2024 Awards Banquet
FOUNTAIN CITY (June 26) – Friday, June 26th proved to be a turning point in the season as the track showed major improvements on Fastenal and Stone Machinery night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway. Great racing action in all classes gave the crowd exciting and action-packed fun.
All Lacrosse county residents who showed proof of residency were allowed free entry into the grandstands compliments of Lacrosse Brewing Company. USRA Modified driver John Doelle was crowned Winona Radio’s Driver of the Week. Ben Anderson led flag to flag in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified division while Danny Hanson collected his third feature in a row in the WISSOTA Street Stocks.
WISSOTA Street Stock feature action appeared to finally revert back to the hard-charging, action-packed, and spot-swapping races that the class is known for. A caution on lap one set up a complete restart in which Dan Bork inherited the pole position inside of Alma’s Andy Hoch. Kevin Hager charged to the outside of Danny Richards for third place as Fred Prudoehl made his presence known behind Hager. Hager tried to move inside of Hoch for second place but could not make it stick and settled into third. Hoch rounded the turns a bit wider with each lap as he teased Hager for second place. Prudoehl, Donny Ganz, and Richards tore three-wide down the front stretch for fourth behind Bork, Hoch, and Hager. Hager was finally able to capitalize on Hoch’s wide corners to take over second place as he began his rundown of Bork. Meanwhile, Danny Hanson patiently cruised through traffic from his eighth place starting spot in sixth place behind Ganz. Richards appeared to be nursing ! his car as he slipped back to seventh. A very close race pleased the crowd as spots were swapped, multi-line racing, and action blanketed the race. Bork continued his lead over Hager, Hoch, and Prudoehl when Prudoehl got a bit loose in turn two which allowed Hanson the chance to slip into fourth place. Bork ran strong out front, but Hager approached Bork’s turf at the same time Hanson broke into third place. Quickly a three-way race for the lead ensued between Bork, Hager, and Hanson. Bork and Hager made contact down the front stretch which sent Hager scrambling to regroup his ride. Hanson then was able to take over the lead followed by Bork, Ganz, and Hager when a caution realigned the field with only two laps to go. A shootout for the win engaged Hanson, Bork, Ganz, Hager, and Hoch for a great finish. Hanson took off in front while Hager managed to shoot under Bork into second place. Richards capitalized on the last caution to regain a top five spot. Hanson mean! dered across the line with the win. Hager finished second followed by Bork, Ganz, and Richards.
Ben Anderson and Pete Bushman brought the front line to the green flag in the Engine Store WISSOTA Midwest Modified main event. Anderson took the early lead and left Bushman to fend off Chris Gilbertson as the two raced side by side for second. Dalton Yohnk moved into fourth place while Kyle Jumbeck and Chris Creeley were embattled in a chase for fifth place. Yohnk got a run on second place but slipped back as Jumbeck climbed into third. Yohnk, Creeley, and Bushman shot three-wide down the front stretch for fourth place when Jared Happel moved in to challenge Creeley for fifth. Anderson had moved himself way out ahead of the field while Jumbeck shot under Gilbertson to take second away. A caution Anderson did not want to see reset the field with Anderson on the point followed by Gilbertson who chose the low side and Jumbeck on the outside line. At the green, Anderson once again took off and left Jumbeck and Gilbertson to decide on second place. Dustin Scott slowly ha! d worked his way into the top five and soon looked at taking third away from Gilbertson. Scott dashed low under Gilbertson and looked in on Jumbeck’s second place spot. As the high groove came in, Anderson and Jumbeck used that line while Scott dove low under Jumbeck for a chance at second. With five laps to go, Scott and Jumbeck closed in on Anderson as the two changed spots a few times. Yohnk took over fourth place from Gilbertson, and once again Jumbeck took second place but Scott remained a constant threat. At the white flag, Scott had the edge on Jumbeck while Anderson cruised away. Anderson headed to victory lane followed by Scott who was only inches ahead of Jumbeck. Yohnk and Gilbertson rounded out the top five.
