Copp Wins At Amsoil

July 29, 2011

By Jerry O’Brien

Superior, WI – At the start of the 25 lap WISSOTA Late Model feature Jeff Provinzino made a daring move splitting the front row starters Don Copp and Tim McMann to take the lead but only briefly as Copp wouldn’t be denied the lead, retrieved the point and was “off to the races”. Provinzino began to close on Copp as Darin Meierotto ran third, Caley Emerson fourth and McMann and Harry Hanson battled for fifth.

The best battle on the track early was for seventh between Aaron Lillo, Kyle Peterlin and Hanson who had been caught by those two. Copp and Provinzino began to lap early as they ran a tremendous pace leaving Meierotto a straight away behind them in third. The laps flew by as the leaders set a terrific pace, but with four laps remaining the only caution flag flew for a slowing Dave Esse closing the field up.

At the green flag Copp bolted away to a several car length lead and Meierotto ambushed Provinzino to take second away. McMann captured fourth and 11th starting Peterlin arrived in the fifth spot as the checkered flag flew. Emerson and Steve Laursen finished sixth and seventh and it was another good finish for Chris Olson in eighth, Hanson ninth and Todd Gehl finished out the top ten.

The Super Stock feature got off to a rough start. On the first attempt to start the 20 lap event a car turned sideways at the bottom of turns one and two resulting in a multi car wreck that sidelined four cars. Officials set ‘em up again and this time they were able to get that first lap in with Trevor Wilson jumping to the lead with Scott Lawrence’s #77 stuck like glue to his back bumper. Pole starter Willie Johnsen ran third, Joe Olson fourth battling to hold off Kevin Burdick.

The caution flag flew for a car up against the front stretch wall. Olson retreated to the pits with a flat left front tire. There were 17 laps remaining when the green flag fell and there were still 17 to go after Dave Flynn turned around in turn three. Olson rejoined the fray at this point. At the restart Lawrence got a great run off turn two and grabbed the lead from Wilson. Johnsen was third trying to hold off Jeff Tardy and Nick Oreskovich, who had started 16th.

Lawrence pulled away by eight car lengths but lost that when the caution flag reappeared for Pat Heikkinen’s flat right front tire. Lawrence retained the lead at the green and Wilson and Burdick battled for second. Burdick took the spot as Wilson, Tardy and Oreskovich were in the top five. Burdick worked his way to within two car lengths of Lawrence as the white flag flew but could get no closer as Lawrence picked up his fifth feature checkered flag of the season. Oreskovich dropped from competition as Olson rebounded from the flat to round out the top five behind Burdick, Wilson and Tardy.

It would be an all Don Shaw show in the 20 lap Modified main event. The Ham Lake, MN driver used the pole position to his advantage as he grabbed the lead at the get go and never let it go. Shaw had several lengths on Destin Lorimor, but a quick caution flag for the spun car of Scott Heikkinen in turn three slowed the action. The try at a restart didn’t get far as Rick Niemi ended up crossways in turn two. With three laps in, the green flag flew again and Shaw continued to put distance on Jayme Lautigar, Lorimor, Steve Lavasseur and Alan Hartel. Joey Jensen was starting to move forward from mid-pack and Jody Bellefeuille captured fourth.

Lavasseur was being challenged by Ryan Aho as Bellefeuille bolted past Lorimor to third. Aho was working on Lorimor for fourth and Jensen was up to sixth. The caution flag flew again when Niemi found the same spot in turn two disagreeable. At the restart Lautigar and Bellefeuille were right on Shaw’s tail, but it was a no start as Hartel, E J Hietala and Rick Rivord tangled at the bottom of turn four. At the green Shaw had little trouble fending off Bellefeuille with the laps winding down, Aho ran third while Jensen was locked in a battle with Lautigar for fourth. Shaw completed the run to the checkered flag over Bellefeuille, Aho, Lautigar and Jensen in the top five.

Dan Kingsley was the early leader in the Midwest Modified feature followed by Lance Solem, Deven Van House, Jeff Pohjonen and Scott Herrick. Pohjonen fell into the grasp of Cody Wolkowski as they battled for fifth. Solem grabbed the lead over Kingsley as fourth row starter Skeeter Estey began to move forward.

By the mid-point Estey was fifth and rapidly closing. Solem began lapping traffic and suddenly Estey was second and passed Solem. A lap later as the white flag flew with Estey leading, the only caution flag appeared. At the restart Estey easily won over Kingsley, Neil Balduc and George Dalbeck as Solem slipped back to fifth.

Corey Lonetto led much of the Pure Stock feature but Dustin Follett ran him down and took the win, his fourth of the season at the speedway. Point leader Ashley Smith worked her way from the last row to worry at Follett hoping for her second feature win of the season but lost second to Lonetto by a fender.

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