by Gene Harmelink
Sunday, August 28, marked the end of the 2011 race season at Eagle Valley Speedway. The season championship races were presented by Leinenkugels. Krug’s Towing threw in prize money for lucky fans that chose the winning drivers.
In WISSOTA/Amsoil action, Kevin Adams was crowned champion in the Modified Division, Shane Kisling in the Super Stocks, Matt Leer in the Midwest Modifieds, and Jay Kesan in the Street Stocks. In the Eagle Valley Divisions, George Richards reigns as champion in the Pure Stocks, while Brent Voleltz won the title in the Hornet Division.
The Eagle Valley Hornets were up prior to intermission for their feature with Eric Schultz and Scott Westaby on row one. Schultz was the early leader with Westaby in second.
By mid-race, Schultz still led, but Brent Voleltz was on the move and threatening to overtake the lead, with Rocky Kempe running third, Westaby in fourth and Jay Welk in fifth.
With five laps to go, Voeltz made his move for the lead, dropping Schultz to second. For a couple of laps Voeltz led by the narrowest of margins, but in the end was victorious, taking home the championship trophy in his J & J Embroidery and Design-sponsored car. Rounding out the top five were Schultz, Kempe, Welk, and Westaby.
After the intermission was completed, the Midwest Modifieds took to the track with Shane Halopka and Cory Crapser leading the way. Halopka was fastest off the line, taking the lead by the end of lap one.
The only caution of the race occurred after lap four when the car of Ben Schultz spun into the infield as he came out of turn two. When racing resumed, Halopka again took the lead, but you could tell he was up to his neck in alligators as Matt Leer and Crapser did their best to steal the lead.
When the cars came to the flag stand after the completion of lap six, Leer had edged past Halopka for the lead and Crapser was challenging for second, as he ran third.
Halfway through the 20-lap feature, Leer still led and was pulling away from the field. Halopka ran second at this point with Crapser following right behind him while Zach Manley and Clark Swartz fought for fourth.
With five to go, Leer still led, but Halopka had made up some distance. Crapser, Manley and Jake Smith followed closely behind.
In the end, it was Leer winning the season championship while getting his 19th win of the season in his White City Glass-sponsored car. Halopka, Crapser, Manley and Josh Smith made up the rest of the top five.
In Super Stock action, Shane Kisling and Darrel Hazelton ran side-by-side for the start of their feature with Kisling quickly grabbing the top spot.
Tommy Richards was not about to let Kisling run away with another win and put pressure on Kisling. As the first ten laps were being contested, Richards got to within a car length or closer to Kisling on several occasions, but each time Kisling seemed to be able to find the horsepower to burst ahead as he ran the high groove and Richards ran low.
By mid-race Kisling still led, Richards dropped back a bit and was challenged by Eric Olson who ran the high groove and then the low in an attempt to get the better of Richards. Meanwhile Darrel Hazelton, Wayne Dean and Jesse Redetzke had an excellent fight going for fourth.
With five laps to go, Kisling moved a bit further away from the field, Richards hung on to second and Olson continued running high and low, searching for an opportunity to gain ground. Dean won the battle for fourth and Hazelton settled into fifth.
In the end it was Kisling winning the track championship and getting his thirteenth feature win of the 2011 season at Eagle Valley Speedway in his Moberg Electric sponsored car. Richards finished second, Olson third, Dean fourth, and Redetzke fifth.
If the fans had not seen enough fast and furious action up to this point they were about to get that satisfaction when the Modfieds took to the track with Kevin Adams and Jesse Glenz leading the way for their feature. Glenz was the leader as the cars completed the first lap with David Baxter giving chase.
Baxter was able to take the lead by the end of lap two, with Glenz dropping to second, Adams running third, Mark Gerth in fourth and Jimmy Mars in fifth. Baxter continued to lead and by the end of lap five, Adams had moved into second, sending Glenz to third.
As the cars rounded reached the flag stand at the end of lap seven, Baxter and Adams were side-by-side with Gerth in third, Glenz in fourth and Mars in fifth.
Lap eight saw Adams take the lead, relegating Baxter to second. The only caution of the feature occurred after lap eleven when Curt Myers made contact with the turn one wall. Myers was able to continue and once again Adams shot to the lead.
With five laps to go Adams was on cruise control and pulling away from the field as Gerth continued to run second, Baxter ran third, Mars ran fourth and Clayton Wagamon moved into the fifth spot.
By race end Adams had won his 28th race of the season and his third of the weekend to secure the track championship in his Quality Cleaners-sponsored Modified. Gerth, Baxter, Mars and Wagamon rounded out the top five.
Jay Kesan and Cody Kummer led the Street Stocks to the green flag for their feature with Kummer taking top honors by the end of lap one. A caution after lap one for a spinning Mike Knudtson realigned the field with Kummer once again in the lead.
