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Ed Reichert
MENOMONIE, Wisc. (September 25) - A. J. Diemel, continuing his domination of area Late Model racing that started last week at the WISSOTA 100, powered past early leader Nick Anvelink and ran away with the thirteenth edition of the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions Saturday night at the Red Cedar Speedway. Other winners included Dave Cain, Shawn Huse and Shane Halopka.
After rain washed out the preliminaries on Friday night, the entire program was run on Saturday, with the qualifying events contested on Saturday afternoon and the feature races run in the evening.
Anvelink won the dash which gave him the pole position for the fourty lap Late Modle headliner with Ashley Anderson to his outside. Anvelink took the early lead but Diemel was quickly on the move after starting in the second row. He drove past Brent Larson and then Anderson and closed on leader Anvelink. While the majority of the field were riding the low line, Diemel was able to move up to the middle groove and he powered past Anvelink through turn two to take over the lead.
The lone caution flag flew shortly after on lap seven, as Terry Anvelink dropped debris on the track after a collision caused most of the front nosepiece on his car to be dragging on the track.
Back on the green, Diemel moved away from the pack with Anderson closing in to put the pressure on Nick Anvelink for second. Diemel was on a rail and he opened up his lead to nearly a straightaway while the battle for second raged. Anderson and Anvelink made some contact leaving turn four and Anderson was able to squirk past for second. Marshall Fegers and Larson became engaged in a fight for the fourth spot at this point also.
Diemel was in heavy lapped traffic but he mastered the challenge well, weaving through the field and maintaining his lead. Just past the halfway point the track started to take rubber, and Diemel suddenly found himself unable to maintain the pace he had earlier set as cars he had lapped started to repass him. He ducked back in line on the low groove and then bided his time. The battle for second got spirited again with contact being made in turn three with Anvelink the beneficiary this time as he retook second.
With the track taking rubber, Diemel bided his time behind Gordie Seegert Jr while Anvelink was caught behind Todd Flannery. However, Diemel still maintained a considerable advantage and he remained cool, holding his position and driving on for the win, worth $4000 to the Navarino ace. Anvelink maintained his slight edge over Anderson to the finish, making a one, two sweep for the eastern Wisconsin invaders. Fegers finished off fourth with Larson trailing.
WISSOTA Late Models (33 entries)
40 lap Feature A.J. Diemel, Navarino; Nick Anvelink, Navarino; Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Marshall Fegers, Mound MN; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire; Cory Mahder, Elk Mound; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown MN; Chad Mahder, Eau Claire; Scott Gilberts, Menomonie; Jimmy Mars, Menomonie; Tom Naeyaert, Shawano; Rick Hanestad, Boyceville; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Ron Berna, Green Bay; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Gordie Seegert Jr, Oostburg; Duane Mahder, Eau Claire; Rick Egersdorf, Lake Elmo MN; Todd Flannery, Antigo; Chris Oertel, Marshfield; Jesse Redetzke, Altoona; Terry Anvelink, Navarino; M.J. McBride, Shawano.
15 lap B Feature D. Mahder; Egersdorf; Seegert Jr; McBride; Steve Isenberg; Ronnie Rihn; Keith Foss; Lance Matthees; Chuckie DeSmith; Mike Goodremote; John Meeds; Davin Larson; Shawn Kirwin.
Dash- N. Anvelink; Anderson; B. Larson; Diemel; Fegers; Co. Mahder; Ch. Mahder; Naeyaert.
Heat 1 Diemel; Ch. Mahder; J. Redetzke; Kaanta; T. Anvelink; D. Mahder; Seegert Jr; Matthees; D. Larson.
Heat 2 N. Anvelink; Anderson; Nelson; Flannery; Je. Redetzke; Goodremote; McBride; DeSmith.
Heat 3 Fegers; Co. Mahder; Hanestad; Mars; Prochnow; Rihn; Isenberg; Meeds.
Heat 4 B. Larson; Naeyaert; Berna; Gilberts; Oertel; Egersdorf; Foss; Kirwin.
The best feature of the night was in the Modifieds where Cain was able to fend off a serious challenge from Kevin Adams to take the $2000 top prize. Twenty four Modifieds took the green flag, and in a display of precision driving, the race went nonstop with only one car not completing the advertised distance.
Cain sat on the pole and took the immediate lead over Ron Schreiner. Adams and Mike Anderson quickly moved to the cushion with Adams flying by Schreiner to take over the runnerup slot, and Anderson quickly followed him through the opening.
