Mississippi Thunder Speedway - AN EVENING OF FIRSTS - SIX DIFFERENT DRIVERS GRAB FIRST FEATURE WINS OF 2012 AT MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY

AN EVENING OF FIRSTS - SIX DIFFERENT DRIVERS GRAB FIRST FEATURE WINS OF 2012 AT MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY

June 8, 2012

By Dan Bailey
FOUNTAIN CITY, WI (June 8, 2012) – A win is a win; that saying is true enough. In our sport the main goal is, of course, beating the competition to the checkered flag. A heat race win can feel like a cool glass of water on a blistering summer day . . . but it's the main event that can really quench a driver's thirst for victory.
Once a racer gets that first feature win of the season on the books, things change just a little. The racer can walk a little taller. The rest of the team - pit crew, family members, friends, etc. - have a new story to spread around. That first feature win can literally produce an increase in self-confidence; a little boost of mental reassurance can in many cases help the driver get started on the road to several additional successes.
Yes, racing at the local level is centered on fun and enjoyment at the track; but a feature victory is the icing on the cake that makes the fun so much sweeter!
Friday June 8th saw six (SIX!) first time feature winners for the 2012 season at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY!
DAN BOHR WINS USRA MODIFIED FEATURE
Dan Bohr has been bringing his #66 Dan's Standard USRA Modified up into South Eastern Minnesota and West Central Wisconsin for a while. And he's enjoyed success and feature wins in seasons past. But for 2012, he was still looking for that first visit to MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY's Victory Lane. That search ended Friday night as Bohr led the 18 car field across the finish line after 25 laps to pick up feature win number one for the 2012 season!
From the outside of the front row, Bohr fended off early race challenges from pole sitter Kyle Jumbeck (who was filling in behind the wheel of defending track champion Bob Timm's #49) and 2010 track champion Josh Angst before opening up a commanding lead on the rest of the field.
"The car handled perfectly," explained Bohr after celebrating the feature win in Victory Lane, "The track was good and I was running it about as high as I could in the turns!" The lead was indeed large, but another driver was slowly closing in on Bohr with hopes of challenging for the win; first heat-race winner Lucas Schott was gaining on Bohr over the closing laps, but simply ran out of time. Over the final five laps "Cool Hand Luke" closed the gap separating his Schott Hardwood Floors #69 from the leader to just one second, and was still gaining when the checkered flag finally flew.
Angst was able to keep a heavy three-car battle behind his #99 to finish third, with last week's feature winner Brad Waits fourth and Nate Wasmund rounding out the top 5.
RICHARDS FIRST FEATURE ENSURES WISSOTA ROC START
To continue the first feature win theme, Mondovi, WI's Tommy Richards made his first trip to Victory Lane this season on the perfect evening. Not only was he celebrating his first feature win of the year, not only did he claim the weekly $200 Coordinated Business Systems / Kyocera / J-Mev Motorsports feature winner bonus, but he did all of this during the WISSOTA ROC Qualifier night - meaning that he is also guaranteed a starting spot in the WISSOTA Super Stock Race Of Champions later this season during the WISSOTA 100 weekend!
"A long list of thank you's," said Richards with a smile after climbing from his car in Victory Lane, "My girlfriend, my Dad, my entire family, everyone who helps every week . . . Thank you! This win is for all of them!"
Richards worked the low line lap after lap and opened up a solid lead early. Hager City, WI's Kelly Anderson appeared to be closing in on Richards over that last few laps but had to settle for second. After clearing the previous week's feature winner - and defending track champion - Jeff Brauer, Anderson set his sights on the leader but was unable to reel in Richards' #7r.
Brauer, meanwhile, had his hands full in a close battle with Troy Langowski and current point leader Shane Kisling. "Everyone in the Super Stock division has really stepped up their games this season," commented Brauer during the Live Trackside radio program, earlier in the evening, "It seems like there are more and more drivers who are stronger this year." Brauer held on for third with Langowski fourth and second heat-race winner Kisling holding on to the points lead over Richards and Anderson with his fifth place finish.
WILLIAMSON WINS VERY FIRST B-MOD FEATURE
In recent weeks a lot has been said about the "Youth Brigade" competing week in and week out at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY; 15 year olds Lucas Schott and Jacob Bleess picked up USRA Modified and USRA B-Mod feature wins on May 18th. This Friday it was another young gun grabbing a win as 14 year old Alex Williamson took his Williamson Sugarloaf Amusements #15W to the front of the TheEngineStore.com USRA B-Mod feature field and held on for not only his first feature win of 2012, but his first ever USRA B-Mod feature win! And since Williamson won't even be flirting with 15 until his birthday month of August arrives it may very well put him into the books as the youngest ever feature winner at MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY.
