7/14/2020
Gondik Law Speedway
INMAN AND WIARDA WIN FEATURES ON WORLD OF OUTLAWS NIGHT
INMAN AND WIARDA WIN FEATURES ON WORLD OF OUTLAWS NIGHT
By Jerry O'Brien 7-14-20
On a rare Tuesday night racing program, Gondik Law Speedway welcomed the Morton Buildings World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Joining the Late Models were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and WISSOTA Hornets.
On a perfect night for racing, a large crowd filled the grandstands at the speedway. First came qualifying heat races for the WISSOTA divisions. In the Hornets there were a pair of heats for the 17 cars on hand. AJ House and Hunter McDougall were the winners. In the Midwest Modifieds there were two ten car heat races won by Mack Estey in the 37x normally raced by older brother Skeeter and Ryan Gierke in the second heat.
WISSOTA drivers caught the WoO racers by surprise in the first two of four Drydene heat races as did the track surface. In the first heat Mike Prochnow was the runaway winner with James Giossi, and Pat Doar second and third. Chase Junghans and Scott Bloomquist were the top five. In the second heat there was a surprise winner. Kevin Eder from Ashland who is in his first full year in a Late Model, drove away from Steve Laursen and Chad Mahder. Brent Larson who was a long time WISSOTA racer in several divisions, now a WoO regular, was fourth and Boom Briggs ran fifth. Heat three saw the WoO regulars step it up. Cade Dillard, Darrell Lannigan and WoO Rookie Aston Winger. Travis Budiaslovich and Derek Vesel were top five. To no one's surprise Brandon Shepard easily won the fourth heat over Jimmy Owens who had just joined the tour, former WISSOTA National Champ Ricky Weiss was third while a pair of #28's Jimmy Mars and Dennis Erb, Jr were fourth and fifth.
The Last Chance Qualifier which advanced six drivers to the 50 lapper, was won by Derek Vesel over Bloomquist, Briggs, Deven VanHouse, Dennis Erb, Jr and veteran WISSOTA racer and former National Champ Tim McMann as well as a slot in the feature for Aaron Lillo.
Jase Wiarda won his second WISSOTA Horned feature of the season at Gondik Law Speedway. Wiarda snatched the lead from outside the front row of the 15 lap main event trailed by rookie driver Carson Gotelaere, Tyler Schramm, and AJ House. Wiarda kept his stranglehold on the lead flag to flag for the win. There were no caution flags during the event. House, McDougall, Schramm and Kristy Marken finished in the top five.
Despite four caution flags in the last half of the WISSOTA Midwest Modified 20 lap feature, outside pole sitter and 2019 track champion Andrew Inman jumped to the lead and stayed there to the checkered flag. It was his first feature win of the season here. Running much of the time in the top ten were Jack Rivord and Mack Estey driving older brother Skeeter's 37x, McLean Andrews, Jason VandeKamp, Brady Uotinen, Ryan Gierke, Cody Carlson and Jimmy Latvala. As the laps moved by with no caution flags, Inman extended his lead over Rivord and Estey at the halfway point. Just past the ten lap mark with nine to go the first caution flag flew when Adam Shinn's #14 stopped at the top of the turn two exit. On the restart Estey got by Rivord for second but soon pulled off the track. The second caution flag flew a lap later. Inman forged on at the point at the restart with Rivord, VandeKamp, Uotinen and Gierke in the top five. Carlson had made his way from tenth to 6th ahead of Andrews and the 23 of Mitch Weiss. The third caution flag appeared for the T 25 of mark Thomas who spun at the bottom of turns one and two. The restart came with five laps to go but, after a lap, the final caution flag occurred when Carlson was spun in turn three, Uotinen ended up riding the top of the wall in a shower of sparks. Carlson was slammed on the right side tearing off the door panel. Surprisingly, both Carlson and Uotinen were able to drive away. The incident was hung on Carlson who went to the back and ended up 12th at the checkered flag. The restart came with four laps remaining and went the rest of the way without incident. VandeKamp got past Rivord to second, Gierke and Uotinen rounded out the top five.
In the 50 lap Morton Buildings World of Outlaws Series, Brandon Shepard completed the sweep with a dominating win. He admitted in a victory interview that the speedway was not what he expected, but was able to adjust to the slick track and was able to run multi grooves.
At the start Shepard took the lead from the pole but it was Mike Prochnow who latched onto second followed by the surprising Kevin Eder. Cade Dillard was fourth and Darrell Lannigan an early fifth. Shepard ran away form the pack as Eder took second and Steve Laursen got by Lannigan. It was a pair of ones in the first two spots as Shepard ran away and Eder fended off challenges from Prochnow, then Lannigan. Lurking in the top ten were Dillard and Jimmy Owens and Chad Mahder in the 55c up from the 11th starting spot. The first caution flag flew when Boom Briggs spun in turn two. Shepard's huge lead was wiped out with the caution flag. He held onto the lead but Prochnow got by Eder for second. Dillard, Owens and Mahder were in the front five. As racing progressed, Dillard and Owens moved to second and third as the caution flag flew for a second time, again for Briggs who spun again, this time in turn one. After the restart with 26 laps remaining, Shepard still led over Dillard, Owens, Eder and Lannigan. Lannigan got past Eder to fourth. The first four settled down as rookie contender Ashton Winger moved into fifth. At the front the order remained static while Mahder held sixth and hard charger winner (16th to 7th) Ricky Weiss followed. Eder, Prochnow and Junghans finished in the top ten.
The win was Shepard's ninth win of the season and fourth straight worth $10,000 to him. He led all 50 laps.
Article Credit: Jerry O'Brien
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