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Firecracker 40 Warms The Fans At The Creek
By Bill Nelson
July 2, 2005
A very large crowd was on hand for the annual Firecracker 40 special at Deer
Creek Speedway with 130 cars in five classes checking into the pit area.
The field of cars saw some travelers and non-regulars competing at the
speedway and the return of a couple modifieds that have not been at the
speedway since being involved in an accident on Memorial Day weekend.
Tyler Rubin of Cornwell Tools was on hand as the nightly sponsor along with
Kevin Hanson and the bus load of people from KGH construction.
The WISSOTA Street Stocks took to the track for their feature first and they
had by far the best race of the night with a large pack of cars battling for
positions throughout the race. Exiting turn two on the first lap fifth
place starter Tom McEldowney moved into the lead with Steve Eichens right with
him. With two laps completed Eischens moved under McEldowney to take
over the lead. On the next lap Jim Gustafson moved past McEldowney to
take over second and started to work on Eischens for the lead. Jeff
Nelson, Chuck Nerland and McEldowney then battled for the third position three
wide for a lap until a caution flew. On the ensuing restart McEldowney
moved back into second with Gustafson, Nelson, Jamie Johnson and Danny Hanson
all battling for third. Behind them another tight pack of eight cars
were battling for position. With seven laps to go the field went five
wide for third with Johnson taking over the spot. For the next
three laps McEldowney worked on Eischens for the lead and with three laps left
moved by on the outside for the lead and the eventual win. Eischens held
on for second with Johnson third, Gustafson fourth and Danny Hanson fifth.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds had yellow fever trying to get the racing action
underway and eventually restarted single file with Tom Paulson moving into the
lead. With one completed Paulson spun in front of the field. Craig
Bentzin assumed the lead on the restart. Travis Krause, Greg Erickson
and Jason Cummins were three wide for fifth with eleven to go as another
caution flew. On the restart Derrick Bridley held onto the second spot
as Jerry Young and Cummins raced for third. With ten to go Cummins
worked past Bridley for the second spot. Cummins was working up top and
Bentzin down low as the race for the lead ensued. The final caution flew
with Cummins getting the call at the line for the lead with Bentzin second and
Bridley third. These three race side by side for the next laps with
Cummins taking the lead, Bentzin slid back to third with Bridley finishing
second.
With many travelers coming into check out the high banked Deer Creek Speedway
the Super Stock field was stout. Chris Klinger is getting back into form
and led the feature early on as the field used every ounce of racing space on
the track. Cole Queensland held onto second with Brian Fetting and Kevin
Hager battling for third. With seventeen to go Queensland worked to the bottom
side of Klinger as the battle for the lead started. Two laps later
Queensland held the advantage with Klinger right behind him. Dustin
Nelson started twelfth and by lap five battled with Hager and Fetting for
third. Ferlin Miller was also charging through the field sitting in
fifth. A restart with eleven to go bunched up the field again.
Good side by side racing followed Queensland around the track for the first
couple circuits until the top eight spread out into single file around the
bottom. With five to go the battles resumed with Nelson and Klinger
waging war for the second spot. A couple more cautions put on a two lap
dash to the finish with Queensland holding on for the win over Nelson and
Hager.
Twenty Four cars started the USRA Modified feature racing 30laps for $1000 to
win. Mark Noble raced into the lead early on. Second row starter
Nate Wasmund assumed the lead a lap later with Bob Timm and Bill Clemens
racing for third. A restart with twenty seven to go bunched the field
back up with Wasmund leading. Most of the field were using the lower
half of the racetrack with Tim Donlinger and Tommy Myer battling for
fourth. Donlinger secured the spot and with twenty to go was battling
Sorensen for third as a caution flew. On the restart Sorensen took over
the lead with Myer, Donlinger and Wasmund all battling for second. With
fourteen to go Donlinger held the second position and started to race for the
lead. Neil Eckhart worked into the top five after a caution with
nine to go. A final restart with four to go set up an exciting finish
with Sorensen bobbling slightly on the last lap and Donlinger moving by in
turn two for the win.
