by Scott Malotke

ARCADIA, Wis. (May 4, 2002) - Les Duellman overcame some brake problems at the start of Friday nights modified feature to pick up his first victory of the season. Duellman started on the outside of row one and at the drop of the green flag his modified bolted straight to the front and almost straight to Independence. The veteran modified driver wrestled control of his racecar just as he was about to leave the track via turn one.

“I thought I was going over that corner,” Duellman said. The episode brought out the yellow and gave him a chance to restart at the front. On the restart, Duellman jumped out to the lead with Winonan Karl Fenske in hot pursuit. Danny Hesch came up quickly from his third row starting spot to challenge both drivers. Hesch’s car was hooked up and chasing down the leaders when on lap three he broke his rear suspension bringing out the yellow.

Duellman got the jump on Fenske again at the restart and moved out to a comfortable lead. Mike Sorenson, opening night winner was on the move from his twenty first starting position and had moved into fourth by lap seven. Following Sorenson through the field was Bob Timm who had worked his way up to seventh. Duellman had a comfortable lead wiped out on lap fifteen when Brian Albrecht spun in turn four, the spin scattered cars everywhere and almost ended Duellman’s evening as he slid into John Doelle trying to avoid the melee.

Luckily, Duellman’s car received no damage and he took his place at the front of the field. Duellman jumped out the lead again, by lap nineteen, Sorenson had passed Fenske for second and was running down Duellman. As the two raced through turn four on lap twenty-two Jonah Daffinson spun in front of the leaders. Duellman avoided the stopped race car but Sorenson wasn’t so fortunate and collided with Daffinson breaking the front suspension.

Duellman’s night wasn’t over as he had Fenske and Timm to confront in a three lap sprint. Duellman outran his competitors and Fenske And Timm were left to battle for second with two laps left. Timm attempted to pass Fenske on the bottom of the track. Fenske charged out of turn two and he and Timm made contact causing Fenske to spin.. Timm was charged with the infraction and sent to the tail of the field. Duellman held off the field to pick up the win.

“We didn’t have this thing ready until four o’clock this afternoon,” said the happy winner. “Randy Lehnertrz worked on this car all last night, we weren’t sure we’d be ready.” Duellman battled rear brake problems earlier in the evening and at the start of the feature. Following Duellman across the finish line were Fenske, Eric Pember, Hank Rollinger, and twenty-fourth starting Steve Speltz.

Veteran late model standout Tom Nesbitt outdueled Terry Casey and Pat Doar in the twenty five lap main event. Several times throughout the feature both Casey and Doar pulled alongside Nesbitt, each time Nesbitt held them off.

“I was nervous as hell before the feature. The car didn’t feel that good during the heat race and we didn’t do anything to it,” said Nesbitt. “I started near the front in the heat and couldn’t pass anybody, I didn’t want to get passed again,” stated Nesbitt on his anxiety.

“It took us a whole year to win one here, the car was on a rail, just awesome, just awesome,” he said.

Nesbitt survived a Casey pass on lap eight when a spin involving Mark Teske and Keith Foss brought out the yellow. The cars were lined up according the previous lap placing Nesbitt back in front. Both drivers said they were a little surprised by those circumstances. Track officials had Nesbitt leading lap seven which put the Canadian back in front. Nesbitt darted out to the lead and Casey and Doar began chase. Casey went to the cushion looking for some bite while Doar tried out the bottom side. On lap fifteen Doar passed Casey for second. A couple of laps later, Casey moved down to the bottom and started gaining on the two leaders. Corby Metzgar broke his rear suspension on lap twenty three sending him into a spin in turn three.

The final outcome was decided on a green, white and checkered with Casey and Brad Waits both sneaking past Doar. Doar, in his 2002 debut, attempted to take a higher line to garner his first checkered but the move backfired. Nesbitt held off Casey for the win with Waits, Doar, and Tony Bahr rounding out the top five.

Mark Teske topped a huge field of superstock drivers winning the twenty lap feature. Teske took command from the outset as he started on the inside pole and beat Mark Wytaske to turn one. Teske’s lead grew to a straightaway at times as both Jason Johnson and Bill Clemens worked their way up through the field. By lap ten, Teske had encountered lapped traffic. The backmarkers did little to slow him down. Wytaske, Johnson, and Clemens were given a second chance in catching Teske when Brian Fetting spun in turn four on lap fifteen. Teske dashed off at the restart with Wytaske chasing, Johnson, Clemens and Chris Groth battled for position behind them. Teske won his second feature of the season and was followed by Wytaske, Johnson, Clemens, and Groth.

David Stearns jumped out to a quick lead in the street stock feature, but Travis Krause had other things in mind, like his first win of the season. Krause chased Stearns for the first four laps of the feature. Stearns lost the handle on his racecar in turn four on lap four spinning in front of the entire field. The youngster righted his car, but not before several cars had passed him. Krause led the race for the next several laps as no one challenged.

