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Johnson Survives Super Feature
Fox Ridge Speedway
by Scott Malotke
May 2, 2003
Jason Johnson picked up his first win of the young season Friday night at the Fox Ridge Speedway in the highly competitive WISSOTA Super Stocks.
Johnson, the 2001 track champion stood off numerous challenges from Gary Wiersgalla early in the race and then had to contend with Troy Brand in the late stages of the 20 lap main.
Front row starters Wiersgalla and Kevin Glander paced the field at the green and Wiersgalla took the early lead. Johnson, starting inside row two, passed Wiersgalla on lap two and the two drivers engaged in a spirited dogfight for the next four laps.
A spin by Nick Herrick brought out the yellow on lap six. The restart proved to be havoc as Jesse Hanson, Mark Peterson, and Kevin Hager collided in turn three. The accident eliminated Peterson and Hanson, while Hager was able to return after a trip to the pits.
The battle up front continued as Johnson and Weirsgalla dueled for the lead. Wiersgalla would dive to bottom and pull the patented slid job on Johnson in turns three and four and grab a slight lead. Wiersgalla was unable to continue his momentum and Johnson would duck underneath down the front stretch and retain the lead.
While the two drivers battled, company came calling in the form of Mark Teske, Shawn Huse and Dan Nissalke. The three drivers had pulled up on the heels of the top two. The turning point of the race occurred on lap nine when Johnson changed his line in turn one.
Johnson stayed toward the middle groove instead of going to the high side. Wiersgalla in an aggressive move to the bottom ran out of room and locked the brakes causing his mount to turn a bit sideways. Huse running the upper groove tapped Wiersgalla loosening him up.
Hard charging Dan Nissalke ran out of room and Wiersgalla went spinning. Teske was not immune from the action as he made contact and several cars were scattered across the turn two race surface.
The accident was costly for Wiersgalla, Huse and Teske. Wiersgalla and Huse were sent to the rear for their involvement. Teske suffered a flat right front and his evening was finished.
Johnson was able to hold off Troy Brand and Nissalke over the remaining laps to gain the victory. A caution with two to go bunched the field, but Johnson held the two at bay.
Johnson enjoyed the early portion of the race. "I was just laughing(in the car) about what was going on out there. I'd go by him(Wiersgalla) on the straight, and he'd slide up in front of me going through corners. Then I'd go by him again and he'd pass me again."
Wiersgalla said, "Johnson changed his line just enough on that lap, that I had to brake really hard in turn one, the rear of the car swung around and Huse ran into my left rear. We had a really good car tonight, if I could have got in front, we might've been able to win this thing."
Defending track champ Eric Pember found victory lane for the first time in 2003 with a win in the modified feature. The win didn't come easy for the veteran driver. Starting eighth in the field, Pember cruised into the top four in the initial laps of the race. In front of him, a hotly contested match race between John Doelle and Dan Hesch was happening.
Doelle and Hesch swapped the lead throughout the early stages, Doelle was able to gain an advantage on Hesch on lap five, only to lose it when he spun in front of the field on lap seven. Doelle corrected his amount in time to join the rear of the field, and was saved from grace when half a lap later, Hesch slowed with a flat tire.
The yellow put Doelle back in front with Karl Fenske and Pember on his bumper. The field was unable to complete a lap on the restart when Fenske spun in turn one. Doelle then got a great jump on Pember, a lap later Pember closed on Doelle and the two ran door to door until Pember grabbed the lead for good with a pass in turn four on lap ten.
Pember was able hold Doelle off until a caution was thrown with five to go. Bob Timm now entered the picture as he had worked his way up from his seventh row starting spot.
Pember again pulled away on the restart, but Timm was able sneak by Doelle. The top three finished in that order as Pember beat Timm to the checkered by five car lengths.
Keith Foss led wire to wire to gain his second straight late model win at the track. Foss' string of good luck continued when he was able to draw the pole for the main. Foss blasted past Brad Waits on the start.
Foss steadily pulled away form the field in early stages of the race, in the last five laps, Pember was able to close ground, but unable to get close enough to challenge for the win.
Foss indicated after the race that he was pleased with the performance of the car. "We've been able to run fast here on the bottom and the top. Now, if we can just get this thing figured out for tomorrow night, we'll be ok."