Kevin Hager and Jon Duffy pulled the field through the initial green flag in the WISSOTA Super Stock feature. Bob Fort quickly stuffed himself between Hager and Dan Nissalke to take second place over while Troy Langowski tried to work the high line around Hager. Hager held his ground while Fort had taken over first place from Duffy. Fort maintained his lead over Nissalke as Langowski jetted up on Duffy for third place. As Fort extended his lead, Nissalke and Langowski raced for second place. Duffy had a grip on fourth place when Williamson tried to move in on the spot but spun which pulled a caution. With six laps to go, Fort then had Langowski and Nissalke to contend with for the lead. Hager set up a charge on Duffy for fourth place, but Duffy held on to the spot. As the race wound down, Fort continued his stronghold on the field as Langowski and Nissalke again battled side by side for the runner up spot. Duffy and Hager also engaged in side by side racing, but it ! was Hager who pulled away in fourth and left Duffy to contend with Williamson for fifth place. Fort pulled in his second feature win in a row followed by Langowski. Nissalke finished a strong third, and Hager pulled across in fourth with Duffy rounding out the top five.
Josh Angst and Bob Timm led the USRA Modifieds in the first lap when a caution for cars stopped at both ends set up a restart. Angst took the point while Timm, Brad Waits, Jay Ihrke, and John Doelle set their sights on the first spot. Waits took a peek at the lead but Angst shut him out. Ihrke chugged into third place over Doelle while Angst got a bit high in turn four which allowed Waits to take the lead. Doelle raced around Timm for fourth place and then breached Ihrke’s grip on third as well. With 15 laps to go, Waits had distanced himself from Angst while Doelle closed in on second place. Lap traffic began to surface as Waits zipped through while Angst and Doelle chased him. Doelle then took over second place from Angst. Timm nearly caught Angst in turn two, but Angst managed to hold steady in third place. Waits took home the feature paycheck followed by Doelle, Angst, Timm, and Ihrke.
The Hornets were led into the green flag by Justin Eide and Rick Slawson, but they were quickly picked off by Johny Severtson. Mike Krause darted through the pack and into second place early on while Michael Thompson moved into third. Slawson and Kevin Laufenberg duked it out for fourth place as Eide slipped backwards. Severtson was way out front while Krause tried to reel him in. A caution with five laps to go set up a mad dash to the finish with Severtson in the lead followed by Krause, Thompson, Kohl Adamson, and Brock Adamson. With four laps to go, Severtson had a tire go down pulling a final caution and forcing him to ditch the lead. Krause was a happy camper as he headed to victory lane. Kohl Adamson and Brock Adamson finished second and third respectively while Thompson and Slawson completed the top five.
Dylan Buckland was on a tear as he led from flag to flag in the B Midwest Mini-Mod feature. Like a bolt of lightning, Buckland took off which left Nicholas Wagner, Tanner Brown, and Matthew Schliesman to battle for second place. Before long, Buckland found himself weaving through lap traffic with ease as Rachel LaDuke crept her way into the top five. A caution reeled Buckland back to the pack when Matthew LaDuke’s machine tired out and needed assistance to the infield. Buckland once again shot to the lead and never looked back. Buckland headed for his picture and interview in victory lane. Schleisman, Wagner, Brown, and LaDuke completed the top five.
A Midwest Mini Mod feature racing started off with Don Werner being chased by Mac Alberts and Charlie McNally. Jake Timm then moved up to fight for second place with Alberts and McNally. Nia Gardner slipped into fifth place, and Alex Williamson and Mike Stevens charged side by side for sixth. McNally reeled in Werner and worked to take the lead. Werner got a bit wide which allowed McNally a closer peek at the first spot. Once again, McNally and Werner traded places for the lead while Timm made it a three-wide bid for first. McNally gained the lead when a caution bunched the cars back up for a sprint to the finish. McNally charged off to the lead, but Timm had a little something for him and took the lead away. McNally raced hard to regain the top spot and was all over Timm, but the white flag flew. Timm, McNally, and Werner were all very close and one slip would have made the difference. It was Timm who crossed first ahead of McNally, Werner, Alberts, and Gardner.
