2024 Awards Banquet
By Tracy Hager FOUNTAIN CITY (September 4) –
No one knew quite what to expect with the 30-lap features ahead with a mandatory 10-minute pit stop at 15 laps. Jared Boumeester made his trek from Waseca, Minnesota worthwhile in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds while Troy Langowski sailed into the lead in the WISSOTA Super Stock feature late to make the win his. Dan Bork won in the WISSOTA Street Stock division, and Josh Angst proved to be the man to beat in the USRA Modifieds.
Winona Auto Sales, The Jail House Saloon, The EngineStore.com, and River City Manufacturing & Machining stepped up to offer an increased payout for the first annual Pit Stop Challenge. Prize giveaways, bikes, and more were offered during the night for the last race before the season-ending Mississippi Thunder Speedway Fall Festival October 9-10. Last week’s WISSOTA Modified first-time feature winner Chris Gilbertson was crowned the Winona Radio Driver of the Week ahead of the night’s events.
Dalton Yohnk pulled the pole for segment one of the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature with Erik Kanz firmly planted outside pole. A great start ended quickly when Jared Happel spun out of turn one and that collected multiple cars. A complete restart ensued with four-wide racing through turn two, and Yohnk pulled into the lead. Kanz worked low on Yohnk and finally took the lead when caution two waved. Yohnk headed the field, and Jared Boumeester moved in behind in second. Kanz fought off Eric Herbison for third place as Kyle Jumbeck tried to work the cushion into sixth place behind Ben Anderson. Yohnk continued the lead as Boumeester became a force to reckon with. Jumbeck shot right between Herbison and Kanz for fourth place as Boumeester and Kanz raced side by side for second place. A spin in turn two pulled another caution as Kanz limped his car to the infield with front right suspension issues. Yohnk again led the pack followed by Boumeester, but Jumbeck shot into ! second fast. As Yohnk held the reigns in first followed by Jumbeck, Boumeester, Herbison, and Anderson, a three-wide battle for sixth followed them. Yohnk began to get pressured from Jumbeck as the 15-lap mark approached. Yohnk, Jumbeck, Boumeester, Anderson, and Shaun Walski topped the field at the half-way mark. Yohnk was then granted, by way of leading, to roll a dice to determine the invert for segment two. Four was rolled, and that gave Anderson the pole on the restart with Boumeester outside. The second row consisted of Jumbeck and Yohnk. Boumeester shot to the lead over Anderson as the race went back to green. Yohnk moved low under Anderson for second place, but Anderson rallied back. Boumeester began to pull away which left Anderson in second. Jumbeck and Yohnk raced side by side for third as Boumeester moved out to a considerable lead over the pack and into lap traffic. Anderson also distanced himself from the pack in second place. With six laps to go, ! a caution reset the field. Boumeester was followed by Yohnk, Anderson , Walski, and Happel. Walski shoveled in some extra coal as he moved from fifth to second, but Anderson took second back from Walski. Boumeester proved to be too much to handle for the pack as he headed for his first victory lane shot at MTS. Anderson finished up with a great second place run followed by Walski, Yohnk, and Happel.
