By Ed Reichert
Menomonie WI, June 26 – Kevin Adams, visiting the Red Cedar Speedway when his regular Friday night track was off due to weather related issues, recorded an exciting and somewhat controversial win in the Modified main event as racing continued at the Red Cedar Speedway. Luke Plank and Chad Mahder visited victory lane for the first time this season while Mark Gerth and Shawn Huse were also winners in racing action.

Steve Hallquist was the early leader in the Modified feature which was slowed down twice by early yellows. The first one, on lap two, saw second running Mark Hessler sent to the tail of the field while several cars suffered body damage.

Hallquist continued to lead but only one more lap could be completed before second running Rich Lofthus also went for a loop in tricky turn two. Under the yellow, both the leader Hallquist and then second running Mike Anderson both retired to the pits with mechanical issues and Adams, who started eighth on the grid, found himself in the lead when racing resumed.

Adams accepted his good fortune as he powered away from the field on the green but Craig Thatcher was moving up and he took over the second spot. Thatcher gradually started to close on Adams and it looked like things would get interesting in the race for the lead. Suddenly however, just as the crowd was anticipating a fight for the lead, the starter displayed the white flag as the result of a communication error. The crowd reacted vocally to this surprising development while Thatcher made an all out attempt to drive around Adams in turn two. While Craig was able to close the distance down, Adams maintained his line and drove home for the win by about two car lengths. Jay Richardson took third in the abbreviated event in front of Ron Schreiner and Scott Duval. It was Adams’ second win of the year here in a like number of appearances.

Chad Mahder was one of the first time winners Friday, driving a Late Model owned by his car owner Steve Isenberg. Mahder tracked down Jesse Redetzke in a nonstop Late Model main event. Redetzke started on the outside pole and took the early lead as he opened some distance on the field. Mahder started in the second row and after settling on an inside line, he really picked up the pace on the rim riding Redetzke. Although Mahder got by him for second, Scott Gilberts was having a strong run in third with John Kaanta, Jake Redetzke and Ashley Anderson all trying to move up.

Mahder kept his momentum going as he drove under Jesse Redetzke to take over the lead and then gradually pulled away. The top two put some distance on the field as Kaanta and Jake Redetzke battled for third. Mahder received no challenges as he drove on for the win with Jesse holding off his brother for second ahead of Kaanta while Randy Gullixson had his finest run of the year to complete the top five.

Bill Skoug took the early lead in the Pure Stock feature as front row running mate Nathan Fisk took an early spin which set the theme for this time limit shortened event. Skoug continued to lead as the yellow waved often for a series of spins , bunched under one spectacular red flag wreck when Ron Hoffman was hurled into the front stretch fence roof first, and then rebounded onto the track , landing in flames. Hoffman was shaken but did not require hospitalization.

Plank came charging up on the outside to take over the lead while George Richards, Nick Field and Tony Falkner all moved into contention. The drivers raced to a quick conclusion with Plank holding off Richards and Field. However, Richards’ eighteenth to second place run was dampened when he was docked four positions for a series of jump starts. Field was officially second ahead of Falkner, Skoug and Mike Liphardt.

Charlie Obermueller led the majority of the Super Stock feature as he gunned for his first win of the year, but late in the contest Shawn Huse made a strong move from third place to take over the lead and record his second win of the year here. Obermueller was strong in the early going as he fought off strong challenges from Darrel Hazelton and Curt Myer, who was making his first run here this year. Huse gradually moved up from the third row to position himself and following a lap eight yellow for a spin, he made his move. Shawn blew to the high side and was able to power around Obermueller and take over the lead. Once in front, he was able to repel the advances of Obermueller and Myer as he drove on for the win. Hazelton settled for fouth ahead of Shane Kisling.
Travis Anderson took the early lead in the Midwest Modified feature but the pattern was set when Matt Leer, going for the lead, spun in turn two and triggered the first of a series of yellow flags. Gerth was very strong throughout the race as he quickly moved into contention after starting eighth on the grid. He was able to ease under Anderson to take over the lead on the restart and then had to hang on over a series of slowdowns.

Mark Thomas was fast also and he moved into second and tried everything he could to get past Gerth and take over the top spot.

One late yellow allowed a two lap sprint to the finish but Gerth once more fought off Thomas to take his third win of the year here, tops in the division. Thomas settled for a strong second with Shane Halopka coming all the way from eleventh to third. Justin Supri and Ronnie Rihn were next in line.

