ABC Raceway
September 29, 2013
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Anderson, Myers, Halopka are repeat winners in 38th Annual Red Clay Classic

by Nick Gima
ASHLAND, WI, (September 29) — Nick Anvelink of Navarino pulled away from Jake Redetzke to collect his first-ever win at the ABC Raceway during the season-ending 38th annual Red Clay Classic.

With the two-day AmsOil Dirt Track Series race event spilling over into very early Sunday morning, the three other feature winners – Ashley Anderson of Eau Claire, Curt Myers of Cameron and Shane Halopka of Greenwood – made for an all-Wisconsin victory lane at the Northland’s traditional stock car racing finale for the first time since 2004.

Tim’s Automotive Machine of Bloomer and FastLane Motorsports & Custom Powdercoating of Ashland generously boosted the already event-record purse to over $80,000, and a huge crowd of well over 2,000 in the stands enjoyed summertime temperatures in the 70s for Friday’s heat-race action and braved crisp autumn conditions for Saturday’s big-money portion of the show.

All four championship runs struggled through various-sized cases of yellow fever despite a track that was fast, wide and smooth. Just two laps into the 50-lap WISSOTA Late Model feature Travis Budisalovich skidded to a stop on the front straight with an engine fire to bring about the first of that race’s eight yellow-flag slowdowns. While the fire was quickly extinguished Zach Wohlers, who was running fourth at the time, hustled his car to the pit area and did not return.

John Kaanta, who started alongside polesitter Jake Redetzke on the front row, shot out to the initial lead but could not shake loose of the two-time defending race winner before the Budisalovich stop. After the restart Brent Larson flew to the top line and, within two more circuits, swept around the lead pair, with Redetzke grabbing second.

Larson had just started to extend his lead, and Anvelink had moved by Kaanta for third, when the pace was slowed for a series of delays, starting with fifth-running Kyle Peterlin was spun on lap 6. Back under green Peterlin swapped fourth with Kaanta until lap 8, when debris was spotted on the track, and then, as Anvelink took second from Redetzke, Tim McMann’s ride failed him on lap 9.

Redetzke took second back from Anvelink just before Darrell Nelson’s spin on lap 11, but Anvelink returned the favor on the next restart before Eric Pember’s lap 12 loop. The field then settled in to click off 18 uninterrupted laps, with Larson fending off a three-wide challenge for the lead before charging away to a 1.3-second buffer within just five laps.

As Larson began contending with slower traffic on lap 20, Anvelink began to cut into the leader’s margin. On lap 27 Anvelink was on Larson’s bumper, and over the next two laps he worked the low groove to eventually take the lead away. Then, on lap 30, Larson slipped up the track while attempting to pass backmarker Todd Gehl; the heavy contact caused Gehl to spin, and Larson was penalized to the tail of the field for the incident, ending his chance at a second RCC crown.

During the long green-flag run Nelson – who had started 23rd on the 26-car grid – had meticulously worked his way into the top five, restarting fourth after the Larson-Gehl conflict. Mike Goodremote, who had been sent to the back for an earlier incident, restarted seventh, slipped past Jeff Massingill and Nelson and made a thrilling thread-the-needle move between Peterlin and Kaanta to try to take third, but both Nelson and Peterlin recovered to shuffle him back to fifth, with Nelson earning third in the process. By this time Anvelink had a 1.7-second edge on Redetzke, but on lap 38 Lance Hofer’s spin brought the field together one last time.

Over the final dozen laps Anvelink built himself a slight cushion, and although Redetzke pulled to within a half-second at the white flag he could get no closer, as Anvelink held on for the $4,000 landmark win. Nelson was quite a distance back for an impressive third-place run, while Peterlin and Goodremote completed the top five.

Pember came home sixth, Larson charged back to a seventh-place finish and collected the fast-lap bonus of $150 with a late-race tour of the three-eighths-mile oval in 16.408 seconds, and Kaanta, 20th-starting Jeff Provinzino and Dave Esse completed the top ten.

