TARDY BREAKS THROUGH WITH SUPER STOCK WIN AT PROCTOR
By Jerry O’Brien 7-29-12
It was a full day Sunday at the Proctor Speedway. American Cancer Society
Relay For Life presented the annual Race Against Cancer and Fan Appreciation
night.
The day started with a free picnic at the speedway along with a show of race
cars capped off with a night of racing. 14 drivers took advantage of the offer of
free pit admission if they would bring their cars for display starting at noon, the
most that have ever taken the offer in the five year history of the event.
Feature action began with 20 laps for the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. Dan
Doran started from the pole but it was Dan Larsen who grabbed the lead at the
outset. The caution flag flew right away as Doran went off turn one. The restart
saw Neil Balduc get the jump on Larsen but Larsen was back out in front across
the back stretch. Balduc retook the lead as Danny Vang raced up from the fourth
row to take second ahead of Deven VanHouse and Larsen. Vang got tipped around
in turn one by Justin Oestreich bringing out the caution flag. On the restart Balduc
was caught napping as Vang and VanHouse got by but the caution flag again flew
setting up another restart. This time Balduc was ready but VanHouse got the hole
shot but still another caution flag appeared. On this restart it was Vang out front
then VanHouse and Balduc. Larsen ran fourth but some distance back. The top
three battled amongst themselves as they pulled away from the rest. It came down
to a battle for the win between Vang and VanHouse side by side for several laps
before VanHouse surged ahead and went on to the win. Vang, Balduc and Larsen
followed by Bill Matzdorf were in the top five. Matzdorf had started tenth. It was
VanHouse’s second win of the season at the track.
Next the Pure Stocks were trotted out for their 15 lap feature. Matt Hammitt
surged to the lead for a brief time ahead of Glenn Dammer and Justin Bassa but it
was point leader Josh Loucks who captured the point followed by heat winner
Mike Sirois Dammer, Bassa and Esten Nelson. Sirois’ run ended with a flat tire as
Bassa again took second. Jon Hammitt and Jeff Engelmeier were also in the mix
up front. The only caution flag of the event flew when rookie Tyler Carlson went
off turn four. The restart was single file and Loucks expanded his lead as Jon
Hammitt, Bassa, Nelson and Engelmeier battled behind him. Loucks won and
padded his point lead as Bassa finished second Jon Hammitt third Nelson fourth
and Engelmeier fifth.
Ryan Aho got a great jump and sailed around the outside from row two to the
lead in the 20 lap Modified feature. Justin Jones, Paul Schultz, Nick Musel and Al
Uotinen ran just behind. Darrell Nelson was charging forward from last where
started due to a flat tire and DNF in his heat and was seventh in the early going.
Nelson’s charge continued and soon he was third behind Jones and Aho along
with Schultz, Musel and Jody Bellefeuille. Nelson put on a surge and took the
lead. The caution flag flew when Scott Miller broke a drive shaft. Aho was right
behind Nelson at the restart and took back the lead with a strong outside move in
the fourth turn and led the rest of the way. Nelson, Bellefeuille, Musel and Jeff
Tardy rounded out the top five.
Willie Johnsen got a strong start and took the lead but the caution appeared
when Mike Bellefeuille went off the top of turn two. Bellefeuille was out and
Johnsen kept the lead on the restart over Scott Lawrence, Ronnie Malecki, Scott
Lawrence, Jeff Tardy and Donnie Lofdahl. The caution flag flew when Pat
Heikkinen spun in turn four. Johnsen held the point as Brian Carl joined the top
five until Heikkinen grabbed the spot. Lawrence pulled up inside Johnsen but
couldn’t quite make the pass as the caution flag flew again as Carl and Heikkinen
continued their battle for fifth. At the green Tardy got a great run on Lawrence and
Johnsen, but couldn’t quite pull it off until the next time by. As Tardy pulled away
the order behind him stood at Johnsen, Lawrence, Lofdahl and Carl. Tardy raced
out to a big lead until Carl spun in turn four. There was a quick caution flag on the
restart when Johnsen spun on the back stretch. There were six laps remaining at
the green with Tardy out front, Lawrence now in second and Lofdahl third. Tardy
went on to take the win over Lawrence, and Lofdahl. Kevin Salin and Malecki
finished in the top five.
