Doar, Estey, Kisling
& Aho K.O. Foes For DTRA Wins
By Chris Stepan
History
was made in more than one way when the Superior Speedway, located
at the Head of the Lakes Fairgrounds in Superior, Wisconsin,
lifted the lid on its 2006 racing season this past Friday
night. The Speedway opened its season on the earliest date
in the near 50 year history of the track's existence with
the May 5th start to, what some consider, has the chance
to be the biggest season ever at the 3/8 mile high banked red clay
oval. Not only was the opening date the earliest in the history of
the facility, but the track opted to switch from the WISSOTA
sanctioning that it has been affiliated with for nearly 20 years
and align with the newly formed Dirt Track Racing
Association (DTRA). Friday night's opener was
the first ever DTRA sanctioned event at the track as well.
A near capacity crowd was on hand and an overflowing pit
area greeted the race-ready race fans in 5 divisions for the
opening night presented by www.fyemotorsports.com.
Several familiar faces raced to feature victories to kick start
their seasons and one never-before victory graced the
Winner's Circle as well on opening night.
The DTRA season officially got underway in Superior with
the Midwest Modified main event, which saw Columbia Heights,
Minnesota driver Dan Wheeler bolt from the pole into the lead and
never look back. Wheeler, the 2005 Cedar Lake Speedway track
champion, drove off into the night and ran uncontested the entire
distance, although five caution flags kept the field within
striking distance on a few occasions. Jeff Pohjonen ran second for
the first half of the race and appeared to be one of the only cars
that was able to hang with Wheeler, until Pohjonen's #46
suffered terminal mechanical troubles, knocking him from the
event earlier than he would have liked. Wayne Engen, driving for
the Van House racing team in 2006, raced from 5th to 2nd,
but Wheeler was all alone out front and cruised to his first
career Superior Speedway feature win in his #red1. Engen ran
second in his #7e and Nick Lavato, after going to the tail after a
lap 4 altercation, charged back through the field to finish third
at the line in his #9. Willy Thompson and Jim Lowinski rounded out
the top five finishers.
The DTRA Super Stock main event was the second of the
feature to roll out onto the race track and saw Thunder Bay,
Ontario driver Rick Simpson jump off of the front row into a
commanding lead early on with rookie Super Stock racer Trevor
Wilson engaged in a hard battle with Dale Gangl for second early
on. Just like the MWM main event, five caution periods brought
Simpson back to the field, which proved to be just the break
defending track champion Ryan Aho needed after starting 8th
on the grid. Aho, picked his way into the top three and used a
late-race caution to fly by Simpson in turn three and never look
back. Aho raced to his first ever DTRA feature win and was happy
to accept the $1,000 paycheck that went along with it. Simpson
held off Scott Lawrence for second, while Joe Oliver and 15th
starting Mike Bellefeuille rounded out the top five. Jeff Tardy
raced his way from 21st to 4th before
mechanical troubles sidelined him after a crash on a late-race
restart. Como Oil & Propane threw some extra cash into the
purse for the top three feature finishers to make it one of the
biggest paydays for Super Stocks all season long.
The DTRA Modified main event was decided on the first lap
after Kelly Estey inherited the pole starting position after Billy
Byholm suffered mechanical troubles on the first lap. Estey flew
away from the field and dominated the Mod main event, for his
first feature win in Superior in 2 seasons. Dean Yrjanainen, Al
Uotinen and Jayme Lautigar raced hard for second throughout the
entire main event with Yrjanainen coming out on top with a runner
up finish. Lautigar held off Uotinen for third, while Joey Jensen
charged from 15th to 5th in his #V2.
The DTRA Late Model main event was the most exciting of the
night as Darrell Nelson and Joel Cryderman lead the field down to
the green flag on the ultra-smooth red clay oval in search of the
$1,500 payday. Cryderman stole the lead from Nelson at the drop of
the green, with Nelson close in tow. Terry Casey and Kelly Estey
immediately engaged in battle for third, while Darin Meierotto
raced with Mike Nutzmann and Tom Nesbitt just behind. Meanwhile,
12th starting Pat Doar was picking his way toward the
front using his patented high line around the track, when the lone
caution flew over the field on lap 17 for a crash in turn four.
