Bellefeuille Brothers Sweep At Proctor

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July 24, 2011

By Jerry O’Brien

Proctor, MN – It was a hot night for the Bellefeuille brothers at the Proctor Speedway as they both posted feature wins. Older brother Jody swept the Modified action winning his second feature of the season and the younger won his second Super Stock feature of the season. For Jody Bellefeuille it was a great comeback as the #11 Modified was heavily damage the week before in a wreck near the end of the Modified feature. For Mike Bellefeuille it was a continuation of a great weekend that saw him win everything he entered at the two day Governor’s Cup at the Hibbing Raceway.

After qualifying was finished, the first feature event was for the WISSOTA Super Stocks. After a couple of restarts for spins on the first of 20 laps, the event went the distance with one more caution flag. A heart stopping three wide run for the lead on the first lap between Kevin Salin, Donnie Lofdahl and Mike Bellefeuille quickly shook out and Bellefeuille took the lead. Sixth starting Jeff Tardy moved to second and began to creep forward trying to track down Bellefeuille.

The caution flag flew for Kevin Burdick who got hung up on the edge of the track in turn one with five laps in. Bellefeuille and Tardy battled for the lead on the restart as Lofdahl took third from Scott Lawrence. Bellefeuille turned up the wick on the #21and extended the gap over Tardy as the half way point was reached. Lofdahl, Lawrence and pole sitter Willie Johnsen ran in the top five. Bellefeuille went on to take the win; the top five order remained the same as at the half way point.

Next up was the 20 lap Modified feature. Jayme Lautigar took the early lead from the outside of the front row ahead of Jody Bellefeuille, Kelly Estey, Scott Heikkinen and Dan Ebert. Lautigar and Bellefeuille battled for the lead and it was Bellefeuille who edged ahead. Estey closed Lautigar for second and Darrell Nelson got past Ebert into fourth. At the half way point Bellefeuille was the leader but Estey had moved into second, Lautigar third, Nelson fourth and Ebert fifth.

Just as lap ten finished a clash between Mark Blood and Tim Alexander brought out the only caution flag of the event. Blood was charged with the incident. As the green came out for the restart, Ebert retired to the pits leaving E. J. Hietala who had started 11th in fifth. Bellefeuille was able to stay a couple of car lengths ahead of Estey as there was little change in the running order to the checkered flag as Bellefeuille held off Estey for the win by a car length. Lautigar held on to third over Hietala and Alan Hartel in the top five.

25 laps was the distance for the WISSOTA Late Models as outside pole starter Kyle Peterlin jumped into the lead and pretty much disappeared on the rest of the field. The race went all 25 laps without a caution flag which let Peterlin extend his lead, while behind him the battle raged for second as a gaggle of six cars battled for position. Darrell Nelson broke free from the pack into second and set out for Peterlin but with little success.

As Peterlin began to lap traffic, his lead increased until it was half a lap at the checkered flag. Nelson was out in front of the pack for third that included Aaron Lillo, Tim McMann, Kevin Carlson, Joey Ogston, Harry Hanson and Darin Meierotto. Lillo ended up third, McMann fourth and Hanson fifth. The victory was Peterlin’s second of the season at the speedway as he leaped up to ninth place in a dominating effort.

It appeared that the 20 lap Midwest Modified feature was going to run green to checkered, but a caution flag on the white flag lap forced a green/white/checkered scenario. At the beginning green flag, Deven Van House and Glenn Dammer battled from the front row as they were joined by Lance Solem and Dan Ebert. Ebert moved past and closed up on leader Van House eased alongside and finished the pass on the front stretch. Estey got by Van House and the chase was on as Estey was determined to run down Ebert.

As the mid-point was reach Ebert had the lead over Estey as Danny Vang had moved into third. Van House was back to fourth and Solem ran fifth. The aforementioned caution on the white flag should have set up a confrontation between Estey and Ebert, but Vang’s pass on Estey just before the caution flag spoiled that. Ebert went on to take his first feature win of the season at the speedway. Estey, Vang, Van House and Tommy Turcotte finished in the top five.

Austin Blom swept the Pure Stock action, but not exactly the way he wanted. Instead of standing in victory circle he ended up watching the #3B go by on the hook after a fourth turn last lap incident with Dale Soumala that saw Blom’s car slammed into the wall. The finish was judged to finish on the white flag lap giving Blom the win over Ed Dammer, Matt Deragon, Esten Nelson and Josh Loucks.

Loucks’ finish came after a roll over off turn one that left the 8L on its roof. Loucks started 20th and raced his way up to a top five finish. Caution periods abounded as there were four others before the last lap incident.

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