FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. -- Mississippi Thunder Speedway opened its gates and welcomed the local racing community in to enjoy a prized packed evening in the grandstands and the best edge-of-the-seat on-track dirt track racing action during Fastenal Night. With nearly 1,500 fans and friends jammed into the stands, and every single seat in every VIP suite filled – and with other tracks in the area unable to keep up with the heavy rains that had visited the area through the previous days, the pits were likewise jammed to almost overflowing.

Visiting racers were ready to do battle with the Mississippi Thunder Speedway regulars with top money and Fastenal awards on the line.

One of the MTS regulars ready for the challenge was Rushford, Minn.’s Alex Williamson. After spending the first third of the 2014 mixed in the battles at the front of the pack, Williamson had yet to visit victory lane to celebrate a feature win; however, there was an air of optimism throughout the Williamson crew before Friday night’s first green flag.

But with 33 Black Horse Bar & Grill USRA B-Mods in the pits, before any celebrations could be planned, there would be four heat races and a 12-lap last chance B-Main needed to even set the running order for the evening’s 18-lap Fastenal Feature. After visiting Iowa racer Brain Mahlstedt won the opening heat race, Williamson found his first challenge of the evening in the second heat race. Former National Champion Cory Crapser lined up alongside of Williamson in the second row, and proceeded to win the heat – just one finishing position ahead of the young red-headed racer.

Former Feature winner Bobby Fort and defending Track Champion Jacob Bleess collected the third and fourth heat race wins, respectively before the final positions of the 24-car field for the feature in the last-chance qualifier.

Mahlstedt, Crapser and Bleess, along with pole sitter Parker Hale all factored into the early battles for the lead as the feature got under way. But, after six quick laps Hale and Crapser found themselves on the outside looking in, both needing to battle back from the back of the pack after a caution.

All the while, out front of the pack was Williamson’s #15. Initial challenges for the position in the lead first came from Brandon Reutzel, himself enjoying one of the best runs of the year with his Rivercity Manufacturing #44. By lap 13 Mahlstedt grabbed second and began an effort to unseat Williamson as the leader. But despite Mahlstedt’s best efforts, Williamson was not to be denied picking up his first Feature win at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in this 2014 season.

Mahlstedt held on for second with Reutzel rounding out the top three.

SCHOTT RETURNS TO VICTORY LANE

2012 Mississippi Thunder Speedway Track Champion Lucas Schott has enjoyed a strong 2014 season thus far, and his strong running continued Friday night with another ‘clean sweep’ of the Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modified program.

After Brain Waits and Joel Alberts claimed victories in the first two heat races, Schott held off the Fastenal supported #59 of Hank Rollinger, Jr. to win the evening’s third heat race. But that heat race win was not a guarantee of an easy feature; the posted line up for the main event of the evening had Schott lining up on the inside of the fourth row of the “FASTENAL 25”. But Schott’s command of his #69 and his mastery of Mississippi Thunder Speedway allowed him to attack the competition in the 18-car field and by just three laps into the 25-lap event, Schott had stolen the lead from opening laps leader Jake Timm.

Behind Schott, Brent Larson, who’d come from a ninth place starting spot had to deal with the #24 of Brad Waits from lap 4 all the way until Waits was finally able to sneak past for second place on lap 18. Waits put forth a Herculean effort to real in Schott, but to no avail; Schott claimed the “FASTENAL 25” Feature win with Waits and Larson second and third respectively.

Racing resumes next Friday night June 27th with another great night of action at Mississippi Thunder Speedway. The first green flag is scheduled to wave at 6 PM with the Sunshine Sanitation Midwest Mini Mods and Outlaw Mini Mods on the 1/10-mile “Lightning Speedway” which is located within the infield of Mississippi Thunder Speedway. Action on “The Big 1/3 Mile” starts immediately following the 7 PM Opening Ceremonies with on-track competition provided by Rivercity Manufacturing USRA Modifieds, Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks, Black Horse Bar & Grill USRA B-Mods, Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks, redbox+ 600 Mods, & Elmer's Auto Salvage MTS Pure Stocks!

Pit gate anbd grandstands open at 5:00 p.m. Family Friendly General Admission Prices continue at: Adults $12, Senior Citizens $10, College Students 23 & under (with current Valid Student ID) and Children 17 & Under are admitted absolutely free.