On the restart, Cryderman again took off into the lead, but
Doar, who was now in 6th, drove deeper into the corners
than anyone else and began to fly by cars toward the front. Doar
only took4 laps to race from 6th to the lead when he
overtook Cryderman with 4 circuits remaining in the 25-lap main
event. Once out front, Doar drove away to his third feature win of
the early season ahead of Cryderman, Nelson, Meierotto and Estey.
The final event of the night was the DTRA Street Stock main
event and saw Shane Kisling hold off fellow Rice Lake, Wisconsin
driver Butch Madsen for the feature win. Kisling raced from the
pole into the lead and survived a mid-race restart with Madsen on
his rear bumper to pick up the win in his yellow #6. Madsen raced
from 4th to second at the line with Mark Froelich
coming across the line in third, ahead of 12th starting
Randy Vezina and Scott Herrick in the top five at the finish line.
The 2006 season opener at the Superior Speedway was a
tremendous success and saw an ultra smooth racing surface, which
is a rarity in the Northland in May. The next event at the
Superior Speedway will be a regular DTRA sanctioned event on
Friday, May 12th featuring DTRA sanctioned Late Models,
Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Midwest Modifieds
presented by Days Inn - Bayfront. Pits open at 3pm, grandstands
open at 4pm with draw cutoff at 6:15pm, hot laps at 6:30pm and
racing to follow at 7pm. For more information, please call Chris
at (715) 497-8916.
Event
Summary:
DTRA
Late Models
Feature:
Pat Doar, Joel Cryderman, Darrell Nelson, Darin Meierotto, Kelly
Estey, Tom Nesbitt, Mike Nutzmann, Steve Laursen, Trent Follmer,
Jeff Broking
Heat
1: Doar, Nelson,
Meierotto, Terry Casey, Follmer
Heat
2: Broking, Eric
Breeschoten, Nutzmann, Brandon Jensen, Brent Larson
Heat
3: Laursen, Cryderman,
Estey, Nesbitt, Jeff Provinzino
B-feature:
Joey Jensen, Nick Musel, Brad Jensen, Darrell Carlson, Andrew
McKay
DTRA
Modifieds
Feature:
Kelly Estey, Dean Yrjanainen, Jayme Lautigar, Al Uotinen, Joey
Jensen, Don Copp, Duane Dale, Brad Hanson, Brent Larson, Darrell
Nelson
Heat 1: Nelson, Copp,
Shawn Polonoski, Dale, Marc Johnson
Heat
2: Jeff Lien, Uotinen,
Yrjanainen, Clint Larson, Jody Bellefeuille
Heat
3: Estey, Hanson, Billy
Byholm, Lautigar, Jensen
B-feature:
Cory Jorgenson, Ross Lightner, Erik Bjorklund, Riley Matthews,
Tyler Hynnes
DTRA
Super Stocks
Feature: Ryan Aho,
Rick Simpson, Scott Lawrence, Joe Oliver, Mike Bellefeuille, Jim
Gullikson, Tim Borgeson, Mike Loomis, Randy Silverness, John Copp
Heat
1: Oliver, Dave Flynn,
Ryan Rivord, Gullikson, Tom Treviranus
Heat
2: Dale Gangl, Aho,
Loomis, Simpson, Sam Skalsky
Heat
3: Borgeson, Trevor
Wilson, Jay Kuras, Lawrence, Bellefeuille
B-feature:
Chuck Metzgar, Copp, Jim Campbell, Todd Bonney, Brian Mikkonen
DTRA
Street Stocks
Feature:
Shane Kisling, Butch Madsen, Mark Froelich, Randy Vezina, Scott
Herrick, Dan Kingsley, Mike Kalkbrenner, Marshall Andrews, Brian
Fulda, Scott Andrews
Heat
1: Shane Kisling,
Froelich, Keith Tourville, Shawn Kisling, Kingsley
Heat
2: Kalkbrenner, Madsen,
Herrick, Don Craig, S. Andrews
DTRA
Midwest Modifieds
Feature: Dan
Wheeler, Wayne Engen, Nick Lavato, Willy Thompson, Jim Lowinski, E
J Hietela, Greg Chesley, Shane Roy, Chais Eliason, Brock McCarthy
Heat
1: Jeff Pohjonen, Engen,
Chesley, E. Hietela, D J Severin
Heat
2: Wheeler, Lavato,
Thompson, Jesse Ogston, Jeff Marshall
