REDETZKE CAPTURES FIRST EVER AMSOIL SERIES VICTORY

Estey Extends Como Modified Series Point Lead With Dominating Run

By Jerry O'Brien for the Daily Telegram

9-8-07

The 19th Annual Northern Nationals wrapped up it's three day run as it started, fighting the weather. Despite a couple of rain shower delays and a persistent on and off again sprinkle, the program was completed.

The AMSOIL Series drew a total of 34 Late Models and due to the threatening weather the feature was cut from 50 to 30 laps. A rain delay of perhaps 15 minutes turned the race track into a very fast surface once it was packed in. Darin Meierotto of Superior lined up on the pole next to second year, second generation driver Jake Redetzke of Eau Claire. Redetzke got a great run into the first turn at the green flag and leaned hard into the top groove. The car stuck and he came out of the second turn with the lead. The great start for the youngster was called back, however, as fellow Iron rangers Harry Hanson and Kyle Peterlin clashed at the bottom of turn two bringing out the caution flag. At the restart Redetzke tried the same trick, again it stuck and he had the lead once again over Meierotto, Terry Casey, Ashley Anderson and Hanson who was restored to his starting spot and promptly moved from the sixth row to fifth in the early going. Redetzke raced off to a three quarters of a straight away lead on Meierotto. Meierotto, Casey and Anderson needed something to bunch the field and a third of the way in on lap ten the got their wish as Kevin Carlson's #79 slowed on the back stretch. The Deleware restart put Redetzke in the front row by himself and the rest of the field lined up two by two. At the green Redetzke retained the lead but Meierotto fell to Casey and then to Anderson kicking him back to fourth where he fell into a battle with Hanson and Tom Waseleski, Sr. Redetzke was on cruise control as casey tried to run him down with little success. The top three soon had nearly a straight away lead over Meierotto while Waseleski, Sr grabbed fifth. Hanson became the meat in a Waseleski sandwich as Tom Waseleski, Jr battled with Hanson for sixth. Back up front Anderson had caught Casey and the two skirmished for second letting Redetzke increase his lead. The second and final caution flag appeared with seven laps remaining when Travis Budisolavich rolled to a halt in turn three putting Casey right where he needed to be in the single file restart. Redetzke was equal to the task at the green and kept the lead as Casey now had his hands full with a persistent Anderson. Redetzke led all 30 circuits for his first AMSOIL Series race win as well as his first Northern Nationals victory. Casey held off Anderson for second with Waseleski, Sr fourth and a fast moving Kelly Estey up from the ninth row to record a fifth place finish.

The AMSOIL Late Model Series will wind up it's six race run at the third annual Proctober Fest at the Proctor Speedway October 5th and 6th. With several of the Series' front runners absent, 2004 Series Champion Darrell Nelson of Hermantown unofficially has the point lead going into the last event.

Kelly Estey won the 30 lap Como Modified Series event starting on the outside of the front row. It was the pole sitter Jerry Hartman who got the jump and led four cars including Estey; Jeff Wood and Jayme Lautigar away form Bob Broking in fifth. On lap six the first of two caution flags flew when Marc Damjanovich spun wildly off turn two after contact with Joey Jensen. At the green flag Wood got the jump on Estey and took second put Estey fought back and set out after Hartman who had several car lengths on the field. With ten laps in Hartman led Estey, Wood; Lautigar and Jody Bellefeuille in the top five. Estey closed in on Hartman and at the half way point Hartman led Estey; Lautigar; Wood and Bellefeuille in the top five. Broking; Ricky Roche; Darrell Nelson; Don Copp and Pat Doar rounded out the top ten. Estey ran down Hartman and took the lead with a strong move with a dozen circuits remaining. Estey pulled out a four car length lead and he and Hartman were three quarters of a straight away ahead of Lutigar when the margin was erased due to a caution flag for debris on the track. Estey led the final nine laps for the win worth $2000. Lautigar, Hartman, Wood and Doar rounded out the top five.

Pat Van Ert won the rain delayed Pure Stock feature to complete a sweep that took better than two days. Van Ert started the 12 lap feature from the outside of row five and worked his way up to contest the lead with Matt Johnson. Van Ert took the lead with four laps remaining but the third caution flag put him back behind Johnson for the restart. With two laps to go Van Ert got past Johnson and went on to win his second feature of the season. Johnson finished second ahead of Rick Kesty who made a great run from 19th to finish third. Dan Larsen and Jeff Christman rounded out the top five.

Mike Bellefeuille held off a determined Ryan Aho early in the event to win the Super Stock 20 lap main which was plagued by five caution flags, the first three coming in the first five laps.  Aho worked his way past Dave Flynn, Alan Hartel and J B Stortz to arrive at Bellefeuille's back bumper officials were forced to reduce laps as the time limit neared. Bellefeuille raced off to a ten car length lead after the fifth caution flag restart leaving Aho to fend off Stortz, and Flynn.  Bellefeuille cruised to the win over Aho, Flynn, Stortz and Mike Weber in the top five. Hartel, Scott Lawrence from 18th, Joe Oliver from 22nd, Dale Gangl and Keith Kern finished in the top ten.