It was an action-filled two segments for the WISSOTA Street Stock feature. Danny Hanson and Dan Bork set the pace, but it was four-wide racing out of turn four to complete the first lap. Danny Richards moved into third fast ahead of Dan Holland and Cory Hanson. Scott Olson lost the grip on his car as he came out of turn four and cut down in front of Kevin Hager sending them both into a spin at the end of the front stretch. Olson went to the tail of the field on the restart as the others lined back up with Bork, Danny Hanson, Richards, Holland, and Cory Hanson in the top five. A tight restart set up as Bork and Danny Hanson dragged down the back stretch for the lead. Richards, Cory Hanson, and Holland followed while Hager shot to the inside of Ryan Goergen to race side by side for sixth place. Danny Hanson grabbed the lead from Bork, and Richards then sniffed out second place right behind Bork. Danny Hanson continued to lead as the 15-lap mark approached. Three-wide ! racing down the front stretch in the final lap of segment one ended when a caution flew as Darryl Foegen was spun. Holland was charge for the spin and would start at the tail for segment two. Danny Hanson was then the man to roll the dice for the invert. Three was the number which gave Bork the pole and Richards outside pole. Row two consisted of Danny Hanson and Cory Hanson. Foegen, Donny Ganz, and Hager followed. Ten minutes of topping off with fuel, tire changes, and driver interviews followed, and then segment two began. Bork, Danny Hanson, Richards, and Cory Hanson roared down the straight as Hager slipped to the inside of Foegen and Ganz. Ganz continued to run the high line and took over fourth place from Cory Hanson. Cory Hanson regained fourth place from Ganz, but Hager then zipped into the spot. Ganz again gained some momentum and shot to fourth in that high line as Cory Hanson and Hager fought for fifth place. With nine laps to go, Bork and Danny Hanson! raced side by side hard for the lead. Hager shot under Ganz back int o fourth place while Bork regained the lead from Danny Hanson. Richards appeared to wait it out in third place as Hager tailed him. Cory Hanson and Ganz raced side by side for fifth place when a caution with five laps to go realigned the field. Bork led Danny Hanson and Richards as Hager had to contend with the surge from Chuck Nerland for fourth place. Danny Hanson ran the low groove down the back stretch, Bork led in the high groove. As Bork set up entrance to turn three, contact between Bork and Hanson sent Bork spinning to the infield. Hanson was charged for the caution and went to the back of the pack for the few remaining laps of the feature dashing his hopes for the big win. Bork went on to win his first of the season followed by Richards, Hager, Nerland, and Cory Hanson.
WISSOTA Super Stock feature action began with a complete restart when Lance Leu spun in turn one and collected Shawn Huse, Keith Foss, Phil Kendrick, and Greg Mattick. Tim Williamson and Bob Fort set up for the complete restart on the front line followed by Rod Dregney and Steve Speltz. Fort drove high into the lead, but Williamson darted right back. Dregney then chose to shoot under Williamson and Fort for the lead and left Fort and Speltz to race each other for third place. Gary Wiersgalla, Huse, Troy Langowski, and Kevin Hager followed the lead pack in spots five through eight. Dregney sustained the lead just ahead of Speltz as Williamson managed to hold Fort at bay. Wiersgalla and Langowski raced lap after lap side by side for fifth place when Fort tagged Williamson in turn three to pull a second caution. Dregney led the field on the restart as the laps wound down in segment one. Dregney, Speltz, Williamson, Wiersgalla, and Langowski topped the field for segment ! one. Dregney rolled a four for the invert which sent Wiersgalla to the point and Williamson outside pole. Williamson assumed the lead, but Dregney popped up outside of him to challenge for the lead. Michael Hofer gained speed as the race resumed and barreled into sixth place behind Huse and Fort. Williamson held his ground out front with constant threats from Dregney. With about eight laps to go, Williamson and Dregney got together low in turn one but both were able to keep going. Wiersgalla capitalized on the situation to take the lead over Hofer, Langowski, Williamson, and Dregney. Hager and Fort raced hard for sixth place when Hofer jumped up to make a serious threat to Wiersgalla’s lead. Williamson’s car then pushed hard in turn two which offered Dregney and Hager the opportunity to jump into fourth and fifth place behind Wiersgalla, Hofer, and Langowski. Langowski made the move of the race when he flew high around Wiersgalla and Hofer in turn four with three l! aps to go. That move stuck and Langowski took the win followed by Hof er who just nipped Wiersgalla at the line for second place. Dregney finished fourth and Hager rounded out the top five.
