by Chris Stepan

KASSON, Minn. (June 3, 2001) - The Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, MN was back in action this past Sunday night, June 3rd with full fields in all 4 divisions. Three of the four divisions saw first time winners at the speedway when the dust settled on the evening's events.

The Street Stock feature was the first on the card with first time visitor Jim Randall and Mark Jennings sitting on the front row. Randall, fresh of wins both Friday and Saturday nights, was off when the green flag flew and brought Arlen Diercks with him into second. Jennings settled into third with Jeff Brauer and Jason Gabrielson beginning to duke it out for fourth.

Diercks stuck right with Randall and actually took a look to the inside of him for the lead on lap 3, but Randall was able to hold onto the top spot as Gabrielson began to challenge Diercks for second. Brauer moved in to battle with Diercks and Gabrielson for second throughout much of the rest of the event as Randall continued to show the way. Steve Goodenough began to show his strength as he appeared in the top five on lap 5 and began to pick his way toward the front, by sneaking by Diercks and Gabrielson into third with a few laps remaining. Rex Welch also was on the move as he began to battle with Diercks for fourth as the laps wound down.

Randall was all set up front as he went on to pick up his third win of the weekend as Goodenough and Brauer made hard contact as they came out of turn four for the checkered, sending Brauer hard into the wall allowing Gabrielson and Welch to sneak by. Goodenough was charged with the caution, making the official finish: Randall, Gabrielson, Welch, Brauer and Nathan Finley.

Nick Kramer took command of the Midwest Modified feature from the drop of the green, with Jim Arnold and Jerry Young battling right behind him for second on lap # 1. Young and Arnold quickly reeled in Kramer and the lead trio raced three-wide into turn one, before a caution slowed the field and broke up a great battle for the lead.

On the restart, Arnold shot to the inside of Kramer for the lead and just after he did so, a wreck occurred up front which collected many of the front runners, including Kramer and Matt Madsen. Again on the restart, Arnold took off into the night as Mike Lawson, Pete Klingfus and Chad Herman moved in to battle with Greg Pfiefer for third, while Matt Stark was making his way through the field as well.

Corey Miller began to reel in Arnold up front and made a bid for the lead, but Arnold was too strong and held on to pick up his third consecutive win at the speedway. Meanwhile, Pfiefer, Stark and Madsen moved in to challenge Miller for second and as the checkered flew, Pfiefer stole second and Stark also nipped Miller at the line for third. Madsen rallied from his early accident to come home with a top five finish.

Bill Stettner and Bill Clemens sat on the front row for he Super Stock feature and as the green flew, they ran side by side down the backstretch and into turn # 3. Curt Myers and Nick Herrick also ran door to door for third, just behind the leaders. Don Eischens was making his # 9E work well on the low side of the speedway early on and snuck to the inside of Herrick and Myers on laps 3 and 4 respectively on his way toward the front. Eischens settled into third and began to reel in the leaders, as Clemens had snatched the lead away from Stettner and was trying to run away and hide from the field. Kelly Anderson also was making his way toward the front as he appeared in the top five on lap 9 and continued his charge through the field.

Back up front, Eischens had reeled in the leaders and with a bold move, made it three-wide for the top spot on lap 10, which worked well for him as he swept into the lead and set off out front. Clemens hung right with him and was not about to let Don pick up an easy win. Clemens stayed glued to Eischens' bumper for the remainder of the event, but Eischens was too strong as he raced to his third win of the weekend. Clemens ran a strong second with Stettner in third. Anderson ended his solid run with a fourth place finish and Mark Wytaske rounded out the top five finishers.

Mike Hernke shot out into the lead at the drop of the green in the Modified feature as Todd Scharkey, Leroy Scharkey, Chad Behne and Nate Wasmund all began to battle with each other for the runner up position, while Hernke pulled out to a few car length advantage. Wasmund stole second away from the Scharkey boys and set off after Hernke, who was running on the high side through the corners and holding his own in the lead.

Another good battle was shaping up for fourth as Jordan Steier and Tommy Myer were beginning to look for a way to reel in the leaders. A quick caution on lap 8 bunched up the field and put Wasmund right on the rear bumper of Hernke up front. Hernke slid high in turn 4 on the restart, allowing Wasmund to blast by him into the lead, only to have a caution fly, which negated the pass and put Hernke back in front for the restart.

This time on the start, Hernke got a good jump and set off into the lead once again with Scharkey sticking right with him as the battle now was heating up for fifth between Todd Klees, Brad Waits and Jay Ihrke. Klees cleared the pack of cars first and began to hound Scharkey and Steier up front.

Again the caution flew, eliminating the lead that Hernke had built up over the field, and again putting Scharkey on his bumper for the restart. A heated battle continued between Klees and Waits for position as Hernke looked good up front and continued to show the way. Klees' night then quickly came to an end as he got shoved up into the wall and rode it through turn four, almost getting upside down in front of the field.

