Shaw, Johnson, Mass, Wheeler and Williams Take Viking Fall Classic Wins
Viking Fall Classic Day 2
By Ray Beste
ALEXANDRIA, MN (October 8) - Don Shaw rode his new Rocket chassis to victory in the WISSOTA Late Model feature during the final night of the third annual Viking Fall Classic Saturday night at Viking Speedway.
Dave Mass in his WISSOTA Super Stock and Zach Johnson in the WISSOTA Modifieds both scored impressive wins, while WISSOTA Midwest Modified pilot Dan Wheeler was awarded a technical knockout and Jim Williams’ good fortune paid dividends in the WISSOTA Street Stock finale.
Before the night’s five main events, the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds ran two B features; the top three in each qualified for the feature.
Darrin Toot charged from 11th to the front and won the first B feature on a very slippery race track. "Franklin Flyer" Dan Menk moved forward and finished second while speedway regular Pete Loecken came home third.
Randy Schumm and Tim Siercks shared the front row when head flagman Mike Commerford waved the green over the second B feature. Brock Gronwold, who started ninth, passed Siercks for the lead with six laps to go and, three laps later, Jason Hoffman passed the top two and went on to take the win. Gill later passed Siercks for third.
In the lone WISSOTA Street Stock B feature - from which the top four advanced to the show - Keith Tourville took the early lead with Mark Blom in tow. Blom eventually took the win ahead of Cory Rosen, Dave Rohweder and Tourville.
The WISSOTA Super Stocks lined up for two B features. The top three in each qualified for the main event.
Jeff Kluver won the first qualifier ahead of Mike Christianson and Wally Mass. Mass passed Greg Boje for third and then withstood heavy pressure from Rich Bishop during the latter portion of the race.
Multiple-time Cedar Lake Speedway track champion Dale Gangl took home the win in the second qualifier while Larry Lund and Ryan Siegle nabbed the final two transfer spots.
The WISSOTA Modifieds battled for three feature qualifying spots during each of two B features.
Steve Arpin grabbed the lead early in the first B feature and won going away ahead of Ryan Canon. Jay McDonald and Ricky Kluver fought for third until McDonald secured the position with three laps left. Tim Jackson, in his first appearance at the speedway, tried to overtake McDonald during the final two laps but came up short.
Rick Jacobson charged from 16th to third in the second B feature before he pulled into the infield with a breakdown during a caution with six laps to go and Blake Jegtvig at the point. Jegtvig later broke down and handed the lead to Brandon Jensen, who surrendered the point to Dave Cain with two laps to go. Joey Jensen, who started 17th, finished third.
The top two in each of two WISSOTA Late Model B features advanced to the feature.
Eric Breeschoten passed front row starter Dave Tyrchniewicz for second with seven laps to go and later passed polesitter Chad VanDrunen to win the first qualifier. Don Eischens later passed VanDrunen and nabbed the final qualifiying spot.
In the second B feature, Shaun Peterson jumped out in front early on before Brent Larson tracked him down. Peterson didn't miss his marks and held off Larson for the win.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds rolled onto the speedway for their feature with Jim Chyba and Dallas Gulbrandson on the front row and Ron Saurer in the final position as the promoters choice. The green flag waved and Chyba raced out to a commanding lead until a wreck in turn three on lap two brought out the first caution. Gulbrandson was involved in the altercation and went off on the hook.
Chyba took off again on the restart and John Henkemeyer stole third from Justin Olson before another yellow on lap three bunched up the field. Dan Wheeler charged pass Henkemeyer in turn two on the restart and Korey Krafthefer entered the top five on lap five when he darted by Olson on the bottom of the track in turn two.
Chyba led by half a straightaway over second place Jason Cook on lap six while Brock Gronwald, who started 22nd, moved into eighth. Two laps later Gronwald snuck by Shane Sabraski for seventh in turn four.
After another caution, Gronwald passed Zach Johnson for sixth in turn two. With nine laps remaining Wheeler slipped by Cook for second and began to track down Chyba. Gronwald and Krafthefer got after it for fourth; they swapped positions on lap 12.
With four laps to go, Johnson, Nate Heinrich and Brandon Nelson waged an entertaining battle for seventh. Heinrich grabbed the position from Johnson one lap later using the bottom of the speedway in turn two. Chyba cruised on to the apparent win ahead of Wheeler; however, during tech inspection, Chyba was deemed illegal and Wheeler was awarded the win.
Cook, Krafthefer, Gronwald and Justin Olson rounded out the top five. Gronwald received the hard charger award for moving up 18 spots.
Cory Tammen and Jim Williams were dancing partners on the front row for the WISSOTA Street Stock feature. Before the field completed a lap Tammen stalled in turn four and he collected Mark Froehlich. Tammen was charged with the caution but was able to continue. Jim Gullikson inherited the pole for the restart.
Gullikson immediately seized the point on the opening lap and left Williams, Rod deBernardeaux and Mark Froehlich to battle for second. Froehlich seized third from deBernardeaux on the bottom in turn two one lap later and then darted by Williams for second on the bottom of the track in turn four. Don Barber grabbed fourth from deBernardeaux on lap six using his familliar top groove in turn two.
While Gullikson ran alone out front, Williams, Barber and Froehlich hooked up in a three-car battle for second. On lap 13, Williams ventured up to the top shelf, carried his momentum off turn two and passed Froehlich for second. Two laps later, Gullikson retired to the pits with a broken steering componment and Williams inherited the lead.
Barber did his best to get around Froehlich for second but came up short in the end. Williams stretched the advantage during the final four laps and went on to take the win ahead of Froehlich, Barber, deBernardeaux and Jason Long. Derek Bernstien received the hard charger award after starting 25th and finishing ninth.