Mississippi Thunder Speedway is located 3.0 miles north of Fountain City on Wisconsin Highway 35. For more information, call 608-687-3282 or visit www.MississippiThunder.com on the World Wide Web.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
USRA Weekly Racing Series
Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.
Friday, June 20, 2014

USRA B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (1) 14M Brian Mahlstedt, Ionia, Iowa
2. (4) 18Y Jerry Young, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. (3) 95X Shaun Walski, Winona, Minn.
4. (5) 37 Micheal Wytaske
5. (7) 4X Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
6. (6) 80J Lee Jonsgaard, Minnesota City, Minn.
7. (8) 00R Chad Rosendahl, Houston, Minn.
8. (2) 88D Nick Frion, Ellsworth
9. (9) 97XX Leigh Volkman, Rushford, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (3) 07X Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls
2. (4) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (1) 2 Andrew Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (5) 13 Ryan Konkel, Winona, Minn.
5. (6) 30 Scott Demmer, Ellendale, Minn.
6. (7) 19 Dustin Sorenson
7. (8) 26 Brad Minske
8. (2) 23K Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.

Heat #3:
1. (1) 97X Bob Fort, Fountain City
2. (5) 90 Tyler Creeley, Winona, Minn.
3. (8) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
4. (4) 12K Casey Knutson, Spring Grove, Minn.
5. (7) 88 Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.
6. (6) 31 Bill Stettner, Inver Grove, Minn.
7. (2) 48K Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.
8. (3) 4 Scott Guthrie

Heat #4:
1. (5) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (7) 1 Jon Van Minsel Spring Grove, Minn.
3. (4) 44 Brandon Reutzel, Winona, Minn.
4. (2) 5WX Kyle Jumbeck, Houston, Minn.
5. (6) 73 Kenny Boge
6. (8) 20J Jackson Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
7. (3) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa
8. (1) 20K Kyle Brown, Minnesota City, Minn.

"B" Feature:
1. (2) 19 Dustin Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.
2. (11) 23K Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.
3. (5) 00R Chad Rosendahl, Houston, Minn.
4. (3) 31 Bill Stettner, Inver Grove, Minn.
5. (8) 4 Scott Guthrie
6. (7) 48K Scott Kunda, Winona, Minn.
7. (10) 88D Nick Frion, Ellsworth
8. (4) 20J Jackson Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
9. (6) 26 Brad Minske
10. (13) 97XX Leigh Volkman, Rushford, Minn.
11. (1) 80J Lee Jonsgaard, Minnesota City, Minn.
12. (12) 20K Kyle Brown, Minnesota City, Minn.
13. (9) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa

"A" Feature:
1. (2) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
2. (9) 14M Brian Mahlstedt, Ionia, Ia 95.00
3. (3) 44 Brandon Reutzel, Winona, Minn.
4. (12) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (7) 1 Jon Van Minsel Spring Grove, Minn.
6. (4) 18Y Jerry Young, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (11) 90 Tyler Creeley, Winona, Minn.
8. (8) 97X Bob Fort, Fountain City
9. (21) 19 Dustin Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.
10. (6) 07X Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls
11. (16) 5WX Kyle Jumbeck, Houston, Minn.
12. (10) 2 Andrew Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
13. (14) 13 Ryan Konkel, Winona, Minn.
14. (17) 4X Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa
15. (13) 37 Micheal Wytaske
16. (1) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
17. (15) 12K Casey Knutson, Spring Grove, Minn.
18. (19) 88 Troy Langowski, Winona, Minn.
19. (18) 30 Scott Demmer, Ellendale, Minn.
20. (22) 23K Erik Kanz, Winona, Minn.
21. (23) 00R Chad Rosendahl, Houston, Minn.
22. (24) 31 Bill Stettner, Inver Grove, Minn.
23. (5) 95X Shaun Walski, Winona, Minn.
24. (20) 73 Kenny Boge

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1:
1. (5) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
2. (1) 55 Cory Mahder
3. (2) 24S Justin Sass, Elgin, Minn.
4. (3) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
5. (4) 18 Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.
6. (6) 44 Alan Wagner, Orchard, Iowa

Heat #2:
1. (2) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
2. (6) I0U1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn.
3. (1) 49X Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (4) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia
5. (5) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
6. (3) 20X Mark Motl, Owatonna, Minn.

Heat #3:
1. (2) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (1) 59 Hank Rollinger Jr. Buffalo City
3. (3) 49XX Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (4) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn.
5. (5) 15 Chris Loberg, Menomonie
6. (6) 38 Allen Stettner

Feature:
1. (7) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (11) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
3. (12) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
4. (9) I0U1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn.
5. (8) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
6. (5) 49X Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
7. (4) 59 Hank Rollinger Jr. Buffalo City
8. (16) 44 Alan Wagner, Orchard, Iowa
9. (6) 24S Justin Sass, Elgin, Minn.
10. (2) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia
11. (13) 18 Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.
12. (3) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn.
13. (1) 49XX Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
14. (14) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
15. (15) 15 Chris Loberg, Menomonie
16. (17) 20X Mark Motl, Owatonna, Minn.
17. (10) 55 Cory Mahder
18. (18) 38 Allen Stettner