Kesan was on the move and in his typical end of the season prime, shot to the lead by the end of lap three, with Kummer settling in for second, but still threatening to reclaim the lead. Further back Adams Soltis, Travis Hazelton and Rick Weir battled for third.
With half of the race in the books, Kesan still led, as Kummer, Soltis, Hazelton and Weir maintained their positions.
With five laps to go, Carolyn Nosser’s and Mitchell Kesan’s tangled as they came out of turn two with Kesan’s car rolling. Kesan was alright, but his car and the Nosser car retired to the pits.
When racing resumed, Jay Kesan once again grabbed the lead, Kummer ran second, Soltis ran third, Hazelton was in fourth and Knudtson moved into the fifth spot.
As the checkered flag flew, Kesan had won his ninth feature of the year in his Ladysmith Auto Supply-sponsored car and had also won the Eagle Valley Street Stock championship. Rounding out the top five were Kummer, Soltis, Hazelton and Knudtson.
Up last were the Eagle Valley Pure Stocks with George Richards and Dalton Hazelton on the front row. Richards was quick to take the lead as Hazelton ran second.
With half of the race in, Richards still led, Hazelton still ran second, Jason Havel ran third, Todd Roshell was fourth and Brandon Lofgren ran fifth.
With two to go and Richards in the lead, Hazelton continued to run second, Havel was in third, Bill Skoug was fourth and Roshell ran fifth.
The final checkered of the 2011 race season flew and Richards was the final track champion of the season getting his 13th win of the year in his Richard’s Repair-sponsored car. Hazelton, Havel, Roshell and Lucas Kallenbach, who put on a late charge, rounded out the top five.
Jerry and Janis Weigel would like to thank all of the racers and fans who attended Eagle Valley during the 2011 racing season. Thanks also go out to all of the track sponsors, bike sponsors, and anyone else who helped to contribute in a monetary way to the overall race program. Thanks also go out to all the workers who helped to keep the track running smoothly each and every Sunday night.
Although, the regular race season is done, Eagle Valley Speedway has one remaining event on Saturday, September 10, when there will be an Enduro race.
Summary
Eagle Valley Speedway
Jim Falls, WI
August 28, 2011
WISSOTA Modifieds
Feature: Kevin Adams, Mark Gerth, Dave Baxter, Jimmy Mars, Clayton Wagamon, Jesse Glenz, Mike Anderson, Jay Richardson, Kent Baxter, Jeff Doriot, Curt Myers, Bryan Nayes, Steve Hallquist
Heat 1: Adams, D Baxter, K Baxter, Wagamon, Nayes, Hallquist, Doriot
Heat 2: Glenz, Gerth, Mars, Anderson, Richardson, Myers
WISSOTA Super Stocks
Feature: Shane Kisling, Tommy Richards, Eric Olson, Wayne Dean, Jesse Redetzke, Darrel Hazelton, Lucas Plank, Brad Edington, Tony Falkner, Matt McEathron, Kevin Hager, Curt Hazelton, Scott Geiger
Heat 1: Kisling, Richards, Dean, Redetzke, McEathron, Hager, Edington
Heat 2: D Hazelton, Olson, Plank, Falkner, Geiger, C Hazelton
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Feature: Matt Leer, Shane Halopka, Cory Crapser, Zach Manley, Jake Smith, Clark Swartz, Josh Smith, Jeremy Nelson, Alex Van Natta, Shawn Huse, Nick Koehler, Jeff McDonald, Travis Anderson, Dylan Goetti, John Moravec, Scott Schoettle, Mike Ludwigson, Steve Kallenbach, Ben Schultz, Jake Stai, Tyler English
Heat 1: Halopka, Leer, Manley, Swartz, Ludwigson, Huse, Moravec
Heat 2: Crapser, Jo Smith, Nelson, Van Natta, Anderson, Goetti, Schultz
Heat 3: Ja Smith, Koehler, Stai, McDonald, Schoettle, English, Kallenbach
WISSOTA Street Stocks
Feature: Jay Kesan, Cody Kummer, Adam Soltis, Travis Hazelton, Mike Knudtson, Rich Weir, Tom Grasley, Carolyn Nosser, Mitchell Kesan, Ralph Stark
Heat 1: J Kesan, Knudtson, Weir, Nosser, Stark
Heat 2: Kummer, Soltis, Hazelton, M Kesan, Grasley
Eagle Valley Pure Stocks
Feature: George Richards, Dalton Hazelton, Jason Havel, Todd Roshell, Lucas Kallenbach, Brandon Lofgren, Pat Smtih, Bill Skoug, Cooper Berlin, Bryan Ciolkosz, Danny Westlie, Dustin Doughty, Austin Mahal
Heat 1: Richards, Roshell, Havel, Skoug, Westlie, Ciolkosz, Mahal
Heat 2: Hazelton, Lofgren, Doughty, Berlin, Smith, Kallenbach
This article was posted to the website on August 29th, 2011 • Click to view all related content in the following categories