Williamson's driving has been smooth, consistent and fast all season long; this Friday was finally his night to prove that he will not be kept out of Victory Lane. Williamson jumped from the pole and immediately began turning in some blistering laps; as a matter of fact, the 14 year olds 17.184 second lap (carrying with it an AVERAGE speed around MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY's banked 1/3 mile oval of 78.561 mph) was the evenings fastest lap from EVERY DIVISION, including the River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds!
"The track was fast and smooth," said Williamson after the win, "The car is fast this year and this win is great!" Williamson was followed across the line by another member of the "Youth Brigade" as young Parker Hale's Jack Links Beef Sticks #28 finished second ahead of first heat-race winner Shaun Walski.
CONRAD ALSO ENJOYS FIRST FEATURE WIN
"The Beast" as Mike Conrad affectionately calls his Velocity Vinyl #M76 may be old, it may be wrinkled - the body does sport its fair share of dents that have accumulated over the years since his father Roger first campaigned the car in 2006 - but none of that matters when you're celebrating a feature win.
"I have been so busy at work and everything else in life," laughed Conrad after picking up his first Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stock feature win of 2012, "Here I am the owner of a vinyl graphics business, and I haven't even lettered my own car!"
Lettering was the least of his worries though, this past Friday, "I just never felt like I was getting everything out of this car," explained Conrad, "we were working on the car and I'd push the accelerator all the way to the floor but the linkage on the carburetor wasn't opening all the way. I literally had to reach down and bend and accelerator pedal up so that I could actually get all of the throttle that was available."
That added throttle powered him to his first feature win Friday over current point leader Cory Hanson, who himself held off a hard charging Doug Wojcik in third. First heat race winner Shaun Mann finished fourth with youngster Ryan Henderson completing the top five.
In addition to the talk about first time feature winners, a lot of the buzz at the speedway was about the return of former WISSOTA National Champion and defending track champion Danny Hanson to the starting grid. Piloting a back-up car of friend and fellow racer Fred Prudoehl, Hanson won the evenings second heat race, but had to settle for a sixth place feature finish.
Similar to Richards' WISSOTA Super Stock feature win, Conrad's WISSOTA Street Stock feature win also qualifies him for a guaranteed starting spot in the WISSOTA Street Stock Race Of Champions later this season during the WISSOTA 100 weekend!
PROVINZINO GRABS FOURTH 600 MOD WIN
Chanhassen, MN's Joe Provinzino added yet another feature win to his growing count for the 2012 season, and continued padding his points lead after an exciting side-by-side battle with Don Werner that lasted almost the entire Redbox+ 600 Mod feature Friday night. "Don's a great racer," offered Provinzino from the MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY Victory Lane after the win, "I don't know if I'm doing everything right or everything wrong, but to win a close one like that is great!"
"Close" is a bit of an understatement, as Provinzino's JoeProvoRaceWear.com #89 and Werner's #99 crossed the Start/Finish line beneath the waving checkered flat separated by just 0.129 seconds - virtually equal to the race fan's eyes. It was the AMB Digital scoring software that proved that Provinzino belonged in Victory Lane!
Greg Wohletz, enjoyed a strong run through the field, after starting sixth, to finish third while second heat-race winner Curt Luhmann held off Brett Laduke to round out the top-five.
ARNOLDY AND WASMUND FIRST TIMERS AS WELL!
Quinn Arnoldy also made his first visit to the MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY Victory Lane after grabbing his first Elmer's Auto Salvage MTS Pure Stock Feature win.
J.T. Wasmond was a first time winner in the early evening's Sunshine Sanitation B Mini Mod feature on the Lightning Speedway while Dylan Buckland collected his second Sunshine Sanitation A Mini Mod feature of the year.
MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY's 2012 regular season action continues next Friday night June 15th with another Exciting Night of Dirt Track Action on the high-banked 1/3-Mile Oval. 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, and Elmer's Auto Salvage M.T.S. Pure Stocks.
Adult General Admission is $12 with Senior Citizen tickets only $10. 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" consists of Two (2) Adult Tickets AND Up To Three (3) Kid's Tickets (17 & Under) is available for only $25 - a $14 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.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
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 8TH - RESULTS

