Peterlin Wins Late Model Feature At AMSOIL Speedway

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Aug 10, 2012

By Jerry O’Brien

Friday night August 10th was designated as WISSOTA Race of Champions Qualifying night; meaning that winners of feature events in the four WISSOTA divisions would earn a trip to the 2012 WISSOTA 100 to compete in their respective races of champions the third week in September. Kyle Peterlin won his first ever Late Model feature at AMSOIL Speedway becoming the 11th different Late Model feature winner of the season.

Starting from the outside of the front row for the 20 lap main event, Peterlin dogged leader Don Copp for several laps before lunging past him to the point. Peterlin then held off a persistent Darrell Nelson to the checkered flag. At the initial green flag Copp drove to the front on the bottom but Chris Olson spun in the middle groove in turn four scattering the field. T. J. Adams’ #T-18 suffered heavy cosmetic damage but was able to continue.

Copp led on the restart with Peterlin, Darin Meierotto in one of Gregg Hill’s cars, Darrell Nelson and Todd Frank behind. The top four quickly put some distance on Frank in fifth. Copp pulled out five car lengths on Peterlin who was busy holding off Meierotto and Nelson. The caution flag again appeared when Adams spun in turn in turn four.

With the field tightened up at the restart, Peterlin got past Copp with Nelson third. With seven laps remaining Nelson pulled off the pass on Copp for second and set out after Peterlin. Nelson’s charge over the last few circuits fell short and Peterlin took the win. Copp and Meierotto finished third and fourth and Zach Wohlers took the fifth spot.

It was a wild start to the 20 lap Modified feature as pole sitter Matt Leer, front row mate Kelly Estey and Darrell Nelson tried a three wide scenario into the first turn. Estey appeared to leap over Leer’s wheel with an outside move next to the wall and came out the other side with the lead. Leer and Nelson followed ahead of Kevin Eder and Jamie Davis.

The caution flag flew with five laps recorded when Jeff Broking spun in turn one. Estey held on to the lead at the restart as Nelson got by Leer for second as Estey drove off to half a straight away lead. At the half way point it was Estey, Nelson, Leer, Eder and Jody Bellefeuille which proved to be the top five at the end.

It was Estey’s second feature win of the season at the speedway. It was also his 41st in a Modified and 45th over all. Al Uotinen has now completed 630 consecutive Modified feature wins and needs ten more to tie Darrell Nelson’s 640 consecutive laps.

The WISSOTA Super Stock 20 lap feature got off to a rough start as competitors attempted to make it through turns three and four wide. They nearly made it but didn’t quite. The resulting tangle was pinned on Scott Lawrence who was sent to the tail of the 20 car field.

The restart saw pole sitter Andy Grymala race to the lead and extend it over Andy Davey, Rick Simpson, Trevor Wilson, Joe Oliver and Dave Flynn. The caution flag flew for an Ashley Smith spin closing everyone up into a tight pack. At the restart Grymala maintained the lead but not by such a big margin.

As the laps ticked off, Grymala led Wilson, Flynn, Davey and Mike Bellefeuille in that order. Once again the caution lights blinked on as Keith Kern nosed into the back stretch wall with the help of Dan Tocheri. There were seven laps remaining at the restart but Simpson spun himself out off turn two bringing out the yellow flag immediately.

Grymala had little trouble keeping the lead over Wilson and Flynn but Simpson again brought out the caution with five laps to go. Shawn Rivord’s mount shed a rear wheel off turn four setting up a green/white/checkered situation. Just after the green flag appeared there was a multi-car tangle in turn one charged to Flynn.

The restart order was Grymala, Wilson, Oliver, and Lawrence who had come from the back to fourth and Davey in fifth in the green/white/checkered finish which saw no change in the final laps. Simpson put on a surge from the rear to finish sixth. It was Grymala’s second feature win of the season at the speedway. Lawrence’s rebound to fourth coupled with Flynn’s Did Not Finish and 15th place finish kept Lawrence as the point leader with two weeks remaining of the regular season.

Deven VanHouse won his fifth feature of the season and widened his point lead over Cody Wolkowski who finished third in the 15 lap Midwest Modified feature. Patience and a fast car worked to VanHouse’s advantage in the caution filled event. VanHouse took the lead at the start of the event and kept it to the checkered flag.

Though there were several caution flags, VanHouse had little trouble pulling away from whoever his challenger would be. Point rival Cody Wolkowski kept pace throughout the event running in the top three but never threatening as the laps went by. Neil Balduc put on a strong run from the fifth row to get past Wolkowski into second as Brady Caul also had a strong run from row six to finish fourth. Mack Estey the youngest of Modified veteran Kelly Estey’s sons continued his strong rookie season with a fifth place run.

Point leader Josh Johnson took the early lead in the 15 lap Pure Stock main event shadowed by Justin Madsen and Gary Campbell. Madsen soon wrested the lead from Johnson but a pack developed around the leader that included Travis Zembo, Tim Baum and Steve Udeen.

A third of the way in Annika Hammitt spun in turn one bringing out the caution flag. Madsen had little trouble staying at the point at the restart and at the half way point the order was Madsen, Johnson, Zembo, Udeen, Gary Campbell and Baum. Madsen rolled along enjoying a huge lead on the field with five to go and was set to take his second feature win of the season.

With two circuits remaining Gary Campbell got into trouble and did a big flip into the light pole inside turn four. He was uninjured but the incident brought out the red flag and set up the green/white/checkered finish to end the night. The final top five included Madsen in victory lane, Steve Udeen, Johnson, Zembo and Baum.

Race Notes:

*Jeff Broking rolled the #5D WISSOTA Modified during heat one. He was uninjured and was able to return for the feature where he finished 10th.

*Al Uotinen can tie Darrell Nelson for the most consecutive Modified feature laps completed with ten more next week. Should he finish all 20 laps Uotinen will pass Nelson by 10.

* Kyle Peterlin’s first ever Late Model feature win at AMSOIL Speedway is the 11th different LM feature winner in 2012.

* Defending track Late Model champion Darin Meierotto drove a Gregg Hill car to a fourth place finish in the feature event.

* Veteran driver Kelly Estey’s Modified feature win was his 41st career win in that division at the speedway and 45th over all.

* Midwest Modified 2012 point leader Deven VanHouse won his fifth main event of the season at the speedway Friday 8-10.

* Veteran Harry Hanson and rookie Robbie Cooper were both eliminated from Late Model competition after a collision in the first heat.

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