Nelson grabs Proctor AMSOIL series win

Darrell Nelson, the defending AMSOIL Late Model Series champion, won the second leg of the six-race, four-track series Sunday. The victory in the 35-lap feature was worth $2,000 for the 22 year veteran.

After a redraw by the five qualifying heat winners, Nelson found himself with the pole position, flanked by Joel Cryderman. At the green flag, Nelson got a good jump on the field, but Cryderman was right there with him and grabbed the point off turn four on the initial circuit. Pat Doar charged from the inside of row four to third with Jeff Hinkemeyer fourth and Jeff Broking running fifth.

Nelson and Cryderman dueled for the lead until the first caution flag flew when Brandon Jensen slid off turn three. It was a side by side restart four laps in, and Cryderman flew around the outside while Nelson tried to make up ground the short way around. Except for Nelson, the top eight all ran in the top groove. Behind that group was a fierce battle as the field tried to shake out.

The caution flag appeared again when the fourth-running Hinkemeyer went off turn four into the tire barrier. The car was not damaged and Hinkemeyer joined the pack at the rear with 25 laps remaining. The incident moved Jeff Massingill into the top five as racing resumed. The caution flag hurt Cryderman, as Nelson blasted into the lead and Doar also got by into second.

At the midpoint of the event, Nelson was way out in front shadowed by Doar while Cryderman continued to lose ground on the leaders but was in no danger of losing third. Tommy Waseleski Jr. moved up to fourth as Broking and Kyle Peterlin battled for fifth.

Nelson was eyeing the back of the field and preparing to lap back markers, but fortune was with him as Bobby Carlson took a long slide off turn one and ended up near the trees bringing out the caution flag and clearing the track for the leaders. The caution flag appeared on lap 29 leaving seven more.

At the green flag Nelson dove to the bottom while Doar tried the high side with Cryderman right on his heels. Harry Hanson charged past Peterlin into the top five as Nelson took the checkered flag ahead of Doar, Cryderman and Waseleski Jr.

Also on the program were the WISSOTA AMSOIL Dirt Track Series Super Stocks as well as the Proctor Pure Stocks. On hand were 27 Super Stocks and 29 Pure Stocks.

Sam Skalsky of Hibbing got the better of a stout field of Super Stocks, taking his first feature win at the Proctor Speedway. Three caution flags slowed the action, but Skalsky was able to maintain his lead each time. On the move from his fourth row starting spot was Mike Bellefeuille, but he was unable to overtake Skalsky for the win. Jeff Tardy, the current points leader at the speedway, put on a charge from the fifth row to take third. Jim Campbell held on for fourth ahead of Eric Nelson.

The Proctor Pure Stocks races 15 laps. Pat Van Ert blasted up from the second row to take the lead early, but a Matt Hammitt spin put the 20-car field back to a complete restart. At the green flag, pole-sitter Rick Cornelison took control, and there was heavy competition for position behind him. Dan Larsen, Van Ert, Tim Carlson, Josh Loucks and Austin Blom battled as ninth-starting Andrew LaBarge began a run toward the front.

At the halfway point the caution flag again flew for debris on the race track. Dustin Follett’s car suffered a flat tire and he was trying to limp off the track when someone clipped him and sent his bumper flying.

LaBarge pulled off the win over a resurgent Van Ert with Dan Larsen, Carlson and Loucks rounding out the top five.

Proctor Speedway

AMSOIL Late Model Series Race No. 2

Heat 1: Jeff Hinkemeyer, St. Cloud, Minn.; Steve Vesel, Hibbing; Tom Waseleski Sr., Hibbing; Harry Hanson, Eveleth; Greg Hill, Eveleth; Kevin Carlson, Hermantown; Chris Olson, Hibbing; Matt Sorenson, Duluth.

Heat 2: Joel Cryderman, Thunder Bay, Ontario; Pat Doar, New Richmond, Wis.; Kyle Peterlin, Hibbing; Tom Waseleski Jr., Hibbing; John Massingill, Keewatin; Bobby Carlson, Hibbing; Dave Esse, Cloquet; George Ledin, Britt, Minn.

Heat 3: Travis Budisalovich, Cottage Grove, Minn.; Jeff Massingill, Keewatin; Aaron Lillo, Duluth; Jeff Provinzino, Hibbing; Kelly Estey, Kelly Lake; Tom Nesbitt, Thunder Bay; Bob Slater, Thunder Bay; John Carpenter, Hibbing.

Heat 4: Jeff Broking, Grand Rapids; Terry Lillo, Duluth; Bob Richardson, Eagle River, Wis.; Don Copp, Brule, Wis.; A.J. Diemel Navarino, Wis.; Steve Laursen, Cumberland, Wis.; Tim McMann, Duluth.

Heat 5: Darrell Nelson, Hermantown; John Kaanta, Elk Mound, Wis.; Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, Minn.; Branden Jensen, Forest Lake; Pete Parker, Kaukauna, Wis.; Cory Jorgenson, Hermantown; Dustin Hapka, Grand Forks, N.D.

B Feature 1 (15 laps): Estey; B. Carlson; Hill; Laursen; Parker; Hapka; Slater; Olson; Ledin.

B Feature 2 (15 laps): Diemel; John Massingill; Nesbitt; McMann; K. Carlson; Jorgenson; Esse; Carpenter; Sorenson.

Feature (35 laps, start 25 cars): Nelson; Doar; Cryderman; Waseleski Jr.; Hanson; Peterlin; Estey; Jeff Massingill; A, Lillo; Broking; Waseleski Sr.; Kaanta; Vesel; Diemel; John Massingill; Copp; J. Jensen; Budisalovich; Richardson; T. Lillo; B. Jensen; B. Carlson; Provinzino; Hinkemeyer; Laursen.

WISSOTA AMSOIL Dirt Track

Series Super Stock

Heat 1: Eric Nelson, Jay Kuras, Jim Campbell, Steve Christman, Dan Tocheri, Todd Carlson, Robbie Cooper, Andy Grymala, Steve Carlson.

Heat 2: Mike Bellefeuille, Kevin Salin, Tyler Kintnar, Steve Estey, Louis Meglen, Kevin Eder, Tom Treviranus, Ronnie Malecki, Jacob Lukanen.

Heat 3: Jeff Tardy, Sam Skalsky, Jeremy Fink, Jeff Ruzich, Bob Kintner, Zach Wohlers, Bruce Johnson, Tristan LaBarge, Scott Sertich.

B Feature: Eder, Wohlers, Treviranus, Cooper, Malecki, LaBarge, Grymala, Johnson, T. Carlson, Sertich, S. Carlson, Lukanen.

Feature (20 laps): Skalsky, Bellefeuille, Tardy, Campbell, Nelson, Wohlers, Cooper, Kuras, Fink, Salin, Ruzich, T Kintner, Treviranus, B. Kintner, Malecki, Christman, Tocheri, Meglen, Eder, Estey.

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