Menomonie, Wisconsin (April 29, 2016) Friday, April 29, 2016, the Red Cedar Speedway recovered from consistent rains during the week to present Dirt Track Specialists and Air Tec Sports night. The heavy spring like racing surface provided fast speeds and constant action. Seven classes of cars were in attendance as the Hornets, Pure Stocks, and the WISSOTA Poly Dome Dirt Track Series sanctioned Street Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and Late Models took to the track. It was deja vu all over again as five feature winners repeated from the week before. Feature winners included Jake Redetzke, Kevin Adams, Curt Meyers, Travis Anderson, Sam Fankhauser, Kent Harmon, and Derrick Johnson.
The T.L. Sinz Plumbing Late Models heats were won by Jesse Glenz and Jim Mars as Buddy Hanestad and Chad Mahder led the feature to green. It was Mahder in the early lead as Buddy Hanestad followed in second. Hanestad’s car was upset in a rut and spun in turn two on the second lap. He stayed on the throttle and came to rest nearly straight as the entire field narrowly missed him in a fine display of driving talent by everyone involved.
On the restart, Mars made a bold move to become a factor from his eighth starting position but it was fifth starting Redetzke who drove to the lead and on to dominate the event. As Redetzke drove to over a straight away lead to the checkers, Mahder battled with Mars and Kaanta. Mars moved into second but wasn’t able to carve into Redetzke’s dominance as Kaanta wrestled away third. Mahder finished fourth as last place starting Jason Krohn finished fifth at the line.
The Tim’s Automotive Modifieds heat winners were Matt Leer, Cory Bruggeman, and Kevin Adams as Kerry Halopka and Cory Mahder owned the front row of the feature. After a failed first attempt at a start, the field came to green with Mahder claiming the spot. A quick yellow flag however involved Matt Leer, Tim Johnson, Robbie Johnson, Bryan Hessler, and Jody Bellifeuille. Tim Johnson and Hessler were unable to continue as Leer was sent to the rear.
It was Mahder on the start as Halopka settled into second. Kevin Adams drove inside third and second and set sail to track down Mahder. Adams caught Mahder and after a spirited battle for position, moved to the lead and pulled away. It was Adams continuing the defending National Champions theme on the night as he drove to the checkered flag. Mahder finished a strong second as Halopka impressed in third. Paul Nitzik drove to fourth and Bruggeman finished in the fifth spot.
The Johnson Motors Super Stocks included heat winners Curt Myers and Ben Hillman as they were led to green by Tony Falkner and Luke Schultz in the feature action. Falkner took the lead as Hillman challenged up high but a spinning Adam Soltis slowed the action. Again Falkner led the group under green but starting eighth is seemingly meaningless to Curt Myers, as with a big move he took over the point. Myers has been the giant who seems impossible to slay in Menomonie in 2016 as he drove into the night to yet another feature win in his bid to repeat as National Champion.
Seventh starting Time Johnson, 2015 runner up in the national points, drove to second and a significant lead over third finishing Lucas Plank. Plank himself impressed over Gunner Watkins who drove from last on the grid to finish fourth. Bart Steffen rounded out the top five in what had been great racing action from third on back. Falkner held the position well but was eventually overtaken as the race settled out in the final laps.
The Southworth Chevrolet Midwest Modifieds had four heats won by Grant Southworth, Shane Halopka, Nick Koehler, and Jake Smith, as George Truscott won the B-Feature earning the right to start near the back of the A main. A front row of Travis Anderson and Shane Halopka promised for a good race and no one involved disappointed. Anderson, whose car was nearly destroyed in the Punk Manor to end last season and severely damaged twice already in the previous two nights at the Red Cedar Speedway this year, quickly proved he was fast and grabbed the lead. Southworth moved from his second row start into the second position.
The yellow flag flew early as Tony Schill came to a stop in turn two and Gunnar Watkins retired under caution. It was Anderson out front on the restart but two laps later, Halopka violently struck the turn one wall drawing the caution and ending his night. Again Anderson led the field on the green but Tanner Byholm was squeezed into the wall on the start. The track was cleared and Southworth and Smith lined up in row two to challenge for the win. Upon going green, the two battled for position and Anderson tried to drive away. Smith pushed up the track, Southworth took the position, and eighth starting Koehler took advantage and claimed third.
As the race came to its conclusion, Southworth challenged for the lead and the two drove side by side. In the final lap, Southworth had a great run but Anderson was too tough, taking the win at the line. Koehler lurked immediately behind in third as Jake Smith recovered for a strong fourth and Austin Ellis impressed in fifth.
The defending National Champion, Tim Johnson, won the heat as the Conrad’s Auto Salvage Street Stock feature was paced by Ashley Wahlstrom and Ron Hanestad. Hanestad took the early lead as they went three wide behind him and three wide behind the group fighting for second. Seven cars raced in a very tight group until Sam Fankhauser grabbed the lead on lap two. Michael Knudtson found his way to second and the lone yellow in the event flew for debris on the track.
On the restart, Fankhauser held the point and Knudtson chose to start on the outside of Hanestad in row two. It was Fankhauser with a strong run, essentially unchallenged to the win. Knudtson held a solid second as Hanestad led Cody Kummer and Karl Genett to fill out the top five.
The Kadinger Auto Salvage Pure Stock heat winners were Mike Knopps and George Richards as Dean Pronschinske and Jeremy Dahl had the honors of the front row at feature time. An aborted first attempt at green saw Dahl drive to the lead in the second attempt. Brett Meyers moved to second to challenge but it was eighth starting Kent Harmon using the low line to drive to the front. Richards and Knopps followed through to second and third. Richards moved to the high line and drove into the lead as Harmon battled back down low. The two raced side by side as Knopps lurked immediately in their shadows.
Harmon edged into the lead as Knopps followed in the low groove to second. Richards drove hard to regain the position and was scored in second at the white flag. The three raced very closely on the final circuit and went three wide in turns three and four as Harmon gained the advantage toward the finish line. An unrelated caution flag was displayed before they finished their charge and the amazing race finished under yellow. The white flag lap was how they were officially scored with Harmon winning, followed by Richards, and Knopps. It was Brett Meyers and Jeremy Dahl filling out the top five.
The Value Implement Hornet heats were won by Derrick Johnson and Bradley York as Jordan Kuhn and James Kurschner paced the field to green in the feature. It was Kurschner grabbing the point until eighth starting Derrick Johnson carved his way to the lead on lap two and never looked back on his drive to the checkers. William Voeltz and Dean Butler made it a three car battle for second as Voeltz claimed the spot. Butler battled with York for position finishing third and fourth respectively. Sean Svee rounded out the top five.
The Red Cedar Speedway returns to racing action on Friday, May 06, 2016, with the WISSOTA Poly Dome Dirt Track Series sanctioned Street Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and Late Models along with the Kadinger Auto Salvage Pure Stocks and Value Implement Hornets.
Written by: Brad Erickson