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2010 Fall Classic Recap

Mars, Thoennes, Swenson and Abrahamson Attach Fall Classic Titles to Resume, While Mass and Sabraski Score Second VFC Victories

ALEXANDRIA, MN (10/10/10) - The 8th running of Viking Fall Classic presented by Shaw Trucking Inc., NAPA Auto Parts and GRP Motorsports was held under bright sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, which greeted thousands of fans and nearly 300 racers to the ‘High Flying Half Mile’ at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN on October 8th and 9th 2010. The event featured all six WISSOTA sanctioned divisions and saw a whopping 289 drivers take place in the event, which started with an open practice session on Thursday night, October 7th. 33 Preliminary heat races and 10 b-features were held to set the stage for the 6 championship features to round out the 8th annual Fall Classic weekend in front of a standing room only crowd on a beautiful 80* degree day on Saturday.

In preliminary action, Justin Tammen outraced his brother Cory from the front row to win heat one in the Street Stocks, while Justin Pogones held off Brian Swenson to win heat race number two. Tim Johnson ran away from Rusty Kollman in heat race three and Nitro Jimmy Williams came from the second row to win heat four, holding off 9th starting Andrew Bangsund at the line.

The most notable incident in the Street Stock heat races was a violent barrel roll by Elk River, Minnesota’s Kevin Schmidt on the final lap of the heat. Schmidt went end over end a few times off the backstretch, completely destroying his race car. He did emerge ok.

In Midwest Modified heat race action it was Jamie Thorstad racing from the third row to secure the win in heat one over 9th starting Scott Werk; while Josh Muzik dominated the most stacked heat race of the day, holding off 7th starting Shane Sabraski for the home town win in heat two. Heat three saw polesitter Nick Bruder take command and win over Brian Haben, while Marshal Tofte stormed through the field to win heat four after starting 9th on the grid. Tofte went by the field with ease early, while 5th starting Rick Jacobson got to second before 7th starting Dusty Bitzan could reel him in.

Heat six saw the drivers who started in the fourth row together charge through the field with 8th starting Jeremy Kerzman getting to the front first to win over Peter Loecken and heat six saw Rusty Kollman lead every lap from the front row to get the victory in the final Midwest Modified heat race of the day. Late Models were third on the agenda and the first heat race had an enormous amount of talent in it, but saw part-time Late Model pilot Blake Jegtvig (in Cody Skytland’s backup car) pull away early and then hold on to hold off the charging Pat Doar and Zach Johnson for the first Late Model heat win of the afternoon. Heat two saw 2010 National Champ Ricky Weiss jump to the lead from the front row and never look back and pole sitter Eric Breeschoten ran a solid second the entire event.

The third heat was a doozy as Darrell Nelson and Lance Matthees dueled each other lap after lap for the lead while Jimmy Mars and Justin Fegers put on a show for third as well. Nelson began to smoke late in the race and gave up the lead to Matthees on the final lap for the win. Marshal Fegers dominated heat race number four after starting on the front row, while Don Shaw and 9th starting Steve Laursen (in Jeff Wildung’s backup car) charged through the field to second and third at the finish and Jeff Provinzino, after blowing a motor in practice on Thursday night, stormed from his 6th starting spot to overhaul early leader Chuck Swenson to win the final Late Model heat race of the day.

Seven Modified heat races were run next with the first one being a run away by 2009 Fall Classic Champ Scot Danzeisen. Danzeisen started outside of the front row and cruised to the win over Ron Jones, who rallied from 7th. Heat two saw third starting Dave Cain, in his white #2c for the weekend, slip by Bryan Nayes on a caution to steal the lead and then dominated the remainder of the heat, while 8th starting Scott Tofte stormed to second at the finish. Jimmy Mars, sitting in his new BMS for only the second time in 2010, charged through the field from his 8th starting spot to overhaul Cody Skytland to win heat number three for the Mods, while Darrell Nelson stormed from 9th to third at the checkered. Travis Saurer ran to the front from 6th in heat number four to win over pole sitting Shane Sabraski. Heat five was a good one and saw Dustin Nelson and Terry Engebretson put on a whale of a show for the race lead for much of the event until Nelson eventually pulled away for the win.

