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Langowski Tops Supers, Wehlage Ends Krause Streak
By Bill Nelson
May 15, 2004
Spring Valley MN
After receiving almost 3 inches of rain during the week Deer Creek Speedway
went on with their regular night of racing action. Mother Nature was not
kind to the track over the week as 16 sections of the concrete retaining wall
fell in from all of the heavy rains. Some quick work on Friday and some
new anchoring of the wall fixed the problem. The track crew was on the
track early Saturday morning working the muck at the bottom of the track and
trying to get moisture into the top of the speedway. Early in the night
the track held up pretty well for the amount of issues that had occurred at
the track. During the WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature the light
intermittent sprinkles turned into a quick shower as the cars tried to work
the track in. All of the cars were pulled off the speedway about 9:45
and then the rain stopped. A quick poll of the drivers who still had
races left to run found the drivers wanted to try and work in the
moisture. So the USRA Modifieds, WISSOTA Late Models and Super Stocks
pulled onto the track to help the Midwest Modifieds roll the moisture back
in. After a half hour of work the track was rolled back in and the track
changed from a semi-black slick track to a very tacky and very fast track for
the remainder of the features.
Keystone Automotive Industries Inc. of Minneapolis was on hand as the events
sponsor and also added $100 to the check of the feature winners on the
evening. Also a new program the Zumbro Valley Mortgage Madness made its
debut this week. One class each week will be invited to participate with
3 numbers from 1-20 are drawn. The driver who starts in that position
and wins the feature event will receive an extra $100. Also Frisbees are
thrown to the crowd and numbers are taped on the bottom. If the fan has
one of the 3 numbers that match the selected driver and that driver wins they
will also receive $100.
The first feature event of the night was the Culvers WISSOTA Street Stocks.
Jason Gabrielson has had a rough start to the season but used his front row
starting spot to jump out to an early lead. The field ran three and four
wide for the first two laps as the drivers battled for position and racing
room. Scott Olson used his pole starting spot to follow Gabrielson
around in second. Behind the front two there was a 4-wide battle for
third on the fourth lap with Mark Hovland, Danny Hanson, Chuck Nerland and
Shaun Wehlage all battling for the position. Hanson took control of the
position on the next lap as Gabrielson opened up a good ten car length lead
over Olson in second. With eight laps to go Wehlage turned up the heat
and moved past Hovland for the fourth spot. On the next circuit Travis
Krause turned up the wick and moved past Hovland for the fifth spot. The
top five slowly pulled away from the field as sixth on back still found some
good battles going on. The only caution of the event flew with four laps
to go and this was an unfortunate circumstance for Olson as on the restart he
pulled off the track with a flat rear tire ending his best run of his
career. Wehlage used the restart to his advantage and moved under
Gabrielson to take over the top spot. Krause moved up to battle with
Gabrielson for second but Jason held onto the second spot to the checkers
behind Wehlage.
The Pine Cone Restaurant Classic Dwarf Cars were up next with their feature
event. Bob Bunne took the lead from the green flag with Mike Gaines
running a close second. On the second lap Gaines took over the top spot
as Brian Kiehne moved up to battle with Bunne for second. Dave Lewison
was on a mission after starting tail end on the twenty car field cracked the
top five with four laps completed. Kiehne moved into second and was
making ground up on Gaines as the first caution flew. Gaines brought the
field to the restart as Lewison worked under him and into the lead at the
completion of the lap. Kiehne moved into battle with Gaines for the
second spot. Behind them Tate Bestor was working his way forward and was
in a battle with Bunne for the fourth spot. With five laps left in the
feature event the second and final caution waved. Bestor got a good jump
on the field on the restart and battled with Kiehne the final four circuits to
take over the second spot as the white flag flew. Lewison came home with
the win
The one and half hour long Pine Cone Restaurant WISSOTA Midwest Modified
feature pulled onto the track for the third feature of the night. Jerry
Young took the early lead with some three wide battles as the track was
getting fast from the light mist falling from the skies. Vince Corbin
sat in second early on as the eighth starting car of Brian Hernandez was
moving through the field quickly. Ron Houdek and Tim Siercks had a good
battle going for the fifth spot. With eleven laps to go Hernadez took
over the second spot from Corbin. The first caution flew with ten laps
to go and on the restart Hernadez moved past Young for the top spot.
Ryan Weber worked into the top five and battled with Houdek for the third
spot. With eight laps to go another caution flew as the rain started to
come down heavier. The cars kept circling the track to try and work in
the moisture. Even the Super Stocks pulled onto the track hoping to stay
ahead of the moisture but to no avail. After all of the cars got off the
track the rain quit so after some work with the drivers the track was ready to
resume the racing action. Hernandez held the point on a now super tacky
track as Houdek and Weber continued their battle for the third spot as Young
started to slip back through the field. Coming to the checkers Weber and
Houdek got together sending Weber to the rear.
Culvers WISSOTA Super Stocks hit the track next with a very fast track
underneath them Langowski jumped out front and looked strong from the get
go. Matt Durnen and Bill Clemens had a battle early on for second when
the first caution flew. On the restart Dustin Nelson split the Clemens
and Durnen battle to take over the second spot. Coming out of four on
the next lap Clemens and Durnen slid up the track allowing Dan Nissalke to
move into the third spot. Langowski continue to pull away up front with
Nelson solidly in second. A caution with ten laps to go bunched the
field back up as Clemens pulled off with a flat. Chris Klinger worked up
into the third spot as Kevin Hager and Mark Oeltjenbruns were locked in a
battle for the fourth spot. A late restart ended the runs for
Oeltjenbruns and Hager as they got locked together coming out of two.
Langowski held the advantage on the restart and took home the checkers
followed by Nelson.
