By Dan Bailey
FOUNTAIN CITY, WI (June 29, 2012) – Many results articles have been written about a driver's first feature win - and racers and race fans alike do enjoy reading about that first checkered flag. But, probably the next most popular "Feel Good" story line is when a long-time track regular finally makes a return trip to victory lane after an extended absence.
That's the story line we're following after Friday's racing action at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY compliments of an impressive feature win by Kellogg, MN's Kevin Hager.
HAGER ENDS FOUNTAIN CITY DRAUGHT WITH FEATURE WIN
Kevin's been hauling his race cars and family to Fountain City every race night since he first strapped himself behind the wheel of a stock car. A long time competitor in both the WISSOTA Street Stock and WISSOTA Super Stock divisions, last season he set aside the Street Stock to focus solely on the Super Stock. And while he did pick up 3 feature wins last season at the Dodge Country Speedway in Kasson, MN he hadn't visited Victory Lane in Fountain City since 2006!
Starting from the outside of the front row, Hager pushed his familiar orange #94 to an impressive lead over the field as he ran lap after lap in an ultra-high groove that had developed on the smooth an slick 1/3-mile. Behind him, second heat-race winner Tommy Richards and defending track champion Jeff Brauer were battling for third place right behind the sole real threat to Hager's Lead.
Starting from the sixth position in the line-up, current point leader and first heat-race winner Shane Kisling closed the gap separating his #6 from Hager early in the feature but then spent the middle of the feature neither gaining or losing ground on the leader. With about five laps to go Kisling appeared to ratchet up his efforts as he began once again gaining ground on Hager, even turning in the events fastest lap at 17.423 seconds . . . but Hager was not to be denied the trip to Victory Lane, holding onto the top spot and leading Kisling across the finish line by a more than half-second margin to grab his first Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stock feature win of the 2012 season at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY.
"It's about time" Hager sighed while still strapped into his Hager Racing Fabrications Super Stock before climbing out to celebrate with the cheering crowd. "Seemed like everyone was talking last year when I started racing a Super Stock that wasn't a Hager Racing Fabrications chassis," Kevin said later, "but that car was wrecked in the roll-over at Deer Creek. So I got this Hager Chassis back on track and this is the same car picking up the wins." Kisling crossed the line second with Richards holding off Brauer's best challenges to complete the top three.
Later on that evening Kevin's wife Tracy urged him to add another nugget of information to the developing story, "Tell 'em about the engine." Tracy recommended from over Kevin's shoulder as the team celebrated back at the hauler. "Well," Kevin said, while thinking, "tonight is the, ahh, 141st race on this engine. Just regular maintenance and knowing what to freshen and when." Spread that comment through the pits of any race track and be prepared for looks of amazement to glaze over the faces of everyone around!
WOJCIK ENJOYS AN EVENING OF 3s
After what he himself has called a frustrating start to the 2012 season, Doug Wojcik is now enjoying the other end of the spectrum. Turning his season around three weeks ago by grabbing his first Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stock feature win at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY, the 20 year-old Ladysmith, WI racer continues to ride the wave of success and for the third week in a row wore a winner's smile in Victory Lane. "It has been a lot of hard work," said Wojcik, "We've really just struggled with the car this year. Finally in the last two weeks, we started trying some stuff, threw away last year's notes and going with what we think will work. I know I've got a good car, I just had to prove it."
And prove it he has, Friday was his third feature win in a row at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY; and Wojcik had to work to prove it as well. Starting from the outside of the fourth row Wojcik had a pack of fast Streeters to battle just to be able to even see the front of the pack. Second heat-race winner, and former feature winner, "Fast Freddie" Prudoehl was lined up on the inside of the second row, while other former feature winners Cory Hanson, Danny Richards, Mike Conrad and a host of other Street Stock drivers were all lined up ahead of Wojcik's #3D.
The feature was made up of an almost uncountable number of positions changes as drivers tested three distinct grooves that developed through the 18 lap feature. Most of the competitors searched to traction down low, a couple brave souls drove the mid-groove while Conrad and Wojcik seemed to be the bumper to bumper duo hooked up together on the high line around the backing. After working his way around Conrad and then through the pack, Wojcik kept his momentum up in the high groove and worked his way through the field to the front and then on to an almost 1 second margin of victory.
