SMITH WINS AMSOIL SHOW AT PROCTOR
Eric Nelson Wins First Career Super Stock Main
By Jerry O'Brien
6-22-04 Proctor, MN

Brady Smith of Solon Springs the 2001 AMSOIL Series Champion  unofficially took over the points lead in the 2004 edition with the feature win Tuesday night June  22nd. Starting 5th, Smith took second from defending series champion Steve Laursen, and, on lap  13, got by leader John Kaanta and held the lead until rain shortened the thirty-five lap event  to thirty circuits.

Twenty-five cars lined up for the feature event with three time  Series champion Steve Laursen pacing the field to the green flag. Laursen quickly took a commanding  lead at the green with Kaanta, Duane Mahder, Paul Wrazidlo and Brady Smith trailing. Further  back Tom Nesbitt and Jeff Broking battled for sixth. Kaanta wasted little time sliding to the  inside of Laursen to grab the top spot. Mahder, Smith, Broking and Wrazidlo continued to skirmish as  Smith took to the high side of Laursen to second. The caution flag flew for Mahder who lost  control in turn two and spun.

The single file restart had Kaanta in the lead with Smith,  Laursen, and Wrazidlo in the top five. Tom Waseleski had been lurking outside the top five and got by  Wrazidlo to fourth. Smith challenged Kaanta off turn two, drew alongside down the back stretch and  was able to complete the pass off the fourth turn for the lead. At the mid point the order  stood Smith, Kaanta, Laursen, Waseleski, and Wrazidlo. Jeff Broking, Nesbitt, Jeff Provinzino, Bill  Byholm, Kelly Estey, and Todd Gehl were in the top ten.

The caution flag flew when Provinzino and  Meierotto collided off turn two with both catching the wall. Neither was able to continue. At  the green flag Smith extended his lead over Kaanta with Laursen, Waseleski and Wrazidlo in  the front five. The caution flag again flew, this time for debris on the track. The rain  that had caused officials to hurry the show along began to fall in earnest shortening the event to  thirty laps, five short of the scheduled distance. The field was frozen on the previous lap with Smith  declared the winner.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks were the companion division and a brand  new feature winner was crowned. Eric Nelson of Esko , Minnesota began the twenty lap feature  from the outside of the front row with Willy Johnson on the pole. At the green flag Nelson  took the point as Scott Lawrence took to the outside and moved to second with Jay Kuras, Johnson  and Greg Kuklinski following. Nelson and Lawrence battled for the lead but Johnson brought  out the caution flag by slipping off the first turn. Lawrence battled by Nelson to take the lead  but Nelson rebounded to regain the lead. The caution flag flew once again when Keith Kern  slipped off turn one.  Nelson retained the lead and began to pull away from Lawrence . Lawrence spun of  the first turn, kept going and rejoined the field at the rear. A couple of laps later   Lawrence again spun off turn one and stalled bringing out the final caution flag.  Nelson was able to  fight off a charging Kyle Peterlin for his first career feature win with Jay Kuras, Kuklinski and Dave Mass  finishing in the top five.

Results

AMSOIL Late Model Series Race 3 (30 cars, Ten Lap Heats)

Heat 1: Tom Nesbitt, Todd Gehl, Darin Meierotto, Tim McMann, Harry Hanson, Steve Roseen, Rick Sweet, Jeff Hinkemeyer (DNS)
Heat 2: Jeff Provinzino, Brady Smith, Steve Laursen, Bill Byholm, Joel Cryderman, Darrell Nelson, Pat Doar, Kevin Carlson
Heat 3: Duane Mahder, John Kaanta, Tom Waseleski, Steve Vesel, Andrew McKay, Kevin Mudrak, Andy Simonson
Heat 4: John Massingill, Jeff Broking, Paul Wrazidlo, Kelly Estey, Trent Follmer, Bob Reed, Leon Plank
B Main: Darrell Nelson, Steve Roseen, Bob Reed, Pat Doar, Leon Plank,
Andy Simonsen, Kevin Mudrak, Kevin Carlson, Rick Sweet, Jeff Hinkemeyer (DNS)
Feature: (35 Laps, 25 cars, Leon Plank AMSOIL Series Provisional.)
(1-10) Smith, Kaanta, Laursen, Waseleski, Wrazidlo, Broking, Nesbitt, Vesel, Estey, Gehl
(11-21) Byholm, McMann, Nelson, Cryderman, Doar, Follmer, Plank, Hanson, Reed, Massingill, Mahder.
(DNF Roseen, Meierotto, Provinzino, McKay)

WISSOTA Super Stock (25 cars)
Heat 1: Eric Nelson, Ryan Aho, Willie Johnson, Scott Lawrence, Destin Lorimor
Heat 2: Greg Kuklinski, Dave Mass, Keith Kern, Derrick Vesel, Adam Long B Main: Meierotto, Bobbie Carlson, Jay Kintner, Spike McDougall, Mike Bellefeuille
Feature: Nelson, Peterlin, Kuras, Mass, Kuklinski, Meierotto, Aho, Rick Rivord, Musel, Kintner.