Josh Thoennes Pockets First Career Win On July 29th
By Ray Beste - All The Dirt Racing News
Alexandria, Mn (July 29th, 2006) - After being snake bitten by a last lap pass one week ago, Josh Thoennes turned his luck around Saturday night at Viking Speedway picking up the feature win in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified division. Mark Blom scored his second feature win of the season in the WISSOTA Street Stocks while Jeff Wildung, Terry Engebretson and Larry Lund all picked up feature wins at the speedway as well. With temperatures nearing the 100 degree mark the Viking Speedway staff did a great job maintaining a racy surface throughout the night and fans came out in full force to witness some great racing on Alexandria Technical College night at the speedway.
Thoennes blasted off from the outside of row one to take the early lead in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified main event. The #52 of Thoennes led the entire first lap and half of the second before Jason Hoffman popped a motor as the field raced down the backstretch. On the restart, Danny Bayer used a power move to dispose of Brett Hoium on the bottom of the speedway in turn three while Thoennes had his hands full with fellow row one starter Tim Balbach out front. On lap four it was Thoennes riding the middle groove with Balbach on the bottom. Eighth starter Brady Peterson cracked the top five on lap five when he raced by Dallas Gulbrandson using the cushion in turn two. Peterson immediately moved into fourth and ignited a battle with third place Bayer while Thoennes continued to lead out front.
On lap nine, Thoennes and Balbach each negotiated the lap car of Pete Loecken as the two continued to battle tooth and nail for the point. With two laps remaining Balbach pulled even with Thoennes as the duo raced out of turn two. Thoennes, however, slammed the right rear on the moisture in turn three and powered back by Balbach as the field took the white flag. Balbach threw a couple late race attempts at Thoennes on the final lap but it was not enough as Josh went on to take his first career feature win. Bayer, Peterson, and Gulbrandson each garnered top five finishes as well. Thoennes, Jake Wildman, and Peterson all picked up heat race wins during the nights preliminary action.
Although only ten cars made the call for the WISSOTA Street Stock main event, a solid field of quality drivers packed the speedway next for their main event. Mark Blom used a power move in turn one to take lead while fourth starter Scott Horn moved into second. Blom immediately stretched the advantage from the get go while Horn and Shawn Wageman battled for the second spot. A little further back in the pack, Justin Vogel, Scott Huston and Jay Hedkte battle for the fourth spot. Huston stole fifth from Hedkte on lap five while Vogel held the fourth spot. With five laps still up on the board, Horn and Wageman had successfully closed up on the backside of the Blom for the lead. Blom ran the middle of the speedway while Wageman and Horn tried to work the bottom. Hedkte powered by both Vogel and Huston and took over fourth on lap nine while the battle up front was still raging. Horn and Wageman each showed Blom a fender on the final trip around the speedway but it was not enough as Mark went on to score his second feature win of the season at the speedway. Horn had another steady run in second while Wageman, Hedkte, and Vogel rounded out the top five competitors. Hedkte picked up the heat race win earlier in the evening.
Two long time speedway regulars shared the front row for the WISSOTA Super Stock main event with Jon Stepan and Jeff Flaten manning the front row duties. Stepan grabbed the early advantage while fourth starter Corky Thomas moved into second. Flaten retired with a breakdown on lap three which allowed Larry Lund to move into the third spot. On lap seven, Lund slammed the right rear tire on the cushion in turn two and powered by Thomas as the duo drag raced down the backstretch. At the conclusion of the eighth lap, the yellow flag flew which put Lund on the back bumper of Stepan. On the restart the field negotiated turns one and two with ease. When Stepan entered turn three, however, he slowed dramatically and ultimately retired pit side with mechanical failure. That gave Lund the point while fifteenth Scott Baker was on the move. Baker moved into fourth on lap nine when he disposed of Jeff Crouse using the bottom of the track in turn one. Crouse returned the favor on lap nine when he used the cushion to blast by Baker in turn four. Eight starter Danzeisen moved his way into second past Thomas with five laps remaining while Lund began to really stretch the advantage out front. The final yellow of the event waived on lap sixteen which set up a four lap dash to the finish. On the restart, the #66x of Danzeisen slowed dramatically which allowed Crouse the opportunity to take over the second spot. Thomas was relentless however and on lap eighteen snuck by Crouse on the bottom of the track in turn two. From there on out it was all Lund scoring his first feature win of the season at the speedway. Thomas had another stellar run in second while Crouse, Baker, and Roger Host rounded out the top five competitors. Lund and Danzeisen picked up heat race wins.
Cottage Grove, Mn pilot Shawn Peterson found the bottom of the speedway to his liking on lap one and stole the early lead during the WISSOTA Modified finale. Third starter Bobby Gierke wasted little time joining the party as he and Peterson dueled side by side for the point. Gierke ran the ditch with Peterson one groove off the bottom. Gierke remained in second which allowed him to do battle with Engebretson and Jamie Lemke for the second spot. Lemke seized the third spot on lap five when he blasted by Gierke on the cushion in turn four. Engebretson moved into second and he and Peterson battled side by side for the point. Peterson continued to use the low groove while Engebretson pounded the berm up top. The lead switched hands with nine laps remaining when Engebretson powered by Peterson for the lead in turn four. With six laps remaining, Lemke expired a motor down the backstretch which halted the action behind Engebretson. Sixth starter Jay McDonald worked his way into second on the restart while Dennis Bitzan and Jason Thoennes marched threw the field from the rear. After starting thirteenth, Thoennes found himself in the sixth spot with four to go. Bitzan, who started fifteenth, followed Thoennes in the seventh spot. McDonald did his best to get around Engebretson in the ladder stages of the event but it was not enough as Engebretson went on to score his second win of the season at the speedway. McDonald continues to run great in second while Zach Johnson charged to third. Scot Danzeisen and Jason Thoennes rounded out the top five. Blake Jegtvig and Lemke each picked up a heat race win earlier in the evening as well.
Rick Sweet blasted off from the pole and grabbed the early lead in the WISSOTA Late Model finale while Jeff Wildung immediately grabbed second. Sweet held the point until lap five when Wildung powered by on the bottom of the speedway in turn four. Rick Nelson moved into second with eight laps remaining while the rest of the field seized up behind. Ninth starter Shawn Kirwin moved by both Adam Hensel and Jeff Hinkemeyer on his way to very strong finish. However no one would have anything for Wildung on this night as he lapped several cars in the process. Nelson had a great run in second while Sweet, Thoennes, and Zach Johnson rounded out the top five. Hensel and Hinkemeyer were each able to pick up heat race wins.
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