"The high line was smooth and fast, a little slick, but very smooth and fast," commented Wojcik in Victory Lane, "Man, the track really was great, I just really really really like this track!"
"Feature win Number three, three weeks in a row, with car number 3," commented MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY announcer Dan Bailey while interviewing Wojcik in Victory Lane after the win; Wojcik didn't miss a beat with his reply, "Yeah, if I'd known it would work out that way, I would have changed my number to 100 or something!"
Richards held off a developing late race challenge from Conrad for second.
SCHOTT ALSO GRABS THIRD FEATURE WIN
Lucas Schott is quickly becoming the face of the River City Manufacturing USRA Modified division at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY, for the second week in a row, the Chatfield, MN racer ended the evening with family and friends celebrating another feature win in Victory Lane. But it very easily could have ended differently as the feature got off to a wild start; with the 18 car field bumping and banging as they took the green flag to start the 25 lap feature. Some of that bumping and banging resulting in Les Duellman (who started on the outside of the third row) backing his Dirt-Dueller #0 hard into the turn one wall.
But after the dust and settled, the action on-track heated up with Schott running as high as the upper groove would allow as he worked his way to the front and began opening up the lead. Behind Schott's #69 the father-son duo of Bob and Jake Timm spent laps several laps battling for position while 2010 track champion Josh Angst worked his way from an inside fourth row starting spot towards the front.
But many race fan's attentions were focused on the "Fast Fastenal 59" of Hank Rollinger Jr. Currently sitting third in the River City Manufacturing USRA Modified point standings, Rollinger is enjoying a strong first half of the 2012 season - despite starting deep in the field, on the inside of the fifth row, Rollinger used calculated moves and speed, including the fastest lap of the 25-lap feature, to smoothly weave his way through the pack. By the final five laps of the feature, Rollinger was actually closing in on Schott.
"I've been working hard every single week on this car," said Rollinger after the strong charge that came up just one position short of his first feature win of the year, "I've made both big and little changes and all of them are helping." It's apparent that Rollinger's chances of finally grabbing a feature win are closer now than ever.
Unfortunately for Rollinger, Schott was in position to hold on and pick up his third feature win and second in a row. "That high groove was about has high as it could get," commented Schott from Victory Lane, "I think the track was taking on some rubber late, but my car was handling perfectly up where I was running."
Rollinger enjoyed a strong showing in second with Jake Timm beating Angst and 2011 Track Champion Bob Timm to the line for third.
BLEESS ALSO GRABS THIRD FEATURE WIN
The youth movement races on at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY; Jacob Bleess, Brady Keefe and second heat race winner Alex Williamson - all three of whom are 15 years old or younger - raced their way to the top three finishing positions in the TheEngineStore.com USRA B-Mod feature.
Bleess crossed the line first to pick up his third feature win of the 2012 season while Keefe bettered Williamson for his best feature finish of the season.
PROVINZINO, KONKEL, BUCKLAND, & BECKER ALSO REPEAT WINNERS
Chanhassen, MN's Joe Provinzino bested the 14-car Redbox+ 600 mod feature to pick up his 6th feature win of the 2012 season at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY.
Ryan Konkel held off a hard charging Andrew Bleess to pick up his second straight Elmer's Auto Salvage MTS Pure Stock feature.
Dylan Buckland battled back for some redemption after being DQ'ed the previous week to claim his fifth feature win of the season in the Sunshine Sanitation A-Mini Mod division.
Nate Becker also made a repeat trip to Victory Lane winning yet another Sunshine Sanitation B-Mini Mod feature, his fourth straight, ahead of AJ Hoff and Devin Williamson.
MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY's 2012 regular season action continues next Friday night July 6th with the 4th Annual River City Rumble presented by Rivercity Manufacturing & Machining and R&R Machining! On-Track action begins at 6 PM with the Sunshine Sanitation A and B Mini Mods on the "Lightning Speedway", with competition on the fast 1/3-mile getting underway at 7 PM comprised of a complete program from the River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds, Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks, The Engine Store USRA B-Mods, Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks, & REDBOX+ 600 Mods.