The final feature of the evening was 20 laps for the Late Models with Dave
Esse and Terry Lillo leading the way. Harry Hanson shot up off turn four to grab
the lead with Darrell Nelson to second. The caution flag flew and Lillo was out. At
the green it was Hanson, Nelson, Don Copp, Esse and Joey Ogston. Kyle Peterlin
was on the move and took over fifth after starting dead last. Nelson was closing on
Hanson as Peterlin slipped into fourth. Another caution flag flew when second
running Nelson spun by himself in turn two, a rare mistake for the veteran. There
were eight laps remaining at the restart with Hanson at the point. Another time for
the caution flag as Esse spun off turn two. Hanson got a good start and Peterlin
found himself in second with Kevin Carlson in third and Nelson back up to fourth.
Peterlin encountered problems with the #23 on the back stretch bringing out the
caution flag again. The restart came with three laps remaining and that was plenty
of time for another caution flag as Esse went off in turn three. Hanson made it to
the checkered flag without further incident. Carlson, Nelson, Copp and Tim
McMann were top five finishers.
Results Proctor Speedway 7-29-12
WISSOTA Late Model ( 9 cars)
Feature (20 laps) Harry Hanson Eveleth; Kevin Carlson Hermantown; Darrell
Nelson Hermantown; Don Copp Brule; Tim McMann Duluth; Joey Ogston
Duluth; Dave Esse Cloquet; Kyle Peterlin Hibbing; Terry Lillo Duluth
Heat (8 laps): Nelson; Ogston; Esse; Lillo; Hanson; Carlson; McMann; Peterlin
WISSOTA Modified (13 cars)
Feature (20 laps) Ryan Aho Chisholm; Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Jody
Bellefeuille Duluth; Nick Musel Duluth; Jeff Tardy Hibbing; Rick Cannata
Hibbing; Paul Schultz Grand Rapids; Al Uotinen Superior; Scott Heikkinen
Eveleth; Ken Mostoller Warba; Scott Miller Rice Lake; Justin Jones Bemidji; E. J.
Hietala Cloquet
Heat 1 ( 8 laps ): Aho; Miller; Mostoller; Bellefeuille; Heikkinen; Cannata; Nelson
Heat 2 ( 8 laps ): Musel; Schultz; Jones; Uotinen; Tardy; Hietala
WISSOTA Super Stock ( 13 cars )
Feature (20 laps ) Jeff Tardy Hibbing; Scott Lawrence Superior; Donnie Lofdahl
Proctor; Kevin Salin Iron; Ronnie Malecki Superior; Day Yrjanson Carlton; Pat
Heikkinen Eveleth; Trevor Arens Hibbing; Al Rapp Saginaw; Ashley Smith
Superior; Willie Johnsen Superior; Brian Carl Duluth; Mike Bellefeuille Duluth
Heat 1 ( 8 laps ): Johnsen; Lofdahl; Tardy; Salin; Yrjanson; Carl; Smith
Heat 2 ( 8 laps ): Lawrence; Arens; Bellefeuille; Malecki; Heikkinen; Rapp
WISSOTA Midwest Modified ( 13 cars )
Feature (20 laps ) Deven VanHouse Silver Bay; Danny Vang Brainerd; Neil
Balduc Bessemer; Dan Larsen Hermantown; Bill Matzdorf Grand Rapids; Dale
Suomala Hermantown; Josh Heavirland Cloquet; Chris Bretting Washburn;
Andrew Inman Hermantown; Adam Shinn Duluth; Dan Kingsley Superior; Jusrin
oestreich Elk River; Dan Doran Hermantown
Heat 1 ( 8 laps )” doran; Kingsley; Oestreich; VanHouse; Shinn; Bretting;
Suomala
Heat 2 ( 8 laps ): Balduc; Larsen; vang; Heavirland; Matzdorf; Inman
Pure Stock ( 20 cars)
Feature (15 laps) Josh Loucks Carlton; Justin Bassa Hermantown; jon Hammitt
Cloquet; Esten Nelson Grand Marais; Jeff Engelmeier Saginaw; Glenn Dammer
Duluth; Matt Deragon Ashland; Brett Leino Moose Lake; Shaina Rapp Saginaw;
Tyler Carlson Cloquet; Erik Pederson Saginaw; Annika Hammitt Cloquet; Rita
Anderson South Range; Mike Sirois Hermantown; Zene Anderson Superior; Matt
Hammitt Cloquet; Craig Horak Grand Marais; Lucas Carlson Cloquet; Andy Leino
Barnum; Mike Dahle Little Marais
Heat 1 ( 8 laps ): Loucks; Engelmeier; Dammer; M. Hammitt; T. Carlson; A.
Hammitt; Dahle; Deragon
Heat 2 ( 8 laps ): Sirois; Nelson; Horak; Bassa; Leino; Rapp; Z. Anderson; L.
Carlson; A. Leino; Pederson
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