The $1200 to win 40 lap WISSOTA Late Model feature capped off the nights
racing action with pole sitter John Kaanta moving into the lead. Brad
Waits and Andrew McKay had a good race for second while Kaanta started to
check out from the field. Mark Teske was working through the field and
with thirty three laps remaining battled with Troy Brand and Barry Underdahl
for fourth. With thirty to go Kaanta had a straight advantage over the
field with Teske working into third. A caution with 21 to go closed up
the field. Teske and Waits had a short lived battle until Waits pulled
his mount to the infield. Fifteen laps remaining and Teske was right
behind Kaanta with Underdahl moving up to the lead duo. With ten to go
Teske pulled alongside and the two raced side by side for most of the next
five laps until Teske was able to gain the point. Underdahl pressured
Kaanta for the rest of the race but settled for the third spot.
WISSOTA Late Models
Feature - Mark Teske, John Kaanta, Barry Underdahl, Paul Novotny, Roger
Herrick,
Doug Herrick, Ben Mattick, Lance Matthees, Jerry Bloom, Matt Madsen
Heat 1 – Underdahl, Novotny, Madsen, Bloom, Bunne
Heat 2 – Matthees, Teske, Waits, Jensen, R. Herrick
Heat 3 – Brand, Kaanta, McKay, N. Herrick, Mattick
USRA Modifieds
Feature - Tim Donlinger, Mike Sorensen, Tommy Myer, Neil Eckhart, Steve
Wetzstein, Brad Waits, Bruce Angst, Jay Ihrke, Bill Clemens, Dain Schultz
B-Feature – Bakken, Arsvold, Dripps, Wytaske, Hank Rollinger
Heat 1-Clemens, Noble, B. Sorensen, Ihrke, Karau
Heat 2 – Eckhart, M. Sorensen, Donlinger, Fenske, Shaw
Heat 3 – Wasmund, Angst, Timm, Waits, Mahlstedt
Heat 4 – Schultz, Myer, Wetzstein, Scott, Frericks
WISSOTA Super Stocks
Feature - Cole Queensland, Dustin Nelson, Kevin Hager, Chad Zastrow, Bobby
Swanson, Chris Groth, Dan Nissalke, Brian Fetting, Jason Gabrielson, Chris
Quast
Heat 1 – Siegle, Nelson, Haberman, Hager, E. Sanders
Heat 2 – Klinger, Brand, Nissalke, Queensland, Miller
Heat 3 – Swanson, Fetting, S. Sanders, Zastrow, Lewison
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Feature - Jason Cummins, Derrick Bridley, Craig Bentzin, Kenny Wytaske, Ben
Anderson, Bryan Hernandez, Terry Timmerman, Tom Paulson, Larry Brengel, Clint
Wittlief
B-Feature – Morehart, Weber, Wytaske, Brengel, Bill Curran
Heat 1 – Wernecke, Bunne, Timmerman, Cummins, Krause
Heat 2 – Brauer, Pfeifer Jr., Rayman, M. Paulson, Wiste
Heat 3 – Hoffman, Young, T. Paulson, Anderson, Hernandez
Heat 4 – Bentzin, Erickson, Bridley, Fitzsimmons, Wittlief
WISSOTA Street Stocks
Feature - Tom McEldowney, Steve Eischens, Jamie Johnson, Jim Gustafson, Danny
Hanson, Shaun Wehlage, Chuck Nerland, Tyler Rubin, Jeff Nelson, Tony Shaner
Heat 1 – Goodenough, Nerland, McEldowney, Eischens, Johnson
Heat 2 – Gustafson, Kramer, Nelson, Goergen, Hall
Heat 3 – Zvorak, Hanson, Rubin, Shaner, Horsman
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