Jason Thoennes came from outside of the second row to win heat race number six impressively over Dave Schroeder and 7th starting Zach Schultz, who was only in a Modified for the fifth time in 2010 and the final heat race saw 2009 Mod Nationals champ Dale Mathison rally late to win after 8th starting Jamie Lemke, in his final race of his 27 year racing career, stormed to the front on the high side to swipe the lead from Mathison as he was battling with Kelly Estey out front. In the Super Stock division, Jimmy Gullikson pulled steadily away from Jeff Hapala to easily win heat race number one, while double duty racer Cory Tammen outran Don Shaw to win heat race number two with ease.

Devin Neske won an entertaining heat race three over front row starter Jeff Flaten and 10th starting Shawn Nolan, while Matt Miller started off his impressive weekend by holding off Tim Johnson to win heat race number four and National Champ Dave Mass outran Rick Kobs to win the final heat race for the Supers on the evening. Three Mod Four heat races were run to complete the heat race portion of the show with National Champ Rob VanMil running away with the first one over Josh Abrahamson. Ryan Buer had a great run to hold off 2009 National Champ Justin Bjorklund, in his first and only night in a Mod Four in 2010, to win heat race number two in impressive fashion and first time visitor Jamie Flickinger held off 7th starting Steve Johnson to win the final of 33 scheduled heat races to open up the weekend. B-features were next on tap with Mandan, North Dakota driver Craig Ohlhauser picking up his first ever Viking Speedway checkered flag by winning a flag to flag Street Stock b-feature.

The Mdiwest Modified b-mains were worth the price of admission alone as Matt Weisman took the lead from the second row and won b-main number one, but 12th starting Dave Mass stormed through the field to claim a transfer spot in the first b and 19th starting Ryan Mikkelson thrilled the crowd with his worst to first run to the front of b-main number 2. Mikkelson charged through traffic to win the second and final b-main over a spirited battle between Skeeter Estey and Jason VandeKamp for second.

Seth Brede and Shawn Kirwin won the twin Late Model b-features, while polesitting Scott Lawrence and Jason Vejtruba did the same in the Super Stock b-mains. The Modifieds had three b-mains with only the winner advancing out of each of them, setting up some incredible 15-lap events. In the first one, veterans Mitch Johnson and Jay McDonald ran door to door for nearly the entire event until 5th starting Shayne Laske snuck by both of them late in the going to steal the win and the transfer spot. National Champ Blake Jegtvig out jumped fellow front row starter Craig Thatcher and ran away with the second b-main from the pole to get into the feature and the third b-main saw 11th starting Shane Edginton talk after early leader Curt Lund to take the lead with just a handful of laps remaining and then hold off 13th starting Kyle Wieberdink to earn the final transfer spot into the feature.

Provisional starters were then added to the show, being the highest feature finisher from the 2009 event that had not yet qualified for the main event and the stages were set for the running of the six championship a-mains. The Street Stocks were up first in their $1,000 to win, 20-lap event with first time visitor Brian Swenson out of Bismarck, ND and 2010 AVS track champ Andrew Bangsund sharing the front row.

Swenson got the jump and took the lead at the initial drop of the green and began his search for the win, while Rusty Kollman, Justin Tammen, Tim Johnson and Bangsund were all in a great battle with Swenson for the top spot. Tammen’s bid for the win came to an early end with a flat tire ending his night, but the battle for the top spot continued on with Swenson leading each lap by no more than a car length over Kollman and Johnson. Meanwhile, 17th starting Chris Winter and 14th starting Jason Babcock were making progress through the field and both appeared in the top ten before the mid-point of the show. Swenson went on to upset the field in a shocker to win over Kollman and Johnson. Winter snuck by Travis Berends at the line to complete his 17th to 4th run. Josh Muzik and Jamie Thorstad lead the Midwest Modified field to the green for their $1,000 to win 20-lap event and after a few early cautions, things began to heat up as Muzik lead the field in search of what would have been a hometown upset, but his bid for the VFC win came to a halt with a flat tire. On the restart, 8th starting Shane Sabraski began to battle with Rusty Kollman and Marshal Tofte out front, while Cale Arneson was storming through the field from his 18th starting spot.