Greg Chesley prevailed over Andy Jones in the 15 lap Midwest Modified feature. The pair started on the front row with Jones on the pole. It was a race between those two the entire event with Chesley dominating over the second half. Only one caution flag slowed the action enabling Jones to take a run at the leader but Chesley proved too strong and from there was never really challenged. The best charge forward of the race hands down was put on by the much improved E J Hietala who started 17th and finished third ahead of Deven VanHouse and Adam Archer in the top five.

Results: AMSOIL Late Model Series Race #5 (34 cars)

Heat 1: Darrell Nelson; Darin Meierotto; Kyle Peterlin; Tim McMann; Caley Emerson; John Massingill; Bob Slater; Brian Jensen; Gregg Hill

Heat 2: Ashley Anderson; Pat Doar; Tom Waseleski, Sr.; Tom Waseleski, Jr.; Kelly Estey; Todd Gehl; Jeff Massingill; Dave Esse; Brian Taylor

Heat 3: Chuckie DeSmith; Jake Redetzke; Harry Hanson; Tom Nesbitt; Mike Rich; Scott Gilberts; Joey Ogston; DNF: Eric Breeschoten

Heat 4: Nick Musel; Terry Casey; Travis Budisolavich; Steve vesel; Kevin Carlson; Mike Goodremote; Roger Paolo; Darrell Carlson

B Feature #1: Gilberts; John Massingill; Slater; Ogston; Hill; Jensen; DNS: Breeschoten

B Feature #2: Goodremote; Gehl; Jeff Massingill; Paolo; D Carlson; Slater

Feature: (30 laps) (1-10) Redetzke; Casey; Anderson; Waseleski, Sr; Estey; Meierotto; Waseleski, Jr; Nelson; Doar; Hanson (11-19) Gilberts; Nesbitt; Emerson; Vesel; Peterlin; Goodremote; Musel; K Carlson; McMann; DNF: John Massingill; Esse; Budisolavich; DeSmith; Rich.

Results: Como Modified Series Race #7

Heat 1: Jeff Wood; Ricky Roche; Rick Rivord; Kelly Checkalski; Shaun Kelly; Doug Gustafson; Jeff Hart; Erik Bjorkland

Heat 2: Jerry Hartman; Don Copp; Pat Doar; Dave cain; Shawn Kreyer; Jeff Spacek; Steve Lavasseur; DNF: Duane Dale

Heat 3: Kelly Estey; Shawn Polonoski; Darrell nelson; Steve Wik; Dean Yrjanainen; Scott Hudack; Ross Lightner; Ruben Thomas

Heat 4: Jayme Lautigar; Bob Broking; Bill Byholm; Al Uotinen; Don brightbill; Tim Van Meter; DNF: Rick Cannata; DQ: Kevin Montieth

Heat 5: Marc Damjanovich; Jody Bellefeuille; Joey Jensen; Mark Johnson; Nick Nelson; John Carpenter; Mike Goodremote.

Pole Dash: Hartman; Estey; Wood; Lautigar; Broking; Polonoski; Roche; Copp; Bellefeuille; Doar

B Feature #1: Yrjanainen; Hudack; N Nelson; Lightner; Carpenter; Bjorkland; DNF: Nontieth; Kelley; DNS: Thomas; Hart

B Feature #2: Spacek; Cannata; Kreyer; Brightbill; Goodremote; Van Meter; Lavasseur DNS: Gustafson; Dale

Feature: (30 laps) $2000 to win (1-10) Estey; Lautigar; Hartman; Wood; Doar; D Nelson; Bellefeuille; Byholm; Broking; Roche (11-25) Cain; Copp; Spacek; Rivord; Jensen; Wik; Cannata; Johnson; Uotinen; Damjanovich; N Nelson; Hudack; Yrjanainen; Polonoski; Checkalski

Midwest Modifieds (33 cars)

Heat 1: Brock McCarthy; Adam Archer; Greg Chesley; Taylor Leuthner; E J Hietala; Cody Wolkowski; Tom Morinville; Rob Ranttalo; DNF Andrew Inman

Heat 2: Andy Jones; Jason Zdroik; Cory Jorgenson; Al McDougall; Nick Baker; Bryce Johnson; Terry Inman; Chris Bretting

Heat 3: Nick Lavato; Deven VanHouse; Joe Olson; Dan Kingsley; Tony Ciurleo; Scott Zavidil; Scott Bruce; DNF Jeff Marshall;

Heat 4: Randy Vezina; Brad Anderson; Jesse Ogston; Dan Russell; Mike Brennan; Skeeter Estey; Zak McClellan DNF: Tom Smart

B Feature: Johnson; Estey; Wolkowski; Smart; Ranttalo; Morinville; Bretting; Zavidil; DNF: McClellan; Bruce; Marshall; T Inman

Feature (15 laps, $750 to win) Chesley; Jones; Hietala; Van House; Archer; Leuthner

Pure Stocks; Feature from Thursday 9-6-07: Pat Van Ert; Matt Johnson; Rick Kesty; Dan Larsen; Jeff christman; Tim Carlaon; Al Rapp; Chad Carlson; Jeff Tormondson; Ashley Smith