Jason Cummins (71) works to the inside of Doug Hillson (72) en route to winning the Guttormson Memorial at the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., on Friday, June 4, 2010. (Buck Monso Photo)

LANSING, Minn. - This week the Chateau Raceway hosted the 13th Annual Mike Guttormson Memorial Race. It is held every year honoring Guttormson, who suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after winning the modified feature at Lansing on May 31, 1997.

Guttormson was a three-time track champion at Chateau with 43 career wins at the track he called “heaven.” He also was the 1991 Wissota 100 Modified Champion. Guttormson was one of the greatest characters a person could ever meet and is still sorely missed in this area.

There was a cool thousand bucks awaiting the USRA RHS Modified feature winner tonight. The 15-car starting field first did a parade lap in the “missing-man” formation with the pole position left open in honor of Guttormson.

Then it was down to business for the 25-lap affair with Josh Mattick jumping off of rown one to lead early on. The race got off to a sluggish start with a few cautions slowing things down.

Mattick would continue to lead the show as Jacob Dahle and Doug Hillson raced for second. Jason Cummins was moving through traffic from row four and was up to fourth. Another yellow for a three-car pileup again closed the pack together.

Cummins really got his car motivating on the restart as he quickly dashed to third on lap five. Then Cummins challenged Dahle for second one lap later. Cummins used the low groove vaulting to second and was right on Mattick for the lead.

Cummins then drifted to the top side of the track and scooted past Mattick for the lead on lap seven. Todd Scharkey was quietly working his way through traffic and was racign Steve Wetzstein for fourth when Dave Wytaske Jr. stalled in turn three bringing out the yellow flag.

Cummins took off from the restart, but it was Scharkey’s turn to make big moves. Scharkey took fourth and then got by Mattick for third on lap twelve. Scharkey then went after Dahle and grabbed second on lap fourteen.

By that time however, Cummins was long gone until a caution with two laps to go put Scharkey on Cummins’ rear bumper. It took three tries to get the races going much to the chagrin of Scharkey who on the first two starts got up alongside Cummins.

On the final restart, Cummins got a really good restart and led the rest of the way to claim his first Guttormson Memorial title. Scharkey’s incredible showing at this race continued with his ninth top five finish. Dahle finished third, Mattick was fourth and Wetzstein rounded out the top five.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Chateau Raceway, Lansing, Minn.
Friday, June 4, 2010

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Jason Cummins, New Richland; 2. Todd Scharkey, Kasson; 3. Jacob Dahle, Morristown; 4. Josh Mattick, Austin; 5. Steve Wetzstien, West Concord; 6. Andrew Wiste, Adams; 7. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie; 8. Greg Jensen, Albert Lea; 9. Wallace Bustad, Austin; 10. Ben Mattick, Hayfield; 11. Dustin Steinbrink, Austin; 12. Jeremy Misgen, Ellendale; 13. Greg Mattick, Hayfield; 14. Dave Wytaske Jr., Mapleview; 15. Brian Shaw, Brownsdale.

Heat 1: 1. Todd Scharkey, Kasson; 2. Steve Wetzstien, West Concord; 3. Jason Cummins, New Richland; 4. Brian Shaw, Brownsdale; 5. Dustin Steinbrink, Austin; 6. Ben Mattick, Hayfield; 7. Jeremy Misgen, Ellendale; 8. Dave Wytaske Jr., Mapleville.

Heat 2: 1. Josh Mattick, Austin; 2. Andrew Wiste, Adams; 3. Jacob Dahle, Morristown; 4. Greg Jensen, Albert Lea; 5. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie; 6. Wallace Bustad, Austin; 7. Greg Mattick, Hayfield.