Ryan Mikkelson was charging from 20th as was 24th starter Jason VandeKamp as all three were in the top ten before ten laps were complete. Sabraski took the lead prior to the mid-point of the race and began to drive off on the field, while Arneson and Tofte were locked in a tremendous battle for second. Shane ran off to his second straight Fall Classic Midwest Mod win with Arneson coming home in second ahead of Tofte at the line in a very entertaining Midwest Modified event. The mighty Late Models were up next for their $4,000 to win, 40-lap affair and after the 4-wide salute to the fans with the missing man formation in tact for the late great John Seitz, it was on with Marshal Fegers and Ricky Weiss set to blast off out front. Fegers took the lead early with 4th starting Lance Matthees sliding into second at the drop of the green as well. While the leaders were running out front, the packed house had all eyes on 18th starting Jimmy Mars and 25th starting Jeff Wildung as the duo was slicing and dicing their way through traffic toward the front. Back up front, Fegers lead, but Matthees had run him down and the pair were racing hard for the lead out front, while Mars was working on Pat Doar and Weiss for a top five spot before the half way point. Matthees was able to wrestle the lead away from Fegers before the mid point, while Mars had emerged into the top three and had his sights set on the lead duo.

Wildung and 11th starting Zach Johnson were both making their way toward the front as well and were both in the top ten with 15 laps remaining in the event. Wildung continued his march toward the top five as Mars dispatched Fegers for second and moved in on Matthees for the lead. Jimmy and Lance ran door to door for several laps for the top spot until Mars was just too much and took command for the final twelve laps to race to his first ever Fall Classic championship.

Matthees ran a solid second for the remainder of the event while Fegers held off a charging Wildung for third and Johnson rallied to a fifth place finish. In the Modified a-main, Jason Thoennes took the lead from outside of the front row at the onset of the 30-lap $3,000 to win feature event with his sights set on his first Fall Classic win in 8 tries, but 3rd starting Dale Mathison and 4th starting Jimmy Mars had other ideas. Mathison moved in on Thoennes early and the duo put on a great battle for the lead with Mars in tow. Dave Cain and Scot Danzeisen both were relegated to restart at the tail for separate incidents and were beginning to mount their charges back through the field, while Kelly Estey, Dennis BItzan, Ron Jones and Shane Sabraski were engaged in a tremendous race for 5th for much of the race. JT continued his smooth pace out front with Mathison being forced to fend off Mars during much of the event, allowing Thoennes to stretch his lead slightly throughout the mid point of the race.

As the leaders were running along out front, most eyes were on Cain, as he was methodically picking off cars left and right on his way back to the front and quickly appeared in fifth with a handful of laps to go, not too far off the leaders. Thoennes began to see the back of the field as the laps wound down, allowing Mathison and Mars to reel him in, but Thoennes was not to be denied his first ever Fall Classic win, backing up his 2005 Mod Nationals title. Mathsion held off Mars for second while Cain ran from last to 4th ahead of Sabraski in the top five. Dave Mass capped off his 21 win National Championship season by winning a non-stop 25-lap $2,000 to win Super Stock feature, holding off WISSOTA 100 champ Cory Tammen all the while.

The duo ran nose to tail the entire distance, with Matt Miller capping off a tremendous weekend for his #13m team with a third place run ahead of Jimmy Gullikson and Jeff Hapala. A good battle from fifth through tenth was the best race to watch on the track as Don Shaw, Devin Neske, Jeff Flaten, Dave Read and Tim Johnson were locked in battle, but out front Mass held Tammen at bay to win his second Fall Classic championship.

