By Jerry O'Brien
5-26-04 Superior, WI

Duane Mahder of Eau Claire was the class of the field Wednesday night May 26th as he dominated the last two thirds of the 35 lap AMSOIL Series opener main event. Mahder grabbed the lead from outside pole sitter Jeff Provinzino after a lap six caution flag and never looked back as he began lapping the field before the half way mark.  At the start Provinzino beat pole sitter and local favorite Tim McMann to the first turn surging into the lead across the back stretch. Following the lead duo was Mahder, Bob Reed and Darin Meierotto.  Mahder challenged Mcmann for second and Reed joined the battle as Meierotto moved up to contend. 

The only caution flag of the event flew for a scuffle in the first turn between Tom Nesbitt, Tom Waseleski, Steve Laursen and Nick Nelson. Only Nesbitt  was unable to continue.  Provinzino was unable to fend off Mahder on the restart and once he secured the lead he began to widen the gap quickly.  Provinzino maintained second while McMann was hounded by Meierotto for the third spot.  

With 19 laps remaining Mahder put the first tail end driver a lap down while behind him Meierotto disposed of Provinzino for second but could gained little ground in traffic on the fleeing Mahder as Reed slipped into fourth.  

With ten laps remaining Mahder had a huge lead over Meierotto and Reed as the battle for fifth heated up between McMann who was trying to hold off Rick Hanestad and Harry Hanson.  Mahder was never challenged the rest of the way and took his first AMSOIL Series feature win.  Meierotto, Provinzino, and Hanestad rounded out the top five.

As in the Late Model feature, the only caution flag of the event flew when Rivord lost control and spun off turn two in front of the field leaving the lead to Anderson.  Rivord was sent to the back and racing resumed with Anderson leading Forehand, Aho, defending track champion Dale Gangl and Oliver. 

The second five included John Copp, Steve Thomas, Dave Mass, Todd Bonney and Rick Simpson in tenth.  Forehand was pressured by Aho for second and Gangl queued up and slipped by Forehand for third while John Copp cracked the top five.  

At the half way point Gangl was in second ahead of Aho while Copp got by Forehand into fourth.  As the white flag flew with Anderson staving off Gangl for the win, Copp nipped Aho at the line for third while Mass moved past Forehand to round out the top five.

Heat 1: Bob Reed, Darrell Nelson, Rick Hanestad, Keane Laakson, Mike Nutzmann, Trent Follmer, Jimmy Mars, Jeff Broking, Curt Myers, Todd Gehl (DNF)

Heat 2: Tim McMann, Darin Meierotto, Tyler Keyser, John Kaanta, Nick Nelson, Don Shaw, Andrew McKay, Bob Broking, M J Hintz, Mitch Johnson (DNF) 

Heat 3: Duane Mahder, Harry Hanson, Leon Plank, Tom Nesbitt, Curt Gelling, Steve Laursen, Bob Slater, Pat Doar, Steve Roseen 

Heat 4: Jeff Provinzino, Bill Byholm, Brady Smith, Tom Waseleski, Steve Vesel, Joel Cryderman, Luke Roffers, Wayne Engen, Andy Simonsen

B Main #1: (two advance) Follmer, Mars, Laursen, J Broking, Doar, Simonsen, Myers, Gehl (DNF), Slater (DNS)

B Main #2: (two advance) Roffers, Cryderman, Mckay, Johnson, B Broking, Engen, Roseen, Hintz(DNF), Shaw (DNS)

Feature: (25 cars start, Laursen provisional) (1-10) Mahder, Meierotto, Provinzino, Reed, Hanestad, Follmer, Hanson, McMann, D Nelson, Smith (11-25) Keyser, Byholm, Kaanta, Laursen, Plank, Nick Nelson, Mars, Vesel, Nutzmann, Waseleski, Cryderman, Roffers, Laakson, Gelling, Nesbitt (DNF)

Heat 1: Steve Hallquist, Jason Forehand, Rick Rivord, Donnie Lofdahl, Al Uotinen 

Heat 2: John Copp, Rick Simpson, Ryan Rivord, Dave Mass, Scott Lawrence

Heat 3: Ryan Aho, Joe Oliver, Dale gangl, Jay kuras, Nick Musel

Heat 4: Steve Thomas, Kelly Anderson, Todd Bonney, Keith Kern, Randy Silverness

B Main #1: Uotinen, Musel, Tom Treviranus, Rob Cooper, Willie Johnson

B Main #2: Lawrence, Silverness, John Hunker, Mike Bellefeuille, Destin Lorimor

Feature: Anderson, Gangl, Copp, Aho, Mass, Thomas, Simpson, Lawrence, Forehand, Oliver

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