Although the WISSOTA Modified headliner ran 35 laps, Anderson’s route to the win was much longer, as he rode the outer perimeter of the track throughout the run. Kelly Estey outran polestarter Jay Richardson to claim early honors, but before three circuits were scored Anderson had swept around both for the lead. Brandon Jensen followed Anderson by Richardson to third, as Anderson stretched his lead to over a second during the first eight green-flag laps.

As the fast pace continued Anderson built his advantage on Estey and Jensen despite catching slower traffic on lap 14, but the field came back to the leader’s rear push-bar after a get-together involving Pember and Scott Hudack. Over the next three laps the event was slowed twice more – for spins by Jeff Spacek on lap 15 and Rick Rivord on lap 17 – before Anderson could rebuild his cushion. During that stretch Jensen and Estey swapped the runner-up position a couple of times, and after Richardson grabbed third from Jensen before the lap 17 caution he took a shot at swiping second from Estey but got pinched against the back-straight guard rail during the three-wide move and settled back to fifth behind Steve Stuart.

Anderson’s lead was a second-and-a-half before the yellow lights came on for the final time on lap 24 when Brent Prochnow’s ride stopped with a flat tire. From there Anderson pulled away to a nearly one-second margin for his second Red Clay Classic victory; he also grabbed the “Champion’s Challenge” bonus of $500 and the fast-lap bonus with a time of 17.124 seconds for a ABC Raceway-record payday for Mods of $3,650. Jensen got the best of the battle with Estey for second, and Richardson retook fourth from Stuart in the closing laps.

Former RCC champ Jody Bellefeuille earned sixth ahead of 15th-starting Jesse Glenz, Matt Leer, two-time defending race champ Joey Jensen (who started 18th) and Pat Hoffman.

Myers became the first ABC Raceway regular to win the RCC WISSOTA Super Stock feature since Greg Kuklinski in 2002, but he had to survive two green-white-checkered finishes to put Don Koivisto’s familiar number 33 in Victory Lane. Myers grabbed the early advantage from impressively strong polestarter Mark Stender before Cory Casari’s spin stopped action after just one lap, and Myers held that lead over all 30 laps despite persistent challenges from track champ Scott Lawrence, Stender, Eric Olson and hard-charging Kevin Burdick.

A four-car mess on lap 5 kept the pack in close formation, and Dave Flynn’s spin before the next lap was scored stalled the pace again. But even though the next 17 laps went non-stop Myers couldn’t entirely shake free from the wolfpack on his tail, with Olson and Burdick swapping third spot right behind Lawrence.

By lap 11 Randy Spacek had joined the top-five battle, soon after joined by Nick Oreskovich, but all the while Myers maintained a scant half-second lead on Lawrence. Positions shuffled among the top ten runners with nearly every circuit until lap 22, when Casari slowed and pulled into the infield grass. On the restart Olson challenged Lawrence for second, but the caution for Kevin Eder’s stalled ride negated the move. Olson repeated the move on the restart, and this time it counted, while Burdick worked his way around Spacek for fourth and Oreskovich followed to fifth.

Myers stretched his lead on Olson to nearly a second with five laps remaining, and Burdick and Oreskovich displaced Lawrence two laps later for third and fourth on lap 27. As the field was heading for the white flag Tommy Richards, running deep in the top ten, spun and collected Derek Vesel and Tristan LaBarge, forcing the first of the two green-white-checkered sprints.

On the restart Spacek slipped up the banking in turn 1 and slapped the guard rail; he kept going but lost significant ground to the leaders. However, before the lap was completed Oreskovich and Stender came together, and a second attempt to finish the last two laps was required. Under green Burdick used one last strong drive to get around Olson for second, while Myers held on for his 17th career win in Ashland and fourth this season, as the field crossed under the checkers in a bunch. Myers also collected the “Champion’s Challenge” and fast-lap (18.003 seconds) bonuses for a track-record check for Super Stocks of $2,450.

