Johnson Jockeys for First ’02 Fox Super Win

By: Scott Malotke
5/17/02

Jason Johnson scored his first win of the 2002 race season Friday night at the Fox Ridge Speedway. The Ettrick Wis. Super stock driver broke a couple of his superstitions to get to victory lane.

“We hadn’t been that pleased with the way the car was going this year, so we had to try something different," said Johnson. “We took a different way to get to the track, I even got new racing shoes, we had to do something. You know us drivers we gotta have our superstitions.”

Johnson started on the outside of row one and led the 20 lap feature the entire distance. Mark Wytaske and Gary Wiersgalla chased Johnson throughout the feature but never got the necessary traction to pass. Late in the race, Wytaske tried to slip under Johnson, but Johnson would pull away coming out of the corners.

“We’ll take it anyway we can get it,” commented Johnson about his victory from the pole. “I was wondering if I’d ever get back to victory lane. Johnson and Wiersgalla both said that passing was difficult on the slick surface. The hard tires the super stocks race limited the drivers on which racing groove to chose. “You basically had to run the top tonight, and it made it tough to get around guys”, said Wiersgalla. Johnson was followed by Wytakse, Wiersagalla, 12th starting Mike Hesselink, and Josh Rodewald.

Pat Doar picked up his second straight late model win in the 25 lap feature. Scott Cramer led the first eight laps of the main with Eric Pember, Doar, and rookie Justin Fegers in hot pursuit. Cramer ran the top side while Pember dogged him on the bottom. Pember gained the lead on lap eight and two laps late Doar passed Cramer for second.

Doar then attempted to pass Pember several times going down the back chute. “I’d get up on his right rear coming out of two and have to brake in the middle of the straightaway,” said Doar. “Eric’s the leader and I had to give him room. I don’t think he knew I was that close.”

Doar moved around Pember on lap 20, but the race was far from over. Back in the field, current points leader Tony Bahr and Steve Isenberg were charging through the field. Both drivers hugged the bottom and gained ground on Doar, by lap 20 Bahr was second and closing. The leaders ran into lapped traffic and Doar made a sweet move between two slower cars coming out of turn two. Bahr was not as fortunate and lost ground. Doar led Bahr, Isenberg, Pember and Cramer across the finish line. “I needed about five more laps and I might of got around him,” said Bahr.

The slick race surface did not prove to hinder the late models. “We put a D-55 on for the feature, you can really feel that tire pick up when it gets heat in it,” said Doar. “We’ve ran that tire quite a bit, and really like the consistency.”

Dan Gullikson made the long tow from Stacy, Minn. pay off with an exciting street stock feature win. Shawn Wehlage led the caution free event for most of the distance. Wehlage got a terrific jump at the start of the feature. Wehlage went to the high side from his second row starting position and had the lead by the first turn of the feature.

Gullikson worked his way from the fourth row and by lap four was second. The two then ran bumper to bumper for the next several laps.

Gullikson pulled alongside Wehlage on lap 13 and made a pass as the white flag flew. Gullikson encountered some anxious moments on the last lap as he got behind lapped traffic coming out of turn two.

The two dragged race down the back stretch and through turns three and four. Gullikson made the outside line payoff as he beat Wehlage at the stripe by the nose of his car.

Gullikson was thrilled with his first victory at Fox Ridge Speedway. “I didn’t think I was gonna pass him, and then I got behind that lapped car and he just about got me back in four.” Finishing behind the top two were Jeremy Sommer, David Stearns, and Danny Hanson.

Mike Sorenson gained his second victory in the caution filled modified feature. Todd Klees jumped out to an early lead with Mick Glenn chasing. Sorenson swept pass both drivers on lap three. A lap five spin, bunched the field and Klees dropped out with mechanical difficulties. Sorenson charged back out front with Glenn, Bob Timm, and Eric Pember searching for the fast line around the track.

A spin on lap ten wiped away Sorenson’s big lead. Several yellows marred the event through the next ten laps. Each yellow resulting in Sorenson’s margin being diminished.

The final yellow on lap 21 brought some excitement to the conclusion. On the restart, Timm dove to the bottom and passed Sorenson with a slide job in turn one.

The lead was short lived as Sorenson powered off the top of turn two and returned the favor. Timm tried valiantly over the next three laps but was unable to pass for the win.

Mick Glenn was third, followed by Pember and Bruce Angst. 118 cars checked into the pit area for Fridays event.

