Thatcher’s win Saturday was just as dominating as his performance on Friday night. He started in the second row but quickly moved in on leaders Scott Duval and Dave Baxter. After a lap two spin by Rory Melbinger, Thatcher quickly disposed of the leaders as he powered around them and began to pull away from the pack. Todd Siddons drove up into the second spot and tried to track Thatcher down, but that would prove to be an impossible task on this night. Paul Harelstad made a strong move to the cushion to drive around Baxter for third but he was soon challenged by Dave Lear who had moved up from the fifth row using the high side also.

Thatcher continued to motor away from the field, eventually building up his lead to nearly a straightaway over Siddons. They continued to run in that manner all the way to the checkered with Thatcher’s only worry in the late laps being lapped traffic. Lear completed a strong run as he moved around Harelstad to take the third spot with Baxter rounding out the top five.

Hensel’s win was just about as easy as he got to the front early and then pulled away from the field. Gary Baxter got the jump on Ben Mattick to lead the opening two rounds but Hensel quickly moved up from the second row to put the pressure on Gary. When Baxter slid high in turn four, Hensel was right there to drive under him and take over the lead. Once in front, he quickly began to establish some distance over the field.

Rick Hanestad and Jake Redetzke were on the move to the front while A.J. Diemel tried to go to the cushion to get by the traffic. Hanestad was able to get past Baxter for second but Hensel was far in front.

A yellow for debris bunched the field with thirteen laps complete, but Hensel roared away from Hanestad on the restart and opened up a working margin again. Redetzke moved in to challenge Baxter for third but just when they got side by side, Baxter appeared to break a suspension part and he quickly headed for the pits.

One more yellow for a spin set up a three lap dash to the checkered, but Hensel once again pulled away and left do doubt about the outcome. Redetzke settled for third behind Hanestad with Duane and Chad Mahder next in line.

Richter got his first win since returning from a brief retirement as he drove his old ride, the Gary Field owned #14 past Steve Thomas late in the super stock feature to secure the win.

The event got off to a wild start when Steve Zurek got into the third turn wall on the opening lap and barrel rolled several times. The race was red flagged and a slightly shaken Zurek was able to walk under his own power to the track ambulance.

The restart saw last night’s chief contenders, Thomas and Mark Stender ,battling it out for the lead again. Thomas once again maintained the upper hand as he edged into the lead. Richter moved up from behind Thomas and squeezed past Stender to take over second and he quickly began to put the pressure on Thomas. Cory Mahder and Curt Myers were also progressing toward the front, with Myers one of the few able to make the outside line work. After he got into third he elected to drop low on the track also.

Richter continued to pressure Thomas for the lead but Steve was able to hold back Kori’s best efforts with Myers and Mahder also close behind.

Thomas began to struggle in the corners and he had trouble holding the inside line. Finally, with only a few laps left, Thomas got too high in turn four and Richter dove under him to take over the lead. Thomas’ struggles continued as the pushing problem got even worse.

A late yellow for a spin bunched the field, but Richter pulled away from the pack as he drove on for the win. Thomas continued to fade as both Myers and Mahder got by him for a position with Eric Olson also in the top five.

Kevin Adams is also in a close battle for the Midwest Modified national title and a clean sweep tonight didn’t hurt his standing either. He started in the seventh position but had some tough competitors to get by as last night’s feature winner Jared Loos and Ryan Olson started side by side in row one. Loos, looking for a double win, jumped into the early lead with Olson close behind. Adams was on the move quickly, as he drove up into the third spot and began to close on the leaders with Mark Hanson also on the move as he ran in Adams’ tracks.

Adams drove under Olson to take over the second spot with Hanson following suit. Adams then closed up on the leader, and he and Loos started to have a good battle. Adams moved to the second lane and was able to gather momentum and pull up beside Loos. Just as Adams edged ahead of Loos in turn three, Jared got too low and clipped one of the corner marker tires and broke his left front suspension.

As Adams pulled away, Loos was forced to slow due to the handling problem and the yellow flag waved. Adams continued to lead on the restart with Hanson pushing hard trying to stay with Adams. Shane Halopka, who started way back in the eleventh spot, continued his hard drive as he got under Olson for third.

The top runners continued to pull away from the pack and they finished in that order with Olson holding on for fourth. Rookie Mark Gerth finished off an impressive weekend with a solid fifth place.

Jay Kesan led all the way to win the Street Stock finale. He started on the pole and took the early lead over Mike Truscott and Troy Fransway. Chris Peterson drove into the third spot but then mechanical problems put him on the sidelines. Cory Crapser, looking for a big point night, then moved up from the third row using the high side of the track. It worked for him for awhile as he was able to drive up beside Fransway, but then he started to fade and had to drop back to the low line.

Kesan continued strong up front but Fransway was being challenged hard for second by Charlie Novak with Crapser and Truscott next in line. Fransway slid out a little and Novak made a couple attempts to get under him. Finally, as the white flag waved, Novak took another shot and the two cars got together with Fransway going for a spin.