Jeff Matejka started on the pole in the 600 Mini Mod feature ahead of Don Werner and Charlie McNally. As they tore down the front stretch, McNally put a move on Werner to take over second place. Matejka stretched his lead while Werner and McNally swapped spots in second. As Matejka pulled away from the other cars, Werner and McNally raced back and forth several laps keeping themselves occupied so that Matejka could pull farther away. Matejka grabbed the win followed by McNally, Werner, Dave Fruechte, and Brett LaDuke.
The Fourth of July weekend starts early when the speedway will host its first Late Model WISSOTA DART Challenge Series event on Thursday, July 2nd. Support classes will consist of WISSOTA Street Stocks for a $300 paycheck and WISSOTA Super Stocks will run for a $500 purse. Friday, July 3rd will be a regular night of racing. Thursday and Friday, July 2nd and 3rd will also be the Redbox Midwest Mini Mod Summer Nationals. Racing begins at the regular time of 7 p.m. on both nights with Minis starting at 6 p.m.
WISSOTA Midwest Modified
Feature – Ben Anderson, Dustin Scott, Kyle Jumbeck, Dalton Yohnk, Chris Gilbertson, Pete Bushman, Erik Kanz, Jared Happel, Chris Creeley, Josh Appel, Don Schaefer, Tyler Creeley, Josh Crary Heat 1 –Jumbeck, Yohnk, Scott, Bushman, Kanz, Appel, Schaefer Heat 2 – Anderson, Gilbertson, C. Creeley, Happel, T. Creeley, Crary
WISSOTA Street Stock
Feature – Danny Hanson, Kevin Hager, Dan Bork, Donny Ganz, Danny Richards, Fred Prudoehl, Andy Hoch, Shaun Mann, Darryl Foegen, Lee Hager, Lonnie Klonecki, Jane Keating, Tyler Sass, Rich Theisen Heat 1 – Bork, Sass, Ganz, Hoch, Mann, L. Hager, Klonecki Heat 2 – Hanson, Prudoehl, Richards, K. Hager, Foegen, Theisen, Keating
WISSOTA Super Stock
Feature – Bob Fort, Troy Langowski, Dan Nissalke, Kevin Hager, Jon Duffy, Tim Williamson, Scott Rollinger, Phil Kendrick, Gary Wiersgalla Heat 1 – Fort, Wiersgalla, Langowski, Hager, Duffy, Rollinger, Williamson, Nissalke, Kendrick
USRA Modifieds
Feature – Brad Waits, John Doelle, Josh Angst, Bob Timm, Jay Ihrke, Hank Rollinger Jr., Roger Niederkorn, Les Jonsgaard, Lance Hofer, Paul Hamernik, Jeremy Jonsgaard, Adam Stockhausen, Kerry Ledebuhr Heat 1 – Waits, Doelle, Ihrke, Timm, Hofer, Niederkorn Heat 2 – Angst, Ledebuhr, J. Jonsgaard, Hamernik, Rollinger, L. Jonsgaard, Stockhausen
Hornets
Feature – Mike Krause, Kohl Adamson, Brock Adamson, Michael Thompson, Rick Slawson, Chad Kosidowski, Kevin Laufenberg, Guy Hamernik, Johny Severtson, Shawn Applen, Justin Eide, Robert Dyrdal Heat 1 – B. Adamson, Slawson, Laufenberg, Thompson, Hamernik, Applen Heat 2 – Severtson, Kosidowski, Krause, Eide, K. Adamson, Dyrdal
A Mini Mods
Feature – Jake Timm, Charlie McNally, Don Werner, Mac Alberts, Nia Gardner, Mike Stevens, Alex Williamson, Jerome Kellner, Brandon Reutzel, Sydney Alberts, Gary Kellner
B Mini Mods
Feature – Dylan Buckland, Mathew Schliesman, Nicholas Wagner, Tanner Brown, Rachel LaDuke, Matthew LaDuke, Anna Schliesman
600 Mini Mods
Feature – Jeff Matejka, Charlie McNally, Don Werner, Dave Fruechte, Brett LaDuke
Saturday, February 22, 2025
2024 Awards Banquet