An almost $30,000 potential purse has been posted for competitors along with a fireworks display and live concert by the Freezers after the final checkered flag. In addition to the on track action, race fans in the grand stands could go home winners also as R & R Machining and Audio Designs are joining the fun to give away five (5) 32" flat screen TV's, a boys and a girls bike will be given away, several cash prizes handed out as well as T-Shirts, gift cards and other goodies! Join the fun Friday July 6th for the 4th Annual River City Rumble presented by Rivercity Manufacturing & Machining and R&R Machining!
Compliments of support from event sponsors, Adult General Admission is just $15 with Senior Citizen tickets only $12. Student admission (age 13-18) is just $5 while all children 12 and under will be admitted ABSOLUTELY FREE! And don't forget about the new "Family Friendly Pricing" promotion unveiled for the 2012 season, the "MTS Family Pass" which consists of Two (2) Adult Tickets AND Up To Three (3) Kid's Tickets (17 & Under) is available for only $30 - a $15 savings over the individual purchase of those same five tickets. Also the new "Family Friendly Pit Pricing" is also available for EVERY event! For more details, visit the official MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY web site: www.MississippiThunder.com.
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MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY is presenting its 4th season of top-notch dirt track action in Fountain City, WI. The high-banked 1/3 mile dark-clay oval is quickly becoming known as one of the best speedways in the upper Midwest presenting dirt track racing in a fan and family friendly atmosphere every Friday night throughout the racing season.
For all details, keep visiting the MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY web site: www.MississippiThunder.com
JUNE 29TH - RESULTS
River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 5 69 Lucas Schott Chatfield , Mn 100.00
2 9 59 Hank Rollinger, Jr. - 95.00
3 10 49JR Jake Timm Winona , Mn 91.00
4 7 99 Josh Angst , Mn 87.00
5 1 49 Bob Timm Winona , Mn 84.00
6 4 95 Keith Foss Winona , Mn 81.00
7 8 94JR John Doelle - 78.00
8 3 4G Chris Gilbertson Trempealeau , Wi 76.00
9 13 77 Thomas Brink - 74.00
10 11 51 Chris Oertel Marshfield , Wi 72.00
11 16 43 Luke Schilling Granton , Wi 70.00
12 2 11 Lance Hofer - 68.00
13 17 86 Phil Wernert - 66.00
14 15 15 Steve Bangart Auburn Dale, Wi 64.00
15 12 4X Dan Hesch Acadia , Wi 62.00
16 14 44 Leroy Scharkey - 60.00
17 18 55 Don Schaefer Eyota , Mn 58.00
18 6 0 Les Duellman Winona , Mn 56.00
Modifieds - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 99 Josh Angst , Mn 0.00
2 1 4G Chris Gilbertson Trempealeau , Wi 0.00
3 3 11 Lance Hofer - 0.00
4 7 95 Keith Foss Winona , Mn 0.00
5 8 59 Hank Rollinger, Jr. - 0.00
6 4 4X Dan Hesch Acadia , Wi 0.00
7 6 44 Leroy Scharkey - 0.00
8 5 43 Luke Schilling Granton , Wi 0.00
9 9 55 Don Schaefer Eyota , Mn 0.00
Modifieds - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 94JR John Doelle - 0.00
2 6 69 Lucas Schott Chatfield , Mn 0.00
3 3 49JR Jake Timm Winona , Mn 0.00
4 4 49 Bob Timm Winona , Mn 0.00
5 2 0 Les Duellman Winona , Mn 0.00
6 5 51 Chris Oertel Marshfield , Wi 0.00
7 7 77 Thomas Brink - 0.00
8 8 15 Steve Bangart Auburn Dale, Wi 0.00
9 9 86 Phil Wernert - 0.00
Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 94 Kevin Hager Kellogg , Mn 35.00
2 6 6 Shane Kisling Sarona , Wi 33.00
3 8 7R Tommy Richards Mondovi , Wi 32.00
4 5 34 Jeff Brauer Rochester , Mn 31.00
5 3 7C Dan Bork Mondovi , Wi 30.00
6 7 8 Kelly Anderson Hager City, Wi 29.00
7 1 37 Jay Oricchio Ellsworth , Wi 28.00
8 4 52 Gary Wiersgalla Fountain City, Wi 27.00
9 11 0 Brandon Duellman Winona , Mn 26.00
10 9 47 Jon Duffy Winona , Mn 25.00
11 10 67W Matt Wolfe Mondovi , Wi 24.00
Super Stock - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 7R Tommy Richards Mondovi , Wi 10.00
2 1 52 Gary Wiersgalla Fountain City, Wi 9.00
3 5 8 Kelly Anderson Hager City, Wi 8.00
4 4 94 Kevin Hager Kellogg , Mn 7.00
5 2 67W Matt Wolfe Mondovi , Wi 6.00
Super Stock - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 6 Shane Kisling Sarona , Wi 10.00
2 4 34 Jeff Brauer Rochester , Mn 9.00
3 2 37 Jay Oricchio Ellsworth , Wi 8.00
4 1 7C Dan Bork Mondovi , Wi 7.00
5 5 47 Jon Duffy Winona , Mn 6.00
6 6 0 Brandon Duellman Winona , Mn 5.00
TheEngineStore.com USRA B-Mods
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 4 21 Jacob Bleess Chatfield , Mn 100.00
2 9 9 Brady Keefe Stewartville , Mn 95.00
3 2 15W Alex Williamson Rushford , Mn 91.00
4 10 23K Erik Kanz - 87.00
5 8 88 Troy Langowski - 84.00
6 6 85 Ben Moudry Cottage Grove, Mn 81.00
7 11 44 Brandon Reutzel Winona , Mn 78.00
8 5 4G Scott Guthrie Whitehall , Wi 76.00
9 12 00 Josh Appel Taylor , Wi 74.00
10 13 79 Robert Carpenter Black River, Wi 72.00
11 7 95X Shaun Walski Winona , Mn 70.00
12 1 3 Matt Appel - 68.00
13 3 11 Jack Baehman - 66.00
14 14 90 Tyler Creeley - 45.00
USRA B-Mods - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 15W Alex Williamson Rushford , Mn 0.00
2 5 95X Shaun Walski Winona , Mn 0.00
3 7 9 Brady Keefe Stewartville , Mn 0.00
4 2 3 Matt Appel - 0.00
5 6 4G Scott Guthrie Whitehall , Wi 0.00
6 4 00 Josh Appel Taylor , Wi 0.00
7 3 90 Tyler Creeley - 0.00
USRA B-Mods - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 85 Ben Moudry Cottage Grove, Mn 0.00
2 2 88 Troy Langowski - 0.00
3 6 23K Erik Kanz - 0.00
4 5 21 Jacob Bleess Chatfield , Mn 0.00
5 4 11 Jack Baehman - 0.00
6 7 44 Brandon Reutzel Winona , Mn 0.00
7 3 79 Robert Carpenter Black River, Wi 0.00
Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 8 3D Doug Wojcik Ladysmith , Wi 35.00
2 2 3R Danny Richards Mondovi , Wi 33.00
3 6 M76 Mike Conrad Independence , Wi 32.00
4 5 79 Cory Hanson Black River, Wi 31.00
5 3 2 Fred Prudoehl Winona , Mn 30.00
6 4 38S Nick Schwebach Caledonia , Mn 29.00
7 1 80 Ryan Henderson Holmen , Wi 28.00
8 10 06 Jesse Lutz Winona , Mn 27.00
9 9 95 Lonnie Klonecki Arcadia , Wi 26.00
10 11 86 Jane Keating Shell Rock, Ia 25.00
11 12 6 Andrew Ausman Pepin , Wi 24.00
12 7 01 Shaun Mann Buffalo City, Wi 23.00
Street Stock - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 2 Fred Prudoehl Winona , Mn 10.00
2 2 M76 Mike Conrad Independence , Wi 9.00
3 1 80 Ryan Henderson Holmen , Wi 8.00
4 6 38S Nick Schwebach Caledonia , Mn 7.00
5 5 06 Jesse Lutz Winona , Mn 6.00
6 4 6 Andrew Ausman Pepin , Wi 5.00
Street Stock - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 3D Doug Wojcik Ladysmith , Wi 10.00
2 4 79 Cory Hanson Black River, Wi 9.00
3 1 01 Shaun Mann Buffalo City, Wi 8.00
4 3 3R Danny Richards Mondovi , Wi 7.00
5 5 95 Lonnie Klonecki Arcadia , Wi 6.00
6 6 86 Jane Keating Shell Rock, Ia 5.00
