(Racing Every Saturday Night)
Race Results
June 12, 1999
By Rob Ristesund
While weather conditions have been less than perfect throughout the early ‘99 racing season, Mother Nature provided an ideal night for racing Saturday night at Lake County Speedway. On a track that was smooth and tacky, drivers put on a wild and exciting show of speed and thrilling finishes.
As has become the norm rather than the exception at the track, the late model stock car feature was another thriller that saw plenty of passing and a battle for the lead right to the end. The fifteen lap event got off to a rough start when rookie Ross Dixon got his car sideways in front of the field in the second turn just after taking the green flag. A mult-car pile-up ensued, but all those involved were able to restart except for the damaged machine of Dixon. When the race resumed, it was Scott Freet taking the lead and maintaining it until lap six when Brad Wollman moved up to challenge from his sixth row starting spot. Freet and Wollman put on a great display of driving abilities as the pair battled side-by-side for four laps, most of the time just inches apart but rarely making any contact. Wollman finally won that battle as he pulled slightly ahead on lap ten, but a new battle began as Dale Furby made his way up from the fifth row to challenge for the lead. As the pair took Jeff Peterson’s white flag it was Furby pulling slightly ahead of Wollman, and as Wollman fought to regain the point he pushed his machine just a little too far as he spun in the first turn, triggering the caution. The restart saw Furby hold the lead the final two laps, with Freet holding off Don Bickett, Larry Dixon and Rick Eich in a wild battle for second.
Brian Baker made the haul from Rock Rapids, Ia. worth the effort as he took home his first Valvoline/Pam Oil/AC Delco/Lewis/Pepsi sprint car feature win. Baker rocketed into the lead at the start of the twelve lap event and was never seriously challenged as he captured the win by almost a straightaway over runner-up Gary Johnson. Tim Martens took third followed by Chuck McGillivray and Chad Meyer. The race was slowed just once when the second place machine of Mike Ellingson stopped in a cloud of smoke on lap seven.
The Nordstrom’s Sportsman feature was a wild event that climaxed in a photo finish at the end. Russ Englund took the lead at the start of the fifteen lap event and held it until Jeff Wittrock overtook him on the fifth circuit. Wittrock, who in spite of being the defending point champion failed to win a feature event last year, looked to have a good shot at picking up the win until his hood flopped up two laps later, forcing his disqualification and giving the restart lead back to Englund. This time it was Englund who appeared to be headed for his first-ever feature win until Chris Ellingson moved up to challenge late in the race. As the pair exited the final turn headed for the checkered, Englund moved lower on the track, giving Ellingson the room he needed and the pair crossed the finish side-by-side. After some consultation, officials awarded the win to Ellingson by inches over Englund.
As always the hobby stocks provide lots of action and tonight’s feature was no different. Nick Grad held the early lead in the twelve lap event before having a right rear tire go flat, sending him sideways in front of the field on the fourth lap and causing a mult-car melee. When the mess was cleared, it was Curt Ottoson taking over the lead which he would hold to the finish, giving him his first ever feature win. Rick Wibeto took second while “B” feature winner and last row starter Jeff Beck worked his way up to third ahead of Doug Van Liere and Tim Dann. The only roll-over of the night occurred on the final lap of the event when Justin Selken lost a wheel and rolled hard in the first turn. Selken was uninjured in the incident.
360 Sprint Cars
FIRST HEAT: 1. Mike Ellingson, Dell Rapids; 2. Steve Haman, Egan; 3. Brad Nelson, Brookings; 4. Chuck McGillivray, Madison.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Brian Baker, Rock Rapids, Iowa; 2. Gary Johnson, Madison; 3. Tim Martens, Harrisburg; 4. Chad Meyer, Sioux Falls.
FEATURE: 1. Baker; 2. Johnson; 3. Martens; 4. McGillivray; 5. Meyer; 6. Nelson; 7. Haman; 8. Ellingson
Late Model Stock Cars
FIRST HEAT: 1. Larry Dixon, Ramona; 2. Curt Bauman, Brookings; 3. Todd Sterzinger, Colman; 4. Rick Eich, Colman; 5. Don Bickett, Ramona.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Dale Furby, Sioux Falls; 2. Scott Freet, Madison; 3. Ross Dixon, Ramona; 4. Gary Brown, Winner; 5. Rob Anderson, Chester.
