2024 Awards Banquet
By Tracy Hager
FOUNTAIN CITY, WI (July 01, 2011) – The Dart Challenge Series for WISSOTA Late Models event arrived at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, and in more ways than one, Jake Redetzke proved that lightning does strike twice in the same place. Redetzke not only sailed to the big win ahead of 28 other competitors, he back-to-backed the win from Thursday night and also from last year as he was the reigning champion of the event.
Jay Kesan almost made it back-to-back wins with his WISSOTA Street Stock, but Danny Hanson squashed that goal and sealed the win.
Cory Hanson and Lee Hager found themselves ahead of 13 other hungry drivers in the Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stock main event. Hanson was quick to the lead, but Hager ran a strong second. Danny Richards shot low under Hager, but Hager held his ground in second on the high line. Danny Hanson moved into three-wide competition with Richards and Hager then for second. Jay Kesan galloped from the last invert spot into fifth as Cory Hanson and Danny Hanson raced side by side for the lead. Danny Hanson soon put Cory Hanson behind him as he took off in first place. Kesan moved to the outside and smoothly took second place from Cory Hanson. Richards ran in fourth place behind Cory Hanson, and Hager continued his strong run in fifth as he held off Fred Prudoehl and Shaun Mann. Kesan made some big gains on Danny Hanson for the lead as the two touched lightly in turn four. Hanson kept low as the two put some distance on the field. At lap nine, Kesan raced to the outside of Hanson for the lead. The following lap, the two more than touched in turn four, and Hanson came out in front. Kesan dug in for second place as Cory Hanson and Richards followed some distance back in third and fourth places. Hager and Mann raced side by side for fifth as Ryan Henderson filtered his way through the pack to seventh. Hanson set himself apart from Kesan eventually to solidify his lead. Hager drifted back as Richards moved to third followed by Cory Hanson and Mann. Mann drummed up a challenge for fourth with Cory Hanson but could not make the pass. Danny Hanson grabbed the checkers ahead of Kesan. Richards, Cory Hanson, and Mann capped the top five.
With impending severe weather just across the river in Minnesota, the order of events was altered to have the WISSOTA Late Models run their big main event next. The top six finishers from the B-Main transferred to the main event, and Chad Becker chose to use his provisional and fell to the tail of the field which made it a 25-car starting grid.
The lightning in the distance provided a perfect backdrop for the WISSOTA Late Models at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in their main event. In the frisbee redraw for position, Jake Redetzke's luck continued as he pulled number 1 for the 40-lap race. Jordan Yaggy pulled outside pole followed by Cory Mahder and Joel Cryderman.
At the drop of the green, the dust flew, and Redetzke did too into the lead. Yaggy, Lance Matthees, and Mahder followed like they were trying to outrun the storm on its way. Redetzke took a commanding lead as Matthees tore under Yaggy for second place. Mahder, Cryderman, and Justin Fegers set up shop in the top five. By lap nine, Redetzke was already looking at the taillights of the back of the field. Redetzke, Matthees, and Yaggy spread out and were a distance in front of the rest. Mahder led the next pack in fourth and was soon challenged by Jimmy Mars as the two raced side by side at lap 12. Mars came out on top and made a considerable gain on Yaggy. A caution at lap 19 made Redetzke and Matthees rejoin the field out front. When the race went back to green, Redetzke was like a rocket determined to set himself apart from the field once again. Mars overtook Matthees for second while Yaggy and Mahder raced side by side for fourth. Brady Smith moved into top five contention after starting 14th on the grid as caution two arrived when Brad Waits was tagged and ended up in the front stretch wall. With 23 laps down, a marathon to the finish was in store. Redetzke again moved to the solo lead but with not as much of a gap this time. As the laps wound down, the wind whipped up. Redetzke chalked up another win and repeated as the DART WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series winner at the speedway. Mars, Smith, Matthees, and Fegers rounded out the top five.
Many contingency awards were handed out to the WISSOTA Late Model competitors. A huge thank you goes out to all sponsors for making this event and series successful.
