HURON, SD (May 11) – The Blaine Brothers WISSOTA Challenge Series was back in action on Saturday night as the series completes the second night of the doubleheader at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, SD. Thirty-five WISSOTA Late Models signed into the gates to compete for the nights 40 lap, $4000 to win feature event.
The racing format for Saturday night’s show was the same as it was on Friday night. The 35 car field was split into four 12 lap heat races in which drivers were racing for those all important passing points. The top 18 drivers in passing points would secure themselves a spot in the 40 lap feature race, while the top 8 in passing points would re-draw for their starting positions.
Rain was not a factor in Saturday night’s show as it was for Friday night’s racing action, but the weather was not your normal ideal temperatures for South Dakota in May. The temperature was around 40 degrees at the start of the Blaine Brothers WISSOTA late model feature event.
The late models were the last to hit the speedway and 2-time Blaine Brothers WISSOTA late model champion Lance Matthees of Winona, MN would lead the field to the start of the green. Chad Becker of Aberdeen, SD would share the front row with Matthees as Brag Seng, Kyle Peterlin, and Dustin Strand would round out the top five starting positions.
Chad Becker jumped out to an early lead with pole sitter Matthees running tight behind him working the bottom groove trying to reclaim the lead. The rest of the field started to spread themselves out behind the leaders as Matthees and Becker continued to battle it out for the lead. With ten laps in the books, Becker had a comfortable lead over Matthees while Brag Seng and Jeff Wildung battled it out for third and fourth positions.
At the halfway mark the front 4 drivers were putting some distance on the rest of field but were within a car length of each other. Becker maintained his lead over Matthees while Seng and Wildung battled it out for third and fourth. Wildung was the only driver in the top 4 that was using the top side and as the laps continued it started to pay off. While Becker was able to pull a few car lengths ahead of Matthees, Wildung was able to get by Seng for third and set his sights on Matthees and Becker.
With 12 laps remaining Wildung continued his pursuit to the front and was able to get by Matthees on the high side for second. Becker, having to race around lap traffic, gave Wildung the opening to close the gap between the two of them with just 5 laps remaining. Using the bottom groove of the track, Wildung captured the lead from Becker, who had led from the drop of the green flag.
Wildung would set sail racing to the checkered flag in a caution free 40 lap feature event picking up the $4000 winner’s check. Chad Becker would end up settling for second, while Matthees finished third, Seng finished fourth, and Peterlin rounded out the top 5.
The Blaine Brothers Challenge Series will take the next three weeks off before heading back to Dakota State Fair Speedway on June 1st for the 63 lap $6300 Challenge Cup where Kent Arment of Aberdeen, SD will try and repeat what he did last year picking up the $6200 winner’s check.
Results from Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, SD on Saturday May 11th.
A-Main:
(1) Jeff Wildung (2) Chad Becker (3) Lance Matthees (4) Brad Seng (5) Kyle Peterlin (6) Don Shaw (7) Dustin Strand (8) Zack Johnson (9) Shawn Kirwin (10) Curt Gelling (11) Jake Redetzke (12) Brian Diede (13) Kent Arment (14) Pat Doar (15) David McDonald (16) John Kaanta (17) Jeremy Keller (18) Mike Balcaen (19) Mike Stadel (20) Nick Herrick (21) Eric Mass (22) Jordan Yaggy (23) Quentin Myers (24) Casey Hanson DNF (25) Marshall Fegers DNF
B-Main Transfers:
(1) Keller (2) Doar (3) Kaanta (4) Arment (5) Yaggy (6) McDonald
Provisional – Nick Herrick
Heat Winners:
(1) Don Shaw (2) Chad Becker (3) Marshall Fegers(4) Kyle Perterlin
