DOAR TOPS KAANTA FOR 26TH CAREER CHALLENGE SERIES WIN

 

After qualifying heats were in the book, the top rows for the 40 lap Late Model

feature were drawn, as is the Challenge Series policy, by the old standby, the

frisbee draw. As luck would have it, John Kaanta and Lance Matthees who had

both won heats drew the front row.

The scramble at the start saw Matthees take the lead from Kaanta with Pat

Doar, Kyle Peterlin and Darrell Nelson in the mix. The front pair pulled out to a

commanding lead as Peterlion and Doar skirmished for third and Nelson trailed in

fifth. Nelson was soon engaged by a very quick Chad Mahder who got around him

for fifth. With six laps complete Kaanta took over the top spot and at this point,

was putting a whipping on the field. Doar and Mahder who had moved to fourth,

moved in on Matthees for second. Doar moved to second and quickly moving

through the field were Zach Wohlers from 17th and Jake Redetzke from 15th and

were. The first of two caution flags flew when T. J. Adams broke in turn four. At

the restart Doar took a shot but Kaanta was able to hold him off. Redetzke

increased speed and vaulted to the third spot. Just past the half way point Kaanta

was in command with Doar, Redwtzke, Matthees and Mahder holding down the

top five spots. Peterlin, Wohlers, Nelson, Gregg Hill and Aaron Lillo ran in the top

ten. Kaanta soon began lapping back markers and was able to break away from

Doar and Redetzke. For a few laps the top three were spread out in heavy traffic

with Kaanta holding almost a straight away lead on Doar. This lead was extended

when Redetzke caught Doar and they battled each other while trying to negotiate

very heavy traffic. This enabled Kaanta to pick his way carefully and enjoy a huge

lead. With five laps remaining the second caution flag flew for Marshall Fegers as

the F-19 rolled to a stop on the front stretch which wiped out Kaanta's seemingly

insurmountable lead. Now the Challenge Series point leader had Doar and

Redetzke up close and personal right behind him on the restart. As the green flag

flew it was a five lap shootout for the $3000 win, and the veteran racer got a good

start pulling out three car lengths on Doar. Redetzke fell back a car length leaving

Doar and Kaanta to duke it out for the win. Doar was as he said in the post race

interview "married to the top" meaning it was do or die in the top groove. As they

came by the flag stand to take the white, Doar was first across by a nose. Fans

were on their feet as the two combatants flew around the track on the last lap. Doar

got a run off turn four and it was just enough to nip Kaanta by half a car length for

the win. It was Doar's 26th WISSOTA Challenge Series win, first on the all time

win list. Kaanta was next followed by Redetzke, Peterlin and Mahder. Kaanta's

second place finish was enough to keep him in first place in the 2012 Challenge

Series points.

Deven VanHouse of Silver Bay took the lead two laps into the 15 lap feature

and was never headed as he raced to his third Midwest Modified feature win of the

season at AMSOIL Speedway. The battle to the finish would come down to

VabHouse and Mack Estey at the end but VanHouse just had a little more power

and took the win. Dan Kingsley had an up and down feature run but rebounded to

finish third. Neil Balduc and Dan Larsen finished in the top five. Point leader

Cody Wolkowski spun in turn four and did not finish which led VanHouse inch

closer to the point leader. Don Craig, first time visitor Dan Wilson, Jake gondik,

Cody Carlson and Chris Bretting rounded out the top ten.

Andy Davey won his first feature of the year at the speedway as he bested point

leader Scott Lawrence in the 20 lap Super Stock feature. Trevor Wilson held point

in the early going but Davey made his way to second and closed on Wilson.

Lawrence was on the move and charged from mid pack to fifth then leap frogged

up to third as the caution flag flew for a Pat Heikkinen spin in turn one. With 12 of

15 to go Lawrence got into second on the restart and battled the rest of the way

with Davey. Lawrence tried several times to wrest the lead from Davey but he was

too strong and went on to the win over Lawrence. Dave Flynn, Wilson and Brian

Mikkonen finished top five.