The battle was then on between two of the top runners in all of WISSOTA, and they put on a show for the crowd. Cain was solid in the lead, not making any mistakes or giving Adams any openings, but Kevin was all over the track looking for an edge. He tried the extreme high side, and dove low on a few occasions, getting up beside Cain a couple times in turn two, but he could never complete the pass. Meanwhile , Anderson was riding just behind the top two, hoping that he could be the beneficiary if something happened. While the top three moved away from the field, there was an excellent battle for fourth going on between Brent Prochnow and Jimmy Mars. They swapped the position on a couple of occasions before Mars locked down the spot and headed after the top two.
The leaders got into heavy traffic just as Adams was ready to make a last ditch move. The slowed cars were lined up two wide , engaged in their own battles , and the leaders were challenged to find a way through the traffic jam. Cain was more successful, as he broke free from traffic and was able to open up several car lengths on Adams, who got hung up and almost lost second to Anderson before he finally cleared the gaggle of cars.
Cains slight lead held up in the last few laps, and Dave drove home for the exciting win. Anderson finished third while Mars had made up much distance himself and was looking for a late yellow to make things even more interesting with Prochnow completing the top five.
Huse won his second straight Punky in the Super Stocks with a fine run to hold off the challenges of Dave Shackleton. Front row starters Mike Keller and Jason Forehand battled in the opening laps, swapping the lead back and forth as they raced side by side around the track. After Keller was able to retake the lead from Forehand, Jason tried to dive under Mike in turn three and the leaders made contact with both spinning in front of the entire field. While there was much sheet metal damage, it was Aaron Wilson that got the worst of things with severe front end issues.
Keller was restored to the lead but Huse was then on the move as he climbed the banking and blew past Keller to take over the lead. Mike tried to fight back, but he was soon passed for second by Shackleton, who had started seventh but was also using the top side of the track to advance.
Two yellows near the halfway point of the race kept the field bunched, and it was up to Huse to keep Shackleton behind him. Both cars were running the high side of the track with Huse maintaining a two car length lead. With most of the field running the cushion, the driver on the move was Shane Kisling , who had figured out the inside line and was making a charge to the front. He cracked the top ten and was clearly the fastest car on the track in the closing laps. Huse continued to run a smooth line, and while Shackleton could stay close, he was never able to mount a serious challenge as Shawn Huse drove on for the win. Keller remained a solid third with Kisling completing a twenty first to fourth charge as he passed Eric Olson in the closing laps.
The Midwest Modified feature was slowed by numerous yellow flags, but when the racing was without caution, there was a good three car battle for the lead. Mark Gerth edged ahead of Jamie Bisonette in the early going but defending champion Shane Halopka took the runnerup slot , and he soon put the pressure on Gerth for the lead. They swapped the position back and forth, and Halopka was able to take over the lead before one of the many yellows waved. This gave him the front for the restart and that was significant as he was never passed after that. Mark Thomas picked up the pace and drove past Gerth for second and then began to pressure Halopka for the lead.
The last half of the race did run nonstop, and the action picked up then. Thomas was putting heavy heat on Halopka while Mike Anderson was making another of his well documented high side charges after starting deep in the pack.
Thomas made his best attempts, but Halopka fought him off and in the last few laps was able to extend his lead to several car lengths as he repeated last years Punky title. Gerth finished a solid third with Anderson up from twenty first to fourth in front of Ryan Viltz.
The Punky Manor completed a very successful 2009 racing season at the Red Cedar Speedway. Check the speedway website, www.redcedarracing.com for information on the track banquet which will officially wrap up the racing campaign. The 2010 season is expected to begin in early April.
SUMMARY
Red Cedar Speedway
Menomonie WI
September 26, 2009
WISSOTA Modifieds (38 entries)
30 lap Feature Dave Cain, Corcoran MN; Kevin Adams, Cameron; Mike Andeson, Colfax; Jimmy Mars, Menomonie; Brent Prochnow, Colfax; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; A.J. Diemel, Navarino; Mark Hessler, Menomonie; Ron Schreiner, Hudson; Ross Prochnow, Boyceville; Scott Duval, Bloomer; Craig Thatcher, Knapp; Bill Byholm, Glidden; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo MN; Dean Yrjanainen, Lake Nebagamon; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Mark Hansen, Chippewa Falls; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown MN; Cory Williams, Spring Valley; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Jerry Weigel, Jim Falls; Nick Anvelink, Navarino; Scott Miller, Rice Lake; Steve Hallquist, Eau Claire.
10 B Feature Nelson; Hallquist; Paul Niznik; Dave Baxter; Scott Hudack; Mark Baxter; Bryan Nayes.
B Feature 2 Williams; Anvelink; Larry Prochnow; Kent Baxter; Don Brightbill; Brian Crapser; Kevin Rogers; Clint Wittlief; Joey Ogston; Aric Lindberg.
