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Lake Geneva Raceway presents
Round and Around by Fay Hendricks
Upcoming Events at Lake Geneva Raceway:

Next Saturday, Sept. 24: Season Championships for Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Millennium Late Models.

Coming up, September 30, October 1 and 2: Small Car Championship and Fall Classic
Round and Around:  By Fay Hendricks
The following is a column written by Fay Hendricks for The Checkered Flag Racing News. This race publication began in 1968 and ceased operations as of July 13, 2005. The wife of 7-time sportsman and mini stock champion Jim Hendricks, Fay has been writing since 1981. As a way to allow readers to continue following the travels of Fay Hendricks around several venues, Lake Geneva Raceway owner-promoter Kevin Dawson has decided to offer the columns here. We hope you enjoy the reading.
September 21, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The WISSOTA 100 began as an end-of-the season special, with Pete Parker taking the first late model win, Ron Schreiner the modified champ. Now in its 20th year, WISSOTA sanctions seven divisions of racers at 58 tracks in several states and Canadian provinces. There are so many entries that the event spans four days and is run simultaneously in two states. Thousands of fans and hundreds of race teams come to the national contest every year, returning despite everything else that's going on. The fuel prices may have diminished the numbers, but not the zeal. It seemed to be extremely bad timing for a notorious trial to be ongoing as we began, for one of the competitors had lost family and crew to a bizarre shooting during hunting season. The final judgment came just in time for the final race day, and one can only hope for peace of mind for the affected families.

We set off for Cedar Lake Speedway in northwest Wisconsin for Wednesday's program of street stocks and midwest mods, but the motor home failed us. The pedal linkage had broken off at the engine, we discovered, going through the arduous process of calling our service and getting towed to a service garage. This year it was not racer Ron Schreiner's uncle to the rescue, but a new company. It turned out to be Schreiner's cousin, working for the company that bought his retired father's business, so all is well. It was a bit alarming to be confronted by a police officer that night asking, “What are you doing here?”, stating that there was a report of a prowler at the business.

Thursday afternoon we reached Cedar Lake's camp area and began our reunion with the WISSOTA family. We learned there were over 170 entries on Wednesday, ending with the best race of the year. Thursday was a short program of heats for over 150 late models and mods, using passing points to help make the playing field level. This is better for drivers who start in the back rows, but the audience doesn't always know who made it until later when the points are tallied. Mod champions included Wisconsin's Al Uotinen, Todd Siddons, Don Copp, and Craig Thatcher, Minnesota's Doug Gustafson, Dave Cain, Craig Christiansen, Kelly Estey, and Jamie Lemke, joined by Canadians Kevin Sexton and Jamie Davis. Estey appeared to lose an engine in hot laps, then later made his heat, but slowed early. Gustafson finished third in his heat, but forgot to drive across the scales, making his run void. Cain, leading WISSOTA’s points, had two mishaps before finally exiting his heat. Mike Anderson led his heat

Late model champions on Thursday saw Minnesotan Harry Hanson join Wisconsin's A. J. Diemel, John Kaanta, Ron Berna, Pat Doar, and Rick Hanestad. Cain was one of many who fielded double divisions, but his late model met the wall, making his night zero for two. Eric Pember drove the Kerry Hansen car to victory, joining Doar, Kaanta, Jerry Redetzke, Jeff Provinzino, Ashley Anderson, and Brent Larson as heat winners. The party pavilion in the backstretch hosted an after-hours party for all, music and beverage mingling with race stories each night.

Friday nearly 90 super stocks joined the packed pit area for their heat races. Championships abounded in this group, with Minnesota's Ryan Aho on his way to another WISSOTA crown. Other champs from the Gopher State include Tim Johnson, Scott Danziesen, Kyle Peterlin, Jon Stepan, Jim Martinson, Jeff Tardy, Dan Gullikson, and Dustin Nelson taking titles at four tracks. Kyle Peterlin represented North Dakota, and Badger State champions were Scott Lawrence, Mike Weber, Dennis Earney, and Ashley Anderson. Again passing points determined those who would make the feature field as the full moon loomed overhead. Although the well-groomed track allowed four-abreast racing all night, there were too many desperate moves as the final chances arrived, bringing out several caution flags. One particularly hard hit was received by Schreiner, destroying his beautiful mount on the first lap of a late model B main.

