by Chris Stepan

ARCADIA, Wis. (June 29, 2001) - The Fox Ridge Speedway swung back into action for the second time in three days on Friday, June 29th with a regular program and produced two repeat and two first time winners.

Shaun Wehlage used his front row starting spot to his advantage as he shot into the lead on the start and began to pull away from the field immediately. Jim Randall and Travis Krause were making their way through traffic toward the front, which Randall got to on lap 3. Randall then made the move to the outside of Wehlage into the top spot while Krause and Matt Theisen were duking it out for third.

Once out front, Randall took command and stretched his lead with each lap, as Krause stole third away from Theisen and began to reel in Wehlage for second. Krause caught Wehlage on lap 5 and the two ran wheel to wheel for second for the next 3 laps, until Krause was able to secure the position and begin to track down Randall.

Randall's lead was being cut down quickly as Krause was running very fast around the speedway and on lap 9, the leaders began to battle for the top spot. Krause shot to the outside of Randall on the backstretch for the lead, which he would never relinquish. Randall held second to the end with Wehlage, Daryl Foegen and Danny Hanson rounding out the top five finishers.

Ben Anderson took the lead in the Super Stock feature at the start, but Dan Arneson quickly came up to challenge and stole the spot away on lap 2. After several quick cautions Arneson again set off into the lead with Mike Hesselink, Kevin Glander, Dennis Earney, Jon Duffy and Jason Johnson all running in a tight pack for second. The race then ran non-stop with the action very intense up front as Earney and Johnson were pushing the cushion as Duffy and Hesselink were trying the inside with Arneson running away and hiding up front. Curt Myers was making his way through the field as well, after starting in 18th he was in fifth on lap 9 and beginning to pressure the leaders.

Seemingly, out of nowhere Earney got a powerful burst of speed and shot into the lead on lap 13, bringing Johnson with him into second and dropping Arneson back to third. Earney then held off Johnson's last lap attempt to steal the lead to pick up a very popular win. Johnson came home in second with Myers, Arneson and Glander coming home in the top five.

Bruce Angst shot out into the lead at the drop of the green flag in the Modified feature and held the top spot until lap 5 when Dave Wiersgalla powered by him to steal the lead away, settling Angst back into second. A great battle was occurring behind the leaders between Stev Speltz, Troy Langowski and Robby Bunkleman. Bunkleman escaped from the pack and stuck his # OO to the extreme low groove on the speedway and began to track down Angst and Wiersgalla.

Bunkleman slipped by Angst into second and then quickly made his move on Wiersgalla up front, running side by side with him for the final four laps, until he was able to blast by on the inside into the lead as the white flag flew. Robby picked up his first win of the season ahead of Wiersgalla, Speltz, Angst and Dan Hesch, who came from deep in the field to record a top five finish.

Bob Timm blasted from the front row to take the lead in the Late Model feature while Lance Matthees and Jeff Keeney battled for second early on.

Matthees then shot to the inside of Timm up front on lap 3 and stole the lead away from Bob in turn 2.

Matthees then began to stretch his lead as Keith Foss had reeled in Timm and was battling with him for second. Keeney and newcomer Jason Schill were also locked in battle for the fourth position while Matthees had checked out on the field. Timm and Foss continued their battle until the checkered flew as did Keeney and Schill for fourth. Matthees raced to his second feature win of the season at the Ridge with Timm holding off Foss for second. Schill also held off Keeney for fourth at the stripe.

Racing action resumes at the Ridge the Friday with a complete program of WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks and WISSOTA Street Stocks. Racing action begins at 7:30. One other date to mark on your calendar is the return of the USMTS Modifieds on Friday, July 20th for a $2,000 to win payday. It has also just been announced that the WISSOTA Super Stocks will be running for $1,000 and the WISSOTA Street Stocks will have $500 on the line for first place on the 20th as well.

RESULTS

WISSOTA LATE MODELS

Feature: Lance Matthees, Bob Timm, Keith Foss, Jason Schill, Jeff Keeney, Corby Metzgar, Jim Sandvig, Tom Nesbitt

Heat 1: Foss, Timm, Matthees, Nesbitt, Schill

Dash: Timm, Nesbitt, Schill, Metzgar, Sandvig

MODIFIEDS

Feature: Robby Bunkleman, Dave Wiersgalla, Steve Speltz, Bruce Angst, Dan Hesch, Troy Langowski, Gary Doelle, Brad Waits, Hank Rollinger, Shane Wehrs

Heat 1: Angst, Wiersgalla, Bunkleman, Bill Baures, Hesch

Heat 2: Speltz, Ron Britain, Wehrs, Doelle, Brian Albrecht

Heat 3: Rollinger, Paul Hamernik, Kyle Chiglo, Langowski, Gary Baxter

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature: Dennis Earney, Jason Johnson, Curt Myers, Dan Arneson, Kevin Glander, Jon Duffy, John Doelle, Matt Durnen, Brian Fetting, Justin Sass

Heat 1: Johnson, Mike Hesselink, Ben Anderson, Mark Peterson, Joe Wieczorek

Heat 2: Duffy, Gary Wiersgalla, Troy Brand, Earney, Durnen

Heat 3: Arneson, Doelle, Glander, Jere Stanton, Fetting

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature: Travis Krause, Jim Randall, Shaun Wehlage, Daryl Foegen, Danny Hanson, Jeremy Sommer, Matt Theisen, Brad Dennis, Phil Wernert, Tom Hund

Heat 1: Wernert, Krause, Sommer, Lee Hager, Brandon Baker

Heat 2: Randall, Foegen, Tom Brink, Dennis, David Nastvold

Heat 3: Hanson, Wehlage, Theisen, Nathan Rauter, Tony Sass