Jay Ihrke pulled the number one starting spot in the USRA Modified 30-lapper. Josh Angst started outside pole followed by Andy Bohnstengel and Hank Rollinger, Jr. Angst and Ihrke ran side by side for the lead to end lap one. Bohnstengel, Rollinger, and Adam Stockhausen fell in behind the leaders as Bob Timm sliced between Rollinger and Stockhausen into fourth place. Lance Hofer was on the move as he dove into fifth place within three laps. Angst and Ihkre pulled away from the field as Bohnstengel and Timm set up their own fight for third. Angst finally took the point over Ihrke as they all fell into line. Angst led at the half-way mark of the caution-free segment followed by Ihrke, Hofer, Bohnstengel, and Stockhausen. Angst rolled a one, so no invert was done for segment two. The 10-minute pit stop began as cars were worked on, adjusted, and fueled up. This intermission proved to be a great opportunity for a snack for USRA Modified driver Paul Hamernik when a crew ! member provided a hot dog to him while the rest of the crew fueled the car up. Segment two shaped up as the track began to take on rubber which provided a much desired change to the surface for some. Angst led Ihrke, but Hofer moved smoothly into second ahead of Ihrke while Josh Mattick found his way up to fourth place. As the final laps closed in, Angst reeled himself into the finish line for the big win. Hofer finished a fantastic second followed by Ihrke, Mattick, and Bohnstengel.
Brett LaDuke shot to the lead ahead of Don Werner in the 600 Mini Mod 24-lap feature. Jeff Matejka quickly moved in behind LaDuke as Bob Timm followed into third place. Timm found his groove and stole the lead from LaDuke early on. Joe Jasnoch gained speed and trailed Werner in fourth. Matejka slowed as the half-way notch of the race approached. Timm led LaDuke, Jasnoch, Werner, and Bruce Schmitt after 12 laps to pull into the mandatory 10-minute pit stop. In the second half, Jasnoch quickly looked under Schmitt and into the lead as LaDuke worked over Schmitt as well for second. Jasnoch was able to pull away from the pack once he got out front and never second-guessed a thing. Jasnoch grabbed the win followed by LaDuke, Timm, Werner, and Schmitt.
Jake Timm pulled to the early lead in the A Midwest Mini Mod feature and led nearly the whole race. But a spin in turn four dashed his hopes of a win as Alex Williamson benefitted from the spin. Williamson ended up a happy young man in victory lane. Mike Stevens, Jerome Kellner, Brandon Reutzel, and Timm rounded out the top five.
B Midwest Mini Mod feature racing was led flag to flag by track champion Mathew Schliesman. Alex Stevens and Dylan Buckland finished where they started; second and third respectively. Nicholas Wagner and Matt Stevens rounded out the top five.
The season finale is just a month away. Join us for great racing October 9-10 at Mississippi Thunder for the first annual Fall Festival for two complete shows. Watch the website for details as the event approaches at www.mississippithunder.com.
WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature Segment Two
– Jared Boumeester, Ben Anderson, Shaun Walski, Dalton Yohnk, Jared Happel, Chris Gilbertson, Pete Bushman, Chris Creeley, Barry Johnson, Tyron Friese, Curt Luhmann, Tyler Creeley, Don Schaefer, Josh Appel, Kyle Jumbeck, Eric Herbinson Feature Segment One – Yohnk, Boumeester, Anderson, Walski, Happel, Gilbertson, Bushman, Schaefer, C. Creeley, Herbison, T. Creeley, B. Johnson, Luhmann, Friese, Appel, Erik Kanz, Kyle Johnson, Jake Frion Heat 1 – Boumeester, Walski, Bushman, K. Johnson, T. Creeley, Friese, B. Johnson Heat 2 – Yohnk, C. Creeley, Kanz, Luhmann, Frion, Appel Heat 3 – Anderson, Jumbeck, Herbison, Happel, Gilbertson, Schaefer
WISSOTA Street Stock Feature Segment Two –
Dan Bork, Danny Richards, Kevin Hager, Chuck Nerland, Cory Hanson, Quinn Arnoldy, Scott Olson, Tyler Peterson, Darryl Foegen, Danny Hanson, Donny Ganz, Ryan Goergen, Kyle King, Jon Duffy, Dave Smith, Brent Holland, Rich Theisen, Jane Keating, Lee Hager, Dan Holland, Shaun Mann, Josh Flury, Fred Prudoehl, Lee Jonsgaard Feature Segement One – D. Hanson, Richards, Bork, C. Hanson, Foegen, Ganz, K. Hager, Nerland, Arnoldy, Olson, L. Hager, King, Duffy, Peterson, Smith, Goergen, B. Holland, Keating, Theisen, D. Holland, Flury, Prudoehl, Jonsgaard, Mann Heat 1 – D. Holland, Goergen, C. Hanson, Arnoldy, Prudoehl, Flury, Theisen, L. Hager Heat 2 – Richards, Bork, Olson, Peterson, Keating, B. Holland, Jonsgaard, Mann Heat 3 – D. Hanson, K. Hager, Ganz, Foegen, Duffy, King, Smith, Nerland
WISSOTA Super Stock Feature Segment Two –
Troy Langowski, Michael Hofer, Gary Wiersgalla, Rod Dregney, Kevin Hager, Tim Williamson, Bob Fort, Lance Leu, Keith Foss, Greg Mattick, Jon Duffy, Bruce Lutz, Phil Kendrick, Steve Speltz, Shawn Huse Feature Segment One – Dregney, Speltz, Williamson, Wiersgalla, Langowski, Huse, Hager, Hofer, Leu, Fort, Duffy, Foss, Mattick, Kendrick, Lutz, Scott Rollinger Heat 1 – Speltz, Wiersgalla, Williamson, Leu, Duffy, Foss, Kendrick, Mattick Heat 2 – Huse, Fort, Dregney, Langowski, Hager, Hofer, Rollinger, Lutz
USRA Modifieds Feature Segment Two –
Josh Angst, Lance Hofer, Jay Ihrke, Josh Mattick, Andy Bohnstengel, Les Duellman, Leroy Scharkey, Adam Stockhausen, Hank Rollinger Jr., Kerry Ledebuhr, John Doelle, Phil Wernert, Paul Hamernik, Les Jonsgaard, Gary Doelle, Kevin Viebrock Feature Segment One – Angst, Ihrke, Hofer, Bohnstengel, Stockhausen, Mattick, Rollinger, Viebrock, J. Doelle, Duellman, Hamernik, Scharkey, Ledebuhr, Wernert, G. Doelle, L. Jonsgaard, Bob Timm, J. Jonsgaard Heat 1 – J. Doelle, Stockhausen, Angst, Hofer, Bohnstengel, Scharkey, Ledebuhr, Wernert, J. Jonsgaard Heat 2 – Timm, Ihrke, Viebrock, Mattick, Rollinger, Hamernik, G. Doelle, L. Jonsgaard, Duellman
A Mini Mods Feature –
Alex Williamson, Mike Stevens, Jerome Kellner, Brandon Reutzel, Jake Timm, Robert Dyrdal, Rachel LaDuke Heat – Timm, Williamson, Stevens, Kellner, Reutzel, LaDuke, Dyrdal
B Mini Mods Feature –
Mathew Schliesman, Alex Stevens, Dylan Buckland, Nicholas Wagner, Matt Stevens, Matthew LaDuke Heat – Schliesman, A. Stevens, Buckland, M. Stevens, LaDuke, Wagner
600 Mini Mods Feature Segment Two –
Joe Jasnoch, Brett LaDuke, Bob Timm, Don Werner, Bruce Schmitt Feature Segment One – Timm, LaDuke, Jasnoch, Werner, Schmitt, Jeff Matejka, Wolfe Heat – Matejka, Timm, Jasnoch, LaDuke, Werner, Wolfe, Schmitt
Saturday, February 22, 2025
2024 Awards Banquet
