NELSON DOUBLES UP AT PROCTOR

Wins Late Model Main, Modified Main With Borrowed Car
By Jerry O'Brien
Proctor, Minn. 6-15-03

Hermantown's Darrell Nelson was the big story Sunday night at the Proctor Speedway as he won both the Late Model feature and the Modified feature. He has done this before but not with a borrowed car. Nelson wrecked his primary modified the previous night bringing it home with serious suspension issues. He brought the back up car to the speedway but Matt Sorenson offered the TRC Race Cars house car to him.  They switched cars and Nelson proceeded to sweep the action after he had already won the Late Model main event.

Starting the Late Model 20 lap feature from the pole, Darrell Nelson swept into the lead towing front row mate Harry Hanson away from the rest of the pack as they dueled for the lead. Hanson was able to draw alongside a few times but could not muster enough traction on the bottom to complete the pass.  Tim McMann moved into third followed by Kevin Carlson, Ryan Aho and Darin Meierotto.  Don Copp was on the move and slithered into sixth as Carlson began falling back.

At the half way signal it was Nelson, Hanson, McMann, Aho, Meierotto and Copp.  The first of two caution flags flew for a Bob Reed spin in turn four.  At the green the order remained the same except Aho had gotten by McMann for third while Copp found some traction and made his way into fourth. The final caution period ensued when Clint Larson slid off the top of turn one and required medical assistance as well as assistance for the 75 L into the pits. Nelson went on to take the win convincingly over Hanson while Copp got by Aho to finish third while McMann was fifth.

Nelson then climbed aboard the TRC house car with the duct taped #44 and proceeded to work his way from the inside of the third row to the lead and the win. It was a rough start for the15 lap feature as it took two tries to get under way. The initial green flag saw a couple of cars mid pack clash nearly precipitating a massive accident on the front stretch. Steve Arpin was involved and slowed to the infield with the right front suspension broken.  Officials lined up the restart and the pack made it to the middle of the first turn when pole sitter Danny Pierce went sideways in front of the pack. No one was lost in the incident but try number three was instigated.  This time Jason Miller shot into the lead from the outside of the front row trailed by Tommy Turcotte,  Nelson, Jeff Hart and Kelly Estey.  As Turcotte began to close on Miller, Nelson got by Hart and now sat third.

At the half way point it was Miller, Turcotte, Nelson, Hart and Estey.  The first of two caution flags flew just past half way when Rod Heitala attempted to exit the track and forced Ken Hron off turn one.  At the green Estey tried to make something happen down low and lost fifth to Al Uotinen who then proceeded to dust Hart for fourth.  Turcotte had closed right up to Miller and made a dive to the bottom in an effort to grab the lead. It didn't work for him as he lost control bringing out the final caution flag.  This left Nelson on Miller's bumper for the restart and he wasted little time working his way by for the lead.  Uotinen then got by Miller for second while Estey moved to fourth and Hart wound up fifth.

Mike Bellefeuille shot off to the lead from the pole in a wild start to the WISSOTA Super Stock feature that saw several cars racing into the first turn in the infield.  Darin Meierotto was second while Spike McDougall came out in third ahead of Paul Schultz and Kelly Checkalski. Scott Lawrence was on the move from the 6th row moving into seventh as the first caution flag flew for a Jeff Elliott spin.  The order remained the same up front with Bellefeuille being hounded by Meierotto until the final caution period occurred when Charlie Anderson spun in turn three. 

At the mid point it was Bellefeuille, Meierotto, McDougall and Lawrence while three others skirmished for fifth.  Lawrence got by McDougall for third and set out to track down the lead duo who were a straight away ahead.  Bellefeuille led Meierotto to the back of the pack and Meierotto was able to slip by in traffic for the win. Bellefeuille held on to second ahead of Lawrence, McDougall, and Schultz who had won the battle for fifth.

