Red Cedar Speedway
September 22, 2012
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Diemel Dominates Punky Manor Challenge of Champions at Red Cedar Speedway

by Ed Reichart
MENOMONIE, WI (September 22) – A.J. Diemel swept past Jake Redetzke on lap six and then pulled away from the field as he scored a dominating win in the thirty third annual Punky Manor Challenge of Champions Late Model event completed Saturday night at the Red Cedar Speedway. Other winners on the final night of racing at Red Cedar for the 2012 racing season included Jimmy Mars, Ben Hillman, Shane Halopka and George Richards.

Redetzke sat on the pole and took the early lead as he edged past Nick Anvelink down the back chute. Meanwhile, Diemel, who started on the outside of row two, quickly moved up the track to build up his momentum and drove past Jimmy Mars and Anvelink on his way to the front. Redetzke had built up a five car length lead but once Diemel was clear from traffic, he quickly moved up on Jake and with a power move, swept past him on the high side down the back chute to take the lead. Once in front, he quickly put distance on the field as the battle now focused on the second spot.

Mars picked up the pace after a few laps and took third from Anvelink and then gradually began to close on Redetzke for second. Meanwhile, Diemel had caught the back of the pack and was starting to lap cars already. Mars moved up on Redetzke and as the field took the halfway signal from starter Rick Cook, Mars drove past Redetzke to take over second. However, Diemel was a straightaway in front of Mars and gave no indication that he was going to back off on his frantic pace.

Scott Gilberts and Mike Prochnow were locked in a good battle for fourth until Gilberts got hung up in traffic and lost a number of positions as he actually was forced off the inside of the track before he was able to disengage himself from a slow running car.

Diemel had a little trouble with the traffic also, nearly running up the back end of one car and also nearly catching the wall off turn four but he refused to back off and was finally able to again find open track space. However, during all this, Mars was not able to close on the leader.

Diemel continued his frantic pace, lapping up to the ninth place car before the race was over. The race remained under the green from start to finish with no yellow flag slowdowns, which also played into Diemel’s hands as he didn’t have to worry about any late race charges from other drivers. At the line, Diemel still had a straightaway lead over his team mate as A.J. earned his third Punky title of his career. Mars finished a solid second ahead of Redetzke and Anvelink. Lance Matthees picked up the pace in the second half of the race to drive past Prochnow and eventually finish fifth.

The second five consisted of John Kaanta, Prochnow, Chad Mahder, Gilberts and Brent Larson. Diemel earned $5,000 for his third Punky title.

Red Cedar Speedway
Menomonie, WI
Sept. 22, 2012
33rd Annual Punky Manor Challenge of Champions

WISSOTA Late Models
40 lap Feature – A.J. Diemel(Elk Mound), Jimmy Mars(Menomonie), Jake Redetzke(Eau Claire), Nick Anvelink(Navarino), Lance Matthees(Winona MN), John Kaanta(Elk Mound), Mike Prochnow(Menomonie), Chad Mahder(Eau Claire), Scott Gilberts(Menomonie), Brent Larson(Lake Elmo MN), Rick Hanestad, Jordan Yaggy, Gordie Seegert Jr, Kerry Hanson, Greg Nippoldt, Todd Green, Robbie Bunkelman, Darrell Nelson
8 lap Dash – Redetzke, Anvelink, Mars, Diemel, Gilberts, Prochnow, Matthees, Larson

WISSOTA Modifieds
30 lap Feature – Jimmy Mars(Elk Mound), Kevin Adams(Cameron), Mike Anderson(Colfax), Dave Cain(Corcoran MN), Cory Mahder(Elk Mound), Brent Larson(Lake Elmo MN), Craig Thatcher(Knapp), Mark Hessler(Menomonie), Mark Gerth(Menomonie), Robbie Bunkelman(Abbotsford), Ashley Anderson, Darrell Nelson, Scott Miller, Jay Richardson, Jake Hartung, Brent Prochnow, Al Uotinen, Ronnie Rihn, Jerry Weigel, Steve Lavasseur, Pat Hoffman, Kevin Eder, Destin Lorimor, Kent Baxter
15 lap B Feature – A. Anderson(Elk Mound), Hartung(Elmwood), Lavasseur(River Falls), Prochnow(Colfax), Jesse Glenz(Cadott), Paul Niznik, Bryan Nayes, Aric Lindberg, Robbie Johnson, Brock Haines, Jonathan Brown, Zach Drews, Steve Hallquist, Dave Baxter
8 lap Dash – Mars, Cain, M. Anderson, Adams, Bunkelman, Larson, Mahder, Eder

WISSOTA Super Stocks
25 lap Feature – Ben Hillman(Menomonie), Aaron Wilson(Eau Claire), Steve Thomas(Menomonie), Cory Davis(Turtle Lake), Jesse Redetzke(Eau Claire), Shawn Huse(Bloomer), Scott Lawrence(Superior), Tom Karis(Menomonie), Gunnar Watkins(Elk Mound), Nick Oreskovich(Mason), Tommy Richards, Jason Forehand, Chad Johnson, Bart Steffen, Ben Hanke, Dan Bork, Rich Bishop, Kenny Davis, Mike Keller, Tim Borgeson, Kelly Anderson, Eric Olson, Tony Falkner
12 B Feature 1 – C. Johnson(Colfax), Bishop(New Richmond), Terry Kroening(Colby), Kevin Eder(Ashland), Rick Hallquist(Eau Claire), Gary Weirsgalla, Kevin Salin, Karl Dicks, Curt Hazelton, Robbie Johnson
B Feature 2 – Richards(Mondovi), Borgeson(New Richmond), Ken Truscott(Greenland MI), Brad Edington(Elk Mound), Randy Spacek(Phillips), Brad Johnson, Wayne Bignell, Derek Baskin

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
25 lap Feature – Shane Halopka(Greenwood), Ryan Viltz(Chetek), Mike Truscott(Chippewa Falls), Cory Crapser(Chippewa Falls), Jake Smith(Eau Claire), Josh Smith(Eau Claire), Jake Smeltzer(Menomonie), Travis Anderson(Colfax), Nick Koehler(Bloomer), Cole Spacek(Phillips), Kerry Halopka, Ronnie Rihn, Rick Przybylski, Eric Klafka, Ross Fuhrman, Nathan Thums, Ben Schultz, Paul Niznik, Kent Baxter, Terry Sirek, James Green, Kyle Steffen, Jesse Aho, Shawn Carlson
12 lap B Feature – Aho(Twin Lakes MI), Niznik(Medford), Sirek(Rice Lake), S. Carlson(Afton MN), Robbie Johnson(Wilson), Chris Huther, Casey Green, Luke Shackleton, Jason Richardson, Mitch Anderson, Miranda Carlson

Pure Stocks
12 lap Feature – George Richards(Mondovi), Chad Eastman(Rice Lake), Jay Folz(Rice Lake), Dustin Doughty(Ladysmith), Kory Hathaway(Elmwood), Clay Potaczek(Boyd), Dalton Hazelton(New Auburn), Brandon Davis(Chetek), Lucas Kallenback(Chippewa Falls), Krysta Swearingen(Little Canada MN), Austin Workman, John Erickson, Jake Hanson, Bill Skoug, Todd Roshell, Josh Rud, Jeremy Dahl
8 lap Heat 1 – Dahl(Knapp), Davis, Swearingen, Skoug(Osseo), Hathway, Folz, Hazelton, Eastman, Workman
Heat 2 – Potaczek, Doughty, Richards, Erickson(Cameron), Kallenbach, Roshell, Rud, Hanson