Brian Mikkonen lined up seventh on that final restart and surged through to fourth, and Lawrence held on to fifth. Joey Jensen, Oreskovich, Spacek, divisional rookie Shawn McFadden Jr, and Ken Truscott filled out the second five.

Inaugural RCC WISSOTA Midwest Modified champion Skeeter Estey fought off Mike Truscott from the pole for the early lead in their 25-lap A-feature, and Estey stayed out front after a lap 1 caution stop for John Feirn’s get-together with Mark Kangas. Halopka and his brother Kerry restarted third and fourth until Rivord slipped past Kerry on lap 2, and Shane Halopka worked around Truscott a lap later and began his quest for the win on the restart after Feirn’s second spin on lap 5.

Halopka tried a three-wide move to take the lead from Estey along with Truscott, but he couldn’t make it stick. But when Truscott slipped and collected Rivord on lap 6 it took Truscott out of the hunt. Estey and Halopka scooted away to try to decide the win between themselves, with tenth-starting track champ Travis Nye moving up to third, but Tyler Luger’s stalled ride on lap 8 kept the rest of the field close.

Kerry Halopka’s spin sent him to the back on the restart attempt, after which brother Shane made his winning move during the next lap, grabbing the lead with an outside pass. Dan Kingsley took fourth from Rivord just prior to a Kangas spin on lap 12 that stopped the show, and on that restart Estey’s car broke loose, creating a chain-reaction that sent several cars scrambling and caused Cole Spacek’s racer to tangle up with Rick Przybylski’s while both were running in the top ten – a mess that took almost 15 minutes to pull apart.

Estey left the track after being advised that he would be pinned with the caution, leaving Halopka to hold off Nye and Kinglsey over the remaining 13 laps, which ran off without further incident. Przybylski slipped past Rivord and Kingsley for third, with Spacek following to fourth, before Kingsley’s car coasted safely into the infield with mechanical issues with ten laps left. Halopka’s lead had stretched to over 1.25 seconds when the checkered flag fell, giving him his second straight RCC title and sixth ABC Raceway career win, and paying him $1,100 with the $500 “Champion’s Challenge” bonus. Spacek slipped past Przybylski in the final two laps for third, and Rivord held firm to fifth.

Truscott made a strong recovery for sixth-place money, while Skeeter’s brother Mack Estey came home seventh in his first-ever Classic appearance. Ryan Adamzak, Canadian visitor Cody Wolkowski and Willy Thompson completed the top ten. Skeeter Estey set the fast lap early in the run at 17.488 seconds for that bonus.

The total car count of 161 entries included 26 Late Models, 41 Modifieds, 48 Super Stocks and 46 Mid-Mods. Those drivers who recorded the fastest timed laps in the four features were awarded the $150 bonuses from Northern Clearing Inc of Ashland, and NorTrax Equipment and Northland Lawn, Sport & Equipment donated track-maintenance and other equipment for use by the Raceway crews during the weekend.

The ABC Raceway’s annual Awards Banquet will be held in January; fans and drivers are encouraged to watch the track’s website, www.abcraceway.com for more information. The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road.