Corey Dripps held the point in Bigelow Enterprises USRA Modifieds with Bobby
Sorensen starting second. Dripps used the starting spot to his advantage
and took the early lead as the field ran three and four wide for the first
three laps until a caution flew. Tim Donlinger worked into the second
spot on the restart followed by Karl Fenske and Tommy Myer. Mike
Sorensen and Mark Noble were in a heated battle for the fifth spot as the top
two slowly pulled away from the field. A caution with six laps to go saw
Donlinger move past Dripps for the top spot and then slide up the hill in four
as Dripps cut back underneath to that the top spot. Noble. Myer and
Fenske came to the white flag in a three wide formation and entering turn one
Myer spun bringing out the Checker and Caution flag with Dripps taking home
the win.
A big crash on the start of the Insty Prints WISSOTA Late Model event saw Paul
Novotny, Lance Matthees, Roger Herrick, John VanMinsel and Kevin Kuehn head
off the track without a lap completed. On the complete restart Ben
Mattick took the early lead with Jerry Bloom and Mark Teske running side by
side for the second spot. Jeff Matjeka worked up to battle with Bloom as
Teske moved past Mattick for the point. With fifteen laps to go Bob Timm
and Brad Waits were in a great battle for sixth place as a caution flew.
Completing the next lap Bloom and Waits were side by side for third as Teske
ran alone up front. Matjeka was running in second as Bloom disposed of
Waits and held onto the third spot. With seven laps to go Barry
Underdahl worked into the top five working the very bottom of the track.
Bloom worked under Matjeka to take back over the second spot as Underdahl
moved onto the bumper of Bloom to take over the third spot as the white flag
waved. Teske held on for the win, Bloom in second and Underdahl third as
those two had the best drives of the season in the Late Model division.
Next weeks racing action will be brought to you by Glynn's Motor Mart. A
special thanks also goes out to the track sponsors, Midwest Wireless, Freedom
Exteriors, Images, Northwest Mutual, Wells Fargo, Tiny's Body Shop, Radio
Shack of Spring Valley, Chateau Theaters, R.J. Werner and Landmark Property
Advisors.
Deer Creek is gearing up for the first special event of the season on May 29th
when the United States Modified Touring Series comes to town for the Southern
Minnesota Spring Challenge. The USMTS show will be a $2,000 to win, $200
to start event with the WISSOTA Super Stocks running for $500 to win, Midwest
Modfieds for $300 to win and the Street Stocks for $300 to win. This is one
show that you won't want to miss. KWWK radio will be doing live remotes
at the track and there will be Karaoke after the races. Then on June 5th
it will be a regular race night with a good field of WISSOTA Late Models
expected as some drivers tune up for the World Dirt Racing League event coming
up in August.
WISSOTA Late Models
Feature - Mark Teske, Jerry Bloom, Barry Underdahl, Jeff Matjeka, Bob Timm,
Bob Slater, Ben Mattick, Brad Waits, Toby Patchen, Jon Chrest
Heat 1 - Keuhn, B. Mattick, Patchen, Bloom, Timm
Heat 2 - Waits, Matthees, Teske, Herrick, Matjeka
USRA Modifieds
Feature - Corey Dripps, Tim Donlinger, Karl Fenske, Mark Noble, Mike Sorensen,
Bobby Sorensen, Dean Mahlstedt, Todd Klees, Bob Timm, Bruce Angst
B-Feature - Underdahl, Klees, Wasmund, Poidinger, Waits
Heat 1 - Rollinger, Toot, M. Sorensen, Fenske, Den. Hillson
Heat 2 - Noble, Mahlstedt, B. Sorensen, Wetzstein, Siercks
Heat 3 - Myer, Donlinger, Dripps, Angst, Ihrke
WISSOTA Super Stocks
Feature - Troy Langowski, Dustin Nelson, Chris Klinger, Dan Nissalke, Dave
Haberman, Adam Stockhausen, Schatney Sanders, Bill Clemens, Matt Durnen, Bobby
Swanson
Heat 1 - Nissalke, Durnen, Stockhausen, Haberman, Langowski
Heat 2 - Nelson, Oeltjenbruns, Klinger, Hager, Clemens
WISSOTA Street Stocks
Feature - Shaun Wehlage, Jason Gabrielson, Travis Krause, Danny Hanson, Mark
Hovland, Steve Eischens, Mike Sample, Tom McEldowney, Greg Wright, Fred
Prudoehl
Heat 1 - Gabrielson, Krause, Hanson, Zvorak, Prudoehl
Heat 2 - Eischens, Nerland, Hovland, Smaple, McGregor
Heat 3 - Wehlage, Nelson, Wright, Olson, Gustafson
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Feature - Brian Hernandez, Ron Houdek, Tim Siercks, Greg Pfeifer Jr., Albert
Wytaske, Craig Bentzin, Vince Corbin, Scott Huinker, Derrick Bridley, Matt
Narveson
B-Feature - B. Bunne, Narvesoon, B. Siercks, Bridley, Gary Wilde
Heat 1 - Houdek, Timmerman, Weber, Hernandez, Morehart
Heat 2 - Wytaske, Corbin, Bentzin, Struckman, Hoksch
Heat 3 - Kramer, Young, T. Siercks, Pfeifer, Clark
Classic Dwarf Cars
Feature - Dave Lewison, Tate Bestor, Brian Kiehne, Bob Bunne, Mike Gaines,
Drew Jech, Rick Utley, Corey Whalen, Jeff Jech, Adam Guberud, Eric Wiste
Heat 1 - B. Kiehne, Bestor, B. Bunne, J. Jech, Whalen
Heat 2 - Gaines, O'Connor, Luhmann, Dahle, Goergen
Heat 3 - Utley, Schotanus, D. Jech, T. Kiehne, Anderson
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