A Family-Filler Fox Ridge Victory Lane

(ARCADIA, Wisconsin) - - Friday night July 15th, race fans intent on starting their weekend with an evening of Family Fun ignored the excessively humid heat and flocked to FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY to enjoy an evening of “Rockin’ the Ridge” with KG 95.3 / Budweiser Night at Speedway. Little did they know that the family fun would spill over from the crowded grandstands, onto the track and then right into Victory Lane.

Family involvement has always been strong in stock car racing, Friday night three racers – related by blood line as well as their passion for Motorsports – collected ‘clean sweeps’ – winning both the heat race and feature event in their respective divisions.

DREGNEY DRIVES TO VICTORY
The evening’s WISSOTA Super Stock feature event provided the crowd with both extremes of the sport: action and carnage!

After taking the green flag to start the 18-lap feature, the pack raced into turns one and two. At the transition from turn one to turn two, Justin Sass’s #24 – starting from the outside of the second row – got loose and spun sideways. What followed was pretty similar to a multi-car freeway pileup as row after row behind Sass simply smashed into the every expanding collection of wrecked cars littering the exit of turn two.

When the dust had settled, more than half the field had become involved in the accident. Some were able to drive away others were ‘assisted’ to the pits via the business end of the speedway tow trucks.

With the wreckage cleared off the track, the remaining cars headed back to green flag racing. Shawn Huse worked the top groove of the banks like a master and lead the opening five laps. With Huse working up top, Rodney Dregney, dove his black #88 to the bottom in search of extra bite to challenge for the top position.

Dregney cleared Huse’s #1H to lead the next two circuits until Huse dove to the bottom and passed for the lead in the exact same way. “I was getting some amazing traction down at the bottom,” explained Dregney after the feature, “Huse was running around the top and I got around him on the bottom. Then he did the same to me and I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to get back down there!’”

First heat race winner Huse lead another circuit before Dregney was able to get to the bottom again and retake the lead on lap nine. Huse challenged for the lead again but met with near disaster with just two laps to go, “I went into turn one, lifted out of the throttle and the car simply didn’t slow down,” explained the Bloomer, WI. racer of the broken throttle linkage that kept him from further challenges for the lead, “the car was stuck wide open! I was reaching for the kill switch and standing on the brake at the same time!”

Huse’s hopes for a win were over with the white flag literally in site.

After winning the second heat race, Mondovi, WI’s Dregney made it a ‘clean sweep’ with the Feature Win, “After being involved in racing for almost 15 years,” offered Dregney, “This is my first every sweep!”

Pole sitter Dan Arneson held of some extremely stout challengers and raced his way to his best feature finish of the season in second, followed by the previous week’s feature winner Troy Langowski.

OLSON COLLECTS SECOND FEATURE WIN
College Student Ryan Olson used the bottom groove as well and raced his way from the outside of the fourth row to grab his second feature victory of the 2005 season at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY.

“I was running as low as absolutely possible,” explained Olson of the low line that carried him to victory.

After winning the first WISSOTA Midwest Modified heat race, Olson – just like his cousin Dregney – grabbed a ‘clean sweep’ in his division. “I’ve got to tell you,” said the young Strum, WI. racer, “This car is working awesome. And I tell you, if it weren’t for the people helping me, like my Dad and everyone else who grabs a wrench or helps out in any way, I wouldn’t be doing nearly as well!”

After picking up his first feature win the week before, Jeff Brauer settled for a distant second just ahead of Dean Hoffman.

HANSON RETURNS WITH A WIN
Just one week after a frustrating night for Alma, WI. racer Danny Hanson, he returned to FOX RIDGE with his familiar #5 and raced his way to Victory Lane – twice!. After winning the opening WISSOTA Street Stock heat race, Hanson reeled in Michael Conrad and passed him approaching the white flag lap, to collect the third ‘clean sweep’ of the evening.

“What a night for this extended family,” laughed a smiling Hanson after the win, “Rod Dregney, Ryan Olson, me … we’re all related and we all swept our divisions!”

Conrad offered up a solid return challenge on the white flag lap, until a lapped car took away his line in turn four coming down to the checkered flag, and was forced to accept second. Fountain City’s Tom Hund finally broke his three week string of second place finishes – unfortunately it was a third place finish that broke the string rather than a win. “I’ve got that car working perfectly,” smiled Hund, “except, I ruined the motor at the checkered flag! So, this week I’ll drop my old motor back in and see if it can make it one more night.”

Hanson, Olson and Dregney – all related – emphasized the family nature of this sport on a successful note.