The Supers typically use the ‘rubbing is racing’ motto, but tonight the event was as clean as clean could be with only one car dropping out – leaving 24 cars running at the finish. Scott Lawrence earned hard charger honors by coming from 21st to 14th in the event. The final event of the weekend was the $1,000 to win 20-lap Mod Four feature event, which saw 2009 Fall Classic champ Dustin Zieske and hometown boy Steve Johnson lead the field to the green.

Zieske took the lead early with his weekend teammate Justin Bjorklund sliding into second with Johnson third early on. 8th starting Josh Abrahamson and 9th starting Rob VanMil were both on the move early working their way into the top five before the half way point. The race ran off smoothly with Abrahamson sliding into the lead around the bottom of the big half mile, brining VanMil along for the ride. The duo took the top two spots with seven or eight laps remaining in the event and were able to hold the rest of the field off for a one-two finish to the final event of 2010. Everyone at FYE Motorsports and Viking Speedway would like to thank all the fans, drivers, crews, sponsors, volunteers and employees that made the 8th annual Viking Fall Classic such a gigantic success. Check out www.fyemotorsports.com for 2011 event dates.

EVENT SUMMARY
WISSOTA Late Models Feature: Jimmy Mars, Lance Matthees, Marshal Fegers, Jeff Wildung, Zach Johnson, Eric Breeschoten, Steve Laursen, Ricky Weiss, Kyle Peterlin, Chad Mahder, Justin Fegers, Brad Seng, Jake Redetzke, Corey Nelson, Don Shaw, Seth Brede, Jeremy Keller, Jeff Provinzino, Darrell Nelson, Shawn Kirwin, Cody Skytland, Blake Jegtvig, Chuck Swenson, Brock Gronwold, Pat Doar Heat 1: Jegtvig, Doar, Johnson, Redetzke, Seng, Paul Mueller, Rick Nelson, Mike Balcaen, Mike Bruns, Jeff Wildung, Scott Greer

Heat 2: Weiss, Breeschoten, C. Nelson, Peterlin, Skytland, Jordan Yaggy, John Kaanta, Scott Atkinson, Cory Jorgenson, Josh Johnson, Chris Lehn Heat 3: Matthees, D. Nelson, J. Fegers, Mars, Kirwin, Joel Cryderman, Adam Hensel, Jeff Hinkemeyer, Troy Schill, Scott Lehn Heat 4: M. Fegers, Shaw, Laursen, Keller, Brede, Dave Tyrchniewicz, Brian Swenson, Clarence Washburn, John Meeds, Shaun Peterson Heat 5: Provinzino, Swenson, Gronwold, Mahder, Harry Hanson, Matt Weisman, Dave Zimmerman, Brady Johanneck, TJ Adams, Rick Schroeder B-main 1: Kirwin, Seng, Hanson, Tyrchniewicz, Hensel, Atkinson, Schroeder, Zimmerman, Schill, Yaggy, R. Nelson, Washburn, Greer, J. Johnson, Bruns, Adams B-main 2: Brede, Skytland, Cryderman, Kaanta, Balcaen, Mueller, Swenson, Johanneck, Weisman, Jorgenson, Meeds, S. Lehn, Hinkemeyer, Wildung, Peterson, C. Lehn

WISSOTA Modifieds Feature: Jason Thoennes, Dale Mathison, Jimmy Mars, Dave Cain, Shane Sabraski, Dennis Bitzan, Ron Jones, Kelly Estey, Scot Danzeisen, Travis Saurer, Shayne Laske, Josh Thoennes, Darrell Nelson, Blake Jegtvig, Dustin Nelson, Scott Tofte, Joey Jensen, Dave Schroeder, Zach Schultz, Cody Skytland, Shane Edginton, Matt Gilbertson, Jamie Lemke, Jay Richardson, Terry Engebretson Heat 1: Danzeisen, Jones, Bitzan, Mitch Johnson, Ward Imrie, Justin Jones, Mike Bruns, Tyler Sjoman, Gary Reents, Arne Anderson, Luke Dykstra

