Darrell Nelson Of Hermantown Wins Como Modified Series At Proctor

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June 30

By Jerry O’Brien

Round three of the 2011 Como Oil & Propane Modified Series saw its third different feature winner as 2006 Series Champion Darrell Nelson of Hermantown, MN out-ran 2010 Series champion Forest Lake, MN’s Joey Jensen in the 30 lap non stopped feature Wednesday July 28 at the Proctor (MN) Speedway.

Nelson wasted little time as he shot from the outside of the front row to the lead over pole sitter Jensen who was followed by Jeff Hart in third. Trent Follmer and Bob Broking battled for fourth as Jensen was hot in Nelson’s tire tracks and dived to the inside in an attempt to take the point but came up a half car length short at the line.

Hart maintained third as Broking got by Follmer for fourth. Follmer got back around Broking who lost fifth to Dave Cain. Follmer then began to put pressure on Hart for third as, up front, Nelson began to widen his lead to about ten car lengths over Jensen. As the field began to get strung out, the best battle was between Follmer and Hart.

The half way point was quickly reached and the order was Nelson way out in front over Jensen, Hart, Follmer and Cain in the top five. Rounding out the top ten at this point were Broking, Eric Pember, Jason Miller, Brandon Jensen and two time Series Champion Kelly Estey. Nelson was eyeing up the back of the field and soon began putting cars down a lap.

The run through traffic let Jensen close up on Nelson a bit, but never closer than three car lengths as Nelson again stretched the lead on his home track. Over the course of the last half of the event the top five did not change with the order at the checkered flag, Nelson, Jensen, Hart, Follmer and Cain.

All four of the Series champions made the feature and three finished in the top ten including Nelson, Jensen and Estey, who finished 9th. The other champion Al Uotinen finished 20th. The hard charger award went to Jody Bellefeuille who finished 10th after starting 17th.

To qualify for the feature event, the top four in each of the five heat races advanced while the top two in each heat advanced to the pole dash, which set the top five rows for the main event. A pair of B Features were run with the top two advancing and a provisional starting spot was available to the highest ranking point driver who had failed to make the event through a heat or feature. For this event, Lake Elmo’s Brent Larson took the provisional start making the field 25 starters.

Heat winners were Jeff Hart Hibbing, MN; Jason Miller Osceola, WI; Nelson; Dave Cain Corcoran, MN and Jensen. Duane Dale Aurora, MN and Craig Thatcher Knapp, WI won B features. Jensen won the Pole Dash but Trent Follmer drew the pole through the frisbee draw.

After three of ten events Cain holds a 12 point lead over Pember with Jensen in third. Early point leader Kevin Adams falls to fourth and Nelson moves up to fifth.

Also on the program were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and the Proctor Pure Stocks.

It was a 20 lap feature for the Midwest Modifieds with Dan Kingsley taking the early lead from the pole ahead of a three wide battle for second between Skeeter Estey, Scott Herrick and Dan Ebert. Estey took the spot, closed quickly on Kingsley and made the pass for the lead. Kingsley was overwhelmed as first Herrick then Ebert followed by Andrew Inman sailed by and settled into a three car battle for second.

The first of two caution flags flew with 13 laps remaining when Ross Siiter turned around at the exit of turn four. At the green flag Estey shot to a five car length lead as Ebert grabbed second from Herrick and Kingsley rebounded past Inman into fourth. At the half way point the front runner order remained the same while Tommy Turcotte, Travis Nye, Deven Van House, Mike Truscott and Cory Crapser ran sixth through tenth.

With five circuits remaining the caution flag again appeared for debris on the track. At the green flag Ebert gave it a shot, but came up short in his attempt to wrestle the lead from Estey who went on to win his fourth feature of the season at the speedway. Ebert, Kingsley, Herrick and Inman finished in the top five.

Dale Soumala had a strong early run in the 15 lap Pure Stock feature as he jumped to the lead at the green flag. Mark Korte, Keith Koski and Justin Bassa battled for second briefly before the caution flag flew when Andy Udeen spun at the exit of turn four.

On the restart Korte, and Austin Blom ganged up on Soumala on the back stretch and Blom took the point. Korte, Josh Loucks and Matt Madsen went three wide for the third spot as Soumala made a run on the back stretch and took back the lead from Blom. Blom faltered and Madsen popped out of the pack to second just past the half way mark and got a challenge from Loucks for the position. Andy Davey appeared in fourth after starting ninth. There was a scramble for fifth which went to Bassa. Corey Lonetto ran sixth just ahead of Koski while Korte slipped back to eighth. Madsen took the lead as the laps wound down over Loucks, Davey Soumala and Bassa. Madsen went on to take the win, his first career win at the speedway.

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