Heat 1 Winner - Allstar Performance $100 Certificate - Brent Larson
Heat 2 Winner - Performance Auto $100 Certificate - Joel Cryderman
Heat 3 Winner - Wehrs Machine & Racing Products $100 Certificate - Eric Breeschoten
Heat 4 Winner- Howards Cams Racing Components $100 Certificate - John Kaanta
Hard Charger - $100 product certificate to Lou Fegers Racing Equipment - Brady Smith
$50 cash award to the highest passing points driver courtesy of Brown Engineering - Brent Larson
Keizer Aluminum Wheels product -Mike Stadel
Joe Provo Racewear Pole Award $50 product certificate - Jake Redetzke
Joe Provo Racewear $50 product certificate - Jimmy Mars
Provinzino Race Cars $50 product certificate to winner of B feature - Chris Oertel
Champ Pans $50 product certificate - Doug Herrick
Dirt Track Supply $25 product certificates - Mike Stadel and Justin Sass
Chubeck Racing Products $75 product certificate to Hard Luck driver - Marshall Fegers
Shocks by Hammer $50 product certificate - Lance Matthees
The Oakridge Fabrication 600 Mini Mods then were called to the track as the winds died down. However, after seven laps, the hard rains came and the race was called. They will complete their feature next week. The EngineStore.com USRA B-Mods and the River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds will run double features next week.
So, if you want to get more racing for your dollars, next up on July 8th is a regular night of racing including WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Super Stocks, USRA B-Mods, and USRA Modifieds as well as the 600 Mini Mods, Senior Mini Mods, and Junior Mini Mods including the double features. July 15th will showcase the USMTS Modifieds for a $2,000-to-win event. A regular night of racing will occur July 22nd, and take special note that there will be no racing at MTS on Friday, July 29th due to the World Modified Dirt Track Championship races at Deer Creek Speedway. Visit www.mississippithunder.com for more details.
JULY 1st - RESULTS
Dart Challenge Series for WISSOTA Late Models
Feature - Jake Redetzke, Jimmy Mars, Brady Smith, Lance Matthees, Justin Fegers, John Kaanta, Cory Mahder, Jordan Yaggy, Joel Cryderman, Nick Herrick, Adam Hensel, Brent Larson, Steve Isenberg, Chad Mahder, Eric Breeschoten, Kyle Jumbeck, Zach Johnson, Doug Herrick, Chris Oertel, Chad Becker, Kyle Gavel, Brad Waits, Marshall Fegers, Kelly Anderson, Seth Brede
B-Main (Top 6 Transfer to A-Main) - Oertel, D. Herrick, Brede, Jumbeck, Gavel, Isenberg, Mike Stadel, Justin Sass, Shawn Kirwin, Travis Budisalovich, Becker, Joe Ludemann
Heat 1 - Larson, Redetzke, Kaanta, Mars, Johnson, Smith, Hensel, D. Herrick, Stadel, Ludemann
Heat 2 - Cryderman, Yaggy, Cory Mahder, Matthees, Chad Mahder, Brede, Jumbeck, Gavel, Budisalovich, Becker
Heat 3 - Breeschoten, J. Fegers, M. Fegers, Waits, N. Herrick, Anderson, Oertel, Isenberg, Kirwin, Sass
The Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks
Feature - Danny Hanson, Jay Kesan, Danny Richards, Cory Hanson, Shaun Mann, Ryan Henderson, Fred Prudoehl, Lee Hager, Kyle Howland, Kris Peterson, David Shoe, Jesse Lutz, Lonnie Klonecki, Bill Engler, Jane Keating
Heat 1 - Jay Kesan, Cory Hanson, Danny Richards, Shaun Mann, Ryan Henderson, Kris Peterson, Jesse Lutz, Jane Keating
Heat 2 - Danny Hanson, Fred Prudoehl, Kyle Howland, Lee Hager, David Shoe, Lonnie Klonecki, Bill Engler
River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds
Rained Out - double features to be run next week
TheEngineStore.com USRA B-Mods
Rained Out - double features to be run next week
The Redbox+ 600 Mods
Rained Out - double features to be run next week
Sunshine Sanitation "A" Mini Mods
Results not available at press time
Sunshine Sanitation "B" Mini Mods
Results not available at press time
Saturday, February 22, 2025
2024 Awards Banquet
