Van Natta and Kallas Win WISSOTA Portion of Night One at Tomahawk Speedway

by Gene Harmelink
Sixteen year-old Alex Van Natta cruised to a WISSOTA/Amsoil Midwest Modified feature win and John Kallas swept the WISSOTA/Amsoil Street Stocks in the first night of a two-night event at Tomahawk Speedway. Track champion in the Tomahawk Pure Stock Division, Randy Conner, swept that Division, while Adam Johnson did the same in the Four-Cylinder Bandit Division. The Ashland Six Cylinders also were on hand with Patrick Beeksma sweeping that division.

The Tomahawk Pure Stocks were up first with Randy Conner and Keith Troutman sharing front row honors. Conner was quick to establish himself as the leader and by the end of lap five had lapped one of the slower cars in his feature. Meanwhile Keith Troutman and Steve Brown battled for the second spot, with Brown securing the second spot by the end of lap three.

Midway through the feature, Conner was still in the lead with Brown in pursuit. Troutman, Bill Follstad and Mike Brown had a spirited battle going for third.

As the checkered flag flew, Hayward, Wisconsin’s, Conner, had completed a sweep in his Greg’s Restoration-sponsored car with Steve Brown, Troutman, Follstad and Mike Brown rounding out the top five.

The Ashland Six Cylinders were up next with Don Muzzy and Patrick Beeksma sharing the front row. Just as he had done in the heat, Beeksma was very quick off the line, shooting to a significant lead early, as Muzzy and Bill Anderson fought it out for second.

Midway through the feature, Beeksma still led, but Muzzy was joined by Anderson and Dale Coddington as they battled for second.

In the end, it was Ironwood, Michigan’s, Beeksma, completing the sweep in his Clean Air Heating-sponsored car. Muzzy, Anderson, Coddington and Ron Lillie rounded out the top five.

Dennis LaCrosse, Jr. and Ron Van Dusen led the WISSOTA/Amsoil Street Stocks to the green flag for the start of their feature. LaCrosse was the early leader with Steve Karshbaum and Kallas running second and third.

The end of lap five saw LaCrosse still in the lead, Kallas running second and Karshbaum running third. Meanwhile Jordan Kurtti and Jeff Klopstein, Jr. were fighting it out for fourth.

At the halfway point of the 20-lap feature, LaCrosse still led, with Kallas running a car length behind him as both cars put distance between themselves and the rest of the field. At this point, Kurtti had passed Karshbaum for third and Klopstein ran fifth.

With seven laps to go, Kallas made the pass on LaCrosse and Kurtti was on the move in an attempt to grab the second spot.

In the end, Hurley, Wisconsin’s Kallas completed a sweep in his Hot Shot Trucking of Minot, North Dakota-sponsored car. LaCrosse, Kurtti, Klopstein, and Karshbaum rounded out the top five.

The WISSOTA/Amsoil Midwest Modifieds were up next with CJ Hedges, Jr. and Dennis Mikkelson first to accept Flagman Mike Trinka’s green flag.

Hedges was the early leader with Mikkelson and Alex Van Natta dueling for second. The only caution of the night up until this point occurred when the cars of Duane Dunbar and Travis Friske got together coming out of turn one just after lap one was completed. Dunbar’s car went off on the hook, but Friske was able to continue.

When racing resumed, Hedges once again shot to the lead with Van Natta giving chase and Mikkelson right behind Van Natta. At the same time, Friske and Rob Weber were engaged in a good fight for fourth.

With five laps in the books, Van Natta had successfully made the pass on Hedges, Mikkelson still ran third, Friske ran fourth and Weber ran fifth.

Lap ten of the 20-lap feature saw Van Natta putting some distance between his car and the car of Hedges. Friske had moved up to third, Mikkelson ran fourth and Weber ran fifth.

With five to go and Van Natta still in the lead, Hedges and Friske were fighting for second, as Mikkelson continued in fourth and Weber still ran fifth.

In the end, it was Minocqua, Wisconsin’s, Van Natta with the win in his Minocqua Tire and Auto-sponsored car. Hedges, Friske, Mikkelson, and Weber rounded out the top five.

As they have done all year long, the Four Cylinder Bandits once again prepared to put on an excellent show with Brandon Langbecker and Richard Barlowski leading the way. Langbecker was the early leader with Barlowski followed closely in second.

The second caution of the race night occurred when Duke Leu spun out in front of Tim Holleran as they came out of turn one, just at the completion of lap one.

Once racing resumed and Langbecker again took the lead with Adam Johnson hot on his tail. Barlowski then ran third, Mark Ryskoski moved to fourth after starting seventh, and Zach Degner ran fifth.

By the end of lap five, Anderson had snatched the lead from Langbecker and Ryskoski pulled his car into the pits. Meanwhile, Barlowski ran third, Degner ran fourth and Leu ran fifth. Just one more lap into the race, Leu pulled into the pits.

Mid-race saw Johnson still in the lead, Langbecker was running second, Degner ran third, Tim Holleran ran fourth and Brett Oenning ran fifth.

In the end it was Tomahawk, Wisconsin’s Anderson with the win and a sweep in his Stick Um Graphics-sponsored car. Langbecker, Degner, Holleran and Oenning rounded out the top five.

Racing resumes on Saturday, September 3, when once again all four regular classes will be in action, joined once again by the Ashland Six Cylinders.

Thanks go out to Shirts, Signs and Designs for supplying the fans with Tomahawk Speedway merchandise and trinkets for the kids every Friday night. Thanks also go out to NAPA of Rhinelander for being at the track every race night with tires and parts for the racers.

Thanks to the loyal fans for being there every Friday night and to the faithful drivers who supported the track all season long. Tomahawk Speedway looks forward to another great year of racing in 2012.

Thanks to all the track employees who made sure the track ran in an efficient manor each and every race night. Also, thanks to Midge Conner for stepping up to act as the track photographer.

SUMMARY

Tomahawk Speedway

September 2, 2011

WISSOTA/Amsoil Midwest Modified

Feature: Alex Van Natta, CJ Hedges, Jr., Travis Friske, Dennis Mikkelson, Rob Weber, Scott Weber, Terry Stebbeds, Bill Muhlig, Dan Melton, Duane Dunbar

Heat 1: R Weber, Hedges, Jr., Friske, Stebbeds, Melton

Heat 2: Dunbar, Van Natta, Mikkelson, Weber, Muhlig

WISSOTA/Amsoil Street Stocks

Feature: John Kallas, Dennis LaCrosse, Jr., Jordan Kurtti, Jeff Klopstein, Jr., Steve Karshbaum, Ronald Van Dusen, Jason Jensen

Heat: Kallas, La Crosse, Jr., Klopstein, Jr., Van Dusen, Karshbaum, Kurtti, Jensen

Tomahawk Pure Stocks

Feature: Randy Conner, Steve Brown, Keith Troutman, Bill Follstad, Michael Brown, Nate Langberg, Josh Cole, Jason Melton

Heat 1: Conner, Follstad, Langberg, M Brown

Heat 2: Troutman, S Brown, Cole, Melton

Tomahawk Four Cylinder Bandits

Feature: Adam Johnson, Brandon Langbecker, Zach Degner, Tim Holleran, Brett Oenning, Louis Malluege, Duke Leu, Mark Ryskoski, Richard Barlowski

Heat 1: Johnson, Langbecker, Leu, Barlowski, Malluege