Next Friday night should be one of the best for Late Model fans in the area. The Dunn County Veterans Service 40 for Late Models is the headliner event. The Late Models will be racing for $2,000 to win in this special event which is sure to draw a big field of WISSOTA Late Models. While the Modifieds will have the night off, all of the other regular divisons will be in action. And the best part of it is, regular admission prices will prevail for both the spectators and for the pit side. Race time will be 7 p.m.

Red Cedar Speedway
Menomonie WI
June 26, 2009

WISSOTA Late Models

20 lap Feature – Chad Mahder, Marshfield; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Randy Gullixson, Baldwin; Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Chris Oertel, Marshfield; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Dennis Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Todd Frank, Green Bay; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound.
8 lap Heat 1 – Je. Redetzke; Anderson; Kaanta; Rihn; Gullixson; Frank; Larson.
Heat 2 – C. Mahder; Gilberts; Prochnow; J. Redetzke; C. Mahder; Oertel.

WISSOTA Modifieds

8 lap Feature – Kevin Adams, Cameron; Craig Thatcher, Knapp; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Ron Schreiner, Hudson; Scott Duval, Bloomer; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Ross Prochnow, Boyceville; Mark Hanson, Chippewa Falls; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Rich Lofthus, Bloomer; Mark Hessler, Menomonie; Larry Prochnow, Menomonie; Bryan Nayes, Chippewa Falls; Don Brightbill, Hudson; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire; Mike Anderson, Colfax.
8 lap Heat 1 – Thatcher; Lofthus; Anderson; Richardson; Nayes; Schreiner; Williams; Lavasseur; Brightbill.
Heat 2 – Adams; Hessler; Hallquist; Hanson; Duval; R. Prochnow; L. Prochnow; Bunkelman.

WISSOTA Super Stocks

15 lap Feature – Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Charlie Obermueller, Menomonie; Curt Myer, Cameron; Darrel Hazelton, Chippewa Falls; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Joe Rhead, Menomonie; Tommy Richards, Mondovi; Ajay Christianson, Menomonie; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Bernie Christianson, Menomonie; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire.
8 lap Heat 1 – Obermueller; Forehand; B. Christianson; Huse; Thomas; Keller; Rhead; Johnson.
Heat 2 – Myer; Hazelton; Richards; Kisling; Wilson; Karis; A. Christianson.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Shane Halopka, Eau Claire; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Ronnie Rihn, Bloomer; Matt Leer, Bruce; Jake Smith, Eau Claire; Jim Bourn, Menomonie; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Bryce Johnson, Barron; Cooper Dohms, Menomonie; Ryan Johnson, Eagan, MN; Kyle Johnson, Eau Claire; Travis Anderson, Colfax; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Robbie Johnson, Wilson; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Mark Turner, Rice Lake; Kevin Knudtson, Osseo; Travis Swanson, Washburn.
5 lap B Feature – Supri; K. Johnson; R. Smeltzer; Br. Johnson; Dohms; Barry Johnson; Wayne Bignell; Jason Swan.
8 lap Heat 1 – Gerth; Leer; Smith; Bourn; Knudtson; Br. Johnson; K. Johnson; Dohms.
Heat 2 – Rihn; Swanson; Thomas; Halopka; Swartz; Supri; Ba. Johnson;
Heat 3 – Anderson; Turner; R. Johnson; K. Smeltzer; R. Johnson; Swan; R. Smeltzer; Bignell.

Pure Stocks

8 lap Feature – Luke Plank, Eau Claire; Nick Field, Knapp; Tony Falkner, Menomonie; Bill Skoug, Osseo; Mike Liphardt, Elk Mound; George Richards, Mondovi; Kory Hathaway, Elmwood; Brad Spence, Spring Valley; Randy Burton, Menomonie; Willy Hughes, Arkansas; Dusty Brown, Rice Lake; Nate Spence, Spring Valley; Tyler English, Anoka MN; Jason Williams, Baldwin; Ashley Husby, Menomonie; Mike Harshman, Chippewa Falls; Rob Lawrence, Eau Claire; Ron Hoffman, Ridgeland; Nathan Fisk, Centuria.
8 lap Heat 1 – Field; Falkner; Hoffman; Fisk; Harshman; N. Spence; Liphardt; English; Husby.
Heat 2 – Hughes; Plank; Skoug; Burton; B. Spence; Lawrence; Brown; Hathaway; Richards; Williams.