FOSS, EARNEY, KANZ, HANSON, & MATEJKA STAMP OUT FEATURE WINS AT MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY 2011 SEASON OPENER!

April 29, 2011

By Tracy Hager
FOUNTAIN CITY, WI (April 29, 2011) – Welcome to 2011 at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY! A car count of 94 graced the pits for the season opener as the 2010 Track Champions hit the track to carry the colors for the National Anthem.

Heat race action appeared to be the season-ending features as the close races and competition was fabulous. Richard Weir and Donny Ganz won the two WISSOTA Street Stock heat races. Shaun Walski, Troy Langowski, and Jimmy Broszeit topped the three USRA B-Mod heats. Tommy Richards, Jason Forehand, and Lucas Plank socked it to them in the WISSOTA Super Stock heat races while Ben Mattick, Keith Foss, and Hank Rollinger Jr. started their seasons off with heat wins in the USRA Modified division.

HANSON REBOUNDS FROM HEAT FAILURE TO GRAB STREET-STOCK FEATURE!

Shaun Mann led the 15-car field in the Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stock main, but it took three attempts to get it right. Mann again shot out front as Richard Weir and Ryan Henderson stayed close on his tail. Mike Knudtson and Donny Ganz bobbled through a rut in turn four which sent Ganz from fourth to about eighth in no time. Henderson sniffed out second and finally took the spot from Weir as the top three pulled away, but it was short lived as caution three waved over the field. With only three laps down, Mann sat atop the field over Weir and Henderson. Danny Hanson quietly moved through the field in those few three laps to settle into fourth ahead of Fred Prudoehl. Henderson showed Mann some muscle but was not able to take over the lead. Hanson crept into third while Danny Richards followed into fourth spot. With nine laps down, Hanson made the move under Mann for the lead, but Mann did not give in as he maintained his momentum and stayed within a car length of Hanson. Henderson held a solo third place while Ganz and Richards ran side by side for fourth place. Hanson eventually gained steam to pull away for the win. Mann started off his season with a solid second place finish followed by Henderson, Richards, and Ganz.

KANZ COLLECTS B-MOD FEATURE WIN!

The EngineStore.com USRA B-Mod feature was chaotic to say the least. Erik Kanz started from the pole in the 15-lap feature. Kanz showed strength in each of the restarts but never really got a chance to shine. Eight cautions and 30 minutes later, Kanz hit victory lane followed by Troy Langowski, Ben Anderson, Jimmy Broszeit, and Brian Mahlstedt.

EARNEY EARNS SUPER-STOCK FEATURE WIN!

Dennis Earney hit the ground running in the Winona Auto Sales WISSOTA Super Stock feature with Michael Hofer showing his strength outside of row one. Kelly Anderson, Ben Hillman, and Lucas Plank raced three wide for third place early on, but Hillman was able to make the move under the two to take over third. Earney continued his lead over Hofer and Plank as Hillman and Tommy Richards chased for fourth place. Just as the top five began to pull away, a caution slowed the field with four laps down. Earney assumed his spot out front as Plank took second from Hofer. Hillman and Jason Forehand began a surge into third and fourth spots ahead of Hofer when another caution flew. Earney and Plank remained in competition up front; Plank gained some ground, then slipped back, but continued to show he would be a 2011 top contender. Hofer then dropped off the pace forcing another caution. As the cars reset, Earney found himself in contention with Hillman after Plank slipped a bit high which allowed Hillman the opportunity for second. Earney went on to take the first feature of the season. Hillman finished a stout second followed by Forehand, Plank, and Richards.

FOSS WINS A-MOD FEATURE WITH LAST TURN PASS!

The River City Manufacturing USRA Modified feature action took three attempts to get it right. Bob Timm and Josh Mattick set the pace followed by Andy Bohnstengel and Luke Schott. But as the drivers gained momentum and with only two laps down, Lance Hofer found himself spun just past the flagstand facing the grandstands. In a chain reaction, Hofer was pounded hard by Jay Ihrke and a multitude of other cars were snared into the web of metal. Approximately eight cars were involved, some fatally ending their night. After a lengthy clean up, Schott took the lead from Timm as Ben Mattick battled in third place. Josh Mattick, Keith Foss, and Ryan York raced in spots four through five as Ben Mattick shot high to take the lead from Schott. Schott held his ground but by lap 12, Mattick took the lead while Schott remained a threat. Caution four and five came together for a self spin by rookie Jake Timm. Ben Mattick took the point over Schott, Bob Timm, Josh Mattick, and Ihrke. Timm and Schott both bobbled heavy through a turn four rut but recovered without incident. Foss gained considerable momentum as he shot into a fight for third with Schott. Foss then focused on Ben Mattick and Bob Timm for the lead. Foss nipped Mattick in the last turn for the win. Timm, Schott, and Josh Angst rounded out the top five.