Jon Stepan jumped out front of the WISSOTA Super Stock feature field and led until lap two, when Jeff Kluver spun and brought out the caution. Kluver received the "don't be an Aho" award for being the first driver to bring out a yellow in the race.
After the restart, Dave Mass cracked the top five and raced by Cory Mahder on the extreme high side of the speedway in turn two. Mass passed Dan Gullikson for third in turn four on lap four while Rick Kobs dueled side by side with Jon Stepan for the lead. Later on that lap, the yellow flag came out; Kobs was scored the leader, although he had a severely damaged front end.
On the restart, while Kobs struggled with his damaged machine, Mass passed Stepan for second and then powered by Kobs for the lead on lap six. Scott Thompson retired to the pits on lap seven during a caution for Steve Beach.
John Henkemeyer moved by Stepan for third on the restart while Mahder and Mass fought for the lead. After getting shuffled back to ninth early in the race, Tim Johnson fought his way by Kobs for sixth on lap eight. One lap later, Mass and Mahder dueled side by side for the lead down the frontstretch; Mass kept his momentum up on the high side and held the position.
Dale Gangl was up to eighth on lap 14 after starting 20th on the grid. With eight laps to go, Johnson slipped into the top five when he darted by Stepan on the top of the speedway in turn four. One lap later Stepan retired with a breakdown.
Johnson moved into third with six laps to go when he raced by both Danzeisen and Henkemeyer. Henkemeyer, Mahder and Johnson then got caught up in an altercation that sent Mahder to the pits with a flat tire. Danzeisen reclaimed second from Johnson near the end but didn't have anything left for Mass. Johnson, Henkemeyer and Todd Carter rounded out the top five while Cory Davis received the hard charger award for starting 25th and finishing 10th.
Andy Gordon and Zach Johnson brought the 25-car WISSOTA Modified feature field to the green flag. Johnson grabbed the lead from the get-go and immediately stretched the advantage to five car lengths.
Trent Follmer cracked the top five during the opening lap when he raced by J.J. Schuelke on the bottom of the speedway in turn two. Gordon and Dave Mass dropped the gloves and dueled side by side for second. Two laps later, Scot Danzeisen grabbed sixth when he darted by Schuelke on the top groove in turn two. The first yellow waved on lap six.
Craig Christiansen moved up two spots to fifth when he made a nice move around Schuelke and Jamie Lemke in turn two. Mass finally passed Gordon for second on lap 10 when he bolted by on the bottom of the speedway in turn two and Danzeisen put Gordon back another spot when he passed him in turn three.
Terry Engebretson was charging to the front of the field when his motor expired with 11 laps to go. Steve Arpin was running fourth with 10 laps remaining he split Corky Thomas and Gordon in the middle of turn four. A caution with eight laps to go bunched up the field and set up the final double-file restart.
Lemke made a memorable move on lap 19; he worked by Marlyn Seidler, Arpin and Schuelke with a power move on the top side. Seidler ventured to the bottom of the speedway with five laps to go and darted by Schuelke exiting turn four and, with three laps to go, Chad Williamson cracked the top 10 when he passed Joey Jensen in turn four.
Johnson never faltered up front and went on to take the biggest feature win of his young career. Danzeisen, Mass, Gordon and Lemke rounded out the top five. Jensen received the hard charger award for starting 24th and finishing 11th.
The WISSOTA Late Models bid farwell to the 2005 season during their 24-car feature. The promoters choice provisional went to John Henkemeyer but he was unable to make the call. Curt Gelling and Jon Chrest manned the front row when the green flag flew and Chrest grabbed the early lead.
Trent Follmer moved into sixth when he darted by Jeff Hinkemeyer on the bottom of the speedway in turn two. Chrest ran on the top side of the track and Gelling held down second while running the bottom. Follmer nabbed fifth on lap four when he flew by Rick Thoennes on the bottom of the track in turn four.
Eight laps into the race Chrest held the point with Gelling, Don Shaw, Joey Jensen and Follmer battling for second. Three laps later, Gelling and Chrest dueled side by side for an entire circuit. Gelling finally made the pass for the lead stick when he edged ahead of Chrest in turn two on lap 12. Shaw then passed Chrest in turn four on the next circuit. Jensen moved by Chrest as well and began to work on Shaw for second.
With 26 laps remaining, Gelling, Shaw and Jensen began to really mix it up. Follmer moved into fourth on lap 15 and joined the fray up front. Shaw took the lead on lap 17 when he dove to the bottom in turn four. Dave Zimmerman continued his spirited charge toward the front when he entered the top five near the midway point of the contest.
Shaw began to encounter lapped traffic with 16 laps remaining as Jensen grabbed the runner-up spot from Gelling. After another caution, Gelling worked his way back by Jensen for second with seven laps to go and Joel Cryderman powered by Hinkemeyer and Follmer one lap later. Jensen and Zimmerman moved by Gelling after another restart, which gave Cryderman the opportunity for fourth. Cryderman made good on the chance when he snuck by Gelling on the bottom of the track in turn two.
Shaw won in dominating fashion while Jensen, a rookie, came home second ahead of Zimmerman, Cryderman and Gelling. Don Eischens picked up the hard charger award after starting 23rd and finishing ninth.
Organizers of the Viking Fall Classic wanted to thank all the fans and race teams that came out for the event and the many sponsors, including GRP Motorsports, FYE Motorsports, Veit Companies, Power 110 Racing Fuels, Minnesota Corn Growers, NAPA Auto Parts, Holiday Inn, Braham Ford, Orness Creations, On The Edge Graphics, Champs Sports Bar, jimmoe.com, Layne Roberts, Hi-Ten Service Center, Premier Real Estate, Jeff Pellersell's Foot & Ankle Clinics and Rob Palmer.
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