REDBOX+ 600 Mods
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 5 89 Joe Provinzino Chanhassen , Mn 120.00
2 3 99 Don Werner Rollingstone , Mn 115.00
3 1 8 Curt Luhmann Rushford , Mn 110.00
4 6 56 Bill Bauers Fountain City, Wi 105.00
5 8 16 Brett Laduke Cochrane , Wi 100.00
6 10 40 Bob Cisewski Winona , Mn 95.00
7 2 32 Greg Wohletz Winona , Mn 90.00
8 12 K-9 John Griffin Caledonia , Mn 85.00
9 9 80 Bruce Schmitt Fountain City, Wi 80.00
10 4 19JR Nicholas Wagner Trempealeau , Wi 75.00
11 11 51 David Benke Winona , Mn 70.00
12 14 27 Brian Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 65.00
13 7 42 Chris Eide Rushford , Mn 60.00
14 13 90 Brent Gora Dover , Mn 45.00
600 Modifieds - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 6 89 Joe Provinzino Chanhassen , Mn 5.00
2 1 40 Bob Cisewski Winona , Mn 4.00
3 4 56 Bill Bauers Fountain City, Wi 3.00
4 2 8 Curt Luhmann Rushford , Mn 2.00
5 5 99 Don Werner Rollingstone , Mn 1.00
6 7 K-9 John Griffin Caledonia , Mn 0.00
7 3 27 Brian Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 0.00
600 Modifieds - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 80 Bruce Schmitt Fountain City, Wi 5.00
2 6 32 Greg Wohletz Winona , Mn 4.00
3 5 16 Brett Laduke Cochrane , Wi 3.00
4 2 19JR Nicholas Wagner Trempealeau , Wi 2.00
5 4 42 Chris Eide Rushford , Mn 1.00
6 7 51 David Benke Winona , Mn 0.00
7 1 90 Brent Gora Dover , Mn 45.00
Elmer's Auto Salvage M.T.S. Pure Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 13 Ryan Konkel Winona , Mn 35.00
2 1 2 Andrew Bleess Chatfield , Mn 33.00
3 4 97 Bobby Jr Fort Fountain City, Wi 32.00
4 5 Z1 Corey Ziemer Minnesota City, Mn 31.00
5 3 68 Paul Sweazey Winona , Mn 30.00
Pure Stock - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 5 2 Andrew Bleess Chatfield , Mn 10.00
2 1 13 Ryan Konkel Winona , Mn 9.00
3 2 68 Paul Sweazey Winona , Mn 8.00
4 3 Z1 Corey Ziemer Minnesota City, Mn 7.00
5 4 97 Bobby Jr Fort Fountain City, Wi 6.00
Sunshine Sanitation A-Mini Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 12 Dylan Buckland Ridgeway , Mn 100.00
2 3 48 Matthew Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 95.00
3 4 66 Keagen Einck Decorah , Ia 91.00
4 5 80X Alex Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 87.00
5 1 9 Mike Stevens Winona , Mn 84.00
A Mini Modifieds - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 9 Mike Stevens Winona , Mn 0.00
2 5 12 Dylan Buckland Ridgeway , Mn 0.00
3 4 48 Matthew Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 0.00
4 3 66 Keagen Einck Decorah , Ia 0.00
5 1 80X Alex Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 0.00
Sunshine Sanitation B-Mini Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 5 79 Nate Becker Black River, Wi 100.00
2 4 55H Aj Hoff Mantorville , Mn 95.00
3 1 15D Devin Williamson Rushford , Mn 91.00
4 2 17 Matthew Laduke Cochrane , Wi 87.00
5 3 22 Zach Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 84.00
6 6 100 Jeremy Werner Rollingstone , Mn 45.00
B Mini Modifieds - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 5 15D Devin Williamson Rushford , Mn 0.00
2 4 17 Matthew Laduke Cochrane , Wi 0.00
3 3 22 Zach Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 0.00
4 1 55H Aj Hoff Mantorville , Mn 0.00
5 2 79 Nate Becker Black River, Wi 0.00
6 6 100 Jeremy Werner Rollingstone , Mn 0.00
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