River City Manufacturing USRA Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 66 Dan Bohr - 100.00
2 4 69 Lucas Schott - 95.00
3 3 99 Josh Angst - 91.00
4 7 24 Brad Waits - 87.00
5 5 52W Nate Wasmund - 84.00
6 1 49X Kyle Jumbeck - 81.00
7 6 96 Jay Ihrke - 78.00
8 10 77 Thomas Brink - 76.00
9 11 89 Eric Pember Pittsville , Wi 74.00
10 9 59 Hank Rollinger, Jr. - 72.00
11 8 49JR Jake Timm Winona , Mn 70.00
12 12 11 Lance Hofer - 68.00
13 14 94JR John Doelle - 66.00
14 17 44 Leroy Scharkey - 64.00
15 13 86 Phil Wernert - 62.00
16 15 95 Keith Foss Winona , Mn 60.00
17 16 4X Dan Hesch Acadia , Wi 58.00
18 18 55 Jeff Rollinger Winona , Mn 56.00
Modifieds - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 49JR Jake Timm Winona , Mn 0.00
2 4 52W Nate Wasmund - 0.00
3 3 59 Hank Rollinger, Jr. - 0.00
4 5 99 Josh Angst - 0.00
5 7 96 Jay Ihrke - 0.00
6 6 11 Lance Hofer - 0.00
7 8 94JR John Doelle - 0.00
8 2 4X Dan Hesch Acadia , Wi 0.00
9 9 55 Jeff Rollinger Winona , Mn 0.00
Modifieds - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 69 Lucas Schott - 0.00
2 5 24 Brad Waits - 0.00
3 3 66 Dan Bohr - 0.00
4 7 77 Thomas Brink - 0.00
5 4 49X Kyle Jumbeck - 0.00
6 8 89 Eric Pember Pittsville , Wi 0.00
7 6 86 Phil Wernert - 0.00
8 9 95 Keith Foss Winona , Mn 0.00
9 1 44 Leroy Scharkey - 0.00

Coordinated Business Systems WISSOTA Super Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 7 7R Tommy Richards Mondovi , Wi 35.00
2 6 8 Kelly Anderson Hager City, Wi 33.00
3 5 34 Jeff Brauer Rochester , Mn 32.00
4 4 88 Troy Langowski - 31.00
5 8 6 Shane Kisling Sarona , Wi 30.00
6 3 52 Gary Wiersgalla Fountain City, Wi 29.00
7 13 018 Michael Hofer Cochrane , Wi 28.00
8 2 94 Kevin Hager Kellogg , Mn 27.00
9 1 37 Jay Oricchio Ellsworth , Wi 26.00
10 11 97 Bob Fort Fountain City, Wi 25.00
11 9 67W Matt Wolfe Mondovi , Wi 24.00
12 12 17 Josh Rodewald Lake City, Mn 23.00
13 10 47 Jon Duffy Winona , Mn 22.00
Super Stock - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 6 Shane Kisling Sarona , Wi 10.00
2 2 37 Jay Oricchio Ellsworth , Wi 9.00
3 5 94 Kevin Hager Kellogg , Mn 8.00
4 4 88 Troy Langowski - 7.00
5 1 47 Jon Duffy Winona , Mn 6.00
6 6 17 Josh Rodewald Lake City, Mn 5.00
Super Stock - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 52 Gary Wiersgalla Fountain City, Wi 10.00
2 4 7R Tommy Richards Mondovi , Wi 9.00
3 5 34 Jeff Brauer Rochester , Mn 8.00
4 6 8 Kelly Anderson Hager City, Wi 7.00
5 2 67W Matt Wolfe Mondovi , Wi 6.00
6 1 97 Bob Fort Fountain City, Wi 5.00
7 7 018 Michael Hofer Cochrane , Wi 0.00