Pember commented, "If we'd have only been close enough we might have been able to do something. Our car was just as fast as his, but he had such a big lead that it was going to be hard to get him."
Travis Krause shot past Brad Dennis on lap two and dusted the field in the 15 lap street stock feature. Krause pulled out to a big lead while Dennis fought off the advances of Danny Hanson. Hanson took over second on lap nine and needed a caution to catch Krause. That yellow came on lap eleven when Phil Wernert stalled. On the restart, Fred Prudoehl was squeezed into the backstretch wall and a big pileup occurred taking out several cars. Kylan Gamez, Nathan Rauter, Lee Hager, and Prudoehl all left via the hook.
Krause held off Hanson over the next four laps to get his first win at the track this season.
Jack Larson dominated the field in the 15 lap Midwest Modified class. Larson led the entire race to gain his first win ever at the track.
Fox Ridge Speedway - 5/2/2003
WISSOTA Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.; 2. Eric Pember, Pittsville; 3. Brad Waits, Zumbrota, Minn.; 4. Bob Timm, Winona,
Minn.; 5. Jeff Keeney, River Falls; 6. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 7. Don Shaw, Ham Lake, Minn.; 8. John VanMinsel, Spring
Valley, Minn.; 9. Ken Kincaid, Spooner; 10. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn..
Heat 01 -- 1. Brad Waits, Zumbrota, Minn.; 2. Don Shaw, Ham Lake, Minn.; 3. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.; 4. Eric Pember, Pittsville;
5. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 6. Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.; 7. Jeff Keeney, River Falls; 8. John VanMinsel, Spring Valley,
Minn.; 9. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 10. Ken Kincaid, Spooner.
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. Jack Larson, Marshfield; 2. Dan Fagerlind, Dover, Minn.; 3. Jeff Ringenberg, Eyota, Minn.; 4. Dan Hesch,
Arcadia; 5. Leigh Volkman, Rushford, Minn.; 6. Harlan Morehart, Eyota, Minn.; 7. James Pehler, Fountain City; 8. Dareck Volkman,
Winona, Minn.; 9. Tom Brink, Winona, Minn..
Heat 01 -- 1. Jack Larson, Marshfield; 2. Jeff Ringenberg, Eyota, Minn.; 3. Dan Fagerlind, Dover, Minn.; 4. Dan Hesch, Arcadia;
5. Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.; 6. Harlan Morehart, Eyota, Minn.; 7. Dareck Volkman, Winona, Minn.; 8. James Pehler, Fountain City; 9.
Leigh Volkman, Rushford, Minn..
WISSOTA Modifieds
A-Main 01 -- 1. Eric Pember, Pittsville; 2. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.; 3. John Doelle, Arcadia; 4. Mick Glenn, Minnesota City,
Minn.; 5. Ben Anderson, Winona, Minn.; 6. Lonnie Earney, Cochrane; 7. Scott Duval, Bloomer; 8. Jason Marten, Mondovi; 9. Gary Doelle,
Fountain City; 10. Jonah Daffinson, Galesville; 11. Dan Hesch, Arcadia; 12. Karl Fenske, Winona, Minn.; 13. Wayne Engen, Shell Lake;
14. Steve Speltz, Fountain City; 15. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona, Minn.; 16. Jeremy Jonsgaard, Winona, Minn.; 17. Rick Hauser, Winona,
Minn.; 18. Jason Nordhougen, St Paul, Minn.; 19. Ron Britain, Winona, Minn..
Heat 01 -- 1. Dan Hesch, Arcadia; 2. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona, Minn.; 3. Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.; 4. John Doelle,
Arcadia; 5. Eric Pember, Pittsville; 6. Steve Speltz, Fountain City; 7. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.; 8. Gary Doelle, Fountain City; 9.
Jonah Daffinson, Galesville.
Heat 02 -- 1. Karl Fenske, Winona, Minn.; 2. Wayne Engen, Shell Lake; 3. Lonnie Earney, Cochrane; 4. Ben Anderson, Winona,
Minn.; 5. Scott Duval, Bloomer; 6. Rick Hauser, Winona, Minn.; 7. Jason Marten, Mondovi; 8. Ron Britain, Winona, Minn.; 9. Jason
Nordhougen, St Paul, Minn.; 10. Jeremy Jonsgaard, Winona, Minn..