FEATURE: 1. Furby; 2. Freet; 3. Bickett; 4. Larry Dixon; 5. Eich; 6. Perry Tschetter, Bridgewater; 7. Sterzinger; 8. Bauman; 9. Anderson; 10. Kent Plimpton, Lennox; 11. Brad Wollman, Bridgewater; 12. Gus Clark, Sioux Falls 13. Brown; 14. Ross Dixon.
Nordstrom's Sportsman
FIRST HEAT: 1. Russ Englund, Hartford; 2. Kenny Berens, Parker; 3. Matt Ayres, Parker; 4. Chris Ellingson, Madison; 5. Jerry Hernden, Madison.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Richard Holbrook, Sioux Falls; 2. Todd Holter, Humboldt; 3. J.J. Zebell, Parker; 4. Jeff Coster, Sioux Falls; 5. Shane Schuchard, Florence.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Josh Tangen, Bruce; 2. Darin Duffy, Dell Rapids; 3. Matt Steuerwald, Madison; 4. Bob Dafoe, Sioux Falls; 5. Tony Callies, Madison.
FOURTH HEAT: 1. Jeff Wittrock, Sioux Falls; 2. Rick Goth, Madison; 3. Russ Peterson, Sioux Falls; 4. Gary Gonyo, Madison.
FIRST B FEATURE: 1. Ellingson; 2. Jeff Hertel, Parker; 3. Moose Schuldt, Sioux Falls.
SECOND B FEATURE: 1. Coster; 2. Al Barnhart, Madison; 3. Ron Fischer, Tripp.
A FEATURE: 1. Ellingson; 2. Englund; 3. Holbrook; 4. Hertel; 5. Holter; 6. Steuerwald; 7. Peterson; 8. Tangen; 9. Coster; 10. Goth; 11. Wittrock; 12. Duffy 13. Berens
I.M.C.A Hobby Stocks
FIRST HEAT: 1. Nick Grad, Madison; 2. Curt Ottoson, Madison; 3. Tim Dann, Lennox; 4. Josh Schmidt, Marion.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Rick Wibeto, Sioux Falls; 2. Dan Doyle, Flandreau; 3. Kevin Konda, Marion; 4. Ryan Bickett, Ramona.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Mark Janke, Madison; 2. Dale Tomes, Dell Rapids; 3. Jeff Ellingson, Madison; 4. Doug Van Liere, Madison.
B FEATURE: 1. Jeff Beck, Winfred; 2. Justin Selken, Hartford; 3. Jason Armstrong, Flandreau; 4. Derck Uthe, Madison.
A FEATURE: 1. Ottoson; 2. Wibeto; 3. Beck; 4. Van Liere; 5. Dann; 6. Tomes; 7. Konda; 8. Doyle; 9. Carmody; 10. Bickett; 11. Selken; 12. Grad; 13. Janke; 14. Schmidt.
Front Wheel Drives
FIRST HEAT: 1. Anderson/Michelke, Madison; 2. Schmidt/Grayson, Brookings; 3. Fuller/Parish, Sioux Falls; 4. Fedeler/Tooker, Nunda; 5. Sampson/Tieszen, Canistota.
SECOND HEAT: 1. Herlyn/Nelson, Marion; 2. Boatright/Kunkel, Hartford; 3. Larson/Ryan, Madison; 4. Haynes/Walter, Bridgewater; 5. Harmon/Ludwig, Canton.
THIRD HEAT: 1. Olson/Gluhn, Madison; 2. Willmott/Insley, White; 3. Schmidt/Damm, Dell Rapids; 4. Rose/Dafoe, Sioux Falls; 5. Scholl/McGillivray, Madison.
FIRST B FEATURE: 1. Rose/Dafoe; 2. Harmon/Ludwig; 3. Fedeler/Tooker
SECOND B FEATURE: 1. Sampson/Tieszen; 2. Haynes/Walter; 3. Hurney/Lien, Brandon.
A FEATURE: 1. Anderson/MIchelke; 2. Boatright/Kunkel; 3. Herlyn/Nelson; 4. Olson/Gluhn; 5. Larson/Ryan; 6. Sampson/Tieszen.