Two Drivers Post First Ever Wins At Amsoil Speedway

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May 25, 2012

By Jerry O’Brien

A break in the rainy weather allowed Amsoil Speedway to get in their full program of racing on Friday night. Two drivers posted first ever wins at the speedway from the field of 88 total cars. Rick Neimi posted his first ever Amsoil Speedway win in the WISSOTA Modifieds, while Rob Weber did the same in the Midwest Mods.

Rob Weber prevailed in the 15 lap WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature by hanging around near the front until a lap past the mid-point when he took over the lead from Neil Balduc, who had led from the initial green flag. Balduc grabbed the lead from the outside pole over Jeff Pohjonen followed by Dan Kingsley, Taylor Leuthner and Cody Carlson. Leuthner and Pohjonen battled with Leuthner for second. Meanwhile Balduc moved out to an eight car length lead as Leuthner and Pohjonen ran side by side for second.

Loren Inman joined up and the top four ran in a pack as Cody Wolkowski was 10 car lengths back in fifth. At the half way point, the order was Balduc, Inman, Pohjonen and Leuthner; but this where Weber made his move and came by the flag stand in the lead the next time by. Pohjonen ran second and Wolkowski was closing on Leuthner for fourth. Inman fell off the pace and out of the event as Weber put a lap on last week’s winner Deven VanHouse. The event went flag to flag and was Weber’s first Midwest Modified win at the speedway. Second place finisher Jeff Pohjonen’s car failed post race inspection and he was disqualified moving Leuthner to second, Balduc to third, Wolkowski fourth and Carlson fifth.

The 20 lap WISSOTA Super Stock feature saw Mike Bellefeuille take the lead from the pole, but he couldn’t shake Keith Kern and Trevor Wilson as the three ran in a tight group early on. It soon became evident that Wilson was going to be the man to beat as her drove to the front towing Scott Lawrence along. Bellefeuille fell to third ahead of last week’s winner Dave Flynn and Kern in the top five.

Wilson and Lawrence staged a break away as Flynn leapfrogged to third and began to close on the lead duo. Wilson began to pull away from Lawrence as Flynn inched closer to Lawrence. Bellefeulille won the skirmish for fourth over Kern and Jim Campbell. Wilson had a good lead at the half way point over Lawrence but began to show some smoke from the #87 car.

Lawrence hooked a rut in turn two and Flynn sailed into second but the next time through turn two Flynn hooked perhaps the same rut and gave second back to Lawrence. Meanwhile Wilson’s only worry was the smoke which was increasing. The event went green to checkered with Wilson taking the top spot over Lawrence, Flynn, Campbell and Andy Davey in the top five.

Next, it was time to trot out the WISSOTA Modifieds for their 20 lap event. At the green, Jeff Tardy took the #67 to the point shadowed by Rick Rivord, Rick Niemi, Steve Lavasseur and Al Uotinen. Rivord hauled the mail past Tardy for the lead and Niemi followed him past Tardy who dropped to third as Scott Hudack and Uotinen ran in the top five.

After dropping to the back of the pack at the start, Kelly Estey brought out the first feature caution flag as he stopped at the pit exit. At the half way mark, Hudack was chasing Rivord for the lead, but Niemi came bouncing through turns three and four making the pass on Rivord for the lead. Niemi, Hudack, Tardy and Rivord arrived at turn three at the same time and when the wrecking was done only Niemi survived.

At the restart Neimi got the jump on Uotinen, who was second and proceeded to fly around the high groove to the checkered flag and his first career feature win. Uotinen Ross Lightner, Lavasseur, E. J. Hietala and Nikki Wrazidlo were the only survivors. Of interest was the fact that veteran racer Al Uotinen completed his 500th consecutive feature lap at the AMSOIL Speedway dating back to June 12 2009 encompassing 24 consecutive feature events.

Gregg Hill jumped out to the early lead in the WISSOTA Late Model, but by lap two Todd Frank took the lead over Tommy Waseleski, Jr., Terry Lillo, Don Shaw and Aaron Lillo. The battle for second between T. Lillo, Waseleski and Shaw was a good one but Frank was long gone and, without a caution flag, the race continued to be for second. Frank stayed the course for the victory over Shaw, Zach Wohlers and Scott Herrick the only cars to finish. Apparently T. Lillo and Waseleski, Jr. didn’t realize they were on the white flag lap and pulled into the infield and were counted and DNF’s.

Chad Carlson survived a dozen laps of Pure Stock action that came down to a green/white/checkered flag finish. Carlson led all 12 laps from the pole and survived three caution flags and a charge by opening night winner Justin Madsen to take the win. Dustin Follett, Steve Udeen and Chad Nikstad finished in the top five. Eleven of the 24 starters were running at the end including Rita Anderson from the B Feature.

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