by Gene Harmelink
Drivers and fans alike were treated to what many described as “the best races of the year” at Tomahawk Speedway on Friday night, July 17. The night began under the same threatening weather conditions prevalent all day long with low clouds and occasional mist. It wasn’t long into the race night, however, when the skies cleared, it warmed up a bit, and it became a beautiful race night that saw a track conducive to excellent, competitive racing.

In WISSOTA Midwest Modified action, Dennis Mikkelson and Jeff McDonald were on the front row, with McDonald jumping to an early lead. As McDonald led, Mikkelson followed in the second spot with Mickey Nosser, who had started fourth, threatening to unseat Mikkelson. By lap five, McDonald still led, with Nosser in second, Jason Zdroik in second, after starting fifth, Bruce Belland in third, after starting fourth, and Mikkelson in fifth.

Midway through the race, McDonald still led, with Zdroik in second, threatening to take the lead. It was during lap thirteen that Zdroik moved to the top of the track to make the move to take the lead as a battle raged on for second between McDonald, Belland, and Nosser with all of the top four cars being within inches of one another. It would be Zdroik, though, who would hang on for his twentieth feature win in the Woodruff Lanes sponsored car and complete the sweep for the night. Belland, McDonald, Nosser, and Mikkelson rounded out the top five.

In WISSOTA Street Stock action, Keith Troutman and Jeff Hoogland led the rest of the field to the green flag for the start of the feature. Hoogland took advantage of his front row starting spot and surged to the lead early, with track point’s leader, John Kallas, who had started fourth, right on his tail. As Hoogland and Kallas fought it out for second, Kelly Knutson, who had started sixth, put his car on the back bumper of the Kallas’ car. Meanwhile, The Troutman brothers, Keith and Matt, fought it out for fourth, exchanging spots on several occasions.

The halfway point of the race saw Hoogland still in the lead, with Kallas trying his darndest to make the move for the lead, getting within inches of passing Hoogland on many occasions coming out of turn two, but falling back as both racers came out of turn four. Meanwhile back in the pack, Keith Troutman moved up to third as Kelly Knutson spun in turn four. Knutson was able to recover without a caution being called and continued. In the end, Hoogland, celebrating his birthday, hung in for the his first win of the season in his Vinces “Hi-Speed” Shop sponsored car, with Kallas still threatening to pass. Matt Troutman passed his brother for third, Kelly Knutson snuck in for fourth, and Keith Troutman finished fifth.

The Tomahawk Pure Stock feature was up for grabs as track point’s leader, Wayne Eskola, was not on the track due to work obligations. Austyn Booth and Travis Friske lined up one and two for the start of the Pure Stock feature, with Friske taking the early lead. As Friske led, Dan Melton, who had started fourth, and Ben Pitlik, who had started sixth, fought it out for second during the first half of the feature.

By lap nine, heat winner, Doug Wojcik, who had started eighth, and who had been slowly picking off his fellow competitors, moved up to third. Friske and Pitlik ran first and second, as Melton settled in for fourth, and Ken Schram, who had started fifth, ran fifth. By race end, it was Friske taking the win in his Professional Drywall Service sponsored car, with Pitlik in second, Wojcik in third, Melton in fourth, and Schram rounding out the top five.

Kasey Gross and Dustin Smith joined forces in the front row for the start of the Tomahawk Four Cylinder Bandit race. Gross was off to a quick start and led the first eight laps of the fifteen-lap feature, but a broken and smoking left-rear wheel would dash any chance of Gross hanging on for the win, even though he would finish the race in second.

With Gross out of contention, Jay Wilberding, who had started fourth, moved in for the kill to take the lead as Gross did his best to cripple along. With Wilberding in the lead, the rest of the field closed up the lead margin. As Wilberding went on for the win in his Discount Trash sponsored Bandit, Gross hung on to second. Smith, Kurt Komarek, who had started dead last, and John Barlowski, who had started seventh, filled out the top five finishers.

Racing resumes on Friday, July 24, when once again the Midwest Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Bandits will entertain the fans at the Tomahawk Speedway with racing starting at 7:00. See: http://www.tomahawkspeedway.com/ for further details.

Thanks to Central Wisconsin News for the buttons, , shirts, and bag given to the fans. You can access their website by going to: http://www.centralwinews.com/CWspeed/

SUMMARY

Tomahawk Speedway, Tomahawk, WI

July 17, 2009

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

20-Lap Feature: Jason Zdroik, Bruce Belland, Jeff McDonald, Mickey Nosser, Dennis Mikkelson, Roger Walker, John Johnson, Jr., Robert Laskowski, Jr.

Heat: Zdroik, Mikkelson, McDonald, Belland, Nosser, Walker, Johnson, Jr., Laskowski

WISSOTA Street Stocks

20-Lap Feature: Jeff Hoogland, John Kallas, Matt Troutman, Kelly Knutson, Keith Troutman, Kevin Maulson, Jr., Bill Froelich

Heat: Kallas, K Troutman, Maulson, Hoogland, M Troutman, Knutson, Froelich

Tomahawk Pure Stocks

15-Lap Feature: Travis Friske, Ben Pitlik, Doug Wojcik, Dan Melton, Ken Schram, Chris Nylund, Nick Wojcik, Austyn Booth, Matt Smith, Alex Durand, Heidi Karshbaum

Heat 1: D Wojcik, Schram, Friske, Booth, Nylund, Smith

Heat 2: N Wojcik, Pitlik, Melton, Karshbaum, Durand

Tomahawk Four Cylinder Bandits

15-Lap Feature: Jay Wilberding, Kasey Gross, Dustin Smith, Kurt Komarek, John Barlowski, Jason Rademacher, Will Garske, Phil Malouf

Heat: Komarek, Wilberding, Smith, Gross, Malouf, Rademacher, Barlowski, Garske