7/20/2019
World of Outlaws Rumble on the Red Cedar
Menomonie, Wisconsin - The Red Cedar Speedway and the World of Outlaws presented the Rumble on the Red Cedar! The World of Outlaw Late Models made their first ever visit to the Red Cedar Speedway and did not disappoint as Chase Junghans mastered the field for a $10,000 payday. The track speed record was broken fifteen times during qualifying and some locals fared well against the traveling gang of outlaws. They were joined by the Midwest Modifieds and Limited Late Models.
The Morton Buildings World of Outlaw Late Model feature starting line up was decided by double car qualifying. The heats were lined up by the fasted qualifying cars in the front. The top two finishing cars in the heats redrew for the first three rows of the feature. The top six cars in the heats qualified for the feature and a B-feature rounded out the remainder of the starting field. The first six after the redraw included Shane Clanton on the pole, Chase Junghans, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Weiss, Darrell Nelson, and Cade Dillard.
At the drop of the green flag, Junghans moved into the lead on the first lap as WISSOTA standout, Darrell Nelson had mechanical issues and left his fifth starting position and pulled into the infield on the backstretch. Junghans attacked the high side of the raceway and continued to lead what would turn into a forty lap run before the first and only caution of the fifty lap race. Behind him, Clanton raced in second chased by Sheppard. Weiss and Dillard also were running in the top five.
As laps wore on and the leaders were surrounded by heavy lapped traffic, Sheppard overtook the runner up position. He was able to close the distance down on Junghans at times but Junghans was flawless on the topside and left the wall only to carve through traffic and split between cars with precision. Once clear of traffic momentarily, he would again put distance on his pursuers. Meanwhile, racing action was heavy around the raceway and Weiss and Dillard took turns passing each other back and forth for the fourth position.
Seventh starting local hero and Nation Dirt Track Hall of Fame member Jimmy Mars broke into the top five and frantically tried to close on the lead group. Previous WISSOTA driver and now full time competitor in the World of Outlaws, Brent Larson broke down on the front stretch and drew the only caution of the event.
The restart reverted to lap 39 and Junghans used the clear racetrack to continue to blister the speedway near the outer barrier. Clanton was able to wrestle away second position from Sheppard on the restart and shortly thereafter, previous WISSOTA National Champion and now World of Outlaw regular, Ricky Weiss overtook third. With five to go, the leader was well out front but Weiss was closing on second. He attempted to pull even with Clanton with two laps remaining, but Clanton was able to maintain the position to the checkered flag, finishing runner up to Junghans who led all fifty laps to the win.
Weiss had to settle for third late over Sheppard and Cade Dillard in fifth. Dennis Erb finished sixth as Mars faded somewhat after the caution to the seventh position. WISSOTA regulars Jake Redetzke, Chad Mahder, and Nick Anvelink rounded out the top ten. Twelfth finishing Rick Hanestad, also a WISSOTA regular was the hard charger after transferring from the Last Chance Showdown and starting twentieth on the field.
The Drydene heats were won by Sheppard, Junghans, and Clanton. Boom Briggs won the Last Chance Showdown, followed by Hanestad, Blake Spencer, and Mike Prochnow as the qualifying cars. Fifth finishing Buddy Hanestad was the first man out of the starting line up.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds saw Josh Wahlstrom move from the pole position to the early lead of the feature as Nick Ayotte settled into second. Nick Koehler was on the move early and often as he closed from seventh to third very quickly. Koehler was able to put his car anywhere on the racing surface as he drove through the middle and moved to the high line when necessary. He continued his charge, closed on second, passed for the same, and ran down the leader. Koehler was able to overtake the lead and begin to stretch his advantage over the field until he had moved well out front.
The race began to appear as if it were for the runner up position as Travis Anderson was overtaking cars through the field. He moved from fifth all the way to second in impressive style in his own right. Meanwhile it was Calvin Iverson and Shane Halopka moving into the top five as they fought each other for position. The race ran caution free as Koehler put his stamp on the dominating win. Anderson finished his fine run in second as Halopka secured third late. Iverson and Wahlstrom closed out the top five. Heats were won by Iverson, Jay Richardson, and Anderson.
The Limited Late Model feature was led out of the box by Lance Hoffer as Shaun Mann set chase in second. A two car spin saw Larry Fitzsimmons sent to the rear for the restart as Mann overtook the lead when they returned to green flag racing. At the same time, Alex Williamson entered the top three after starting fifth on the field.
Williamson used the outer groove to move his way methodically past second and went low to move side by side with the leader and pass to the point. A caution flag flew after Kyle Johnson had significant contact with the wall in the apex of turns one and two on lap eight. It took a wrecker on each end of his race machine to carry it from the raceway. Mann was restored as the leader on the restart.
Under green, it was Mann but Williamson used the high line to pass him again for the point. In the closing laps, Dan Gullikson was charging through the field as he was near the wall, lap after lap. He moved himself through the top five and drove side by side with Mann on the last lap. Williamson drove home to the feature win as Gullikson edged Mann at the line. Hofer finished fourth over Johnny Emerson in fifth. The very familiar looking Mars Racing entry of Sam Mars finished sixth in a car which looks very much like his famous fathers. Alex Williamson earned the sweep after winning heat one earlier in the evening as Derek Nelson won heat two.
The Red Cedar Speedway returns to racing action on Friday, July 19, 2019, with the UMSS 360 Wing and Traditional Sprint Cars, vintage cars, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, and RCS Hornets.
Article Credit: Brad Erickson
