KASSON, Minn. (Aug. 18, 2002) - Sunday night would decide the WISSOTA Late Model Track Championship, with a very close margin between Nick Herrick and Brad Waits at the start of the evening.

The WISSOTA Street Stocks took to the track first and it would be Chuck Nerland and Jeff Brauer leading the field to the green. Brauer took the lead on lap one followed by Nerland and Tom McEldowney. Jim Gustafson moved into fourth in the early going after starting seventh on the grid. Gustafson would then challenge Arlen Diercks for third and would take the position.

Dan Gullikson dropped nearly to the tail of the field at the drop of the green, but would make up a lot of ground and was challenging Steve Eischens for fifth. Gullikson claimed the spot and the first caution came when David Gustafson lost a wheel in turn two.

On the restart, it was Brauer out front followed by Nerland, Jim Gustafson, Diercks, and Dan Gullikson.

Gustafson got by Nerland for second and Dan Gullikson made the pass on Diercks exiting turn four on the final lap to take over fourth. Brauer scored the win followed by Gustafson, Nerland, Dan Gullikson, and Diercks.

Next up were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. Neil Eckhart and Dane Schultz shared row one and Eckhart took command at the drop of the green flag. Matt Stark and Ryan Weber were side by side for third and Stark would eventually take over the spot. Dan Fagerlind came from ninth to fourth, and charging to the front, looped the car into the infield in the closing laps.

Eckhart looked dominant out in front and didn't face any challenges for the lead and made it look easy as he scored his 14th feature win of the season followed by Schultz, Stark, Weber, and Bryan Hernandez.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks rolled onto the track, and Mark Teske would start from the pole alongside Dave Haberman.

The first start was halted before a lap could be completed when Mark Wytaske got over the banking in turns one and two bringing out the yellow.

The next start also would see the yellow flag before a lap could be completed when Alex Gerlach and Jeremy Reineke spun together in turns three and four. During the first caution, track point leader Bill Clemens suffered a flat tire, and would have to go to the pit area to have it changed. This would mean Clemens would have to restart at the tail of the field.

When racing got underway, Teske immediately took charge and started to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field. Brandon Jensen and Dave Solum raced for fourth and Jensen would advance, passing Dan Gasner also, putting Jensen to third.

Clemens was on the move and into the top five, but would not stop there. Clemens got around Solum and Jensen to take over third. But nobody could touch Teske as he held on to take the win followed by Haberman, Clemens, Solum, and Jensen.

Up next were the Modifieds with Nathan Kilwine and Leroy Scharkey in row one. Leroy Scharkey took the lead early followed by Kilwine and Dave Siercks. Bob Timm, Steve Wetzstein, and Mike Sorensen had a great three car battle going for the sixth position and Wetzstein would be the one to watch. After starting 12th on the grid, Wetzstein stormed to the front. Bobby Sorensen got by Siercks and Kilwine to take over second as Wetzstein cracked the top five.

Timm was now contesting the fifth position with Jay Ihrke. Timm would take the position and try to match the pace of Wetzstein as he continued to move forward. Wetzstein moved around Bobby Sorensen to take over second as Timm took over fourth.

Wetzstein then moved to the bottom passing Leroy Scharkey for the lead in turn one. Mike Sorensen, Jay Irhke, and Siercks raced for fifth but the action was slowed when Bobby Sorensen slowed with a flat tire bunching up the cars of Todd Scharkey, Siercks, and Kilwine. Siercks and Kilwine would be unable to continue.

On the restart, Timm got by Leroy Scharkey to take over second as Wetzstein scored the victory with an amazing run from 12th to first. Mike Sorensen finished third followed by Leroy Scharkey, and Irhke rounding out the top five.

The fifth and final event of the evening was the WISSOTA Late Model feature. Brad Waits drew the pole position and would start alongside Lance Matthees. Waits would lead lap one but Matthees shot by on the backstretch to take the lead on lap two. Eric Breeschotten took over second from Waits, looking very fast on the top side.

The first caution came when Brad Waits suffered a flat tire on lap two, and would possibly take him out of the hunt for the track point championship. Waits went to the pit area and came back out with a new tire just in time to take the green from the tail of the field.

Bob Timm was on the move and up to third, and a three car battle for the lead was soon to come between Matthees, Breeschotten, and Timm. Breeschotten was using the top while Matthees and Timm stayed on the bottom. Timm finally cleared Breeschotten to take over second and closed up on to the back bumper of Matthees.

The second and final caution came when Jon Chrest spun in turn four. On the restart, Matthees would lead Timm, Breeschotten, Nick Herrick, and Mark Teske to the green. Brad Waits shot past Teske to take over fifth and would then set his sights on Nick Herrick, the other driver in contention for the track point championship. Waits completed the pass on Herrick, and Jon Van Minsel also got aroung Herrick to take over fifth.

Matthees held off a hard charging Bob Timm for the win, followed by Breeschotten, Waits, and Van Minsel.

A great night of racing and an interesting point battle in the Late Model division would complete the activities on Sunday, with the next scheduled event coming on Sunday, August 25th. Racing will be held in four divisions including WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, and Open Modifieds.

For more information please call 507-775-7091 or visit our website at www.dodgecountyspeedway.com. See you at the races!!!

RESULTS

WISSOTA LATE MODELS

Feature: Lance Matthees, Bob Timm, Eric Breeschotten, Brad Waits, Jon Van Minsel, Nick Herrick, Mark Teske, Lynn Idler, Chris Adams, Jon Chrest

Heat 1: Breeschotten, Matthees, Waits, Van Minsel, Herrick

Heat 2: Timm, Teske, Chrest, Idler, Adams

OPEN MODIFIEDS

Feature: Steve Wetzstein, Bob Timm, Mike Sorensen, Leroy Scharkey, Jay Ihrke, Todd Scharkey, Nate Wasmund, Jim Arnold, Chad Behne, Mike Mehling

Heat 1: Timm, Dave Siercks, Mehling, Russ Quinnell, Jay Poidinger

Heat 2: Wetzstein, Todd Klees, Mike Sorensen, Bobby Sorensen, Albert Wytaske

Heat 3: Nathan Kilwine, Leroy Scharkey, Wasmund, Ihrke, Jordan Steier

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Mark Teske, Dave Haberman, Bill Clemens, Dave Solum, Brandon Jensen, Mark Wytaske, Dan Gasner, Jeremy Reineke, Jake Pogones, Alex Gerlach

Heat 1: Teske, Clemens, Jensen, Gasner, Haberman

Heat 2: Solum, Reineke, Pogones, Wytaske, Bill Stettner

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature: Neil Eckhart, Dane Schultz, Matt Stark, Ryan Weber, Bryan Hernandez, Chad Herman, Dan Fagerlind, Greg Pfiefer, Tony Angrimson, Nick Kramer

Heat 1: Eckhart, Schultz, Stark, Carter Gerlach, Jesse Frericks

Heat 2: Weber, Herman, Fagerlind, Pfiefer, John Opot

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Jeff Brauer, Jim Gustafson, Chuck Nerland, Dan Gullikson, Arlen Diercks, Steve Eischens, Tom McEldowney, Vince Corbin, Jim Gullikson, Greg Erickson

Heat 1: Diercks, Jim Gullikson, Gustafson, Nerland, McEldowney

Heat 2: Dan Gullikson, Brauer, Eischens, David Gustafson, Mike Schoer