10 lap Heat 1 Anderson; B. Prochnow; Duval; Yrjanainen; D. Baxter; Brightbill; Anvelink; Crapser.
Heat 2 Schreiner; R. Prochnow; M. Hessler; Thatcher; Williams; Hudack; Ogston; M. Baxter.
Heat 3 Adams; Bunkelman; Larson; Weigel; Hallquist; Lindberg; Nayes; Rogers.
Heat 4 Mars; Diemel; Hanson; Richardson; L. Prochnow; Niznik; K. Baxter.
Heat 5 Cain; Byholm; Lavasseur; Miller; Bryan Hessler; Wittlief; Nelson.
WISSOTA Super Stocks (39 entries)
25 lap Feature Shawn Huse, Bloomer; Dave Shackleton, Menomonie; Mike Keller, Menomonie; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Eric Olson, Ladysmith; Cory Davis, Turtle Lake; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Ashley Anderson, Elk Mound; Ben Hillman, Menomonie; Jason Forehand, Eau Claire; Brian Mikkonen, Iron River; Terry Kroening, Colby; Ryan Olson, Chippewa Falls; Tom Karis, Menomonie; Michael Hofer, Cochrane; Wayne Harris Jr, Bloomer; Darrel Hazelton, Chippewa Falls; Lance Schilling, Chili; Ken Truscott, Greenland MI; Chad Johnson, Colfax; Tim Borgeson, New Richmond; Rod Dregney, Mondovi; Paul Erikson, Abbotsford; Aaron Wilson, Menomonie.
10 B Feature Kisling; Truscott; Randy Spacek; Dan Nissalke; A.J. Christianson; Kevin Salin; Brad Johnson; Karl Dicks; Jon Duffy.
B Feature 2 Hazelton;R. Olson; Greg Nippoldt; Rich Bishop; Bernie Christianson; Gary Weirsgalla; Tommy Richards; Mike Siewert.
10 lap Heat 1 Huse; Davis; Dregney; Anderson; Spacek; Nippoldt; Salin.
Heat 2 Hillman; Shackleton; Hofer; Schilling; R. Olson; Dicks; Bishop; Duffy.
Heat 3 Keller; Erikson; Borgeson;C. Johnson; Truscott; B.Christianson; A.J. Christianson; Siewert.
Heat 4 E. Olson; Harris Jr; Wilson; Mikkonen; Hazelton; Nissalke; John Feirn; B. Johnson.
Heat 5 Forehand; Thomas; Karis; Kroening; Kisling; Weirsgalla; Rick Hallquist.
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds (38 entries)
20 lap Feature Shane Halopka, Eau Claire; Mark Thomas, Menomonie; Mark Gerth, Menomonie; Mike Anderson, Colfax; Ryan Viltz, Cameron ;Matt Leer, Bruce; Jared Loos, Loyal; Jamie Bisonette, Dallas; Eric Herbison, New Richmond; Jesse Glenz, Cadott; Michael Truscott, Chippewa Falls; Clark Swartz, Bloomer; Wayne Dean, Fall Creek; Justin Supri, Eau Claire; Grant Southworth, Bloomer; Randy Smeltzer, Colfax; Kevin Smeltzer, Menomonie; Kyle Johnson, Eau Claire; Matt Steffen, Chetek; Travis Hallquist, Eau Claire; Ryan Olson, Strum; Scott Erickson, Barron; Cooper Dohms, Menomonie; Brad Hudson, Chippewa Falls.
10 lap B Feature Anderson; R. Smeltzer; Rick Przyblyski; Nick Koehler; Jason Swan; Dave Teatz; George Truscott; Chad Kallenbach; Rick Friendt.
B Feature 2 Glenz; Truscott; Jake Smith; Jake Frion; Shawn McFadden; Chris Bretting; Wayne Bignell; Barry Johnson.
10 lap Heat 1 Halopka; Loos; Erickson; Herbison; Anderson; McFadden; Truscott; B. Johnson.
Heat 2 Gerth; Dean; Leer; Hallquist; Frion; Friendt; Smith; Przybylski.
Heat 3 Southworth; Viltz; Hudson; K. Smeltzer; Koehler; Bignell; Kallenbach; Robbie Johnson.
Heat 4 Thomas; K. Johnson; Swartz; Dohms; Glenz; Swan; Bretting.
Heat 5 Bisonette; Olson; Supri; Steffen; R. Smeltzer; Truscott; Teatz.
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