On this restart, Scharkey dove to the inside of Hernke for the lead, but Mike was able to hold Todd off to pick up his first career Modified feature win. Scharkey, Waits, Steier and Steve Wetzstein rounded out the top five finishers.

Racing action resumes this Sunday at Dodge County with action in the IMCA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and WISSOTA Street Stocks. The first green flag is set to fly at 7pm.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIEDS

Feature: Mike Hernke, Todd Scharkey, Brad Waits, Jordan Steier, Steve Wetzstein, Jim King, Darwyn Karau, Jeff Ringenburg, Mike Isder, Dave Wytaske

Heat 1: Todd Klees, Tommy Myer, Nathan Kilwine, Waits, Jay Ihrke

Heat 2: Steier, Nate Wasmund, Wetzstein, Chad Behne, King

Heat 3: T. Scharkey, Craig Shaw, Leroy Scharkey, Dean Reiss, Karau

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Don Eischens, Bill Clemens, Bill Stettner, Kelly Anderson, Mark Wytaske, Nick Herrick, Ron Host, Dave Haberman, Tom Chrest, Roger Herrick

Heat 1: Jon Van Minsel, Wytaske, Haberman, Clemens, Host

Heat 2: Eischens, Curt Myers, N. Herrick, Stettner, R. Herrick

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature: Jim Arnold, Greg Pfiefer, Matt Stark, Corey Miller, Matt Madsen, Chad Herman, Harland Morehart, Gary Wilde, Scott Grundvold, Matt Lawson

Heat 1: Lawson, Miller, Herman, Morehart, Scott Olson

Heat 2: Arnold, Madsen, Jerry Young, Dana Brunkhorst, Pfiefer

Heat 3: Pete Klingfus, Nick Kramer, Darren Thomas, Harland Morehart Jr., Ron Skalicky

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Jim Randall, Jason Gabrielson, Rex Welch, Jeff Brauer, Nathan Finley, Arlen Diercks, Roger Bentzin, Dan Gullikson, John Bushman, Mark Jennings

Heat 1: Randall, Bentzin, Greg Erickson, Welch, Brauer, Rob Wiesel

Heat 2: Steve Goodenough, Bushman, Gabrielson, Diercks, JenningsArnold awesome in third straight DCS Midwest Mod win

by Chris Stepan

KASSON, Minn. (June 3, 2001) - The Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, MN was back in action this past Sunday night, June 3rd with full fields in all 4 divisions. Three of the four divisions saw first time winners at the speedway when the dust settled on the evening's events.

The Street Stock feature was the first on the card with first time visitor Jim Randall and Mark Jennings sitting on the front row. Randall, fresh of wins both Friday and Saturday nights, was off when the green flag flew and brought Arlen Diercks with him into second. Jennings settled into third with Jeff Brauer and Jason Gabrielson beginning to duke it out for fourth.

Diercks stuck right with Randall and actually took a look to the inside of him for the lead on lap 3, but Randall was able to hold onto the top spot as Gabrielson began to challenge Diercks for second. Brauer moved in to battle with Diercks and Gabrielson for second throughout much of the rest of the event as Randall continued to show the way. Steve Goodenough began to show his strength as he appeared in the top five on lap 5 and began to pick his way toward the front, by sneaking by Diercks and Gabrielson into third with a few laps remaining. Rex Welch also was on the move as he began to battle with Diercks for fourth as the laps wound down.

Randall was all set up front as he went on to pick up his third win of the weekend as Goodenough and Brauer made hard contact as they came out of turn four for the checkered, sending Brauer hard into the wall allowing Gabrielson and Welch to sneak by. Goodenough was charged with the caution, making the official finish: Randall, Gabrielson, Welch, Brauer and Nathan Finley.

Nick Kramer took command of the Midwest Modified feature from the drop of the green, with Jim Arnold and Jerry Young battling right behind him for second on lap # 1. Young and Arnold quickly reeled in Kramer and the lead trio raced three-wide into turn one, before a caution slowed the field and broke up a great battle for the lead.

On the restart, Arnold shot to the inside of Kramer for the lead and just after he did so, a wreck occurred up front which collected many of the front runners, including Kramer and Matt Madsen. Again on the restart, Arnold took off into the night as Mike Lawson, Pete Klingfus and Chad Herman moved in to battle with Greg Pfiefer for third, while Matt Stark was making his way through the field as well.

Corey Miller began to reel in Arnold up front and made a bid for the lead, but Arnold was too strong and held on to pick up his third consecutive win at the speedway. Meanwhile, Pfiefer, Stark and Madsen moved in to challenge Miller for second and as the checkered flew, Pfiefer stole second and Stark also nipped Miller at the line for third. Madsen rallied from his early accident to come home with a top five finish.

