Oreskovich wins Proctor’s Race For A Cure

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July 18

Jerry O’Brien

PROCTOR – Sunday night July 18 was the third annual Race for a Cure event to benefit the American Cancer Society. It was also an enhanced purse for the WISSOTA Super Stocks with the winner taking home $1000 and the final finisher winning $100.

The 2009 event was a memorial for Dr. Gary Cornelison the Racing Dentist. Though this event was not a memorial speedway event, officials decided to enhance the Super Stock purse again. The Midwest Modifieds had the night off.

Josh Loucks, a former Pure Stock track champion won the 15 lap feature. Loucks started on the outside of the front row and quickly drove to the lead ahead of Al Rapp, Kevin Perkovich, Matt Hammitt and Jon McKinnon. Loucks and Rapp waged a close battle for the lead as 10th starting Mark Kortemade his way into the top five.

No cautions brought the race quickly to the half way point and the order was Loucks, Rapp, Hammitt, Perkovich and Dustin Follett. Loucks and Rapp battled side by side for the lead while there was a four way skirmish for third between Perkovich, Hammitt, Follett and Korte. Rapp spun off turn four, recovered and kept going leaving Loucks with a huge lead until a minor tangle with Frank Chamernick who was trying to exit the track upset the apple cart as Follett gained the lead.

Loucks rebounded and regained the lead on the back stretch but the first caution of the event flew when contender Richard Dzelak spun off turn two. With three laps remaining it was a single file restart and Loucks was equal to the task beating Follett to the checkered flag. Tim Carlson, Perkovich and Korte finished in the top five.

The 20 lap WISSOTA Modified feature was won by Jeff Broking. Starting on the outside pole, Broking shot out to the lead ahead of Steve Stuart, Paul Schultz, Jad Carlson and Nick Lavato. The caution flag appeared when newcomer Keith Vork spun in turn one. This caution flag would prove to be the only of the event.

At the green flag Broking again got the jump on the field while Schultz took second from Stuart and Ryan Aho came up to battle with Lavato for fifth. Broking raced out to a big lead while the battle raged behind sometimes three and four wide. Aho took over fourth with Lavato still fifth. Behind the top five Darrell Nelson, Kelly Estey and Carlson waged a battle for sixth.

A three car skirmish for second between Schultz, Stuart and Aho raged as Nelson moved in on Lavato. Broking was looking to start lapping as the laps wore away. Estey got as far as seventh but mechanical troubles felled the #37 and he pulled into the infield. Broking had an easy time of it as he took the win over Schultz, Stuart, Lavato and Nelson.

The featured class of the evening took to the track two dozen strong inquest of the $1000 top prize. Nick Oreskovich and Jay Kuras led the pack to the green, Oreskovich shot to the lead with Dave Mass up from row two to hound him for the lead. Kuras, Zach Wohlers and Andy Grymala ran in the top five as Oreskovich and Mass dueled ahead. Scott Lawrence was on the move and battled for fourth after starting ninth. Mass won the duel and took the point quickly opening up a 20 car length lead. Lawrence settled into the fifth spot champing at Wohlers for fourth as Mass began the lapping process.

The caution flag flew when Kevin Burdick was clobbered and spun in turn two which erased Mass’ huge lead with seven circuits remaining. Mass was equal to the task and, at the restart, again pulled out to a commanding lead over Oreskovich who was fending off Lawrence.

As can happen on the tricky Proctor oval, the first turn bit the fleet Mass, and, by the time he regained the track he’d slipped back to seventh. Shortly after the restart a multi-car tangle in turn four brought the action to a halt and set up a green/white/checkered finish. Oreskovich found his way to victory lane with Lawrence second ahead of Kuras and Wohlers. Mass rebounded to finish fifth.

The final event of the evening was 25 circuits for the powerful WISSOTA Late Models. Joey Ogston and Cory Jorgenson started on the front row, the two ran neck and neck until Jorgenson broke the stalemate and took the lead. Kevin Carlson, Aaron Lillo and Tim McMann followed.

Darrell Nelson was on the move and grabbed fourth while Carlson disposed of Ogston to take second while Nelson moved to third. Jeff Provinzino was moving toward the front while up front Jorgenson was the class of the field and widened his lead. The field became strung out as the race progressed without a yellow flag. Nelson got by Carlson to second and Kyle Peterlin appeared in the top five dropping Provinzino to fourth. Peterlin closed on Carlson for third as the event came to a close but Carlson held him off for the third place finish. Jorgenson took the checkered flag for his first feature win of the season at the speedway.

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