Results

WISSOTA Late Models
Feature: Nick Anvelink, Navarino; Jake Redetzke, Eau Claire; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, MN; Kyle Peterlin, Hibbing, MN; Mike Goodremote, Sand Creek; Eric Pember, Pittsville; Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN; John Kaanta, Elk Mound; Jeff Provinzino, Hibbing, MN; Dave Esse, Cloquet, MN; Jeff Massingill, Keewatin, MN; Don Frider, Hibbing, MN; Lance Hofer, Cochrain, MN; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Todd Gehl, Solon Springs; Cory Jorgensen, Hermantown, MN; Todd Green, Eau Claire; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Harry Hanson, Eveleth, MN; Kevin Carlson, Hermantown, MN; Tim McMann, Duluth, MN; Aaron Lillo, Duluth, MN; Steve Laursen, Cumberland; Zach Wohlers, Hibbing, MN; Travis Budisalovich, Minneapolis, MN; Trevor Wilson, Superior;
Heat 1: Kaanta; Wohlers; Hanson; Massingill; Lillo; Frider; Wilson; Green.
Heat 2: Redetzke; Budisalovich; Peterlin; Prochnow; Goodremote; Gehl; Provinzino; Nelson.
Heat 3: Larson; Anvelink; Pember; Esse; McMann; Hofer; Carlson; Laursen; Jorgensen.
Dash: Redetzke; Kaanta; Larson; Wohlers; Anvelink; Peterlin; Budisalovich; Pember; Hanson.

WISSOTA Modifieds
Feature: Ashley Anderson, Eau Claire; Brandon Jensen, Hammond; Kelly Estey, Kelly Lake, MN; Jay Richardson, Spring Valley; Steve Stuart, Ashland; Jody Bellefeuille, Duluth, MN; Jesse Glenz, Fall Creek; Matt Leer, Bruce; Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, MN; Pat Hoffman, Rice Lake; Mike Anderson, Colfax; David Baxter, Eau Claire; Jared Loos, Loyal; Eric Pember, Pittsville; Pat Cook, Washburn; Brent Prochnow, Colfax; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, MN; Neil Balduc, Bessemer, MI; Rick Rivord, Superior; Tim McMann, Duluth, MN; Brian Mikkonen, Iron River; Scott Hudack, Ashland; Jeff Spacek, Phillips.
Heat 1: A Anderson; Stuart; Leer; Nelson; McMann; Al Uotinen, Superior; Jeff Broking, Grand Rapids, MN; Jeff Tardy, Hibbing, MN.
Heat 2: Richardson; Rivord; Lavasseur; Hudack; Mikkonen; Ross Lightner, Washburn; Kevin Eder, Ashland; Kevin Rogers, Unity.
Heat 3: D Baxter; Prochnow; Hoffman; Spacek; Loos; Jerry Weigel, Jim Falls; Bill Fisher, Shell Lake; Kent Baxter, Colfax.
Heat 4: Estey; B Jensen; Glenz; Pember; Balduc; Zach Pagels, Ashland; Paul Niznik, Medford; Destin Lorimor, Superior.
Heat 5: Cook; Bellefeuille; M Anderson; J Jensen; Scott Miller, Rice Lake; Steve Halquist, Eau Claire; Nick Musel, Duluth, MN.
Semi-Feature 1: Loos; McMann; Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Broking; Musel; Lightner; Miller; Fisher; Pagels.
Semi-Feature 2: Balduc; Mikkonen; Weigel; Uotinen; K Baxter; Shawn Kelley, Somerset; Niznik; Eder.