Heat 2: Cain, Tofte, Josh Thoennes, Jegtvig, Bryan Nayes, Craig Christiansen, Joel Waba, Brad Loveday, Andy Miskowic, Ryan Engels Heat 3: Mars, Skytland, Darrell Nelson, Curt Lund, Jay McDonald, Ben Wolden, Dave Storck, Jason Blascyk, Jeremy Kerzman, Jim Nystrom Heat 4: Saurer, Sabraski, Richardson, Danny Bayer, Jeremy Houle, Jensen, Jamie Trautner, Shane Bruns, Jodi Olson, Randy Schumm Heat 5: Dustin Nelson, Engebretson, Gilbertson, Craig Thatcher, Tim Alexander, Mark Esala, Cale Arneson, Edginton, Kyle Wieberdink, Mark Blood Heat 6: Jason Thoennes, Schroeder, Schultz, Mark Froehlich, Laske, Ryan Canon, Jerry Esler, Shawn Kelley, Randy Tarno, Mark Trautner Heat 7: Mathison, Estey, Lemke, Duwayne Clarke, Corky Thomas, Erick Thiesse, Kent Willms, Chris Prussman, John Baltich, Brett Johnson B-main 1: Laske, M. Johnson, McDonald, Esala, Clarke, Bayer, Christiansen, Willms, J. Trautner, Kelley, Blascyk, Blood, M. Bruns, Reents, Tarno, Nystrom, Dykstra B-main 2: Jegtvig, Houle, Thatcher, Canon, Imrie, C. Thomas, Olson, Prussman, Arneson, Wolden, A. Anderson, Schumm, Waba, S. Bruns, Sjoman, Baltich, M. Trautner B-main 3: Edginton, WIeberdink, Lund, J. Jones, Esler, Miskowic, Kerzman, Storck, Loveday, Froehlich, Alexander, Nayes, Thiesse, Jensen, Johnson, Engels

WISSOTA Super Stocks Feature: Dave Mass, Cory Tammen, Matt Miller, Jim Gullikson, Jeff Hapala, Devin Neske, Don Shaw, Jeff Flaten, Tim Johnson, Daev Read, Larry Lund, Rick Kobs, Shawn Nolan, Scott Lawrence, Scott Duval, Andy Hofteig, Ron Host, Cody Lee, Terry Merten, Derrick Lemke, Steve Weber, Zach Schultz, Jason Vejtruba, Aaron Leininger, Dan Gullikson Heat 1: J. Gullikson, Hapala, Duval, Hoeftig, Lawrence, Jon Stepan, Adam Ayotte, Ryan Siegle, Mike Martin

Heat 2: Tammen, Shaw, D. Gullikson, Lund, Vejtruba, Schultz, Ashley Donald, Donnie Lofdahl, Alan Johnson, Dominic Baker Heat 3: Neske, Flaten, Nolan, Weber, Leininger, Lee, Bryan Hellerman, Jason Babcock, Rick Niemi, Jeremy Mierhofer Heat 4: Miller, T. Johnson, Read, Host, Luke Johnson, Dusty Peterson, Jeff Kluver, Ryan Aho, Jim Johnson Heat 5: Mass, Kobs, Lemke, Merten, Cal Rossner, Mike Peterson, Al Cleveland, Kurt Kromschroeder, Shane Sabraski B-main 1: Lawrence, Leininger, Peterson, Aho, Lofdahl, Baker, Rossner, Niemi, Peterson, Martin, J. Johnson, Cleveland, Schultz, Donald B-main 2: Vejtruba, Lee, Siegle, Ayotte, Sabraski, Stepan, A. Johnson, L. Johnson, Meirhofer, Kromschroeder, Hellerman, Babcock, Kluver

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds Feature: Shane Sabraski, Cale Arneson, Marshal Tofte, Ryan Mikkelson, Rusty Kollman, Jason VandeKamp, Dave Mass, Travis Saurer, Peter Loecken, Matt Weisman, Kyle Reents, Justin Bjorklund, Josh Muzik, Dan Menk, Mike Brenny, Rick Jacobson, Scott Werk, Skeeter Estey, Brett Hoium, Chris Mensen, Brian Haben, Dusty Bitzan, Jamie Thorstad, Jeremy Kerzman, Nick Bruder Heat 1: Thorstad, Werk, Brenny, Nate Barber, Derek Quinn, Menk, Justin Mackedanz, Justin Remus, Ryan Stall, Joel Peterson