WISSOTA Street Stocks
A-Main 01 -- 1. Travis Krause, Buffalo City; 2. Danny Hanson, Alma; 3. Jeremy Sommer, Lake City, Minn.; 4. Tom Brust, Rice Lake;
5. Shaun Wehlage, Stockton, Minn.; 6. John Laumb, Rushford, Minn.; 7. Darryll Foegen, Cochrane; 8. Tom Hund, Fountain City; 9. Dennis
Davis, Fountain City; 10. Andy Bohnstengel, Winona, Minn.; 11. Rick Loppnow, Buffalo City; 12. Matt Wolfe, Independence; 13. Nathan
Rauter, Osseo; 14. Michael Conrad, Independence; 15. David Nastvold, Galesville; 16. Brock Wright, Fall Creek; 17. Tagge Pape,
Arcadia; 18. Fred Prudoehl, Winona, Minn.; 19. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia; 20. Lee Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 21. Philip Wernert, Galesville;
22. Brad Dennis, Winona, Minn.; 23. Matt Gleiter, Alma; 24. Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.; 25. Roger Champlin, Arcadia.
Heat 01 -- 1. Rick Loppnow, Buffalo City; 2. Tom Brust, Rice Lake; 3. John Laumb, Rushford, Minn.; 4. Matt Wolfe, Independence;
5. Fred Prudoehl, Winona, Minn.; 6. Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.; 7. Darryll Foegen, Cochrane; 8. Matt Gleiter, Alma; 9. Shaun Wehlage,
Stockton, Minn..
Heat 02 -- 1. Travis Krause, Buffalo City; 2. Tom Hund, Fountain City; 3. Dennis Davis, Fountain City; 4. David Nastvold,
Galesville; 5. Brock Wright, Fall Creek; 6. Nathan Rauter, Osseo; 7. Tagge Pape, Arcadia.
Heat 03 -- 1. Brad Dennis, Winona, Minn.; 2. Jeremy Sommer, Lake City, Minn.; 3. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia; 4. Danny Hanson, Alma; 5.
Andy Bohnstengel, Winona, Minn.; 6. Philip Wernert, Galesville; 7. Lee Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 8. Michael Conrad, Independence; 9.
Roger Champlin, Arcadia.
WISSOTA Super Stocks
A-Main 01 -- 1. Jason Johnson, Galesville; 2. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 3. Dan Nissalke, Winona, Minn.; 4. Dennis Earney,
Cochrane; 5. Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.; 6. Kevin Glander, Pepin; 7. Matt Durnen, Winona, Minn.; 8. Kelly Anderson, Hager City; 9.
Nick Herrick, Kenyon, Minn.; 10. Justin Sass, Alma; 11. Dan Arneson, Eleva; 12. Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 13. Slyvester Weaver,
Trempealeau; 14. Travis Wagner, Arcadia; 15. Shawn Huse, Bloomer; 16. Jon Duffy, Winona, Minn.; 17. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City;
18. Rodney Dregney, Mondovi; 19. Chris Groth, Plymouth, Minn.; 20. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 21. Jesse Hansen, Alma; 22. Rick
Peterson, Eau Claire; 23. Adam Stockhausen, Minnesota City, Minn.; 24. Mark Peterson, Eau Claire.
Heat 01 -- 1. Shawn Huse, Bloomer; 2. Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 3. Jesse Hansen, Alma; 4. Dan Nissalke, Winona, Minn.; 5.
Justin Sass, Alma; 6. Rick Peterson, Eau Claire; 7. Jon Duffy, Winona, Minn.; 8. Nick Herrick, Kenyon, Minn..
Heat 02 -- 1. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 2. Jason Johnson, Galesville; 3. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 4. Troy Langowski,
Winona, Minn.; 5. Matt Durnen, Winona, Minn.; 6. Adam Stockhausen, Minnesota City, Minn.; 7. Rodney Dregney, Mondovi; 8. Travis
Wagner, Arcadia.
Heat 03 -- 1. Kevin Glander, Pepin; 2. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City; 3. Kelly Anderson, Hager City; 4. Chris Groth, Plymouth,
Minn.; 5. Dan Arneson, Eleva; 6. Slyvester Weaver, Trempealeau; 7. Mark Peterson, Eau Claire; 8. Dennis Earney, Cochrane.
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