TheEngineStore.com USRA B-Mods
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 15W Alex Williamson - 100.00
2 4 28 Parker Hale Grand Meadow, Mn 95.00
3 8 95X Shaun Walski - 91.00
4 7 23K Erik Kanz - 87.00
5 9 RED1 Dan Wheeler Columbia Heights, Mn 84.00
6 3 9 Brady Keefe Stewartville , Mn 81.00
7 5 39 Ben Anderson - 78.00
8 6 90 Tyler Creeley - 76.00
9 2 4G Scott Guthrie Whitehall , Wi 74.00
USRA B-Mods - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 95X Shaun Walski - 0.00
2 5 39 Ben Anderson - 0.00
3 2 28 Parker Hale Grand Meadow, Mn 0.00
4 6 23K Erik Kanz - 0.00
5 8 15W Alex Williamson - 0.00
6 7 RED1 Dan Wheeler Columbia Heights, Mn 0.00
7 9 9 Brady Keefe Stewartville , Mn 0.00
8 1 90 Tyler Creeley - 0.00
9 4 4G Scott Guthrie Whitehall , Wi 0.00

Jailhouse Saloon WISSOTA Street Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 4 M76 Mike Conrad Independence , Wi 35.00
2 8 79 Cory Hanson Black River, Wi 33.00
3 7 3D Doug Wojcik Ladysmith , Wi 32.00
4 6 01 Shaun Mann Buffalo City, Wi 31.00
5 3 80 Ryan Henderson Holmen , Wi 30.00
6 5 5 Danny Hanson Alma , Wi 29.00
7 1 38S Nick Schwebach Caledonia , Mn 28.00
8 2 2 Fred Prudoehl Winona , Mn 27.00
9 10 95 Lonnie Klonecki Arcadia , Wi 26.00
10 9 06 Jesse Lutz Winona , Mn 25.00
11 11 99 Bill Engler Hixton , Wi 24.00
12 12 6 Andrew Ausman Pepin , Wi 23.00
13 13 86 Jane Keating Shell Rock, Ia 22.00
14 14 7 Rich Theisen Independence , Wi 21.00
15 15 3R Danny Richards Mondovi , Wi 20.00
Street Stock - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 5 Danny Hanson Alma , Wi 10.00
2 6 79 Cory Hanson Black River, Wi 9.00
3 5 80 Ryan Henderson Holmen , Wi 8.00
4 3 38S Nick Schwebach Caledonia , Mn 7.00
5 7 95 Lonnie Klonecki Arcadia , Wi 6.00
6 2 6 Andrew Ausman Pepin , Wi 5.00
7 4 7 Rich Theisen Independence , Wi 4.00
Street Stock - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 01 Shaun Mann Buffalo City, Wi 10.00
2 5 3D Doug Wojcik Ladysmith , Wi 9.00
3 4 2 Fred Prudoehl Winona , Mn 8.00
4 7 M76 Mike Conrad Independence , Wi 7.00
5 6 06 Jesse Lutz Winona , Mn 6.00
6 2 99 Bill Engler Hixton , Wi 5.00
7 8 86 Jane Keating Shell Rock, Ia 4.00
8 3 3R Danny Richards Mondovi , Wi 3.00