Heat 2: Muzik, Sabraski, Saurer, Estey, Hoium, Darrin Braaten, Travis Vanderby, Randy Laage, Cory Crapser, Dan Greeley Heat 3: Bruder, Haben, Justin Bjorklund, Scott Bintz, Scott Splittstoesser, Mark Blom, Brandon Hines, Lloyd Hudson, Brandon Spanswick, Mikkelson Heat 4: Tofte, Jacobson, Bitzan, Ryan Studanski, Scott Gill, Todd Berg, Dennis Czech, Brent Kahout, Kelly Haack, Jason Hoffman Heat 5: Kerzman, Loecken, Reents, Weisman, Ron Saurer, Shawn Olson, Mass, Tyler Modlin, Barry Bremmer, Zach HIntermeier Heat 6: Kollman, Mensen, Arneson, VandeKamp, William Lund, Brady Gerdes, Jared Thelen, Peewee Kuhnau, Brooke Hellerman, Hayden Hanson B-main 1: Weisman, Mass, Menk, R. Saurer, Olson, Blom, Hellerman, Kahout, Mackedanz, Splittstoesser, Hines, Remus, Quinn, Barber, Bintz, Crapser, Kuhnau, Bremmer, Hudson, Peterson, Hanson, Hoffman B-main 2: Mikkelson, Estey, VandeKamp, Czech, Studanski, Braaten, Gill, Hoium, Spanswick, Lund, Vanderby, Gerdes, Greeley, Stall, Laage, Haack, Modlin, Thelen, Berg, Hintermeier

WISSOTA Street Stocks Feature: Brian Swenson, Rusty Kollman, Tim Johnson, Chris Winter, Travis Berends, Jason Babcock, Jimmy Williams, Cory Tammen, James Wall, Henry Peters, Scott Messner, Cory Rosen, Ryan Hugelen, Grady Myers, Dave Chambliss, Justin Pogones, Adam Burrows, Chris Ritter, Andrew Bangsund, Tim Rhode, Craig Olhauser, Luke Nelson, Doug Songer, Jerry Esler, Justin Tammen, Kevin Schmidt Heat 1: Williams, Bangsund, Hugelen, Esler, Winter, Olhauser, Wall, Nelson, Tiffany Maus

Heat 2: Johnson, Kollman, Berends, Babcock, Peters, Dan Allord, Rosen, Matt Kometz, Jerome Guyot Heat 3: Pogones, Swenson, Ritter, Myers, Burrows, Ryan Pommerer, Josh Fredeen, Justin Vogel Heat 4: J. Tammen, C. Tammen, Schmidt, Messner, Rohde, Chamblis, Songer, Scott Walker B-main 1: Olhauser, Chambliss, Wall, Songer, Rosen, Fredeen, Walker, Nelson, Maus, Guyot, Vogel, Kometz, Pommerer, Allord

WISSOTA Mod Fours Feature: Josh Abrahamson, Rob VanMil, Dustin Zieske, Justin Bjorklund, Steve Johnson, Tom Silver, Tyler Larson, Jamie Flickinger, Paul Hartman, Kurt Deters, Dean Larson, Justin Smith, Tommy Sabraski, Corey Nehk, Ryan Buer, Brennan Borg, Jesse Ouren, David Anderson, Corey Pourrier, Tim Hart, Matt Staab, Mike Hart, Scott Atkinson, Dallas Buchholz, Bryce Bjerken Heat 1: VanMil, Abrahamson, Zieske, Smith, D. Larson, Sabraski, Staab, T. Hart, Pourrier

Heat 2: Buer, Bjorklund, T. Larson, Deters, Buchholz, M. Hart, Anderson, Hartman Heat 3: Flickinger, Johnson, Atkinson, Bjerken, Silver, Borg, Nehk, Ouren

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