MATEJKA WINS 600-MOD FEATURE!

Don Werner took the early lead in the Oakridge Fabrication 600 Mini Mods. Jeff Matejka and Joe Provinzino jumped into side by side competition for second place, but it was Matejka to take the spot. Matejka began his rundown of Werner's lead. Once Matejka got the lead, he never looked back. Provinzino made a valiant effort but had to settle for runner up. Werner, Charlie McNally, and Bruce Schmitt completed the top five.

New things happening at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY this season include a new Junior Fan Club as well as construction to start soon on the 16x40 corporate VIP Suite. Many specials are on the books including the IRA 410 Sprints, Cornbelt Clash Late Models, and the WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series. For more information on kids' club, schedule, and to keep up with news, stay tuned right here, to www.mississippithunder.com.

APRIL 29TH - SEASON OPENER - RESULTS

River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds

Feature - Keith Foss, Ben Mattick, Bob Timm, Luke Schott, Josh Angst, Josh Mattick, Hank Rollinger Jr., John Doelle, Shane Wehrs, Andy Bohnstengel, Bryan Hessler, Ryan York, Leroy Scharkey, Jake Timm, Thomas Brink, Kurt Krauskopf, Randy Jonsgaard, Lance Hofer, Jay Ihrke, Bob Fort, Phil Wernert, Ron Konkel, Jeremy Jonsgaard, Shaun Wehlage, Bill Clemens
Heat 1 - B. Mattick, York, Angst, J. Mattick, Wehrs, Scharkey, Wehlage, Clemens, Hessler
Heat 2 - Foss, Schott, Bohnstengel, Brink, Wernert, Fort, Krauskopf, J. Jonsgaard
Heat 3 - Rollinger, B. Timm, Hofer, J. Timm, Doelle, Konkel, Ihrke, R. Jonsgaard

Winona Auto Sales WISSOTA Super Stocks

Feature - Dennis Earney, Ben Hillman, Jason Forehand, Lucas Plank, Tommy Richards, Bob Fort, Bart Steffen, Darrel Hazelton, Brad Banitt, Kelly Anderson, John Quilling, Kevin Hager, Gary Wiersgalla, Jeff Brauer, Rick Lisowski, Jon Duffy, Jay Oricchio, Michael Hofer, Josh Rodewald, Ryan Siegle
Heat 1 - Richards, Anderson, Hofer, Fort, Siegle, Wiersgalla, Rodewald
Heat 2 - Forehand, Steffen, Brauer, Quilling, Hazelton, Lisowski, Hager
Heat 3 - Plank, Hillman, Earney, Banitt, Oricchio, Duffy

The Engine Store.com USRA B Mods

Feature - Erik Kanz, Troy Langowski, Ben Anderson, Jimmy Broszeit, Brian Mahlstedt, Nick Frion, Brandon Hare, Greg Mattick, Scott Demmer, Aaron Haggerty, Brandon Reutzel, Jacob Bleess, Alex Williamson, Matt Appel, Tyler Creeley, Troy Hovey, Chad Kosidowski, Shaun Walski, Patrick McCarthy, Andrew Kelly, Taylor Knutson, Parker Hale, Josh Roney
Heat 1 - Walski, Hare, Hovey, Hale, Mahlstedt, Kosidowski, Demmer, Appel
Heat 2 - Langowski, Kanz, Reutzel, Frion, Williamson, McCarthy, Knutson, Roney
Heat 3 - Broszeit, Anderson, Creeley, Mattick, Haggerty, Bleess, Kelly

Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks

Feature - Danny Hanson, Shaun Mann, Ryan Henderson, Danny Richards, Donny Ganz, Fred Prudoehl, Richard Weir, Tyler Wahlstrom, Matt Wolfe, Lee Hager, Mike Knudtson, Jesse Lutz, Lonnie Klonecki, Jane Keating, Nick Schwebach
Heat 1 - Weir, Prudoehl, Mann, Henderson, Hager, Klonecki, Keating, Wahlstrom
Heat 2 - Ganz, Knudtson, Schwebach, Wolfe, Lutz, Richards, Hanson

Oak Ridge Fabrication 600 Mods

Feature - Jeff Matejka, Joe Provinzino, Don Werner, Charlie McNally, Bruce Schmitt, Joe Jasnoch, Bill Bauers, Greg Wohletz, Curtis Luhmann, Nicholas Wagner, Rick Ziebell
Heat 1 - Provinzino, Bauers, Werner, Matejka, Ziebell, Wagner
Heat 2 - McNally, Schmitt, Wohletz, Luhmann, Jasnoch