Late Models
Feature
1. Pat Doar, New Richmond, Wis.; 2. Tony Bahr, Eau Claire, Wis.; 3. Steve Isenberg, Marshfield, Wis.; 4. Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.; 5. Scott Cramer, Random Lake, Wis.; 6. Lance Matthees, Winona; 7. Justin Fegers, Mound, Minn.; 8. Mark Hessler, Menominee, Wis.; 9. Terry Casey, New London, Wis.; 10. Bob Timm, Winona; 11. Brad Waits, West Concord, Minn.; 12. Jerry Weigel, Abbotsford, Wis.; 13. Jeff Keeney, River Falls, Wis.; 14. Jon Kurshinsky, Eau Claire, Wis.; 15. Justin Aylward, Brainerd, Minn.; 16. Mike Nutzman, New Richmond, Wis.; 17. Corby Metzgar, Eau Claire, Wis.; 18. Jon Olson, Three Lakes, Wis.; 19. Larry Stockwell, Ellsworth, Wis.; 20. Troy Brand, Winona
Heats
1. Hessler 2. Fegers 3. Pember
1. Mathees 2. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 3. Ron Mahder, Eau Claire, Wis.
1. Bahr 2. Waits 3. Doar

Modifieds
Feature
1. Mike Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.; 2. Timm; 3. Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.; 4. Pember; 5. Bruce Angst, Winona; 6. Dan Hesch, Arcadia, Wis.; 7. Troy Langowski, Winona; 8. Paul Hamernik, Winona; 9. Jim Richert, Comfrey, Minn.; 10. Gary Doelle, Fountain City; 11. Steve Speltz, Fountain City; 12. John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.; 13. Julie McDermid, Oconto Falls, Wis.; 14. Wayne Engen, Shell Lake, Wis.; 15. Ron Britain, Winona; 16. Matthees; 17. Brian Albrecht, Winona; 18. Jonah Daffinson, Galesville, Wis.; 19. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona; 20. Shane Wehrs, Bangor, Wis.
Heats
1. Klees 2. Speltz 3. Timm
1. Pember 2. Glenn 3. Mathees
1. Sorenson 2. Engen 3. Ledebuhr

Super Stocks
Feature
1. Jason Johnson, Ettrick, Wis.; 2. Mark Wytaske, Austin, Minn.; 3. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City; 4. Mike Hesselink, Deer Park, Minn.; 5. Josh Rodewald, Lake City, Minn.; 6. Dan Nissalke, Winona; 7. Troy Brand, Winona; 8. Shawn Huse, Bloomer, Wis.; 9. Adam Stockhausen, Winona; 10. Kelly Anderson, Hager City, Wis.; 11. Jon Duffy, Winona; 12. Dennis Earney, Waumandee, Wis.; 13. Kevin Glander, Pepin, Wis.; 14. Terry Timm, Winona; 15. Matt Durnen, Winona; 16. Adam Guberud, Mabel, Minn.; 17. Bob Fort, Fountain City; 18. Ben Anderson, Winona; 19. Quinn Arnoldy, Arcadia, Wis.; 20. Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wis.
B-Feature
1. Duffy 2. Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 3. Glander
Heats
1. Hesselink, 2. Brian Fetting, Fountain City; 3. Wytaske
1. Johnson 2. Nissalke 3. Rodewald
1. Wiersgalla 2. Stockhausen 3. Anderson

Street Stocks
Feature
1. Dan Gullikson, Stacy, Minn.; 2. Shawn Wehlage, Stockton; 3. Jeremy Sommer, Lake City, Minn.; 4. David Stearns, Wabasha, Minn.; 5. Danny Hanson, Alma, Wis.; 6. Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis.; 7. Andy Bohnstengle, Winona; 8. Fred Prudoehl, Winona; 9. John Laumb, Rushford, Minn.; 10. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia, Wis.; 11. Darryl Foegen, Cochrane, Wis.; 12. David Nastvold, Galesville, Wis.; 13. Hager 14. Jack Nissalke, Winona; 15. Brad Dennis, Winona; 16. Brock Wright, Fall Creek, Wis.; 17. Tom Brink, Winona; 18. Troy Bentz, Plainview, Minn.; 19. Andy Hoch, Arcadia, Wis.; 20. Rick Loppnow, Buffalo City, Wis.
Heats
1. Prudoehl 2. Hanson 3. Gamez
1. Wehlage 2. Bohnstengle 3. Bentz
1. Laumb 2. Nastvold 3. Stearns
1. Gullikson 2. Sommer 3. Dennis
B feature
1. Foegen 2. Wright 3. Lester Beardsley, Galesville, Wis.

 

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