Mike Anderson Wins Como Modified Stop At Amsoil

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July 13

By Jerry O’Brien

SUPERIOR – It was “Sneak as Peek” night at the Head of the Lakes Fair, no fairgrounds admission, and race number four of the 2011 Como Oil & Propane Modified Series Tuesday night at the AMSOIL Speedway. Mike Anderson won the top feature event while Ashley Smith became the first ever female feature winner in the history of the speedway by racing to the Pure Stock victory.

39 Modifieds were in competition along with 11 Midwest Modifieds, 20 WISSOTA Super Stocks and 24 Pure Stocks. Qualifying heat races in all divisions took place first to set the feature lineups. A pair of Midwest Modifieds heats went to Matt Leer and Skeeter Estey. The three Super Stock heats were won by Kevin Burdick, Dave Flynn and Cory Casari. Pure Stock heat winners were Matt Madsen, Ashley Smith and Jon Hammitt.

Qualifying for the 30 lap Como Modified Series feature always follows a set formula. First there are five heat races, from which the top four advance to the main event and the top two advance to the pole dash. Then there is a pair of B Features to qualify two more racers to make 24 starters. Finally there is a provisional starter who is the highest driver in the point standings who does not qualify for the main event through a heat or B Feature.

Lastly, the pole dash is an eight lap 10 car dash that pays $200 to the winner and $100 to the second place driver, but more importantly, sets the first five rows of the feature. Positions in the Dash are drawn by numbered Frisbees placed on the front stretch. Como Modified Series heat winners were Jeff Hart, Brent Larson, Scott Miller, Al Uotinen and Jayme Lautigar. B Features went to Darrell Nelson and Kevin Adams and Eric Pember won the Dash which put him on the pole alongside second place finisher Al Uotinen.

The first main event of the evening was for the Midwest Modifieds with Deven Van House and Dan Larsen leading the way. Van House jumped out to the lead shadowed by Skeeter Estey from the second row. The start of the 15 lap adventure sputtered as the first caution flag flew when Scott Herrick and Larsen clashed. The field was reset, the green flag flew and the result was the same, another caution flag for Matt Leer who ended up facing backwards. It was restart, repeat as no laps were complete.

Van House again got the lead over Estey while Herrick and Larsen skirmished for third. Estey began to cut into Van House’s lead as Leer found his way past the skirmishers into third. Estey ran down Van House on the front stretch and completed the pass off turn two. Estey raced off to a huge lead as the battle for second intensified between Leer, Van House, Herrick and George Dalbeck. The rest of the laps unreeled without incident and Estey claimed his 15th feature of the season and fourth at AMSOIL Speedway. Van House held off Leer for the runner up spot, Dalbeck was fourth and Herrick finished fifth.

Next up was the 20 lap Super Stock feature which started out much like the preceding event. Super Stock rookie Shawn Rivord started on the pole and shot out to the lead as it was three wide between Andy Grymala, Robbie Cooper and Mike Bellefeuille. Rivord was caught by the trio and trouble ensued. Rivord was spun out and Bellefeuille was sent to the rear for the infraction. With no laps complete, the restart was set and before a lap could be turned, Jim Campbell hit the third turn wall bringing out the yellow flag again.

This time the attempt at another lap saw Cooper steal the point and Dave Flynn find his way to second. Again yellow lights flashed when a pair of cars tangled in turn two. The field was set and Cooper and Flynn went at it for the lead. Behind them there was a scramble for position involving Jeff Tardy, Grymala and Donnie Lofdahl. Cooper lost control in turn four while leading resulting in a caution period as there were now two laps complete. At the restart Flynn grabbed the lead with Tardy breathing down his neck. Grymala, Burdick and Lofdahl ran in the top five.

Shortly after Tardy wrestled the point away from Flynn, there was yet another caution period negating the pass. The frustration level was apparently high and intensified when Cooper and Al Rapp tangled in turn two. Officials apparently had enough and restarted the field single file, but even that took two tries as Justin Iverson got turned around. This caution flag proved to be the last as the event finished with green flag racing to the checkered flag. Tardy came home with his first feature win of the season at the speedway over Grymala who had a strong run to finish second. Burdick, Flynn and Lofdahl held on to spots in the top five.

The much anticipated 30 lap feature for the WISSOTA Como Modified Series Modifieds finally rolled onto the speedway. Pole sitter Eric Pember took the lead over Al Uotinen at the outset with Brandon Jensen third, Trent Follmer fourth and Jayme Lautigar fifth. Jensen was then joined by Mike Anderson and Dave Cain and the trio went three wide for third.

There was action in turn four which brought out the caution flag with four laps recorded. The next restart sputtered and yet another try was lined up. This time it went a little smoother as Pember bolted away from the pack and extended his lead chased by Follmer, Uotinen, Cain and Anderson. Lurking in sixth was Joey Jensen who had started 20th and was already just outside the top five. Uotinen and Anderson skirmished for fourth as Joey Jensen joined up and made it a battle. Cain grabbed second and Joey Jensen got by Uotinen for fourth while Tim McMann closed up in sixth.

Cain took a shot at Pember and got the lead as Anderson moved to third. Joey Jensen worked on Pember for third and muscled by. Ahead, Anderson was gaining ground on Cain while Joey Jensen edged closer to Anderson. Cain reached the back of the pack and began to work his way through traffic which was heavy at times. Anderson pulled to within four car lengths of Cain. In heavy traffic Anderson moved alongside Cain and, with a pair of circuits remaining, rumbled past and into the record book for his first career Como Modified Series feature win.

Rounding out the top five behind Anderson were Cain, Joey Jensen, Pember and Follmer. Cain’s second place run was enough for him to retain the points lead and a shot at the $10,000 first prize. Joey Jensen’s stellar run from 20th to third earned him the Hard Charger award.

The final event of the evening was 15 laps for the Pure Stocks, an event whose outcome would surprise some, please many others and set a record. Dustin Follett started on the pole next to the improving Dale Soumala and move quickly to the lead as Ashley Smith took third ahead of Matt Madsen and Steve Udeen. Follett raced out to a huge lead which was erased due to a caution flag.

Follett again took the point at the green, chased by Smith, Jon Hammitt, Josh Johnson, Tim Carlson and Andy Udeen. Again the caution lights blinked on as Johnson turned around in turn two. At the half way point Follett led Smith, J Hammitt, S Udeen, Carlson and Justin Bassa. Follett began to pull away from Smith who was running a strong second.

Another caution flag slowed the action and suddenly Follett dived into the pits with a flat tire turning over the lead to Smith. Now it was up to her to keep it. Smith got the jump at the green as A Udeen, J Hammitt and Carlson battled for second. Smith pulled away by ten car lengths and seemed to be in control until a pair of cars locked bumpers in turn one and the huge lead was gone.

At the green flag Smith, undaunted, pulled away under the green/white/checkered ending for her first career feature win. With the earlier heat win it was a sweep and Ashley Smith became the first ever female feature winner in the long history of the speedway. Carlson, Steve Udeen, Bassa and Matt Hammitt finished in the top five.

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