Hanson Wins At Fox Ridge Speedway

(Arcadia, Wis.) – A strong engine and a perfect setup may take most racers to Victory Lane, but every once in a while there’s a little extra something that pushes a driver to a perfect night behind the wheel.

Sometimes a driver can tell, long before the evening’s feature rolls around, that everything is lining up in the correct direction and pointing towards a very strong run to the checkered flag.

Despite grabbing only a second-place finish in the evening’s second WISSOTA Street Stock heat race, Alma, WI’s Danny Hanson knew that this might just be his night to shine. Walking through the grandstands, to visit with friends and family after his heat race, Hanson made it clear that his confidence was high heading into the feature event; when asked by the speedway announcer how his car felt in the heat and whether he had a positive feeling for the evening’s feature, the driver of the #5 Monte Carlo responded with a smile that stretched from ear to ear, a very firm positive nodding of his head and a solid thumbs up gesture.

“I had the car set up right, it was strong and the track was fast,” were the first words out of his mouth after picking up his first feature win at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY, “I kind of had a feeling after the heat that this would be a good feature.”

And to add fuel to Hanson’s fire, he was racing for more than just a few extra points in the standings, “I got a little guy, just four years old, down in the hospital in La Crosse,” explained Hanson, an equipment salesman by trade, “Jacob Rottering is one of my biggest fans. His grandma told me earlier today ‘go out and win one for him tonight’. I met Jacob through a customer of mine and, after his grandma talked to me earlier today, I just had a feeling that I’d be running strong for Jacob tonight.”

Hanson jumped from the outside of the second row to pass three-time track champion, and first heat race winner, Travis Krause for the lead early in the feature. His speed and smooth line was never challenged again en route to the checkered flags. The previous week’s feature winner, Tom Hund worked through the field to finish second with local driver Kylan Gamez rounding out the top-3.

Repeat winners in every other division
This Friday was an evening of repeat winners through the rest of the division’s feature races at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY. Les Duellman has been unstoppable since joining the season a few weeks late this year. Last week he proved that his crew would do what ever was necessary to help get his car to Victory Lane, by performing an engine change between hot laps and the evening’s feature. This Friday it was all up to the driver.

Starting deep in the field, Duellman battled heavy traffic and stiff competition and only reached the front with a lap and a half remaining. “Last week it was a motor taking us to the win,” offered Duellman, “this week it was more of a driving race. It was hairy, but fun having to work the field and hunt for the traction to get to the front.” Duellman used a majority of the feature working past modified stars Tim Donlinger, Jay Ihrke, Karl Fenske, and Rick Hauser before whittling down an almost half straightaway lead by local ace John Doelle.

“I really didn’t think I was going to catch John,” admitted Les, “But we came up on lapped traffic and I think that really played into my favor. On that last lap we had two lapped cars side by side on the back straight and Doelle was right there next to me. I had to needle right between the lappers and just barely made it through.”

Duellman added another feature win to his already perfect season, relegating a strong performance by Doelle to a disappointing second place finish. Second heat race winner Hauser finished third in front of Ihrke and Donlinger.

After winning last week’s Mid-Season Championship, Dan Hesch piloted his WISSOTA Midwest Modified to another feature win this week. Capitalizing on a blown motor by early race leader, and second heat race winner, Bob Fort, Hesch inherited the lead and never looked back. Current point leader Harlan Morehart and fellow Eyota neighbor Jeff Ringenberg completed the top three.

After winning last week’s Mid-Season Championship with a last lap pass for the lead, defending Point Champion Troy Brand put forth a dominating performance in this week’s WISSOTA Super Stock feature. After winning the second heat race, Brand checked out from the rest of the feature field and fended off several challenged through multiple restarts only to check out and walk away from the field. 

“The top groove was absolutely perfect for me tonight,” smiled Brand after the win, “The track was just about the best I’ve ever seen it this year and all I had to do was put the car up high and let it go.” Brand’s only solid challenge came from Gary Wiersgalla on the final restart of the event. Wiersgalla had been using the low groove through the entire event but couldn’t quite make the pass on the final print to the finish. Wiersgalla had to settle for second just in front of Dennis Earney.

Mike Knopps completed the theme of repeat winners, picking up a Pure Stock feature win for the second week in a row. “This car felt like a rocket!” exclaimed the Chippewa Falls driver after the feature win, “The track was so smooth and the car was perfect. If anyone noticed the ‘for sale’ sign on the side of the car, they could be taking home a top-notch Pure Stock!”

Charlie Schwabenbauer of Holmen, WI won the 28-car 4-Cylinder Hornets feature while Ben Passa of Onalaska, WI won the 4-Cylinder Fox Ridge Flyers feature.