The yellow flag waved and Fransway was restored to second for a one lap sprint to the finish. Kesan pulled away on the green to take the win with Fransway settling for second



The Richards brothers battled it out for the Pure Stock win with Danny holding off Tommy for the honors. Danny jumped into the lead after fighting off the challenge of Cooper Dohms early. Tommy came roaring up from the third row to get by Greg Gunderson and move in on his brother. Danny was able to hold off all challenges from Tommy though, as he drove on for the win. Mike Knudtson made a late charge to take third ahead of Gunderson and Carolyn Nosser who had moved up from the tail of the pack.

The Jim-Town Showdown concluded the 2006 racing season at the Eagle Valley Speedway. Check the speedway website, www.racingonline.com/evs/. for news on the date and location for the speedway banquet. The 2007 season is expected to begin in mid April.


SUMMARY

Eagle Valley Speedway - Jim Falls WI - September 9, 2006

WISSOTA Late Models
20 lap Feature – Adam Hensel, Rick Hanestad, Jake Redetzke, Duane Mahder, Chad Mahder, John Massingill, Jeff Massingill, Joey Ogston, Corby Metzgar, T.J. Adams, Ben Mattick, Gary Baxter, A.J. Diemel.
10 lap Heat 1 – C. Mahder, D. Mahder, Redetzke, Jo. Massingill, Ogston, Metzgar, Andy Simonson.
Heat 2 – Diemel, Hensel, Hanestad, Baxter, Mattick, Je. Massingill, Adams.

WISSOTA Modifieds
20 lap Feature – Craig Thatcher, Todd Siddons, Dave Lear, Paul Harelstad, Dave Baxter, Mark Baxter, Scott Duval, A.J. Heuer, Paul Knauf, Kent Baxter, Mike Anderson, Don Brightbill, Kevin Viebrock, Kevin Rogers, Jim Harris, Dano Ostrander, John Meeds, Rory Melbinger, Gary Gruen, Tony Gates, Shaun Kelley, Roger Niederkorn.
10 lap Heat 1 – Thatcher, Duval, Siddons, Heuer, Ostrander, Viebrock, Melbinger, Kevin Adams.
Heat 2 – Lear, D. Baxter, Rogers, M. Baxter, Harris, Meeds, Gates, Niederkorn.
Heat 3 – K. Baxter, Harelstad,, Anderson, Knauf, Kelley, Brightbill, Gruen.

WISSOTA Super Stocks
20 lap Feature – Kori Richter, Curt Myers, Cory Mahder, Steve Thomas, Eric Olson, Mark Stender, Cory Davis, Wayne Harris Jr, John Feirn, Jason Forehand, Aaron Wilson, Jeff Tardy, Greg Alling, Charley Obermueller, Rich Bishop, Rod Dregney, Andy Zimmerman, Brad Johnson, Ryan Olson, Brent Kobs, Jesse Redetzke, Terry Kroening, Bryan Nayes, Steve Zurek.
10 lap Heat 1 – Davis, Richter, Obermueller, Thomas, Dregney, R. Olson, Johnson, Zurek, Redetzke.
Heat 2 - Myers, Forehand, Mahder, Stender, Feirn, Wilson, Kobs, Kroening.
Heat 3 – Tardy, E. Olson, Harris Jr, Bishop, Alling, Steve Hallquist, Zimmerman, Nayes.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
15 lap Feature – Kevin Adams, Mark Hanson, Shane Halopka, Ryan Olson, Mark Gerth, Bryce Johnson, Tom Johnson, Mark Thomas, Bill Retzloff, Ralph Stark, Andy Hoch, Dave Salzman Jr, Rob Niederkorn, Vic Schmidt, David Merrill, Mark Janzen, Mark Rose, Jared Loos, Dave Miller, Justin Supri.
10 lap Heat 1 – Hanson, Matt Leer, Gerth, Miller, Stark, Niederkorn, Retzloff, Zack Drews, Scott Duval.
Heat 2 – Adams R. Olson, Loos, Supri, Schmidt, Salzman Jr, Merrill, Vernon Lowe Jr.
Heat 3 – Thomas, Halopka, Dan Hesch, T. Johnson, Hoch, Janzen, Rose, Jason Olson.

WISSOTA Street Stocks
15 lap Feature – Jay Kesan, Troy Fransway, Cory Crapser, Mike Truscott, Chanda Fjorden-Nord, Cory Rosen, Danny Hanson, Bob Wood, Mike Conrad, Matt Wolfe, Charlie Novak, Rob Lowe, Roger Conrad, Chris Peterson.
10 lap Heat 1 – Crapser, Peterson, Kesan, Novak, Hanson, Wood, Rosen.
Heat 2 – Truscott, Fransway, M. Conrad, Fjorden-Nord, Lowe, R. Conrad, Wolfe.

Pure Stocks
12 lap Feature – Danny Richards, Tommy Richards, Mike Knudtson, Greg Gunderson, Carolyn Nosser, Luke Lindner, Cooper Dohms, Cody Kummer, Wade Aspen, Jamey Fisher.
6 lap Heat 1 – Knudtson, Nosser, Dohms, Aspen, Gunderson, George Richards.
Heat 2 – D. Richards, T. Richards, Kummer, Fisher, Lindner.