Al Rapp Wins Pure Stock Feature At Proctor

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June 20

Jerry O’Brien

PROCTOR – After qualifying heats were completed it was time to bring out the five feature events beginning with the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. The first lap proved to be a problem as the field failed to make it through the first turn. Ross Sitter, Adam Archer, Johnny Broking, Jimmy Latvala and Neil Balducall tangled. Archer was done for the event and Latvala was forced to dive into the pits to replace a flat tire.

Glen Dammer led the first circuit before Deven VanHouse took over the point. Skeeter Estey shot up from the outside of row four to second ahead of Lance Solem, and Tommy Turcotte in the top five. Estey caught up with VanHouse and the pair dueled for the lead. Solem joined them to make it a three way skirmish as both the top groove and the bottom groove seemed to work. The caution flag flew on a debris call, the restart was lined up single file. Estey eased alongside VanHouse and made the pass for the lead. VanHouse rebounded and took the lead, Estey got caught on the always treacherous high side of turn four and nearly spun out but was able to regain control losing several spots.
VanHouse pulled off the win over Solem, Turcotte, Dan Kingsley and Don Smith who raced his way from the 10th row to finish fifth.

At the start of the Pure Stock feature Matt Deragon sneaked from the second row to grab the lead. Pole sitter Dale Suomala fell into second ahead of Pete Ciurleo and Al Rapp. Cory Lonetto, Dustin Follett and Jon McKinnon battled for sixth. Rapp burst free of the pack and set out in pursuit of Deragon and nipped him for the lead. Rapp continued on for the win over Deragon, Josh Loucks who made a great drive from the eighth row to finish third. McKinnon and Follett rounded out the top five.

Next up was the WISSOTA Modified feature which would prove to be lengthy affair with a total of six caution flags slowing the action. At the green flag outside pole sitter Jayme Lautigar swept around Ken Hron in turn four while Jeff Hart moved into second. Hron brought out the first caution flag with a slide off turn one. At the restart Lautigar showed his power by pulling out a couple of car lengths on the field. Hart, Jody Bellefeuille, Ryan Aho and Robbie Bunkelman fell into the top five as the first of 20 circuits fell.

Kelly Estey attempted to make up ground from row four on the outside only to fall victim to the high side of the track sliding back to 14th. The caution flag again appeared when Scott Heikkinen slid off turn three and backed the car up on the guard rail. At the green flag Lautigar maintained the point over Hart, Bellefeuille, Darrell Nelson and Aho. Lautigar moved out to big lead and some breathing room only to have all that space disappear when Jeff Wood slipped off turns three and four, there were still only three of 20 laps recorded at this point. Lautigar was still too strong and pulled away as behind him it was three wide for second. Once again, the caution lights blinked on for a tie up between Steve Stuart and Jad Carlson in turn one.

At the restart Aho skated past Bellefeuille to third and Nelson also got by for fourth but couldn’t hold it. Aho engaged in battle with Hart for second as Lautigar was fast becoming just a speck on the horizon. That all changed when Joey Jensen and Kelly Estey clashed with Jensen getting the ticket. On the restart Aho got to second over Hart with Bellefeuille, Estey and Nelson closing. With the laps winding down the final caution flag appeared when Jeff Broking skittered off turn one. The final restart saw the bottom groove begin to come in but Lautigar was able to maintain the advantage to take the win.

Sixteen WISSOTA Late Models took the green flag for their 25 lap event. It was a father and son front row and it was dad Terry Lillo getting the jump on son Aaron. Don Copp raced from the second row to the second position and made quick work of Terry Lillo while Tim McMann took third Terry Lillo fell to fourth as Harry Hanson took fifth. Copp raced out to a ten car length lead but McMann had him in his sights aided by a caution flag when Dave Esse spun off the top of turn two with six laps recorded. Copp retained the lead on the restart as there was a three car skirmish for second. Hanson took third and moved past McMann for second as Jeff Provinzino appeared in the top five.

At this point Jerry Vesel spun in turn one with a dozen circuits remaining. Copp was dominating the event but Hanson would have something to say about that as he began to track him down. Copp dropped to the low groove and Hanson sailed past as Provinzino, McMann and Kyle Peterlin battled for third. The final caution flag appeared as Vesel spun inexactly the same place with five laps to go. Hanson took the win over Copp, Provinzino, Peterlin and Paul Parker.

The final event of the evening was the 20 lap WISSOTA Super Stock feature which would prove to be as caution filled as the Modified event. Donnie Lofdahl grabbed the lead and Scott Lawrence shot from the outside of row three to second ahead of Jeremy Fink and Jeff Tardy. The caution flag appeared when Justin Iverson looped in turn one with twelve to go. At the green Eder got a very good run only to have it negated when Iverson and Steve Carlson tangled off turn four. Lofdahl maintained the point over Lawrence, Tardy, Eder and Mike Bellefeuille.

Just about at the half way Mark Lawrence slipped into the lead but the caution flag flew when a couple of people decided it was OK to walk the pit road from the pits to the grandstand side. Lawrence maintained the lead as Jay Kintner appeared in fifth place. The caution flag again appeared as Steve Carlson’s car erupted in a cloud of steam in the second turn followed quickly by what would prove to be the final caution flag when Pat Heikkinen’s car broke down in turn one. Lawrence held on to the lead over Lofdahl, Tardy, Bellefeuille and Kintner.

The Modified make up feature from May 23 was won by Jeff Broking. After cousin Bob Broking did not start the feature, Jeff Broking lead all the way despite the best efforts of Joey Jensen. Kelly Estey, Darrell Nelson and Robbie Bunkelman rounded out the top five.

The Northern Vintage Stockcar club brought 19 cars in two divisions, Full-bodied and Super Modified. Gary Whipple won the full bodied heat and John Vanwilgren won the feature. Butch Bathke won the Modified heat and Ken Sabby won the Modified feature.

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