9/29/00
Superior Speedway
Superior, WI
Gumout/IRA (non-points) showdown
32 cars
The trees have turned in the north woods making it a beautiful drive up to Superior, WI. The weather registered 78 degrees as we pulled into town with our winter coats. Needless to say, a big crowd filled the grandstands for an entertaining night of racing. The coats were left in the truck and the red clay was heavy all night providing a fast night of close racing action.
Craig Dollansky turned quick time with a lap around the 1/3 mile registering 13.563 seconds This is a track that he is very familiar with. It was on this track that he drove his first sprinter. Jeff Shepard was second quick, followed by All Star Jerrod Hull, Shane Stewart, and 2000 All Star champ Kenny Jacobs.
Heat one (started): 1. Dollansky 7 (3) 2. Jacobs 6 (2) 3. Jason Meyers 14m (1) 4. Jason Statler 00 (4) 5. Bob Bennett 3B (6) / 6. John Sernett 91 (5) 7. Mike Rich 519 (7) 8. Leigh Thomas 29 (8)
Dollansky was set up well and took advantage of a couple of wheelies pulled by the leader Jacobs with two laps to go. The track only got heavier as the night went on. Jacobs was rumored to have called someone in Chico, CA from the pit area for setup advice, as the tracks have a similar make-up. Thomas, a Superior native was running a 360 powerplant. Duluth native Rich returned much to the favor of the crowd. He has run on a very limited basis since a crash in the WoO feature at Cedar Lake. His 2001 plans include racing at Knoxville as he has his car together going into the winter.
Heat two (started): 1. Paul McMahan U2 (2) 2. Randy Kinser 14 (1) 3. Shepard 4J (3) 4. Kim Mock 1m (4) 5. Jon Trudeau 23 (5) / 6. Scott Neitzel 2w (6) 7. Steve Meyer 85m (7) 8. Gregg Dayney 36D (8)
Super racing between Neitzel and Trudeau for the final transfer spot. This race was an example why most fans detest inverting only three cars in a heat race as the first four spots were single file.
Heat three (started): 1. Danny Smith 4 (2) 2. Hull 51 (3) 3. Ronald Laney 52 (4) 4. Jimmy Carter 14c (1) 5. Brian Carlson 18 (5) / 6. John Bridgeford 8 (6) 7. Ryan Corbett 8c (8) 8. Duane Olson 16 (7)
Olson was in a car owned by the Winkers. Hull looked strong all night pulling along on the bottom of the track. Bridgeford was running fifth before getting up on two wheels and allowing Carlson by for the final transfer.
Heat four (started): 1. Brad Furr 2F (2) 2. Stewart 9h (3) 3. Blake Feese 1F (4) 4. Travis Whitney 9 (1) 5. Bob Martin 10T (6) / 6. Raymond Hensley 1R (5) 7. Billy Warren 3R (7) DNS - Randy Sippel 39s
Furr left the crowd behind, though Stewart looked strong as well. Martin got by the "Wild Thing", Hensley, on the last corner for fifth.
Dash one (started): 1. Dollansky (1) 2. Smith (2) 3. Jacobs (3) 4. Meyers (5) 5. Hull (4) 6. Carter (6)
One word for Dollansky in this one, "Gone!" Further back in the pack, Meyers and Hull went at it for fourth.
Dash two (started): 1. Furr (2) 2. Stewart (4) 3. McMahan (1) 4. Shepard (5) 5. R. Kinser (3) 6. Whitney (6)
Whitney dropped out early. Furr led the distance, but Stewart was running extremely well, getting by McMahan and Kinser.
B feature (started): 1. Sernett (1) 2. Rich (5) 3. Hensley (2) 4. Neitzel (3) / 5. Meyer (6) 6. Warren (8) 7. Thomas (9) 8. Corbett (11) 9. Olson (7) 10. Bridgeford (4) 11. Dayney (10) DNS - Sippel
After Sernett took the lead, the lights went out a few laps later on the frontstretch. After a short delay, he resumed in front. Hensley did a bouncing act while running second and was lucky to keep his car right side up. Rich was impressive getting by Meyer, Neitzel, and finally Hensley.
A feature (started): 1. Jacobs (5) 2. McMahan (6) 3. Smith (3) 4. Hull (9) 5. Meyers (7) 6. Laney (15) 7. Dollansky (1) 8. Bennett (21) 9. Shepard (8) 10. Statler (13) 11. Mock (14) 12. Rich (22) 13. Carter (11) 14. Hensley (20) 15. Martin (23) 16. Meyer (24) 17. Furr (2) 18. Trudeau (18) 19. Stewart (4) 20. Sernett (17) 21. Carlson (19) 22. Whitney (12) 23. R. Kinser (10) 24. Feese (16) DNS - Neitzel
The night before the A went so smoothly, you knew all heck would break loose in the 30 lapper, and it did. Neitzel bowed out with motor problems and was replaced by Meyer. The initial start saw a Feese flip in turn one. He was done for the night. The restart saw the leader Furr get sideways and make contact with fellow front row starter Dollansky (who lost his front wing), Stewart and R. Kinser. All restarted but Kinser. Dollansky kept it going and did not lose his starting spot (Furr stayed under power as well). The next restart saw the field get to turn three where Dollansky slowed and Whitney could not avoid him, shooting over car #7's right rear and out of the park. Whitney retired for the night. Dollansky restarted at the rear of the field. Yet another restart saw Shepard flip in turn one. He returned to action after quick repairs. A flip by Statler saw him make repairs as well, though Carlson, who got caught up in the incident, did not. The race finally got underway with Jacobs leading the pack and looking strong. Lap 14 saw third place runner Furr spin and bring out the caution. The race went non-stop with furious action between McMahan, Smith, and Hull for positions two through four. Sernett lost his left rear tire on lap 23, bringing out another caution. He went pitside. Furr got together with the lapped car of Trudeau with two laps to go. Both were done with wrecked race cars. Meanwhile, Stewart had dropped out a lap before. Jacobs looked great in holding his advantage over McMahan who made a late race pass of Smith. Hull was impressive as well. Bennett was the hard-charger of the event, while Mock was the highest finishing IRA regular.
Results and Stories from Powercom Park tomorrow.
I would like to thank Try-R Promotions, especially Scott Cowman, for their hospitality. It was a great weekend of racing.