Cool Opener, Fast Racing At Deer Creek
By Bill Nelson
April 10, 2004
Spring Valley MN

Deer Creek speedway opened its racing season on a cool evening in Southern Minnesota.  With temperatures in the low 40's at start time and dropping down to the freezing mark at the completion of the racing activities 3-1/2 hours later.  The track was lightning fast and very smooth as a very good field of 146 cars checked into the back gate for a fast night of racing action.  The new track configuration worked out very well with some excellent three and four wide racing action.

Mark Teske running in the WISSOTA Late Model division unofficially topped his track record of 15.7 seconds tonight and dropped the new record down to an incredible 15.4 seconds.  Although unofficial because we did not time any cars tonight it seems the bar has been raised slightly.  In talking to drivers/crews after the race everyone seemed very happy with the new track although a few did discuss the possible purchase of some new gears before next weekend.  Tonight's racing action was sponsored by Land Resource Management of Grand Meadow, LeRoy, Chatfield and Stewartville.

After some very good heat races the WISSOTA Street Stocks were first up on the track for their feature event.  21 Street Stocks checked in to do battle on the 3/8 mile clay track with Greg Erickson using his pole position to jump into the early lead.  Travis Krause followed Erickson up front from his third starting spot as a three wide battle for the third spot raged on and many two wide battles further back through the field.  On the third lap Krause pulled up to do battle with Erickson for the top spot as Krause used the low side of the track to his advantage and take over the top spot. Charlie Novak, Shaun Wehlage and Fred Prudoehl battled for the third spot. Wehlage took over the third spot on lap 5.  Chuck Nerland, Trevor Wilson and Jason Gabrielson had a great three wide battle in the middle of the pack. At the halfway point of the feature Krause moved into lapped traffic as Wehlage moved up to battle with Erickson for the second spot.  With four laps to go Allen Gessell had a flat just as Erickson was coming up to lap him causing him to check up and allowing Wehlage to move into the second spot.  At the line it was Krause, Wehlage and Erickson coming across the checkers first.  This feature event ran caution free.

The Modified lite feature was a runaway with Dave Lewison jumping out to the early lead from his pole position.  This event also went caution free with Lewison out front and large pack of eight cars battling for the second spot. Four laps into the feature event Lewison was already working into lapped traffic with David Marso, Brian Kiehne and Jeff Jech were working their way forward and were in a battle for the second position.  Marso slipped up in turn two allowing Jech and Kiehne to move past into the second and third spots.  Up front it was all Lewison as he pulled out to over a half lap lead at the checkers.

The WISSOTA Midwest modifieds saw a great battle early on for the lead as Ron Houdek, Tim Brown and Justin Jones battled up front.  Brown and Houdek moved out up front to battle it out alone.  Brown moves into the top spot and running the high side of the track around Houdek.  Jones moved back up to battle with Houdek as the caution flew with 10 laps to go.  On the restart Brown had the advantage but Houdek put the power down and moved past back into the top spot.  Albert Wytaske was really starting to move at about the half way point as he moved into battle with Jones for third.  Behind the top four cars the field was running two wide.  With three laps to go Wytaske took over the third spot from Jones and on the next lap took over the second spot from Brown but Houdek was too strong up front and took home the win over team mate Wytaske.

The super stocks pulled out on the track and pretty much set the tone for the last three feature events.  This event did have a few cautions in it and they were cut 5 laps from their feature length at the end because of it, but when they kept the green flag waving they had some awesome battles.  At the drop of the green flag Chris Klinger jumped out to the early lead with some two and three wide racing behind him.  With three laps down the first caution flew for a 3 car spin.  On the restart Kelly Anderson, Dave Mass and Ryan Aho had a three wide battle for third place behind Dustin Nelson who was running in second.  Mass gained the spot and pulled alongside Nelson and the two of them moved past Klinger into a battle for the top spot.  On the next lap the worst wreck of the night happened when Scott Keigly stopped up against the back wall and Dave Haberman had no place to go and piled into him causing severe damage to both cars.  On the restart out of corner two Nelson, Aho and Mass restarted their battle for the top spot as Anderson and Mike Anderson battled for the fourth spot.  The final caution setup a green white checker dash.  Mass gained the spot as Aho charged hard in second.  Nelson, Kelly Anderson and Mike Anderson were three wide crossing at the white flag. Mass held on for the win followed closely by Aho and Nelson.

The modifieds had a wild and fast race tonight.  After two quick restarts the field settled down with Neil Eckhart taking the early lead.  Cars were two and three side behind him battling for position.  Mike Sorensen pulled into the second spot followed by Darin Toot as Joey Jensen, Jason Miller and Jesse Frericks battled for the fourth spot.  Julie McDermid was also making her presence known early on as she worked up from the twelfth starting spot into the sixth spot.  With fifteen laps to go Sorensen worked around Eckhart into the top spot as Toot pulled up to battle with Eckhart.  On the next lap Toot got into the back of Eckhart sending him around with Toot going to the rear.  On the restart, Jensen, Miller, McDermid and Bob Timm had a wild battle going with each driver making advances and dropping back with every corner of the track, with these same types of battles going on deep through the field.  Miller and Jensen finally pulled clear into a battle for the third spot with Jensen running around the bottom and Miller up top against the wall.  Miller pushed up in two allowing Jensen to take over the third spot as McDermid and Timm pulled up to battle with Miller.  Both of the drivers clear Miller as Jay Ihrke suddenly comes to life and pulls up to battle with Miller.  With three to go Timm pulled to the infield as Jensen and Eckhart race for the second spot.  Coming out of two the two drivers got their bumpers locked together ending the race on a yellow/checker finish. Jensen was sent to the rear for the incident as Sorensen took home a convincing win, Eckhart second and McDermid third.