Greg Carlson won his first career feature taking the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature.  Carlson spent three seasons in the Pure Stocks before moving into the Midwest Modifieds last season.  The early lead went to pole sitter D J Severin over Tyler Hynnes and Mark Kangas.  Severin lost control in turn four and spun out of the lead and second place Tyler Hynnes also left the field leaving Carlson to lead the pack to the green.  Carlson was trailed by Kangas, Josh Loucks, Mark Anderson, and Darren Brown.  Brown spun out in turn four bringing out the caution flag.  At the green, Brown again spun this time in turn three and was gone following the invoking of the two spin and out rule.

At half way it was Carlson, Anderson, Bob Chesley up from the 7th row and Loucks who spun out of position. Severin, meanwhile had rebounded to run fifth. Carlson took the win over Anderson, Kangas, Chesley and Severin.     Todd Monahan drove out to a big lead in the Pure Stock feature from the pole but as the race progressed and the track got a bit more slick, Al McDougall moved up from the eighth starting slot and began to track Monahan down.  Mcdougall caught the slowing Monahan and moved by for the lead and the win.  Gary Campbell, Jim Rich, Sr and Glen Dammer finished in the top five.  Rich started 17th on the field.

Results

WISSOTA Late Model

Heat 1: Darin Meierotto, Harry Hanson, Tim McMann, Kelly Estey, Don Copp
Heat 2: Ryan Aho, Darrell Nelson, Bob Reed, Kevin Carlson, Nick Nelson
Feature: Nelson, Hanson, Copp, Aho, McMann, Meierotto, Nick Nelson, Jodi Olson, Jeff Provinzino, Jeff Broking

WISSOTA Modified

Heat 1: Jason Miller, Jeff Hart, Steve Arpin, Al Uotinen, Danny Pierce
Heat 2: Darrell Nelson, Tommy Turcotte, Jayme Lautigar, Ken Hron, John Balich
Feature: Nelson, Uotinen, Miller, Estey, Hart, Hron, Lautigar, Turcotte, Pierce, Balich

WISSOTA Super Stock

Heat 1: Jeff Forseen, Mike Bellefuille, Kyle Peterlin, Kelly Checkalski, Charlie Anderson
Heat 2: Darin Meierotto, Jay Kuras, Eric Nelson, Brad Arnes, Gary Cornelison
Heat 3: Scott Lawrence, Paul Schultz, Dan Turcotte, Tridell Champlin, Spike Mcdougall
B Feature: Donne Lofdahl, Jeff Elliott, Kevin Salin, Dan turcotte, Adam Long
Feature: Meierotto, Bellefeuille, Lawrence, McDougall, Schultz, Checkalski, Forseen, Nelson,Arnes, Salin

WISSOTA Midwest Modified

Heat 1: Tyler Hynnes, Mark Anderson, Josh Loucks, D J Severin, J J Thompson
Heat 2: Greg Carlson, Darren Brown, Mark Kangas, Steve Inman, Brian Eliason
Feature: Carlson, Anderson, Kangas, Chesley, Severin, Thompson, Joe Kalinowski, Eliason,Loucks, Brock McCarthy (DNF)

Pure Stocks

Heat 1: Scott Larsen, Cheryl deloach, Dave Flynn, Craig Lofdahl, Melissa Lillo
Heat 2: Al McDougall, Glen Dammer, Jon McKinnon, Gary Campbell, Jim Rich
Heat 3: Kevin youderin, Jeremy hall, Todd Monahan, Tony Ciurleo, Tom Morinville
Heat 4: Stacy McKinnon, Al Rapp, Nick Lavato, Steve Young, Jim McLellan
B Feature: J P Aase, Jim Rich, Jr, Stan Saylor, Melissa Lillo, Morinville
B Feature: Jim Rich, Sr, Ricky Davis, Rick Wilhelm, Wade Ziels, Tim Carlson
Feature: McDougall, Monahan, Campbell, Rich, Sr, Dammer, Aase, Al rapp, Larsen, NickLavato, Deloach

Other Results