Nelson, Fegers Win AMSOIL Twin 25’s

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Aug 1

Jerry O’Brien

PROCTOR – Darrell Nelson and Justin Fegers each won a 25 lap segment of the fifth annual AMSOIL Twin Ports Twin 25’s and pocketed $1500 each for the wins. There was a bonus of $500 for the driver with the best average finish in each feature and one of $1000 for the driver who could win both events. No driver has managed to pull that feat off in the four year history of the event and that held true through the 2010 version.

Don Copp of Brule, WI won the $500 bonus with finishes of 6th in the first segment and 3rd in the second. After the first segment a number is drawn denoting the inversion for the second segment which can be anywhere from 11to 18. This time the inversion was 11.

Qualifying for this unique event which drew 38 WISSOTA Late Models, a couple of cars short of the average attendance of 40.5, took place in four heats and a single B Feature. Five drivers from each heat advanced to the first feature as well as four drivers from the 15 lap B Feature to make up a 24 car field. Heat winners included Harry Hanson, Eveleth, MN, John Henkemeyer Sauk Rapids, Chad Mahder Eau Claire and Darrell Nelson Hermantown. Jeff Provinzino won the B Feature.

Heat winners Mahder and Nelson brought the first feature to the green flag and Mahder got the jump quickly expanding his lead over Nelson, John Kaanta, John Henkemeyer and Travis Budisalovich. The top running quintet pulled away from the rest of the field ahead of several good battles for position. Mahder’s lead was considerable, but, with no caution flags reaching the huge pack of cars from sixth or seventh on back was possibly going to be a problem for the leaders.

Mahder began to try and find his way through the maze of cars battling at the rear and Nelson and the other front runners began to use the traffic to close on the leader until Nelson was able to draw alongside Mahder and try an inside move entering turn three. There was contact and Mahder did a snap spin bringing out the only caution flag on lap 21. Mahder was judged to have been at fault and Nelson gained the lead with Kaanta in second, Budisalovich third, Henkemeyer fourth and Harry Hanson fifth. Don Copp, Tim McMann, Bob Reed, Tom Waseleski Jr and Justin Fegers rounded out the top ten.

The inversion for the final 25 lap feature was 11 cars which put Kevin Carlson and Justin Fegers on the front row. At the green flag Fegers got the jump on Carlson who was followed by Waseleski Jr, Reed and Don Copp. These five would be the main players in the second segment as they were able to draw away from the pack. A quick caution flag flew when Henkemeyer and Budisalovich clashed in the fourth turn and became hooked together.

At the restart Fegers led Carlson and Waseleski who battled for second. Waseleski got by Carlson into second while Copp broke free and got by Reed for fourth. Reed led Tim McMann, Darrell Nelson and the rest of the pack as Fegers extended his lead over Waseleski. Carlson tried to fend off Copp and retain third but the caution flag again flew when two time WISSOTA National Champion Zach Johnson broke down in turn four with six laps recorded.

There was another caution flag on the restart as Chad Mahder’s night didn’t get any better. He slid off turn one and ended up in the tire barrier on the pit road ending his night. Fegers widened his lead over Waseleski as Carlson regained third ahead of Copp and with Reed in the top five. As in the first segment, Fegers and the rest of the top five who had broken away from the field, were looking at another huge pack of cars.

At the midpoint the order stood at Fegers, Waseleski, Carlson, Copp and Reed. Henkemeyer, McMann, Nelson, Keith Foss and Budisalovich ran in the second five. Fegers was not to be denied the victory leading all the laps over Waseleski. Carlson lost third to Copp in the closing laps as Fegers successfully negotiated traffic to the checkered flag. Two new winners in each 25 lap feature continue the streak of different winners in each event since the Twin Ports Twin 25’s inception.

Also on the card were WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and Proctor Pure Stocks. The Midwest Modified feature started all 23 cars with Dan Kingsleyand Mark Kangas on the front row. Kangas returned to racing driving the car formerly driven by Willie Thompson. Kingsley got the hole shot at the green flag start of the 20 lap event as Jesse Ogston shot up the middle from the second row to second with Adam Archer in tow. George Dalbeck ran fourth followed by E. J. Hietala with a charging point leader Skeeter Estey on the move but the first caution flag slowed the action when Dan Doran went off the back stretch.

At the restart Kingsley now had Estey to contend with while Archer, Ogston and Hietala skirmished for third. Estey nipped into the lead past Kingsley but the lapped car of Neil Balduc forced Estey out of his groove in the first turn and he fell to third as the laps were winding down. The caution flag flew for the stalled car of Ross Sitter on the front stretch, setting up a green/white/checkered finish. A tight pack ran for the lead was disrupted when Kingsley spun and took a hard hit in the driver’s door from Hietala. Estey’s chance for the win went out the window when he was charged with the caution. Kingsley was taken to the ambulance for observation. Archer had the point on the restart and held on for his second feature win of the season. Hietala, Kangas, Taylor Leuthner and Deven VanHouse finished in the top five.

The final feature of the evening pitted 22 Proctor Pure Stocks against one another for a 15 lap shootout. Matt Hammitt who has been on the rebound after a difficult start to the 2010 season took the lead from the outside of the front row. Dale Reynolds, Jon McKinnon, Richard Dzelak and LaRae Ralidak followed. Ralidak, who was making her first visit to the speedway this season charged forward to third as Dzelak moved to second.

The laps quickly flew by and the half way mark was reached. As Hammitt continued to lead, Josh Loucks broke out of the pack from the 10th starting spot into the top five. The only caution flag flew when Pete Ciurleo’s car stalled at the top of turn four setting up a green/white/checkered finish. Hammitt held on for his first career feature win at the speedway holding off a determined Ralidak. Dzelak, Dustin Follett and Loucks finished in the top five.

Proctor Speedway AMSOIL Twin Ports Twin 25’s presented by Powers &Associates

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