Bill Stettner and Bill Clemens sat on the front row for he Super Stock feature and as the green flew, they ran side by side down the backstretch and into turn # 3. Curt Myers and Nick Herrick also ran door to door for third, just behind the leaders. Don Eischens was making his # 9E work well on the low side of the speedway early on and snuck to the inside of Herrick and Myers on laps 3 and 4 respectively on his way toward the front. Eischens settled into third and began to reel in the leaders, as Clemens had snatched the lead away from Stettner and was trying to run away and hide from the field. Kelly Anderson also was making his way toward the front as he appeared in the top five on lap 9 and continued his charge through the field.

Back up front, Eischens had reeled in the leaders and with a bold move, made it three-wide for the top spot on lap 10, which worked well for him as he swept into the lead and set off out front. Clemens hung right with him and was not about to let Don pick up an easy win. Clemens stayed glued to Eischens' bumper for the remainder of the event, but Eischens was too strong as he raced to his third win of the weekend. Clemens ran a strong second with Stettner in third. Anderson ended his solid run with a fourth place finish and Mark Wytaske rounded out the top five finishers.

Mike Hernke shot out into the lead at the drop of the green in the Modified feature as Todd Scharkey, Leroy Scharkey, Chad Behne and Nate Wasmund all began to battle with each other for the runner up position, while Hernke pulled out to a few car length advantage. Wasmund stole second away from the Scharkey boys and set off after Hernke, who was running on the high side through the corners and holding his own in the lead.

Another good battle was shaping up for fourth as Jordan Steier and Tommy Myer were beginning to look for a way to reel in the leaders. A quick caution on lap 8 bunched up the field and put Wasmund right on the rear bumper of Hernke up front. Hernke slid high in turn 4 on the restart, allowing Wasmund to blast by him into the lead, only to have a caution fly, which negated the pass and put Hernke back in front for the restart.

This time on the start, Hernke got a good jump and set off into the lead once again with Scharkey sticking right with him as the battle now was heating up for fifth between Todd Klees, Brad Waits and Jay Ihrke. Klees cleared the pack of cars first and began to hound Scharkey and Steier up front.

Again the caution flew, eliminating the lead that Hernke had built up over the field, and again putting Scharkey on his bumper for the restart. A heated battle continued between Klees and Waits for position as Hernke looked good up front and continued to show the way. Klees' night then quickly came to an end as he got shoved up into the wall and rode it through turn four, almost getting upside down in front of the field.

On this restart, Scharkey dove to the inside of Hernke for the lead, but Mike was able to hold Todd off to pick up his first career Modified feature win. Scharkey, Waits, Steier and Steve Wetzstein rounded out the top five finishers.

Racing action resumes this Sunday at Dodge County with action in the IMCA Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and WISSOTA Street Stocks. The first green flag is set to fly at 7pm.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIEDS

Feature: Mike Hernke, Todd Scharkey, Brad Waits, Jordan Steier, Steve Wetzstein, Jim King, Darwyn Karau, Jeff Ringenburg, Mike Isder, Dave Wytaske

Heat 1: Todd Klees, Tommy Myer, Nathan Kilwine, Waits, Jay Ihrke

Heat 2: Steier, Nate Wasmund, Wetzstein, Chad Behne, King

Heat 3: T. Scharkey, Craig Shaw, Leroy Scharkey, Dean Reiss, Karau

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Don Eischens, Bill Clemens, Bill Stettner, Kelly Anderson, Mark Wytaske, Nick Herrick, Ron Host, Dave Haberman, Tom Chrest, Roger Herrick

Heat 1: Jon Van Minsel, Wytaske, Haberman, Clemens, Host

Heat 2: Eischens, Curt Myers, N. Herrick, Stettner, R. Herrick

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature: Jim Arnold, Greg Pfiefer, Matt Stark, Corey Miller, Matt Madsen, Chad Herman, Harland Morehart, Gary Wilde, Scott Grundvold, Matt Lawson

Heat 1: Lawson, Miller, Herman, Morehart, Scott Olson

Heat 2: Arnold, Madsen, Jerry Young, Dana Brunkhorst, Pfiefer

Heat 3: Pete Klingfus, Nick Kramer, Darren Thomas, Harland Morehart Jr., Ron Skalicky

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Jim Randall, Jason Gabrielson, Rex Welch, Jeff Brauer, Nathan Finley, Arlen Diercks, Roger Bentzin, Dan Gullikson, John Bushman, Mark Jennings

Heat 1: Randall, Bentzin, Greg Erickson, Welch, Brauer, Rob Wiesel

Heat 2: Steve Goodenough, Bushman, Gabrielson, Diercks, Jennings