Proctor Speedway Kicks Off 2010 Racing Season

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May 16

By Jerry O’Brien

Proctor, MN – Ricky Weiss took advantage of some contact between he and early leader Jeff Provinzino to take the win in the 25 lap WISSOTA AMSOIL Dirt Track Series opening night Late Model action at the Proctor Speedway.

Weiss started the event on the outside of row one, but it was Provinzino who jumped to the point and opened up an eight car length lead on Aaron Lillo, Kyle Peterlin and Weiss with Darrell Nelson in fifth. Provinzino was racing off into the sunset dominating the field but Weiss flexed his muscles and set off to track down the leader. By the mid-point Weiss had pulled to within a couple of car lengths of Provinzino and soon caught him.

Muscling past Provinzino apparently damaged the #28 and he dropped way off the pace. By the time Provinzino got back up to speed it was too late and he ended up finishing sixth. Darrell Nelson battled his way up to third but was unable to mount a charge on Peterlin who finished second. Harry Hanson and Kevin Carlson finished in the top five.

It appeared that Jody Bellefeuille had the WISSOTA Modified feature well in hand as he dominated the early going staving off challenges from Jayme Lautigar, Darrell Nelson, Kelly Estey and Greg Chesley, challenges that came in multiple waves. Several caution periods slowed the action but Bellefeuille flexed his muscles each time and staved off the advances. A red flag situation occurred when close racing brought a massive pileup on the front stretch that eliminated six cars from competition. Involved in the scary wreck were John Reini, Travis Zollar, Ryan Aho, Mark Blood, Ken Hron and Paul Schultz.

A fourth restart after the red flag condition saw Bellefeuille still strong on the restart but this time his luck ran out as the #11 shucked the drive shaft on the back stretch ending Bellefeuille’s great run. With five laps remaining and the original 21 car field reduced to ten, it was Darrell Nelson who took the point and held off Estey and Lautigar for the win. Chesley and 16th starting Jeff Wood rounded out the top five.

The 20 lap WISSOTA Super Stock event featured a mad scramble at the initial green flag that saw a momentary four wide situation in turn two on lap two. Jeff Tardy took the lead from the pole but it was third starting Nick Oreskovich who showed some strength as he pulled off the pass on the always tough Tardy for the lead. Jay Kuras ran third ahead of Donnie Lofdahl while Jeremy Fink battled with Jay Kintner for fifth. The field became strung out single file around the track and the half way point was quickly reached.

A caution flag near the mid-point charged to Pat Heikkinen closed up the pack with 11 laps remaining. Oreskovich got a great restart and Kuras got by Tardy but to no avail as the caution flag flew once again for a wreck in turn one that was charged to Lofdahl.

At the restart Oreskovich maintained the lead while Mike Bellefeuille was on the move toward the front from the tenth starting spot getting up to fourth as the laps ran out. Oreskovich held off Tardy for the win followed by Jay Kintner, Bellefeuille and Zach Wohlers in the top five.

Pole sitter Skeeter Estey shot into the lead at the green in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified 20 lap feature over Tom Mackey, Don Smith, Justin Jones and Jeff Marshall in the early top five. The first of four caution flags was charged to E. J. Hietala involving Ricky Davis and Jake Gondik. Hietala would rebound to finish sixth. Estey led Smith, Jones and Marshall ahead of a charging Lance Solem.

In between two more caution flags Marshall charged to the lead and continued his battle with Jones for the lead. Marshall won the event for his first win at the Proctor Speedway.

In victory lane he said that his first appearance at the speedway was probably about 1969. It was Marshall’s second win in as many days. Jones, Johnny Broking, Smith and Solem rounded out the top five.

Superior’s Chad Carlson is on a very early season roll ah he has taken the #21 “Grocery Getter” Chevy station wagon to back to back sweeps in two days this past weekend. Carlson leaped, if a station wagon can be said to leap, out to the lead in the 15 lap Pure Stock feature. Richard Dzelak, pole sitter Matt Hammitt, Carlson’s brother Tim and defending track champion Al Rapp were at the head of the field all trying to run down Chad Carlson.

Only one caution flag slowed the action as Hammitt spun and was eliminated from competition. Chad Carlson held off all comers to complete his second sweep of the weekend over Dzelak, Rapp, Tim Carlson and 2008 track champion Josh Loucks in the top five.

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