The WISSOTA Late models pulled on the track for the last feature event of the night.  This was going to be a fast race and Mark Teske jumped out to the early lead followed closely by Paul Novotny and Lance Matthees.  The only caution of the event came out with the slowing car of Ben Mattick on the back stretch.  On the restart Teske slowly pulled away as Matthees was rocketing around the top of the track.  Jeff Matjeka moved into a battle with John VanMinsel for the third spot as Nick Herrick and Novotny battled for the fifth spot.  With ten laps to go in the feature Teske moved into lap traffic and continued to pull away from Matthees.  Teske lapped all the way up to the sixth place finishing car as he crossed the checkers to take home a commanding win, followed by Matthees and Matjeka.

Next weeks racing action starts promptly at 6:00 with all 6 classes in competition that will be brought to you by Tiny's Body Shop in Austin and K.C. Lawn Care from Dexter.  Special thanks goes out to all of those involved in the reconfiguration of the racetrack at Deer Creek, especially Valley Featherlite, Featherlite Trailers and Hyland Motors and many more. All of the hard work and the long hours really seemed to pay off for the opening weekends racing action.

RESULTS
Late Models
Heat 1-Nick Herrick, Lance Matthees, Mark Teske, Jerry Bloom, Bill Stettner
Heat 2-Paul Novotny, Jeff Matejka, Bob Moore, John VanMinsel, Barry Underdahl
Feature-Mark Teske, Lance Matthees, Jeff Matejka, Nick Herrick, Bob Moore, Barry Underdahl, Paul Novotny, Bill Stettner, Jon Chrest, Jerry Bloom

USRA Modifieds
Heat 1-Jason Miller, Jesse Frericks, Jeremy Keller, Nate Wasmund, Bruce Angst
Heat 2-Joey Jensen, Mike Sorensen, Darin Toot, Jay Ihrke, Julie McDermid
Heat 3-Neil Eckhart, Mike Wedelstadt, Joey Schaefer, Dennis Hillson, Karl Fenske
B-Feature-Dave Siercks, Bob Timm, Jay Poidinger, Lonnie Earney, Bobby Sorensen
Feature-Mike Sorensen, Neil Eckhart, Julie McDermid, Jay Ihrke, Nate Wasmund, Jason Miller, Joey Schaefer, Dennis Hillson, Karl Fenske, Ben Anderson

Super Stocks
Heat 1-Dan Nissalke, Dave Haberman, George Batzel, Kelly Anderson, Tim Johnson
Heat 2-Dave Mass, Ferlin Miller, Brandon Jensen, Chris Klinger, Mike Anderson
Heat 3-Ryan Aho, Dustin Nelson, Bill Clemens, Cole Queensland, Mark Oeltjenbruns
Feature-Dave Mass, Ryan Aho, Dustin Nelson, Mike Anderson, Kelly Anderson, Dan Nissalke, Chris Klinger, Brandon Jensen, Tim Johnson, Adam Stockhausen

Street Stock
Heat 1-Shawn Wehlage, Jason Gabrielson, Ron Johnson, Charlie Novak, Greg Erickson
Heat 2-Chuck Nerland, Travis Krause, Trevor Wilson, Fred Prudoehl, Steve Eischens
Feature-Travis Krause, Shaun Wehlage, Greg Erickson, Charlie Novak, Fred Prudoehl Jason Gabrielson, Chuck Nerland, Trevor Wilson, James Patzner, Steve Hinz

Midwest Modifieds
Heat 1-Ron Houdek, James White, George Sniezek, Ryan Weber, Tim Siercks
Heat 2-Tim Brown, Jacob Dahle, Bob Bunne, Joe Bunne, Jerry Young
Heat 3-Justin Jones, Albert Wytaske, Harlan Morehart, Dean Hoffman, Craig Bentzin
Heat 4-Greg Pfeifer Jr, Eric Condit, Sam Siskow, Bobby Saterdalen, Shawn Peterson
B Feature 1-Tim Siercks, Craig Bentzen, Mike Paulson, Jim Struckman, Dave Bjorge
B Feature 2-Shawn Peterson, Jerry Young, Vince Corbin, Bob Hoksch, Dane Durbin
Feature-Ron Houdek, Albert Wytaske, Tim Brown, Justin Jones, Ryan Weber, Greg Pfeifer Jr., Vicne Corbin, Bob Bunne, Tim Siercks, Eric Condit

Modified Lites
Heat 1-Tate Bestor, Matt Aarsvold, Bob Bunne, Curtis Luhmann, Neal Goergen
Heat 2-John VanMinsel, Mike Gaines, Jeffrey O'Connor, Drew Jech, Jacob Schotanus
Heat 3-Dave Lewison, Jeff Jech, Brian Kiehne, David Marso, Eric Wiste
Feature-Dave Lewison, Brian Kiehne, Jeff Jech, David Marso, John VanMinsel, Tate Bestor, Jacob Schotanus, Mike Gaines, Matt Aarsvold, Rick Utley