Danny Hanson started to catch Krause and with three laps left, pulled to within two car lengths. The white flag dropped and Hanson pulled to the inside of Krause going into turn one. Coming out of turn two, Hanson moved alongside Krause when disaster struck for Hanson. Andy Bohnstengle looped his car in front of the leaders, Krause avoided trouble going to the outside. Hanson wasn’t as fortunate, he made light contact and dropped to third. At the finish it was Krause, Jeremy Sommer, Hanson, Fred Prudoehl, and Brad Dennis. A disappointed Hanson said after the race, “I had ‘em , I had em.”

One hundred twenty three cars checked into the gate for the second night of racing as fans witnessed twenty races for the night’s event.

RESULTS

LATE MODELS

Tom Nesbitt, Thunder Bay, Ont.;2.Terry Casey, New London,Wisc.;3. Brad Waits,West Concord, Minn.;4. Pat Doar,New Richmond,Wisc.;5. Tony Bahr, Eau Claire, Wisc.; 6.Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wisc.; 7. Paul Wrazidlo,Duluth, Minn.; 8. Steve Isenburg, Marshfield,Wisc.; 9. Justin Fegers, Mound, Minn.; 10. Mark Hessler, Menominee, Wisc.; 11.Keith Foss, Winona; 12. Ryan Aho,Chisholm,Minn.; 13. Bob Timm, Winona; 14. Jason Schill, Dresser, Wisc.;15. Steve Laursen, Cumberland, Wisc.;16. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 17. Jeff Matejka, Winona; 18. Corby Metzgar, Eau Claire, Wisc.;19. Troy Brand, Winona; 20. Brady Smith, Solon Springs, Wisc.

Heats

1.Casey 2. Pember 3. Isenburg

1.Bahr 2. Jeff Keeney, River Falls, Wisc.; 3. Waits

1.Doar 2. Lance Mathees, Winona; 3. Hessler

MODIFIEDS

Les Duellman, Winona, 2. Karl Fenske, Winona;3. Pember;4;Hank Rollinger, Buffalo City; 5. Steve Speltz, FountainCity; 6.Troy Langowski, Winona; 7. Kerry Ledebuhr, Winona; 8. Shane Wehrs, Bangor, Wisc.; 9.Isenburg;10.Paul Hammernik, Winona;11. Eric Scribner,Kiel, Wisc.;12. Rick Hauser, Winona;13. Bruce Angst, Winona; 14. Randy Geisler, St. Charles;15. Jay Poidinger, Somerset,Wisc.;16. Ron Britain, winona; 17. Gary Doelle, Fountain City;18.John Doelle, Arcadia; 19. Jonah Daffinson, Galesville; 20. Timm

Heats

1.1.Wehrs,2. Dan Hesch, Arcadia;3. Nathan Kilwine, Owatonna, Minn.

2.1.Angst 2. Wayne Engen, Shell Lake,Wisc.;3.Bob Fort, Fountain City

3.1.Pember 2.Duellman 3.Ledebuhr

SUPER STOCKS

1.Teske;2. Mark Wytaske, Austin, Minn.;3.Jason Johnson, Ettrick;4.Bill Clemens, Chatfield; 5. Chris Groth, Plymouth, Minn.;6.Greg Nippoldt, Oakdale, Minn.;7.Mike Hesselink, Deer Park, Wisc,; 8. Dan Nissalke,Winona;9.Brand;10.Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City;11.Kevin Ayotte, St. Paul; 12. Adam Stockhausen, Winona;13.Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wisc.;14. Brian Fetting, Fountain City;15. Travis Hallquist, Eau Claire;16.Dennis Earney, Cochrane;17. Kevin Hager, Kellogg;18.Adam Guberud, ,Mabel, Minn.;19.Ben Anderson, Winona; 20.Matt Durnen, Winona;

B-Feature

1.Earney 2.Fetting3. Hallquist4.Anderson

Heats

1.1Ayotte2.Nippoldt3.Johnson

2.1Teske2.Hager3.Groth

3.1.Hessleink2.Wiersgalla3.Mike Weber, Osceola Wisc.

4.1.Wytaske2. Nissalke3.Clemens

STREET STOCKS

1.Travis Krause, Buffalo City;2.Jeremy Sommer, Lake City;3.Danny Hanson, Alma;

4.Fred Prudoehl,Winona5.Brad Dennis, Winona;6.David Stearns,Wabasha;7.David Nastvold,Galesville;8.Tom Hund, Fountain City;9.Dennis Davis, Fountain City;10.Brock Wright, Fall Creek,Wisc.11.Lee Hager, Kellogg;12. Michael Sass,Fountian City;13.John Laumb, Rushford;14. Jack Nissalke, Winona;15.Daryl Foegen, Cochrane;16.Matt Theisen, Arcadia; 17.Tom Brink, winona; 18.Mike Johnsgard, Winona;19. Greg Ziegler, Galesville; 20.Matt Helgeson, Arcadia

B-Feature

1.Theisen2.Hager3.Sass4.Johnsgard

Heats

1.Foegen 2. Stearns 3.Wright 4.

1.Sommer 2. Hanson 3. Hund

1,Randy Bradford, Eau Claire;2. Laumb 3. Davis

1.Krause 2. Prudoehl 3.Nissalke