by Scott Malotke

ARCADIA, Wis. (May 31, 2002) - Four first time feature winners highlighted the racing action at the Fox Ridge Speedway Friday night.

Scott Cramer made the four hour pull from his home in Random Lake, WI worthwhile as he picked up his first ever feature win in the 25 lap Wissota late model main event. Cramer capitalized on his outside front row starting spot to lead all but the initial lap . Lance Matthees jumped out to the early lead as Cramer chased him on the high side. Cramer passed Matthees flying out of turn two and never looked back.

“I didn’t think I was to going hold him off,” said the happy winner. “I kept looking around, waiting for him to come up on me. We’ve got a new Rocket chassis and the cars been really fast since we’ve got it,” said Cramer. “The guys around here are good to race against, and they’ve really helped my program. Every time we’ve run here, we’ve done well and I really like the track, hopefully we can get over here a few more times,” said Cramer. “The one thing we needed to do was learn how to get better on the dry-slick tracks and this place does it. We don’t get the chance to run on that kind of track at home (Eastern Wisconsin) very often.”

Matthees tried several different lines on the track searching for a quicker way around the clay oval. Each time Cramer was able to hold him off by making slight adjustments in his racing line. Cramer had some anxious moments at the end.

“I burnt off the right front tire late in the race and had to be really careful, I had to run a little lower line so I didn’t jump the cushion,” Cramer said.

A lap ten caution brought the field together but Cramer charged to the lead once more. Back in the pack, Ron Mahder, Eric Pember, and Bob Timm were fighting hard for the third spot. Brad Waits joined the mix and moved past all three running the bottom line. Timm managed to get around Mahder and Waits at the end. The final order was Cramer, Matthees, Timm, Waits, Mahder

Alma’s Danny Hanson has been the bridesmaid several times since the speedway opened last spring. Never more, Hanson held off last week’s winner, Dan Gullikson earning the street stock feature win. Hanson survived three cautions and fended off Gullikson’s advance throughout the race. Hanson raced to the early lead from his outside row one spot as Gullikson charged to the front from row four. By lap three, Gullikson was second and chasing Hanson. A lap ten caution, bunched the field and gave Gullikson the chance to move up on Hanson. On the restart, Gullikson challenged Hanson on the high side as the two raced side by side. Jimmy Randall’s stalled car dropped the yellow again, with Hanson still leading.

“The second yellow really helped me, I was able to see what kind of line he was running, and just moved up the track to make it a little harder for him to get around me,” said Hanson. “Its nice to finally get a win here, we’ve been second so many times, I knew sooner or later we’d get one.

Gullikson attempted to pass Hanson late in the feature, but each time Hanson thwarted his efforts. Travis Krause made an outstanding run from a 21st starting position to pick up third. Pole starter Darryl Foegen was fourth followed by Jeremy Sommer.

Greg Nippoldt outdueled Dan Nissalke to gain his first ever win at the track in the super stock feature. Pole sitter Jason Johnson led the first eight laps until he retired when his motor broke. Dan Nissalke fresh off his first ever feature win at Deer Creek Speedway last weekend, inherited the lead. Nissalke led the next six laps as he and Nippoldt raced side by side. Behind the two leaders, racing action was fast and furious as Adam Stockhausen and Ben Anderson were engaged in warfare for third.

A caution slowed the field on lap 14 and Anderson exited the track. Nissalke held off Nippoldt for the next four laps when a Luke Schultz spin brought out another yellow. The lap 18 restart saw Nippoldt charge past Nissalke to earn a hard fought victory in the 20 lap feature. The vastly improved Nissalke finished second, trailed by Shawn Huse who had a great run on the bottom of the track for third. Jon Duffy was fourth with Dennis Earney fifth. The super stock main featured lots of two and three wide racing in a very entertaining race.

Eric Pember profited from Mike Sorensen’s mechanical troubles to notch his first feature win in the modified division this season. Nathan Kilwine jumped to an early lead in the main. Sorenson took over the top spot on lap three as Kilwine, Pember, Timm and Karl Fenske battled for position.

