FERGUS FALLS, MN (June 18, 2004) - Dan Fredrickson, picked up where he left off a couple of weeks ago by winning the 40 lap Minnesota Late Model Challenge Series race at Fergus Falls Raceway. Twenty of Minnesota’s best Late Model drivers took the green flag, with veteran driver Larry Button taking the lead. Defending Series Champion Todd Hansen turned up the heat and by lap six, he became the new leader. Eighth starting Fredrickson came blasting his way toward the front and on lap 10, he took over the top spot, just before the caution waved for Rick Harig’s spin in turn three, right in front of the leaders. On the restart, Fredrickson continued to show the way as Hansen and Blake Bjorklund ran hard for second. Heavy lapped traffic kept Fredrickson’s lead slim over Hansen and Bjorklund. A late caution for Mark Grewe’s slowed car set up a four lap dash to the finish. In that final run to the flag, Fredrickson held on by only a few car lengths to take the win.
Oren Hoeper has been almost untouchable this season and after a hard fought battle, Hoeper took the win in the Modified Feature. Jon Lewerer shot out into the lead from the start with Joey Johnson right behind. Hoeper came flying through the field and by lap three, he was in second. Hoeper pulled alongside Lewerer, but couldn’t make it stick and he had to settle back into second. That didn’t last for long however as within another lap, Hoeper was back alongside and took the lead by a wheel on lap six. Two laps later, Lewerer kept his car alongside and he retook the lead on lap eight. Hoeper mounted another challenge and after another two laps, he retook the lead. Lewerer stayed close, but couldn’t get alongside again as Hoeper rolled on to the win.
After totally rebuilding his car during the last week, Jon Lewerer got everything put together right as he took the Great North Legends Feature win. Joe Kostreba led the field into the first turn, as third starting Lewerer moved into the lead in turn two. Tim Brockhouse and Tommy Jordan came bursting through the pack to take the second and third spots. Brockhouse dove to the bottom several times as he tried to get by the leader. Each time however, Lewerer held the spot as Brockhouse had to carefully duck in behind as Jordan stayed within striking distance. Cam Schafer’s spin with a couple of laps left, kept the tight race for the lead even tighter. When the green waved, Lewerer held his ground as Brockhouse tapped his bumper while going down the frontstetch. Lewerer wasn’t rattled by this as he finished off the race to snare the win, with Brockhouse and Jordan right on his tail.
Jarmin Henry doesn’t come to Fergus Falls Raceway too often, but when he does, he’s a good bet to be up near the front. Such was the case this week as he won the Thunder Car Feature. Kurt Kort took the lead from outside the front row as Cory Eggen ran alongside. Henry slipped into the third spot, before taking on Eggen for his position. With the top three really close, Henry was able to jump up and take the lead on lap six. Only one caution slowed the event when Shawn Robinson and Eggen tangled on the backstretch in the race for third. When the green came out for the final run, Henry stepped on the throttle and moved on to the win.
Josh Whipple has been near the front quite often this season and Whipple took things to the next level as he won the UCAR feature. David Bolstad and Whipple wrestled up front on the opening lap as Bolstad moved into the lead. Whipple pulled next to the leader and ran there for several laps, before finally pulling off the pass with six laps to go. Adam Fronning made it by Bolstad to take the second spot, but without a late caution, that would be as high as he would get. Meanwhile, Whipple continued to run hard for the rest of the race, taking the win by a full straightaway over Fronning.
Fergus Falls Raceway Results
June 18, 2004
Minnesota Late Model Challenge Series
First Heat
1.) Tim Olson (Hamel) 2.) Larry Button (Clitherall) 3.) Molly Rhoads (Hastings) 4.) Gary Petrash (Lakeville) 5.) Randin Olson (Ottertail) 6.) Jason Rund (Fergus Falls) 7.) John Paul Odegaard (Brooklyn Center) 8.) Mark Grewe (Fergus Falls)
Second Heat
1.) Joe Berthiaume (Hamel) 2.) Jeff Lofquist (Fergus Falls) 3.) Shane Rudrud (Erhard) 4.) Scott Hansen (Minneapolis) 5.) Dan Darco (Fergus Falls) 6.) Rick Harig (Underwood) 7.) Jon Olson (Hamel)-DNS
Fast Dash
1.) Dan Fredrickson (Elko) 2.) Andy Hanson (Ramsey) 3.) Todd Hansen (Minneapolis) 4.) Jason Schneider (New Market) 5.) Blake Bjorklund (Isanti) 6.) DJ Dondelinger (Brainerd)
Fast Qualifiers
1.) Blake Bjorklund (16.41 sec.) 2.) Dan Fredrickson (16.42 sec.) 3.) Jason Schneider (16.63 sec.) 4.) Todd Hansen (16.64 sec.) 5.) Andy Hanson (16.66 sec.) 6.) DJ Dondelinger (16.79 sec.)