REDBOX+ 600 Mods
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 89 Joe Provinzino Chanhassen , Mn 120.00
2 4 99 Don Werner Rollingstone , Mn 115.00
3 6 32 Greg Wohletz Winona , Mn 110.00
4 7 8 Curt Luhmann Rushford , Mn 105.00
5 8 16 Brett Laduke Cochrane , Wi 100.00
6 2 19JR Nicholas Wagner Trempealeau , Wi 95.00
7 5 80 Bruce Schmitt Fountain City, Wi 90.00
8 9 K-9 John Griffin Caledonia , Mn 85.00
9 10 90 Brent Gora Dover , Mn 80.00
10 13 42 Chris Eide Rushford , Mn 75.00
11 11 27 Brian Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 70.00
12 12 51 David Benke Winona , Mn 65.00
13 1 56 Bill Bauers Fountain City, Wi 45.00
600 Modifieds - HEAT 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 8 Curt Luhmann Rushford , Mn 5.00
2 2 16 Brett Laduke Cochrane , Wi 4.00
3 4 90 Brent Gora Dover , Mn 3.00
4 6 K-9 John Griffin Caledonia , Mn 2.00
5 5 99 Don Werner Rollingstone , Mn 1.00
6 3 51 David Benke Winona , Mn 0.00
600 Modifieds - HEAT 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 6 89 Joe Provinzino Chanhassen , Mn 5.00
2 1 32 Greg Wohletz Winona , Mn 4.00
3 4 80 Bruce Schmitt Fountain City, Wi 3.00
4 5 56 Bill Bauers Fountain City, Wi 2.00
5 3 19JR Nicholas Wagner Trempealeau , Wi 1.00
6 2 27 Brian Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 0.00
7 7 42 Chris Eide Rushford , Mn 0.00

Elmer's Auto Salvage M.T.S. Pure Stocks
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 0Z Quinn Arnoldy Goodview , Mn 35.00
2 4 68 Paul Sweazey Winona , Mn 33.00
3 5 27 Chris Abts Winona , Mn 32.00
4 3 Z1 Corey Ziemer Minnesota City, Mn 31.00
5 2 97 Bobby Jr Fort Fountain City, Wi 30.00
6 6 13 Ryan Konkel Winona , Mn 0.00
Pure Stock - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 68 Paul Sweazey Winona , Mn 10.00
2 4 0Z Quinn Arnoldy Goodview , Mn 9.00
3 6 27 Chris Abts Winona , Mn 8.00
4 3 Z1 Corey Ziemer Minnesota City, Mn 7.00
5 1 97 Bobby Jr Fort Fountain City, Wi 6.00
6 5 13 Ryan Konkel Winona , Mn 5.00

Sunshine Sanitation A-Mini Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 12 Dylan Buckland Ridgeway , Mn 100.00
2 6 66 Keagen Einck Decorah , Ia 95.00
3 8 96 Spencer Ihrke Dover , Mn 91.00
4 1 9 Mike Stevens Winona , Mn 87.00
5 3 20 Jackson Hale Grand Meadow, Mn 84.00
6 7 80X Alex Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 81.00
7 5 54 Jett Sorensen Rochester , Mn 78.00
8 4 48 Matthew Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 76.00
A Mini Modifieds - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 9 Mike Stevens Winona , Mn 0.00
2 1 12 Dylan Buckland Ridgeway , Mn 0.00
3 4 20 Jackson Hale Grand Meadow, Mn 0.00
4 6 48 Matthew Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 0.00
5 8 54 Jett Sorensen Rochester , Mn 0.00
6 7 66 Keagen Einck Decorah , Ia 0.00
7 2 80X Alex Stevens Trempealeau , Wi 0.00
8 5 96 Spencer Ihrke Dover , Mn 0.00

Sunshine Sanitation B-Mini Modifieds
FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 4 51W Jt Wasmund Pine Island, Mn 100.00
2 1 15D Devin Williamson Rushford , Mn 95.00
3 5 79 Nate Becker Black River, Wi 91.00
4 2 17 Matthew Laduke Cochrane , Wi 87.00
5 6 100 Jeremy Werner Rollingstone , Mn 84.00
6 3 22 Zach Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 81.00
B Mini Modifieds - HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 15D Devin Williamson Rushford , Mn 0.00
2 5 17 Matthew Laduke Cochrane , Wi 0.00
3 4 22 Zach Laumeyer Cannon Falls, Mn 0.00
4 1 51W Jt Wasmund Pine Island, Mn 0.00
5 3 79 Nate Becker Black River, Wi 0.00
6 6 100 Jeremy Werner Rollingstone , Mn 0.00