Sorensen’s car started smoking on lap six signifying impending doom for the Rochester, Minn. driver. Pember and Kilwine were racing hard for second and Pember took the second spot on lap 13. A Rick Hauser spin brought a lap 15 yellow and closed Pember on Sorensen. Pember passed Sorensen on lap 17 and one lap later Sorensen looped his car in turn four. Pember was pursued by Fenske and Timm for the remainder of the feature. Timm passed Fenske for second on lap 21 but ran out of laps in the end. Les Duellman finished fourth and Mick Glenn was fifth.

RESULTS

LATE MODEL: 1. Scott Cramer, Random Lake Wis.; 2. Lance Matthees, Winona; 3. Bob Timm, Winona: 4. Brad Waits, West Concord, Minn.; 5. Ron Mahder, Eau Claire, Wis.; 6. Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.; 7. Larry Stockwell, Ellsworth, Wis.; 8. Jeff Keeney, River Falls, Wis.; 9. Corby Metzgar, Eau Claire, Wis. 10. Jon Olsen, Three Lakes, Wis. 11. Jeff Matejka, Winona; 12.Mark Weisnicht, Shawano, Wis.; 13. Dave Wade, Stacy, Minn. 14. Mark Teske, Spring Valley, Minn.; 15. Steve Isenburg, Marshfield, Wis.; 16. Troy Brand, Winona; 17. Justin Fegers, Mound, Minn.

MODIFIEDS: 1. Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.; 2. Bob Timm, Winona; 3. Karl Fenske, Winona; 4. Les Duellman, Winona; 5. Mick Glenn, Minnesota City, Minn.; 6. Nathan Kilwine, Owatonna, Minn.; 7. Dan Hesch, Arcadia, Wis.; 8. Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis.; 9. Luke Schilling, Granton, Wis.; 10. Shane Wehrs, Bangor, Wis.; 11. Wayne Engen, Shell Lake, Wis.; 12. Bruce Angst, Winona; 13. Paul Hamernik, Winona; 14. Matthees; 15. Troy Langowski, Winona; 16. John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.; 17. Steve Speltz, Fountain City; 18. Gary Doelle, Fountain City; 19. Ron Britain, Winona; 20. Jonah Daffinson, Galesville, Wis. B-Feature Timm 2. J. Doelle 3. Engen Heats 1.Pember 2. Angst 3. Poidinger 1.Langowski 2. Hesch 3. Sorenson 1.Duellman 2. Fenske 3. Wehrs

SUPER STOCKS: 1. Greg Nippoldt, Oakdale, Minn.; 2. Dan Nissalke, Winona; 3. Shawn Huse, Bloomer, Wis.; 4. Jon Duffy, Winona; 5. Dennis Earney, Waumandee, Wis.; 6. Gary Wiersgalla, Fountain City; 7. Adam Stockhausen, Winona; 8. Dan Arneson, Eleva, Wis.; 9. Brand, 10. Kevin Hager, Kellogg, Minn.; 11. Josh Rodewald, Lake City, Minn.; 12. Mike Hesselink, Deer Park, Wis.; 13. Kelly Anderson, Hager City, Wis. 14. Kevin Glander, Pepin, Wis.; 15. Adam Guberud, Mabel, Minn.; 16. Mark Wytaske, Austin, Minn.; 17. Terry Timm, Winona; 18. Brian Fetting, Fountain City; 19. Jesse Hansen, Modena, Wis.; 20. Luke Schultz, Arcadia, Wis.

STREET STOCKS: 1. Danny Hanson, Alma, Wis.; 2. Dan Gullikson, Stacy, Minn.; 3. Travis Krause, Buffalo City, Wis.; 4. Darryl Foegen, Cochrane, Wis.; 5. Jeremy Sommer, Lake City, Minn.; 6.Tony Foster, Kellogg, Minn.; 7. Tony Sass, Fountain City; 8. Matt Theisen, Arcadia, Wis.; 9. John Laumb, Rushford, Minn.; 10. Lee Hager, Kellogg, Minn. 11. Brock Wright, Fall Creek, Wis. 12. Dennis Davis, Fountain City; 13. Tom Brink, Winona; 14. Troy Bentz, Plainview, Minn.; 15. Andy Hoch, Arcadia, Wis.; 16.Kylan Gamez, Arcadia, Wis. 17. Andy Bohnstengle, Winona; 18. David Nastvold, Galesville, Wis.; 19. Brad Dennis, Winona; 20. Jimmy Randall, Rice Lake, Wis.