40 Lap Feature
1.) Dan Fredrickson 2.) Todd Hansen 3.) Blake Bjorklund 4.) Jason Schneider 5.) Tim Olson 6.) DJ Dondelinger 7.) Larry Button 8.) John Paul Odegaard 9.) Molly Rhoads 10.) Joe Berthiaume 11.) Randin Olson 12.) Jason Rund 13.) Gary Petrash 14.) Scott Hansen 15.) Shane Rudrud 16.) Mark Grewe-DNF 17.) Jeff Lofquist-DNF 18.) Andy Hanson-DNF 19.) Dan Darco-DNF 20.) Rick Harig-DNF 21.) Jon Olson-DNS
Modifieds
Heat
1.) Oren Hoeper (Dalton) 2.) Dave Ostendorf (St. Cloud) 3.) Dave Schafer (Glenwood) 4.) Harlan Lysne (Fergus Falls) 5.) Joey Johnson (Alexandria) 6.) Jon Lewerer (Coon Rapids) 7.) Joe Berthiaume (Hamel)
Feature
1.) Oren Hoeper 2.) Jon Lewerer 3.) Dave Ostendorf 4.) Joey Johnson 5.) Dave Schafer 6.) Harlan Lysne 7.) Jon Olson (Hamel)
Great North Legends
First Heat
1.) Jason Brockhouse (Prior Lake) 2.) Tim Brockhouse (Shorewood) 3.) Tommy Jordan (Hartsville, SC) 4.) Rollie Davison (Burnsville) 5.) Jon Lewerer (Coon Rapids) 6.) Joe Kostreba (Sauk Centre) 7.) Scott Brandt (Olivia) 8.) Cam Schafer (Glenwood) 9.) Rick Dubay (Coon Rapids)
Second Heat
1.) Dirk Henry (Sauk Centre) 2.) Cal Lease (Little Falls) 3.) Chad Flynn (Alexandria) 4.) Zack Davids (Apple Valley) 5.) Gary Oie (St. Paul) 6.) Doug Petty (Oak Grove) 7.) Dave Ewert (Fergus Falls)-DNF 8.) Rod Flynn (Alexandria)-DNF
Feature
1.) Jon Lewerer 2.) Tim Brockhouse 3.) Tommy Jordan 4.) Dirk Henry 5.) Cal Lease 6.) Scott Brandt 7.) Jason Brockhouse 8.) Rick Dubay 9.) Rollie Davidson 10.) Chad Flynn 11.) Zack Davids 12.) Doug Petty 13.) Joe Kostreba 14.) Gary Oie 15.) Rod Flynn 16.) Cam Schafer-DNF 17.) Dave Ewert-DNS
Thunder Cars
First Heat
1.) Shawn Robinson (Fergus Falls) 2.) Tom Weinhandl (Henning) 3.) Steve Devaney (Fergus Falls) 4.) Jobie Gutzmer (Fergus Falls) 5.) Deon Roth (Fergus Falls) 6.) Darren Werner (Fargo, ND) 7.) Kasey Kurtz (Fergus Falls)
Second Heat
1.) Mark Milbeck (Erhard) 2.) Jarmin Henry (Sauk Centre) 3.) Pat Dillon (Fergus Falls) 4.) Cory Eggen (Fergus Falls) 5.) Kurt Kort (Fergus Falls) 6.) Ace Valencour (Sauk Centre) 7.) Matt Miller (Glenwood)
Feature
1.) Jarmin Henry 2.) Kurt Kort 3.) Pat Dillon 4.) Mark Milbeck 5.) Cory Eggen 6.) Jobie Gutzmer 7.) Tom Weinhandl 8.) Steve Devaney 9.) Deon Roth 10.) Shawn Robinson-DNF 11.) Matt Miller-DNF 12.) Ace Valencour-DNF 13.) Kasey Kurtz-DNF 14.) Darren Werner-DNF
UCARs
First Heat
1.) Dan Bolstad (Fergus Falls) 2.) Corey Flynn (Alexandria) 3.) Doug Fick (Fergus Falls) 4.) Jesse Drechsel (Fergus Falls) 5.) Melissa Devaney (Fergus Falls) 6.) Ryan Sampson (Fergus Falls)-DNF
Second Heat
1.) Adam Fronning (Dalton) 2.) Josh Whipple (Fergus Falls) 3.) David Bolstad (Fergus Falls) 4.) Levi Stenerson (Fergus Falls) 5.) Jay Gronewold (Fergus Falls) 6.) Terry Lerham (Fergus Falls) 7.) Cody Lewis (Fergus Falls)
Feature
1.) Josh Whipple 2.) Adam Fronning 3.) David Bolstad 4.) Corey
Flynn 5.) Jay Gronewold 6.) Jesse Drechsel 7.) Doug Fick 8.) Levi Stenerson
9.) Ryan Sampson 10.) Terry Lerhan 11.) Melissa Devaney 12.) Cody Lewis 13.)
Dan Bolstad-DNF