KAANTA TOPS AMSOIL SERIES AT SUPERIOR
By Jerry O'Brien
8-15-03
John Kaanta of Elk Mound,Wisconsin made the long 15 hour tow from Billings Montana
where he finished fifth in the WISSOTA Challenge Series event held there to compete in the
AMSOIL Series event number four at the Superior Speedway. Kaanta is the WISSOTA National
Points leader as well as the Challenge Series leader and stood third in AMSOIL Series points.
Starting from the outside of the front row Kaanta quickly overtook early leader Ed Wakefield
to lead the 30 lap event to the checkered flag. Kaanta survived several caution flags each of which
gave second place runner Pat Doar a shot at the lead. Kaanta was able to prevail each time and
went on to take the win. Doar was second, 2000 AMSOIL Champion Brady Smith was third,
defending series champion Joel Cryderman nipped Darrell Nelson for fourth
after coming from provisional and starting 26th on the field.
There were 15 of 26 starters running at the finish.
Eric Pember of Pittsville Wisconsin drove Jerry Amundson's number 30 WISSOTA Modified
to the win in the 15 lap main event from the outside pole. Pole sitter Dann Olson finished second
over Kelly Estey, Dean Yrjanainen and Scott Hudack in the top five.
Only two caution flags marred the near perfect run, the first when Jayme Lautigar and Jeff Hart tangled in turn four.
Lautigar was charged and sent to the rear but was able to rebound to
finish tenth. The second caution flag was for Darrell Carlson's number 32 that stalled when he was trying to make it to the
pit entrance.
John Copp debuted a new motor in the number 26 WISSOTA Super Stock and pulled off a
sweep of the division. John Hunker had his best run of the season finishing second after starting
deep in the field. Darin Meierotto and Copp had a real battle for the lead going until Meierotto's
number 36 failed him. Al Uotinen came from 9th to finish third while track point leader Dale
Gangl drove through the field from 13th to finish fourth ahead of Mike Bellefeuille.
Randy Vezina won the non stop Street Stock 15 lap main event over a charging Scott
Lawrence. It was Vezina's second career feature win and second this season at the speedway.
Paul Brust finished third, Trevor Wilson fourth and Don Velleux was fifth.
It was also Fan Appreciation night at the speedway with ten new members inducted into
the Superior Speedway Hall of fame. The inductees included Dwaine "Oulu" Erickson, Johnny Johnson,
Rusty Levine, Dick Christman, Jerry "Gringo" TaBelle, Billy Nelson, Sr, Jim Bartley and Lauren
Johnson as retired drivers. The active driver inducted into the Hall of Fame is Bob Root and the
Pioneer inductee is Vern Backlund. A private dinner for the new members and their guests was
given by the Selection Committee prior to the evenings events and they were introduced to the
fans in a ceremony prior to the racing program.
Results
AMSOIL WISSOTA Late Model Series
Heat 1: Brady Smith, Jodi Olson, Darrell Nelson, Terry Casey, Leon Plank
Heat 2: Jeff Broking, Terry Lillo, Justin Fegers, Don Copp, Kelly Estey
Heat 4: Bill Byholm, John Kaanta, Ed Wakefield, Steve Laursen, Tom Waseleski
Heat 4: Pat Doar, Keith Foss, Todd Gehl, Roger Paolo, Danny Young
B Main: Eric Pember, Bob Slater, Harry Hanson, AJ Diemel, Joel Cryderman
Feature: (30 Laps) (1-10) Kaanta, Doar, Smith, Cryderman, Nelson, Lillo, Waseleski, Hanson,
Laursen, Pember
WISSOTA Modified
Heat 1: Al Uotinen, Eric Pember, Jeff Hart, Scott Hudack, Jayme Lautigar
Heat 2: Dean Yrjanainen, Darrell Nelson, Kelly Estey, Dann Olson, Erik Bjorkland
Feature: Pember, Olson, Estey, Yrjanainen, Hudack, Uotinen, Jeff Hart, Nelson, Bjorkland,
Lautigar
WISSOTA Super Stock
Heat 1: John Copp, Rick Simpson Randy Silverness, Ryan Aho, Destin Lorimor
Heat 2: Mike Bellefeuille, Joe Oliver, Al Uotinen, Spike McDougall, Jim Campbell
Heat 3: Randy Thomas, Darin Meierotto, Rick Rivord, John Hunker, Dale Gangl
B Main: Paul Berg, Steve Tuura, Keith Kern, Scott Lawrence, Ryan Rivord
Feature: Copp, Hunker, Uotinen, Gangl, Bellefeuille, McDougall, Silverness, Oliver, Rick
Rivord, Aho
Street Stock
Heat 1: Don Velleux, Randy Vezina, George Korich, Scott Lawrence, Tom Brust
Heat 2: Trevor Wilson, Marshall Andrews, Keith Tourville, Tom O'Brien, Jay Vqlentine
Feature: Vezina, Lawrence, Brust, Wilson, Velleux, Korich, L Andrews, M Andrews, Tim Baum,
Mike Kalkbrenner
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