WISSOTA Super Stocks
Feature: Curt Myers, Cameron; Kevin Burdick, Proctor, MN; Eric Olson, Ladysmith; Brian Mikkonen, Iron River; Scott Lawrence, Superior; Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, MN; Nick Oreskovich, Mason; Randy Spacek, Phillips; Shawn McFadden Jr, Ashland; Ken Truscott, Greenland, MI; Dave Flynn, Superior; Rich Bishop, New Richmond; Andy Grymala, Superior; Tommy Richards, Mondovi; Charlie Anderson, Ironwood, MI; Mark Stender, Holcombe; Derek Vesel, Hibbing, MN; Tristan LaBarge, Kelly Lake, MN; Steve Thomas, Menomonie; Kevin Eder, Ashland; Cory Casari, Montreal; Rick Simpson, Thunder Bay, ON; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Brad Johnson, Wilson; Mike Hesselink, Deer Park.
Heat 1: Spacek; Oreskovich; Richards; Simpson; Bishop; Greg Kuklinski, Ironwood, MI; DJ Keeler, Superior; Keith Kern, Superior; Tony Faulkner, Menomonie; Willie Johnsen, Superior.
Heat 2: Olson; Truscott; Grymala; Anderson; Dan Tocheri, Kakabecka Falls, ON; Ralph Stark, Withee; Scott Geiger, Dorchester; Wayne Stricker, Highbridge; Don Muzzy, Ironwood, MI; Brian Carl, Duluth, MN.
Heat 3: Myers; Jensen; Flynn; Eder; Hesselink; Myron Basina, Washburn; Joe Oliver, Superior; Shawn Rivord, Superior; Chad Carlson, Superior.
Heat 4: Stender; Thomas; Mikkonen; Kisling; McFadden; Vesel; Mike Hince, Watertown; Kevin Salin, Iron, MN.
Heat 5: Lawrence; Burdick; LaBarge; B Johnson; Wayne Dean, Fall Creek; Curt Hazelton, Menomonie; Jim Campbell, Two Harbors, MN; Mark Polen, Knapp.
Semi-Feature 1: Hesselink; Vesel; Keeler; Dean; Campbell; Stark; Salin; Carl; Falkner; Bishop; Stricker; Oliver; Carlson.
Semi-Feature 2: McFadden; Casari; Rivord; Travis Schilling, Dorchester; Kern; Hazelton; Basina; Polen; Hince; Tocheri; Muzzy.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Feature: Shane Halopka, Greenwood; Travis Nye, Ashland; Cole Spacek, Phillips; Rick Przybylski, Ashland; Rick Rivord, Superior; Mike Truscott, Chippewa Falls; Mack Estey, Kelly Lake, MN; Ryan Adamzak, Ashland; Cody Wolkowski, Thunder Bay, ON; Willy Thompson, Hibbing, MN; Ross Fuhrman, Ashland; Kerry Halopka, Wheeler; Nathan Thums, Wausau; Duane Dunbar, Marenisco, MI; John Feirn, Chippewa Falls; Mark Rose, Elcho; Dan Kingsley, Superior; Eric Klafka, Wisconsin Rapids; Skeeter Estey, Kelly Lake, MN; Cory Karshbaum, Chetek; Mark Kangas, Eveleth, MN; Tyler Luger, Iron River; Luke Shackleton, Menomonie; Travis Anderson, Colfax.
Heat 1: K Halopka; Kingsley; Thompson; T Anderson; Feirn; Paul Suzik, Ironwood, MI; Andy Lubovich, Kelly Lake, MN; Bill Muhlig, Bessemer, MI; JR Anderson, Duluth, MN; George Truscott, Greenland, MI.
Heat 2: S Estey; Shackleton; Przybylski; Rose; Travis Friske, Tomahawk; Chris Bretting, Washburn; Klafka; Chris Huther, Medford; Collin Hazelton, Chippewa Falls.
Heat 3: M Truscott; Adamzak; Wolkowski; Fuhrman; Kangas; Matt Anderson; Hibbing, MN; Paul Niznik, Medford; Jake Gondik, Foxboro; David Simpson, Thunder Bay, ON.
Heat 4: S Halopka; Nye; M Estey; Spacek; Dunbar; Rob Weber, Washburn; Cody Carlson, Superior; Kenneth Rogers, Unity; Joe Eckland, Hayward.
Heat 5: Rivord; Karshbaum; Luger; Thums; Don Craig, Thunder Bay, ON; Tanner Hicks, Ashland; Brad Seaver, Rib Lake; Dennis Mikkelson, Rhinelander; Jeff Klopstein, Tomahawk.
Semi-Feature 1: Kangas; Feirn; Niznik; Craig; Klopstein; Simpson; Rogers; Seavers; Lubovich; Huther; JR Anderson; Bretting; Weber.
Semi-Feature 2: Dunbar; Klafka; M Anderson; Suzik; Hicks; Muhlig; Carlson; Gondik; Eckland; Mikkelson; Hazelton; Friske; G Truscott.