DOELLE DOMINATES
“Sometimes I just don’t know what it is,” admitted Arcadia’s John Doelle, “some nights are a struggle, some nights are perfect.” Friday night was about two steps past perfect.

Embroiled in a tight points battle atop the USRA Modified standings with Karl Fenske, Doelle pulled his blue #94jr onto the track, clawed his way to the front and never once looked back. By the time the checkered flag flew, Doelle had almost a ˝ lap lead over the three-car battle for second place.

“Just before the race I asked where they were running in the Super Feature,” explained Doelle, “’Down Low’ I was told and I kept it right at the bottom through the entire feature. The car handled perfectly down there.”

Behind Doelle (WAY BEHIND, that is) Jay Ihrke, Rick Hauser and Brad Waits battled for second. Ihrke came from fourth to second in the final two laps with Waits crossing the line third just in front of Hauser’s #19.

CARPENTER CAPS HIS THIRD
The 4-Cylinder Hornets never cease to amaze the crowds on hand at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY. In one of the evening’s three heat races, the crowd witnessed a 7-wide battle for position on the front straight!! I’m going to retype that because the odds of that sentence ever showing up in a race report ever again are slim to none!

It was a seven car wide battle for position!!

That’s why this division is quickly gaining in popularity.

The evening’s feature saw Robert Carpenter collect his third feature win of the season after taking the lead from Brad Duellman on lap five. Point leader Mark Bornitz finished second just in front of Mike Thompson.

BEAT THE HEAT NEXT WEEK
Next Friday night fans can revel in the heat by celebrating ‘Hawaiian Night’ at FOX RIDGE SPEEDWAY. Any fan showing up wearing a Hawaiian themed outfit gets a dollar off their admittance price to enjoy Tri-West Communications Night at THE RIDGE!
    
7/15/2005 - Fox Ridge Speedway Results
USRA Modifieds
A-Main 01 --  1. John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis; 2. Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.; 3. Brad Waits, Zumbrota, Minn.; 4. Rick Hauser, Winona, Minn.; 5. Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.; 6. Paul Hamernik, Winona, Minn.; 7. Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.; 8. Jason Marten, Mondovi, Wis; 9. Jesse Frericks, Pine Island, Minn.; 10. Karl Fenske, Winona, Minn.; 11. Matt Sweeney, Waukon, Iowa; 12. Gary Doelle, Fountain City, Wis; 13. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona, Minn.; 14. Jessie Maynard, Minnesota City, Minn.; 15. Les Jonsgaard, Winona, Minn.; 16. Jason Decker, Winona, Minn..
Heat 01 --  1. B. Timm; 2. M. Glenn; 3. J. Doelle; 4. J. Maynard; 5. J. Ihrke; 6. J. Marten; 7. L. Jonsgaard; 8. K. Ledebuhr.
Heat 02 --  1. B. Waits; 2. K. Fenske; 3. R. Hauser; 4. P. Hamernik; 5. J. Frericks; 6. G. Doelle; 7. M. Sweeney; 8. J. Decker.

WISSOTA Super Stocks
A-Main 01 --  1. Rodney Dregney, Mondovi, Wis; 2. Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wis; 3. Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.; 4. Troy Brand, Winona, Minn.; 5. Justin Sass, Alma, Wis; 6. Dan Nissalke, Winona, Minn.; 7. Jeff Dregney, Eleva, Wis; 8. Jon Duffy, Winona, Minn.; 9. Jesse Lutz, Winona, Minn.; 10. Bruce Lutz, Minnesota City, Minn.; 11. Shawn Huse, Bloomer, Wis; 12. Travis Wagner, Arcadia, Wis; 13. Dennis Earney, Cochrane, Wis; 14. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City, Wis; 15. David Nastvold, Galesville, Wis; 16. Quinn Arnoldy, Arcadia, Wis.
Heat 01 --  1. S. Huse; 2. T. Langowski; 3. J. Duffy; 4. T. Brand; 5. D. Nissalke; 6. G. Wiersgalla; 7. J. Lutz; 8. B. Lutz.
Heat 02 --  1. R. Dregney; 2. D. Arneson; 3. D. Earney; 4. J. Sass; 5. T. Wagner; 6. D. Nastvold; 7. Q. Arnoldy; 8. J. Dregney.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
A-Main 01 --  1. Ryan Olson, Strum, Wis; 2. Jeff Brauer, Eyota, Minn.; 3. Dean Hoffman, Eyota, Minn.; 4. Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 5. Robert Bautch, Winona, Minn.; 6. Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.; 7. Matt Steffen, Mondovi, Wis; 8. Ben Anderson, Winona, Minn.; 9. Dan Hesch, Arcadia, Wis; 10. Harlan Morehart, Eyota, Minn.; 11. Corey Breitung, Prior Lake, Minn.; 12. James Pehler, Fountain City, Wis.
Heat 01 --  1. R. Olson; 2. T. Krause; 3. H. Morehart; 4. C. Breitung; 5. D. Hesch; 6. T. Brink.
Heat 02 --  1. B. Anderson; 2. J. Brauer; 3. D. Hoffman; 4. J. Pehler; 5. R. Bautch; 6. M. Steffen.

