by Chris Stepan

KASSON, Minn. (June 17, 2001) - The Dodge County Speedway completed the second half of out Mothers Day / Fathers Day Doubleheader on Sunday, June 17th under gloomy skies in southern Minnesota, but the races were very intense despite the less than ideal weather conditions.

As the skies began to darken and the lightning began to flash to the north the Street Stocks came onto the track for their main event. Steve Goodenough jumped out front right away and began to stretch his lead with every circuit. Jeff Brauer was making his way toward the front as he appeared in third after starting in the fourth row. Brauer moved in on Jason Gabrielson for second as Goodenough continued to show the way up front.

After a string of 4 cautions in a row, the race restarted with Goodenough again taking command as Brauer stole second away from Gabrielson and began to pressure Goodenough for the lead while Greg Erickson was moving toward the front and appeared in third. Erickson reeled in Brauer and began to pressure him a bit, but could not get it done as Goodenough raced to his second consecutive feature win ahead of Brauer and Erickson.

Jim Arnold sat on the pole and shot out into the lead at the start of the Midwest Modified feature and never looked back as he cruised to his 9th feature win of the season. Chad Herman and Greg Pfiefer duked it out for the runner up spot early as Arnold sat up front again in his # 42. Corey Miller was on the move throughout the event as he jumped to the high side and goy by Matt Madsen into fifth and then repeated the same move on Matt Stark into fourth near the mid point of the event.

As the race wound down, Arnold began to feel the pressure as Miller rocketed by Pfiefer into third and he and Herman began to dog Arnold up front. Jim was a bit too strong though as he went on to pick up the win on his birthday ahead of Miller, who nipped Herman at the line for second.

The Super Stock feature was up next with Stacy Edgar and Danny Olinger pacing the field to the green flag. As the green flew, Bill Clemens shot to the inside of Edgar and the lead trio raced three-wide down the back stretch for the lead. Clemens stole the spot away as Olinger and Edgar raced side by sided for second. Olinger retook second from Edgar and began to reel Clemens back in.

On lap 4, Olinger blasted to the outside of Clemens and shot back into the lead as the leaders raced out of turn four. Once in the top spot, Olinger steadily pulled away from the field as Edgar, Mark Teske and Nick Herrick were locked in battle for third throughout the remainder of the event.

Olinger’s lead continued to grow until he suddenly developed mechanical troubles with only 3 laps to go and was forced to retire his # 63, giving up a sure feature win and handing the lead over to Clemens. Bill then raced unchallenged to the win with Edgar coming home in second ahead of Herrick, Teske and Jon Van Minsel.

The Modifieds were up last with Nathan Kilwine taking the lead at the start with Bobby Sorensen settling into second early on. Sorensen then began to pressure Kilwine and stole the top spot away from him as Mike Hernke and Jordan Steier began to battle for third as Mike Sorensen was on the move as well. Hernke shot to the inside of Kilwine into second and then quickly pulled alongside of Sorensen for the lead on lap 7.

After a quick caution, Mike Sorensen jumped up to the top side and blew by Kilwine into third on lap 8, then repeated the pass on Hernke for second on lap 9, which he then followed up by shooting past Bobby Sorensen into the lead on lap 10. Hernke was also able to get by Sorensen into second late in the event, but could never seriously challenge Sorensen as Mike cruised to his second win of the weekend over Hernke and Todd Scharkey, who had a great run, coming from 16th to third at the stripe.

Racing resumes at Dodge County on Thursday, June 21st with a $1,000 to win WISSOTA Super Stock invitational along with the USMTS Modifieds. Racing action will begin at 7pm.

RESULTS

IMCA MODIFIEDS

Feature: Mike Sorensen, Mike Hernke, Todd Scharkey, Bobby Sorensen, Jordan Steier, Paul Novotny, Darwyn Karau, Ken Hainka, Nathan Kilwine, Mike Rumsey

Heat 1: Dean Reiss, Steier, Kilwine, M. Sorensen, Brad Waits

Heat 2: Chad Behne, Hernke, B. Sorensen, Novotny, Pete Grundvold

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Bill Clemens, Stacy Edgar, Nick Herrick, Mark Teske, Jon Van Minsel, Dave Haberman, Kelly Anderson, Brad Bannitt, Mark Wytaske, Curt Myers

Heat 1: Haberman, Clemens, Teske, Myers, N. Herrick

Heat 2: Banitt, Van Minsel, Anderson, Edgar, Danny Olinger

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature: Jim Arnold, Corey Miller, Chad Herman, Greg Pfiefer, Matt Stark, Matt Madsen, Harland Morehart, Jade Anderson, Nick Kramer, Ron Skalicky

Heat 1: Arnold, Pfiefer, Herman, Gary Wilde, Scott Grundvold

Heat 2: Morehhart, Miller, Madsen, Darren Thomas, Justin Hainka

Heat 3: Anderson, Stark, Dana Brunkhorst, Pete Klingfus, Carter Gerlach

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Steve Godenough, Jeff Brauer, Greg Erickson, Nathan Finley, Mark Jennings, Jason Gabrielson, Tony Shaner, Joe Wernecke, David Stearns, George Schrumpf

Heat 1: Erickson, Wernecke, Stearns, Jennings, Schrumpf

Heat 2: Finley, Brauer, Goodenough, Gabrielson, Shaner