by Chris Stepan

ARCADIA, Wis. (April 19, 2002) - The Fox Ridge Speedway in Arcadia bolted back into action on Friday night, April 19th with a regular season record 125+ cars packing the pit area and a great crowd filling the grandstand.

After the qualifying events were concluded, the Street Stocks were up first for the feature and Ron Hanestad took off from the drop of the green and was not to be denied. Hanestad took the lead at the start while Matt Theisen and Tony Sass were in a great battle for second. Chris Oertel, David Stearns and Randy Bradford were also engaged in a great battle for position just behind the leaders. Stearns was on a mission as he cleared traffic and was able to move into second just after the ½ way point of the event.

Hanestad continued to be the leader, but Stearns was just as quick and began to reel in the leader as the laps wound down. Darryl Foegen, Danny Hanson and Brad Dennis were also making their way to the front. Hanestad was too strong and held off Stearns for the win. Stearns recorded a career best finish with his second place run. Foegen, Dennis and Hanson rounded out the top five finishers.

Mark Teske sat on the front row of the Super Stock feature and wasted no time taking command from Quinn Arnoldy at the drop of the green. Teske was shot out of a cannon and began to pull away early on while defending track champion, Jason Johnson was making his way through the field and began to battle with Kelly Anderson for third on lap 4.

Teske continued to show the way but Johnson had now slipped by Anderson into second and was trying multiple lines to try to reel Teske back in. Kevin Adams and Mark Wytaske were also locked in competition for the fourth spot just behind the leaders.

Teske held a commanding lead, but just as the white flag flew, a heavy stream of smoke began to emit from the # 41 machine. Teske kept his foot in it and held of for the win ahead of Johnson, Anderson, Adams and Wytaske.

The unsanctioned Modifieds were up next and first time visitor Darrell Nelson took the lead from the start. Mike Sorensen, Bob Timm and Dan Hesch were dueling for position just behind Nelson as the laps were being run in rapid fashion. Sorensen caught Nelson on lap 3 and began to duke it out with Darrell for several laps with Timm and Hesch continuing to run side-by-side for third.

After a lap 6 caution, Sorensen took off into the lead, leaving the battle for second between Nelson, Timm and Hesch a hot one. Eric Pember, driving the Amundson Motorsports # 30, began to make his presence felt as well by moving in on Hesch and Timm for third.

Pember was bolted on the high side and shot by Hesch into third with a handful of laps left, but was unable to mount a serious challenge on Timm for second. Sorensen was very strong and cruised to the feature win ahead of Timm, Pember, Hesch and Kerry Ledebuhr.

Mark Hessler and Terry Casey sat on the front row for the Late Model main event. Hessler took off into the lead on the low side, but Casey was hooked on the high side and shot by Hessler into the top spot on the first lap. Once Casey established the lead he immediately began to stretch it out on a great battle for second between Lance Matthees, Bob Timm and Hessler.

Matthees was able to clear Timm and settled into second. Once in the runner-up spot, Matthees was able to set his sights on Casey out front. Once again the caution flew on lap 13 for a spin in turn 4.

Casey was completely up to the challenge and quickly pulled away from Matthees out front. Casey was very impressive en route to his first ever feature win at the Ridge. Matthees was forced to settle for second with Timm in third. Rookie, Steve Isenburg had a great night and came home in fourth ahead of Tony Bahr in fifth.

Racing resumes this Friday at the Ridge with action for WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks and WISSOTA Street Stocks. For more information, please check out the tracks website at www.foxridgespeedway.com.

RESULTS

WISSOTA LATE MODELS

Feature: Terry Casey, Lance Matthees, Bob Timm, Steve Isenburg, Tony Bahr, Mark Hessler, Troy Kuyoth, John Seitz, John Kaanta, Paul Wrazidlo

Heat 1: Hessler, Kuyoth, Casey, Brady Smith, Corby Metzgar

Heat 2: Kaanta, Bahr, Matthees, Nesbitt, Greg Dhein

Heat 3: Wrazidlo, Isenburg, Seitz, Jon Kurshinsky, Eric Pember

Heat 4: Timm, Ron Mahder, Mark Teske, Jeff Matejka, Tyler Keyser

MODIFIEDS

Feature: Mike Sorensen, Bob Timm, Eric Pember, Dan Hesch, Kerry Ledebuhr, Paul Hamernik, Shane Wehrs, Andy Simonson, Bruce Angst, Steve Speltz

Heat 1: Sorensen, Hesch, Troy Langowski, Pember, Ron Britain

Heat 2: Mick Glenn, Darrell Nelson, Speltz, Ledebuhr, Wehrs

Heat 3: Timm, Rick Hauser, Hamernik, Angst, Simonson

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Mark Teske, Jason Johnson, Kelly Anderson, Kevin Adams, Mark Wytaske, Dan Nissalke, Brian Fetting, Kevin Hager, Adam Stockhausen, Troy Brand

Heat 1: Quinn Arnoldy, Stockhausen, Nissalke, Adam Guberud, Bill Stettner

Heat 2: Gary Wiersgalla, John Duffy, Kevin Glander, Dan Arneson, Josh Rodewald

Heat 3: Fetting, Johnson, Brad Edington, Brand, Ed Sanders

Heat 4: Teske, Adams, Hager, Dan Schroeder, Travis Hallquist

Heat 5: K. Anderson, Wytaske, Ben Anderson, Dennis Earney, Jesse Hanson

B-feature: Rodewald, Kenny Davis, Don Drew, Darrin Meierotto, Stettner

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Ron Hanestad, David Stearns, Darryl Foegen, Brad Dennis, Danny Hanson, Travis Krause, Randy Bradford, Fred Pruduehl, Jeremy Sommer, Lee Hager

Heat 1: Hanson, Krause, Sommer, Hager, Pruduehl

Heat 2: Stearns, Dennis, Tom Brink, Jimmy Randall, Matt Helgeson

Heat 3: Hanestad, Bradford, Tony Sass, Andy Bohnstangle, Tony Foster

Heat 4: Chris Oertel, Matt Theisen, David Nastvold, Foegen, Jimmy Patzner

B-feature: John Laumb, Lester Beardsley, Troy Bentz, Andy Hoch, Dennis Davis