Friday's mod field ran a pair of C mains, one of which moving Estey, Uotinen, Gustafson, and Brandon Jensen to the rear of a B main. Starting in the twelfth row, Estey progressed to the top ten by lap seven, but could only get as far as seventh when the checkered flag came on lap fifteen. Only the top three from each B were accepted. The late models ran three B mains with the top two transferring, leaving nearly 170 of the 240 racers on the sidelines by feature time. That's the way it is in progressive racing, which is why so many have achieved great skills in the WISSOTA format. This is where national heroes like Jimmy Mars, Rick Aukland, and Ron Jones began. Results from South Dakota’s action were regularly announced as Cedar Lake kept the audience abreast of their heroes.

Saturday the full moon showed up to watch the final night. A pair of C mains were followed by a pair of B’s to place the final six into the super stock feature. Ashley Anderson began last in a C after replacing his engine, raced to the top four, then began 24th in the B in a final attempt to make the show. But Anderson’s progress ended at ninth place as the top three transferred, so would only be in the late model field. Charlie Weber’s hopes went up in flames when a fire erupted under his hood in the same event. The top eight in passing points drew for starting spots in the three features, then the final 76 mounts were cheered by the crowd. As they rolled three abreast, fans waved them on from both sides of Cedar Lake‘s high-banked oval as fireworks went off overhead. Scot Danzeisen had just made the super stock field, and would compete in the mod main immediately after the first 30-lap contest. His double entries both ended badly, the super making it to just past halfway, the mo

The modified field began with 24, but lost ten by the end of 35 circuits. Trent Follmer, Tony Bahr, and Brent Larson would all be in the late model race that followed. Follmer used the Joe Bean mount to forge into the lead after a spirited battle with Craig Thatcher for the point that went to the final flag. “He was working me as hard as he could”, claimed Follmer from victory lane, “Craig Thatcher is a world-class guy. I knew he would run me clean“. Stating about four previous races at Cedar Lake with the mod, Follmer thought the ensuing late model race would be tough. Thatcher declared, “We had a good race the last five laps”, happy with the contest. No one could have been more delighted than Cain, after starting 21st . “I could have taken a provisional, but I wanted to work my way in”, declared the track champion, “I’m just happy with third”.

Still filled with adrenalin, Follmer had to rush to the pits and get his belts secured as the late model field rolled onto the track. This would be the final WISSOTA 100 for Jerry Redetzke, his son now the one to keep the name going. Rick Egersdorf has been dormant this year, but showed up in an unfamiliar number for this show. It was veterans who showed their prowess at the end, as John Kaanta led the way to the final flag. “I was better in (turn) 3 and 4 all race long“ declared the national point leader, adding, “I was kind of desperate there, I almost went to third“. Kaanta, who also won a year ago, claimed, “This was a lot harder. I just wanted to have a good time”. Anderson began and ended in second, claiming, “I couldn’t catch him”. Terry Casey led for a time, but had mixed feelings about winning. “I’d finish third behind these guys any time. The only thing that made me nervous was that at breakfast, we decided if we won, I’d jump in the pond. When I saw him (Kaanta) go by,

Just before 10:30 the audience smiled as well, knowing they have seen the best of the best. Over 400 entries in five fields, early finish times, and pleasant temperatures was a perfect way to celebrate WISSOTA’s 20th anniversary race. Others who had many hours of driving to do had ample time to make it back home, and we arrived safe and sound. Some work needs to be done before our next adventure for the 4-day blast at Rockford Speedway. To be continued.

 
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