By Chris Stepan

KASSON, MN (June 10, 2001) - The Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, MN opened its gates under beautiful skies on Sunday, June 10th with a good field of cars ready to do battle on Northside Tire Town night at the speedway.

The Street Stock feature was the first main event on tap for the night with Mark Jennings stealing the lead away from pole sitter Joe Wernecke at the drop of the green but Jennings jumped the cushion in turn one, allowing Steve Goodenough and Scott Paulson to slip under him into the lead and second respectively. Once the lead duo got out front, they began to wage an amazing war up front for the lead as Paulson ran the extreme low groove around the speedway, while Goodenough continued to run his middle lane around the track.

After a lap 3 caution, Paulson and Goodenough resumed their battle for the lead as Kevin Adams and Jeff Brauer were making their way through the field from the tail. Adams began to dice it up with Nathan Finley and Roger Bentzen for fourth around the ½ way point of the event as the leaders continued to run door to door up front.

Adams was able to secure the third spot away from Finley and began to reel in the leaders, but Paulson and Goodenough were still locked in competition up front. Goodenough continued to hold his line around the speedway and as the white flag flew, the leaders were still side by side, but Goodenough was able to hold off Paulson at the stripe for his second win of the season. Adams, Finley and Brauer rounded out the top five finishers.

Midwest Modifieds were the next on the agenda and saw Jerry Young and matt Stark sitting on the front row for the feature. Young jumped into the lead at the drop of the green as Chad Herman and Corey Miller began to duke it out for third, right behind Stark. Chuck Olson was on the move early as he appeared in the top five just a few laps into the main event and began to work the topside of the speedway in search of a way toward the front.

After a couple of quick cautions, Olson again began to work the top side of the speedway as he and Greg Pfiefer were locked in battle for the third spot while Young continued to show the way up front. Pfiefer was able to clear Olson and he quickly began to pressure Stark for second. This due ran door to door for much of the event until Pfiefer was able to sneak by Stark into second. Olson, Carter Gerlach and Stark then began a battle for position as Pfiefer was quickly reeling in Young up front.

Pfiefer then dove to the inside of Young for the lead on lap 12, and was able to hold it to the checkered. Young had his hands full trying to hold off Olson for second, but he was up to the challenge and crossed the line in second. Olson, Stark and Gerlach rounded out the top five finishers.

The Super Stocks were up next with Curt Myers and Kelly Anderson pacing the field to the green. Myers got the jump on the start and immediately set off into the night, leaving the battle on the track behind him for second.

Anderson and Jon van Minsel were locked in battle for the runner up spot, as were Dave Haberman and Nick Herrick for fourth. A great battle was also occurring just out of the top five as Joey Jensen was making his way toward the front of the pack, while contending with Mark Teske and Anderson on his way by.

Jensen was very fast as he stuck his #21jr to the low side and blasted into second on lap 6 and then proceeded to reel in Myers, who had built up almost a straightway lead. Jensen was coming after Myers rapidly and soon was up on his rear bumper. Joey then tried several times to stick his nose to the inside of Myers for the lead, but was unsuccessful at each attempt.

Jensen then decided to try the topside in turn 3, but slid back a bit allowing Myers to stretch his lead again. The battle for third was still racing on as Teske, Herrick and Haberman were all running closely in a tight pack for the position. It didn't take Jensen long to reel Myers back in and Joey again tried to take a peek to the inside of the leader out of turn 2.

Jensen and Myers made contact in turn three, sending Myers in a circle, which brought out the caution on lap 17. Jensen was sent to the tail, ending his bid for the win and allowing Myers to cruise the remaining three laps to pick up his fourth feature win of his rookie season. Haberman held strong until the end, coming across the line in second with Herrick, Teske and Anderson rounding out the top five finishers.

The Modified feature was the final event of the racing evening and saw Bobby Sorensen and last week's winner, Mike Hernke on the front row together. Hernke got the jump and shot out into the lead with Sorensen settling into second just behind. A great battle was underway early as Mike Sorensen, Leroy Scharkey and Jordan Steier were waging a way for third as Jay Ihrke, Todd Scharkey and Todd Klees were making their way toward the front. Hernke continued to lead with Ihrke giving chase until a caution flew over the field on lap 7.

On the restart, it appeared that Hernke's # 37 did not come up to full power as Ihrke blasted by into the top spot, bringing the Sorensen boys with him into second and third respectively. Bobby Sorensen was not about to let Ihrke run away with this one as he held right in there and chased Jay until another couple of cautions slowed the action just past the halfway point of the race.

This time on the restart, Klees took to the topside of the speedway and blasted from fourth into second quickly and began to make his presence felt as he moved in battle with Ihrke for the lead and the win. Ihrke held his ground on the bottom of the speedway as Klees ran a groove higher. Ihrke continued to lead as Klees tried all that he could to find something on the topside, but Jay was too strong as he ran to the checkered to pick up the win. Klees had a great run to come home in second with Scharkey, Hernke and Bobby Sorensen rounding out the top five.

Racing action resumes at Dodge County this Sunday with action for IMCA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Street Stocks. Racing action begins at 7pm.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIEDS

Feature: Jay Ihrke, Todd Klees, Todd Scharkey, Mike Hernke, Bobby Sorensen, Leroy Scharkey, Brad Waits, Dean Riess, Mike Isder, Craig Shaw

Heat 1: Ihrke, Klees, Chad Behne, Eric Throndson, Ken Hainka

Heat 2: T. Scharkey, Hernke, L. Scharkey, B. Sorensen, Isder

Heat 3: Mike Sorensen, Jordan Steier, Darwyn Karau, Waits, Mike Rumsey

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Curt Myers, Dave Haberman, Nick Herrick, Mark Teske, Kelly Anderson, George Batzel, Stacy Edgar, Derek Bridley, Joey Jensen, Dave Solum

Heat 1: Jensen, Bill Clemens, Haberman, Nick Herrick, Myers

Heat 2: Jon Van Minsel, Teske, Edgar, Anderson, Roger Herrick

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature: Greg Pfiefer, Jerry Young, Chuck Olson, Matt Stark, Carter Gerlach, Matt Madsen, Pete Klingfus, Corey Miller, Ron Scalicky, Harland Morehart

Heat 1: Pfiefer, Olson, Stark, Nick Kramer, Morehart

Heat 2: Miller, Chad Herman, Madsen, Harland Morehart Jr., Skalicky

Heat 3: Klingfus, Dana Brunkhorst, Young, Gerlach, Pete Grundvold

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Steve Goodenough, Scott Paulson, Kevin Adams, Nathan Finley, Jeff Brauer, Joe Wernecke, Mark Jennings, Alan Oljenbruns, Greg Erickson, John Laumb

Heat 1: Jennings, Goodenough, Finley, Wernecke, Laumb

Heat 2: Erickson, Arlen Diercks, David Stearns, Paulson, Roger Bentzen