The Pure Stock 15 lap feature saw a tight battle up front at the start between

Chad Nikstad, Dustin Follett, Steve Udeen and Justin Bassa but it soon came

down to a battle between Follett and Nikstad. They ran side by side for several

laps before Follett got the upper hand and went on to win. Bassa, Steve Udeen and

Justin Madsen finished top five.

Results AMSOIL Speedway WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series (24 cars)

Feature (40 laps) Pat Doar New Richmond; John Kaanta Elk Mound; Jake

Redetzke Eau Claire; Kyle Peterlin Hibbing; Chad Mahder Eau Claire; Darrell

Nelson Hermantown; Lance Matthees Winona; Gregg Hill Eveleth; Jordan Yaggy

Rochester; Zach Wholers Kelly Lake; Justin fegers Minnetonka; Aaron Lillo

Duluth; Harry Hanson Eveleth; Tim McMann Duluth; Kyle Gavel Fort Francis;

Robby Bunkelman Abbotsford; Chris Olsen Hibbing; Greg Ferris Emo; Todd

Frank DNF T. J. Adams Hayward; Kevin Carlson Hermantown; Marshall fegers

Mound; Travis Budisalovich Cottage Grove DNS Steve Laursen Cumberland

Heat 1 (12 laps): Frank; Peterlin; Ferris; Lillo; Hill; Wohlers DNF M Fegers;

Laursen

Heat 2 (12 laps): Matthees; Nelson; Budisalovich; Yaggy; Redetzke; J. Fegers;

Gavel DNF Adams

Heat 3 (12 laps): Kaanta; Doar; Mahder; Carlson; McMann; Bunkelman; Hanson

DNS Olson

Super Stock (18 cars)

Feature (20 laps) Andy Davey Hibbing; Scott Lawrence Superior; Dave Flynn

Superior; Jim Campbell Two Harbors; Brian Mikkonen Iron River; Trevor Wilson

Superior; Keith Kern Superior; Dan Tocheri Thunder Bay; Pat Heikkonen Eveleth;

Andy Grymala Superior; Willie Johnsen Superior; Shawn Polonowski Thunder

Bay; Ashley Smith Superior; Steve VanHouse Silver Bay DNF Mike Bellefeuille

Duluth DNS Joe Oliver Superior DQ Matt Madsen Superior

WISSOTA Midwest Modified (17 cars)

Feature (15 laps) Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Mack Estey Kelly Lake; Dan

Kingsley Superior; Neil Balduc Bessemer; Dan Larsen Hermantown; Don Craig

Thunder Bay; Dan Wilson Hibbing; Jake Gondik Foxboro; Cody Carlson

Superior; Chris Bretting Washburn; Tyler Luger Iron River; Norm Anderson

Duluth DNF Cody Wolkowski Thunder Bay; Jason Goldfinwe Superior; Kevin

Montieth Thunder Bay; Brian Youderin Superior DNS Pat Cordie Aitkin

Heat 1 (8 laps) Estey Larsen; VanHouse; Wilson; Carlson; Craig; Bretting;

Anderson; Gondik

Heat 2 (8 laps): Wolkowski; Balduc; Kingsley; Goldfine; Montieth; Youderin;

Luger DNS Cordie

Pure Stock (21 cars)

Feature (15 laps) Dustin Follett Cloquet; Chad Nikstad Superior; Justin Bassa

Hermantown; Steve Udeen Superior; Justin Madsen Foxboro; Jeff Engelmeier

Saginaw; Josh Johnson Superior; Mark Smith Solon Springs; Andy Udeen

Superior; Jeff Christman Superior; Corey Lonetto Duluth; Travis Zembo Superior;

Mike Sirois Hermantown; Tyler Carlson Duluth; Gavin Campbell Duluth Rita

Anderson Superior; Gary Campbell Duluth; Shaina Rapp Saginaw;Josh Overn

Mahtowa DNF Kayla Anderson Superior DNS Kodi Oliver Superior

Heat 1 (8 laps): Smith; S. Udeen; Madsen; Overn; Lonetto; Sirois; G. Campbell

Heat 2 (8 laps): Follett; Bassa; A. Udeen; Engelmeier; Rapp; Carlson DNF oliver

Heat 3 (8 laps): G. Campbell; Johnson; Nikstad; Christman; Zembo; R. Anderson

DNF K. Anderson