WISSOTA Street Stocks
A-Main 01 --  1. Danny Hanson, Alma, Wis; 2. Michael Conrad, Independence, Wis; 3. Tom Hund, Fountain City, Wis; 4. Andy Bohnstengel, Winona, Minn.; 5. Wayne Dean, Fall Creek, Wis; 6. Darryll Foegen, Cochrane, Wis; 7. Cory Hanson, Black River Falls, Wis; 8. Chuck Nerland, Rochester, Minn.; 9. Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.; 10. Matt Wolfe, Mondovi, Wis; 11. Dennis Davis, Fountain City, Wis; 12. Gerald Schultz, Arcadia, Wis; 13. Tagge Pape, Arcadia, Wis; 14. Roger Conrad, Independence, Wis; 15. Kylan Gamez, Arcadia, Wis.
Heat 01 --  1. D. Hanson; 2. T. Hund; 3. C. Nerland; 4. M. Conrad; 5. A. Bohnstengel; 6. C. Hanson; 7. G. Schultz; 8. T. Pape.
Heat 02 --  1. W. Dean; 2. D. Davis; 3. K. Gamez; 4. E. Kanz; 5. D. Foegen; 6. R. Conrad; 7. M. Wolfe.

Hornets
A-Main 01 --  1. Robert Carpenter, Black River Falls, Wis; 2. Mark Bornitz, Holmen, Wis; 3. Mike Thompson, Melrose, Wis; 4. Joel Hesch, Arcadia, Wis; 5. Brad Duellman, Dodge, Wis; 6. Aaron Towner, Trempealeau, Wis; 7. Rick Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 8. Rich Niederkorn, Galesville, Wis; 9. Michael Peters, Whitehall, Wis; 10. Mike Skroch, Independence, Wis; 11. Coty Slawson, Ettrick, Wis; 12. Chris Gilbertson, Trempealeau, Wis; 13. Danny Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 14. Brandon Gleiter, Alma, Wis; 15. Mike Krause, Buffalo City, Wis; 16. Dan Carpenter, Black River Falls, Wis; 17. Steve Bryn, Arcadia, Wis; 18. Marcus Ziemer, Winona, Minn.; 19. Mackenzie Ziemer, Winona, Minn.; 20. Tommy Richards, Mondovi, Wis; 21. Carrol Hundorf, Winona, Minn.; 22. Roger Niederkorn, Ettrick, Wis; 23. Scott Kronn, Holmen, Wis; 24. Alan Van Vleet, Galesville, Wis.
B-Main 01 --  1. S. Kronn; 2. C. Slawson; 3. A. Van Vleet; 4. C. Hundorf; 5. Marc. Ziemer; 6. Mack. Ziemer; (TOP SIX FINISHERS TRANSFER UP TO THE A-MAIN) 7. Corey Klink, Fountain City, Wis; 8. Chad Kosidowski, Cochrane, Wis; 9. James Clark, Winona, Minn.; 10. Gary Towner, Galesville, Wis; 11. Kris Oium, Eleva, Wis; 12. Chris Gilbertson, Trempealeau, Wis; 13. Kyle Redsten, Galesville, Wis; 14. Jody Tollefson, West Salem, Wis.
Heat 01 --  1. M. Thompson; 2. S. Bryn; 3. A. Towner; 4. M. Skroch; 5. R. Slawson; 6. D. Richards; 7. K. Redsten; 8. G. Towner; 9. C. Kosidowski; 10. J. Tollefson; 11. S. Kronn.
Heat 02 --  1. R. Carpenter; 2. C. Gilbertson; 3. Ro. Niederkorn; 4. B. Gleiter; 5. T. Richards; 6. M. Peters; 7. K. Oium; 8. C. Klink; 9. Marc. Ziemer; 10. Mack. Ziemer; 11. C. Hundorf.
Heat 03 --  1. M. Bornitz; 2. J. Hesch; 3. B. Duellman; 4. M. Krause; 5. Ri. Niederkorn; 6. D. Carpenter; 7. C. Slawson; 8. A. Van Vleet; 9. M. Gilbertson; 10. J. Clark.

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