by Chris Stepan

ARCADIA, Wis. (June 1, 2001) - The Fox Ridge Speedway finally got in a racing program after canceling its last 2 scheduled events, the weather some-what straightened out the FRS fans witnessed 3 of the 4 winners collect their first career victories in the Late Models, Super Stocks and Street Stocks respectively.

The WISSOTA Super Stock feature was the first main event on the schedule and saw Mike Hesselink and Gary Wiersgalla pacing the field down to the green flag as the skies began to light up with lightning off to the north.

Hesselink took the low line into turn 1 and got a good run to take over the lead as they roared down the backstretch. Wiersgalla settled into second with Jon Duffy into third and an amazing battle was taking place on the first lap for fourth between Bruce Tourville, Ben Anderson and Jason Johnson. Duffy wasted no time as he shot to the inside of Wiersgalla and began a spirited battle for second, while Hesselink tried to sneak off and hide up front. Duffy was able to make the low line work as he got under Wiersgalla into second and began to pressure Hesselink up front.

After a quick caution flag on lap 4, Duffy was glued to Hesselink's bumper on the restart as Johnson moved in quickly to duke it out with Wiersgalla for third. Duffy was making it very interesting up front as he looked to the inside of Hesselink several times and actually gave Mike a shove or two a he looked for an opening up front, while Johnson and Wiersgalla were battling very closely for third as well. Perhaps, Johnson and Wiersgalla were battling a bit too closely as the caution flew when Wiersgalla spun in turn 4.

This time on the restart, Hesselink and Duffy continued their battle for the lead as Tourville shot to the inside of Wiersgalla for third and was able to wrestle the position away two laps later. Good battles were occurring all around the speedway as Mark Teske, Dan Arneson and Kevin Glander were also locked in competition for position behind the leaders.

A two-lap sprint to the checkers was set up after a late race caution slowed the action and on the start, Duffy took a look to the inside of Hesselink again as they raced out of turn 2 for the lead, but Hesselink shut the door and was able to withstand the pressure as the white flag flew.

Duffy gave it one last shot as they raced into turn three for the final time. Duffy got into the back of Hesselink and ducked to the inside of Mike as they drag raced to the checkered. Hesselink crossed the line first to win his first career WISSOTA Super Stock feature after a very hard-fought battle with Duffy. Tourville came across the stripe in third, Wiersgalla was fourth and Teske rounded out the top five.

The open-wheeled Modifieds rolled onto the track next with Jordan Steier and Les Duellman setting the pace. Duellman took command early with Steve Speltz and Bruce Angst duking it out for second on lap #1. Duellman shot out to a good-sized lead over the field, but suddenly slowed his # 0 on the backstretch, ending his chance for the win. Speltz then inherited the lead, as he and Angst continued to battle up front, while Leroy Scharkey and Shane Wehrs were in a scramble for third.

After a lap 5 caution for a Mike Wedelstadt stall in turn 2, Speltz again picked up the lead, but Angst was glued to his fuel cell as Bruce literally pushed Speltz down the back chute. Several great battles were going on around the speedway as Scharkey had moved into duke it out with Angst for second, while Wehrs and Steier were continuing to battle for position and Dan Hesch and Hank Rollinger were also looking for a way to the front.

Speltz began to steadily walk away from the field in his # 57, while Scharkey continued to work on Angst for second. Steier came alive late in the race as he slipped into fourth and began to pressure Scharkey for third with several laps to go, but Speltz was long gone as he went on to pick up his first win of the season with Angst chasing him to a second place run.

Scharkey was able to withstand the charge from Steier to finish in third and Wehrs had another good run to come home in fifth.

The Late Model main event was up next with Bob Timm and Keith Foss pacing the field to the green flag. Foss got a great jump on the high side and shot out into the lead with Timm settling into second. Foss was shot out of a cannon as he quickly disappeared and left the battle on the speedway for second. Timm jumped the cushion a bit in turn 2, which allowed Tom Nesbitt to charge under him into second. A good battle was going on for fourth as Jeff Keeney and Troy Brand were running side by side for the position for several laps until a mid-race caution flew foe debris in turn 3.

Foss again jumped out into the lead with Nesbitt giving chase. Timm again tried the high side to try to regain second, but Nesbitt was getting good runs off the low line and was able to hold his position as Foss was had checked out and went on to pick up his first career Late Model feature win in relatively easy fashion. Nesbitt did cross in second, with Timm, Keeney and Brand rounding out the top five finishers.

The Street Stock main event was the final race on the card and saw Jeremy Sommer and Tony Sass sitting on the front row at the start. Sass shot out into the lead on the high side in turn 2, bringing Shawn Wehlage and Travis Krause with him into second and third respectively. Wehlage wasted no time stealing the lead away from Sass as he charged by on lap 2, only to see his hopes of picking up a win disappear as he broke on the backstretch, slowing the action early.

On the restart, Sass reassumed the lead as Sommer and Krause duked it out for second, while Jim Randall was on the move as he began to pressure Sommer for third early on. Randall was able to steal the spot away from Sommer and quickly reeled in Krause and began to duke it out with the 2-time winner for second. Sass continued to run very strong up front as he had built up a bit of a lead, while Randall and Krause were scrambling for the runner-up spot just behind. David Nastvold and Andy Hoch were also locked in battle for position just behind the leaders as the half-way point neared.

After a quick caution, Randall shot by Krause into second and set his sights on Sass up front. Randall chased Sass for two more laps before stealing the lead away down the backstretch as Krause and Sommer now began to work on each other for third. Once Randall was out front, pulled away with each and every circuit en route to his first career Street Stock feature win. Sass had a great run to come home in second, as Sommer snuck by to steal third away from Krause at the line and Nastvold rounded out the top five finishers.

Racing action resumes at Fox Ridge this Friday with action for WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks and WISSOTA Street Stocks. Hot laps are scheduled for 7pm with racing set to start at 7:30. For more information, check out the track's website at www.foxridgespeedway.com.

RESULTS

WISSOTA LATE MODELS

Feature: Keith Foss, Tom Nesbitt, Bob Timm, Jeff Keeney, Troy Brand

Heat 1: Timm, Nesbitt, Foss

Heat 2: Nesbitt, Foss, Timm

MODIFIEDS

Feature: Steve Speltz, Bruce Angst, Leroy Scharkey, Jordan Steier, Shane Wehrs, Hank Rollinger Jr., Dan Hesch, Ron Britain, Paul Hamernick, Larry Kallenbach

Heat 1: Dave Wiersgalla, Britain, Scharkey, Angst, Speltz

Heat 2: Les Duellman, Steier, Hesch, Mick Glenn, Bill Bauers

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Mike Hesselink, Jon Duffy, Bruce Tourville, Gary Wiersgalla, Mark Teske, Dan Arneson, Jason Johnson, John Doelle, Lyle Schlomer, Dennis Earney

Heat 1: Wiersgalla, Duffy, Johnson, Schlomer, Brian Fetting

Heat 2: Ben Anderson, Hesselink, Tourville, Teske, Quinn Arnoldy

Heat 3: Arneson, Kevin Glander, Rod Behlke, Justin Sass, Earney

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Jim Randall, Tony Sass, Jeremy Sommer, Travis Krause, David Nastvold, Brad Dennis, Daryl Foegen, Andy Hoch, Matt Theisen, Danny Hanson

Heat 1: Shawn Wehlage, Krause, Sommer, Theisen, Lester Beardsley

Heat 2: Hanson, Nathan Reuter, Sass, Dennis, Phil Wernert

Heat 3: Randall, Hoch, Nastvold, David Stearns, Dennis Davis