Sprint Cars And Barnum 4 Cylinders Run at Proctor Speedway

July 8, 2012

By Jerry O’Brien

A transplanted Australian now living in Forest Lake, MN won the 20 lap feature for the Upper Midwest Sprint Series (USMSS) at the Proctor Speedway Sunday night. Pole sitter Chris Graf was out front and flying for the first eleven laps but Brooke Tatnell who started fifth, tracked him down and made what proved to be the winning pass off turn two and was never caught the rest of the way.

Tatnell added to his total as the leading UMSS feature winner. He now has 14 wins in the fledgling organization which in its fourth season. Jerry Richert, Jr. also of Forest Lake is second with 11 wins.

The feature started out badly with a wild flip by 2010 rookie of The Year Jared Goerges off turn three/four on the first try for lap one. At the restart Graf repeated his great start and flew into the lead with Tatnell, Richert, Jr., Jason Tostenson and Andy Jones in attendance.

The leaders quickly caught the back markers and began the lapping process. Jones came up on the slower car of Katrina Sautbine in turn one, appeared to clip her car and executed a flip of his own bringing out the red flag. Both drivers who crashed were uninjured but both cars were out of the event.

At the half way point Graf led Tatnell, Richert, Jr., Tostenson and Sye Anderson in the top five. On lap 11 Tatnell made the pass for the lead and three laps later Leigh Thomas spun in turn one bringing out the final caution flag with six laps remaining. At the green Richert, Jr. passed Graff for second on the back stretch, Tatnell had clear sailing ant took the win over Richert, Jr., Graf, Tostenson and Anderson.

It was two in a row for Kyle Peterlin as he won the WISSOTA Late Model feature. At the green flag there was a scramble in turns one and two and veteran driver Tim McMann shot out of the pack to the lead. Kevin Carlson, Todd Frank and Joey Ogston battled for second as Peterlin moved into fourth from his fourth row starting spot ahead of Jay Kintner. Peterlin joined the battle for second as Frank muscled his way past Carlson to claim second. Peterlin went charging after Frank as Harry Hanson raced into the fourth spot.

The caution flag appeared when Kintner’s car appeared to stall. With 14 circuits remaining, the green flag flew with McMann still at the point and Peterlin, who had taken second, closing. At the half way point McMann led Peterlin, Frank, Carlson, Hanson and Aaron Lillo. Ogston, Jeff Massingill, newcomer Jeff Sayler and Robbie Cooper in the top ten.

At this point the battle for fourth between Hanson and Carlson was the best on the track. Up front Peterlin made an inside move on McMann, then went to the outside and back to the inside to make the pass for the lead on the back stretch and went on to take the win. McMann held onto second, Carlson, Hanson and Lillo rounded out the top five.

The 20 lap Super Stock feature got off to a ragged start as Willie Johnsen, Mike Bellefeuille and Al Rapp got tangled up. Bellefeuille was called for the infraction and, on the restart, Donnie Lofdahl shot out to the lead. Kevin Salin, Tyler Kintner and Nick Oreskovich gave chase as Scott Lawrence and Andy Davey skirmished for fifth. Lofdhal was in control but Salin was nipping at his heels as Oreskovich slipped into third. Salin went off turn one and returned to the track without a caution flag slipping back a number of spots.

Lawrence charged into third as Oreskovich went after Lofdahl and the two tangled collecting Lawrence. Lawrence and Oreskovich slid off the back stretch into the weeds at the entrance to turn three and Lofdahl also went for a spin bringing out the caution flag. Lofdahl retreated to the work area, Oreskovich was charged with the foul and Lawrence was left with the lead. Lofdahl returned at the back of the pack as Lawrence drove off to a comfortable lead leaving Davey and Kintner in a battle for second. Johnsen and Bellefeuille also ran in the top five.

Davey finally bested Kintner and was helped by a caution flag with five laps to go when Al Rapp went off turn four. At the restart Lawrence had Davey to contend with and the two battled it out for the remaining circuits. On the white flag lap Davey was able to get a good run to the inside off turn two and got by to the lead in turn three but Lawrence made an inside charge of his own off turn four but came up inches short at the checkered flag. It was the first win at Proctor for Davey.

The Midwest Modified 20 lap feature was a caution flag filled affair as six yellow flags slowed the action. A pair of #68’s put on all the fireworks in the early going as the 68L driven by Dan Larsen got a gonzo start at the initial green flag but a caution for Loren Inman’s excursion off turn one brought out the caution flag.

The restart saw Larsen again jump out to the lead, but again the caution flag appeared this time Andrew Inman bunted Josh Heaviland in turn one and both took a spin. Heaverland was out and, at the green Larsen was joined by the other #68 of Dan Kingsley. Larsen had the lead and Kingsley wanted it as they pulled away from Ross Siiter, Dan Doran and Neil Balduc. Balduc had visions of a third straight feature win at the speedway.

The pair of 68’s were battling more than a straight away ahead of the pack but that bulge disappeared when Deven VanHouse went around in turn four. There were still 14 laps remaining when the green flag reappeared and Kingsley grabbed the lead. At the half way point Kingsley maintained the lead over Larsen as Balduc was closing the distance ahead of Siiter and Justin Oestrich. Suddenly the completion of the race changed as Balduc slowed in turn four with steam pouring from the car and Larsen also ducked into the pits, both out of contention.

The caution flag appeared for Balduc’s problems and the restart came with six laps to go. At the restart Oestrich took the lead but again the caution flag flew as Andrew Inman’s #44 erupted in a cloud of steam. With five laps to go and 11 cars of 15 remaining, Kingsley managed to hold off Oestrich on the restart as Danny Vang ran third, Siiter fourth and Jake Gondik fifth.

The final caution flag was for debris on the track setting up a green/white/checkered finish scenario. Kingsley led off but couldn’t hold back the onslaught of Oestrich and Vang. Oestrich took the win, Vang was second Kingsley and third. It was strong runs for both Siiter and Doran as they rounded out the top five.

It was a Hammitt family front row for the 15 lap Pure Stock main event with Jon on the pole and Matt to his outside. Jon got the jump at the start but it was Craig Horak in the green station wagon that found an opening to the inside and sneaked into second in the first turn from row four. Dustin Follett, Corey Lonetto and Glenn Dammer followed him but Horak blasted by Jon Hammitt to take a lead he would never relinquish.

Horak survived a restart after the caution flag for the spin by Brett Leino in turn four as fellow Grand Marais resident Esten Nelson took second as Jon Hammitt fell off the pace with an apparent flat left rear tire. Dustin Follett took second and pushed Horak for the lead. Josh Loucks Nelson and Dammer were in the top five.

Another caution flag flew with three to go and, at the green flag; Horak drove off to a huge lead and crossed under the checkered flag for his first feature win. Follett, Loucks, Dammer and Justin Bassa finished in the top five.

Also on the program Sunday night were the Barnum Speedway 4 Cylinder cars and it was a pair of brothers from Proctor Wade Zeills and Shawn Zeills finishing first and second in the feature. Kyle House, Richard Loucks and Jeff Schleski finished in the top five.

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