exchanging the position several times before Thatcher finally prevailed. Meanwhile, Ron Schreiner was on the move, and being one of the few able to work the low side of the track, he drove under Bunkelman and closed up on Thatcher for second.

Anderson continued to ride the cushion and he pulled away from the field. Schreiner continued to work Thatcher, and at one point edged into second but Craig continued to work and regained the spot. Anderson rode home for an easy win, his second of the year here while Thatcher held off Schreiner for second. Bunkelman and Mark Hessler trailed.

Kisling won his first Red Cedar feature since opening night and it came after a surprising development. Kisling beat Aaron Wilson in the early going to take the lead, but again, like the Modified main, three yellows slowed the early action.

Kisling continued to hold the lead with Mike Keller, Steve Thomas and Jason Forehand all challenging. Ben Hillman started seventh but he moved to the high side and began a steady advance to the front of the field. He soon became a serious challenger and with a continued push to the cushion, he flew past Kisling to take over the lead.

Once in front, Hillman began to drive away from the field while Kisling fought to maintain second. Hillman had increased his lead to nearly the length of a straightaway when his motor suddenly erupted in a cloud of smoke right under the flag stand.

Kisling inherited the lead on the restart and after a brief challenge from Keller, he was able to extend his lead to a few car lengths which he maintained to the checkered flag. Keller held off Shawn Huse, who made a big run from back in the pack, Thomas and Joe Rhead for top five finishes as only half the starting field made it to the finish line.

Mike Anderson was going for the double as he led the Midwest Modified field to the green but instead it would be Gerth who won his second in the division here this year. Anderson did take the lead for several laps, laps that were interrupted by four yellow flags in the first three go-rounds. Anderson wanted the high side but Gerth made the bottom work better for him as he drove under Anderson for the top spot once all out racing commenced. Anderson did not give up easily as he pursued Gerth closely.

Meanwhile, a real tussle took place behind them as Shane Halopka, Mark Thomas, Jim Bourn, Ronnie Rihn and Mike Truscott were all fighting for spots.
Gerth continued to show the way by several car lengths and no matter what Anderson tried, Mark continued to hold the top spot as he drove on for the win. Rihn made a late charge to take third ahead of Halopka and Bourn.

The Pure Stock winner was not determined until a post race inspection revealed the final outcome. Nick Field led the first part of the nonstop feature with Chaz Ducommun chasing. A big battle for the top spots found Mike Harshman, Luke Plank, Tony Falkner and Dusty Brown all battling for position while George Richards was making a run after starting eleventh.

Ducommun continued to pressure Field while Richards continued to fly to the front. In turn two Field bobbled and Ducommun moved past him into the lead. Soon after, Richards took the second spot and set after the leader. As they wound their way through lapped traffic, Richards was glued to Dumommun’s rear bumper with Field close behind. Richards tried one last time on the final lap, but Chaz held his line and drove on for the apparent win.

However, Ducommun’s car failed to pass post race inspection and his disqualification gave Richards his first win of the year here. Field was elevated to second with Brown, Plank and Willy Hughes completing the top five.

Next Friday night will be Tri Mart/Slush Puppy Night at the Red Cedar Speedway. Kid’s Big Wheel races will be held at intermission and race fans are reminded that the Late Models will have next Friday off. Upcoming at the speedway on July 3rd will be the Dunn County Veterans Service Fireworks 40. Late Models will be racing for $2,000 to win and there will be no increase in spectator admission for this special event. Race time each Friday is 7 p.m.

SUMMARY

Red Cedar Speedway
Menomonie WI
June 12, 2009

WISSOTA Late Models

25 lap Feature – Jimmy Mars, Menomonie; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Kerry Hanson, Baldwin; Chris Oertel, Marshfield; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Randy Gullixson, Baldwin; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Keith Foss, Winona MN; Chuckie DeSmith, Glenwood City.
8 lap Heat 1 – J. Redetzke; Anderson; Mars; Prochnow; Oertel; Rihn; Foss.
Heat 2 – Kaanta; Mahder; Gilberts; Je. Redetzke; Hanson; Gullixson; DeSmith.

WISSOTA Modifieds

18 lap Feature - Mike Anderson, Colfax; Craig Thatcher, Knapp; Ron Schreiner, Hudson; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Mark Hessler, Menomonie; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Ross Prochnow, Boyceville; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Cory Crapser, Eau Claire; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Don Brightbill, Hudson; Bryan Hessler, Chetek; Brent Prochnow, Colfax; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Bill Stettner, Inver Grove Heights MN.
8 lap Heat 1 – Thatcher; B. Prochnow; Schreiner; Crapser; M. Hessler; Hallquist; Brightbill; Stettner.
Heat 2 – Anderson; Bunkelman; Nayes; Richardson; R. Prochnow; Hanson; B. Hessler; Williams.

WISSOTA Super Stocks

18 lap Feature – Shane Kisling, Sarona; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Joe Rhead, Menomonie; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire; Tommy Richards, Mondovi; Rick Hallquist, Eau Claire; Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Greg Nippoldt, Roberts; Charley Obermueller, Menomonie; Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Ajay Christianson, Menomonie; Ryan Olson, Chippewa Falls.
8 lap Heat – Wilson; Thomas; Forehand;. Hillman ; Huse; Richards; Olson; Karis; Hallquist.
Heat 2 – Kisling; Keller; Rhead; B. Christianson; Nippoldt; Obermueller; A.Christianson; Johnson.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

18 lap Feature – Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Shane Halopka, Eau Claire; Jim Bourn, Menomonie; Mike Truscott, Chippewa Falls; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Grant Southworth, Bloomer; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Jason Swan, Chippewa Falls; Cooper Dohms, Menomonie; Jake Smith, Eau Claire; Mike Knudtson, Osseo; A.J. Roschen, Hudson; Wayne Bignell, Menomonie; Barry Johnson, Nelson; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Bob Wood, Chippewa Falls; Shawn Walski, Winona MN.
8 lap Heat 1 – Anderson; Halopka; R. Smeltzer; Truscott; Swartz; B. Johnson; Bignell; Walski.
Heat 2 – Bourn; Thomas; Swan; Smith; K. Smeltzer; Knudtson; Wood.
Heat 3 – Gerth; Rihn; Supri; Southworth; Dohms; Roschen; R. Johnson.

Pure Stocks

12 lap Feature – George Richards, Mondovi; Nick Field, Knapp; Dusty Brown, Rice Lake; Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Willy Hughes, Arkansas; Ron Hoffman, Ridgeland; Mike Liphardt, Elk Mound; Nate Spence, Spring Valley; Rob Lawrence, Eau Claire; Brad Spence, Spring Valley; Eric Burton, Menomonie; Kory Hathaway, Elmwood; Jason Williams, Baldwin; Mike Harshman, Chippewa Falls; Tony Falkner, Menomonie; Ashley Husby, Menomonie.
6 lap Heat 1 – Field; Plank; Hoffman; Brown; B. Spence; Richards; Lawrence; N. Spence; Husby.
Heat 2 – Chaz Ducommun; Harshman; Falkner; Hughes; Liphardt; Burton; Hathaway; Williams.