Fredrickson Strong In "Tire Guy " 150
at I-94 Raceway
By Dean Reller
SAUK CENTRE, MN (August 21, 2004) - Dan Fredrickson's experience in
longer races came to the forefront as he captured the rain-shortend Jeremy
"Tire Guy" Johnson 150 Memorial at the I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre. Benny
VanCleve led the field of 24 to the green flag and it was Eugene Dick who
took control on the opening lap. Andy Hanson moved to second as the lead
pack stayed close. Eighth starting Fredrickson was on the move right away
as he passed both Hanson and Dick to become the new race leader on lap
nine. The first caution of the race waved on lap ten, when Jon and Tim
Olson got together just out of turn four. When racing resumed,
Fredrickson continued to show the way as Hanson tried to work his way
past. Hanson was unable to get the run he needed and this allowed Todd
Hansen to catch the front pair and make it a three-car race for the lead.
Hansen would pass Hanson, just prior to the yellow flag for Jeff
Lofquist's spin on lap 55. Fredrickson quickly restarted the race and
Hansen turned up the pressure as he pulled alongside and raced
wheel-to-wheel for the lead. Hanson was right behind the top two as he
sat in the very close third spot. Lapped traffic kept the leader busy as
Fredrickson still was the top car in the race. With a mandatory race
break at lap 100, Hansen seized the opportunity and grabbed the lead at
the stripe to hold the lead going into the break.
Hansen showed the way as the race resumed and Fredrickson became the
challenger as he tried to pull alongside the leader. It wasn't long
before it was side-by-side for the lead and Fredrickson used the bottom
of the track to his advantage as he retook the lead on lap 111. Hansen
continued strong and he took the lead back on the following lap. Bill
Rode's spin on lap 116, brought out yet another yellow and on the
restart, Fredrickson gained the advantage as he took the lead for the
final time. Hansen stayed close, but as the race wore on, he slipped back
as Fredrickson pulled to a full straightaway advantage at one point. The
final caution waved on lap 146, when Eugene Dick spun in turn one. During
the caution, a thunderstorm moved over the track and dropped enough rain
to force race officials to call the race complete at 145 laps and award
Fredrickson the win.
Jon Lewerer was one of the many drivers the Jeremy "Tire Guy" Johnson
had helped in the pits and it was a emotional moment in Victory Lane as
Lewerer paid tribute to a fallen friend by winning the Modified Feature.
John Gottwald looked fast early on as he set the pace in the first six
laps. Sixth starting Lewerer drove hard and on lap seven, he pulled off
the pass in turn four. Once in the lead, Lewerer checked-out, pulling to
a full straightaway lead as he blasted to the win in the cautionless
race. Gottwald completed his best race of season as he held off Kevin
Woeste for second. Following the race, Lewerer bolted from his car,
climbed the front stretch fence, saluted the fans and dedicated the win
to Jeremy Johnson, known to many in the pits as simply "Tire Guy".
Dirk Henry debuted his new car in dominant fashion as he won the
Bernick's Pepsi Great North Legends Feature. Polesitter Greg Lohrenz
took the lead right away, but Henry was right behind, immediately turning
up the heat. Henry took the lead just before Bruce Allen crashed in turn
three. On the restart, Henry quickly distanced himself from everyone. The
race for second remained tight as Tim Brockhouse worked his way past
Lohrenz. Without any further cautions, Henry was able to run away from
everyone as he went on to pick up his second career Legends win.
Ace Valencour used a great starting spot to take the win in the
Thunder Car Feature. Starting on the pole, Valencour took the lead right
away. Lance Stueve, in search of his first win, pressured Valencour the
entire race. Stueve stayed within a car's length the entire race, but he
couldn't mount a challenge as he chased Valencour to the win.
David Bolstad has found some speed in the last few weeks and he put
it to good use as he won the Bernick's Pepsi UCAR Feature. Alan Thompson
took control at the start as the field stayed close behind, running
three-wide in the first few laps. Cory Flynn and Andy Mayavski got
together on lap five to bring out a caution. On the restart, Thompson had
Bolstad right alongside and it wasn't long before Bolstad took the lead.
Another caution with three laps remaining, saw Jeremy Fleck and Flynn
right behind the leader. Bolstad wasn't about to let this one get away
as he drove hard the final few laps and picked up the win. Flynn got by
Fleck with one to go as he finished a close second.
I-94 Raceway Results
Aug. 21, 2004
ASA Super Late Models
Fast Qualifiers
1. Dan Fredrickson (16.65 sec. NEW TRACK RECORD) 2. Joe Berthiaume (16.67
sec.) 3. Josh Vadnais (16.72 sec.) 4. Todd Hansen (16.72 sec.) 5. Andy
Hanson (16.78 sec.) 6. Dean Cornelius (16.83 sec.)
Jeremy "Tire Guy" Johnson 150 Memorial Race (Number of laps completed)
1. Dan Fredrickson (Elko) (145) 2. Todd Hansen (Minneapolis) (145) 3.
Josh Vadnais (White Bear Lake) (145) 4. Dean Cornelius (145) 5. Stacy
Rossell (Atwater) (145) 6. Eugene Dick (Watkins) (145) 7. Bryan Roach
(Becker) (145) 8. Bill Rode (Hudson, WI) (144) 9. Benny VanCleve (Prior
Lake) (143) 10. AJ Rhoads (Hastings) (142) 11. JR Studinski (St. Joseph)
(142) 12. Jake Jay (Harris) (142) 13. Andy Hanson (Ramsey) (141) 14. Jeff
Lofquist (Fergus Falls) (140) 15. Molly Rhoads (Hastings) (140) 16. Pete
Ingebritson (Farmington) (139) 17. Tim Dehaan (Pine City) (138) 18. Jason
Rund (Fergus Falls) (137) 19. Tim Olson (Hamel) (99) 20. Joe Berthiaume
(Hamel) (70) 21. Greg Michaud (Minnetrista) (50) 22. Pat Henry (Sauk
Centre) (14) 23. Jon Olson (Hamel) (13) 24. Gordy Mason (Excelsior) (9)
Time of Race: 1 hr., 4 mins, 28 secs Average Speed: 50.608 mph Margin of
Victory: n/a Rain
Caution Flags: lap 10 (crash); lap 55 (spin); lap 89 (spin); lap 116
(spin); lap 120 (crash); lap 139 (spin); lap 145 (spin/rain)
Lap Leaders: Eugene Dick 1-8, Dan Fredrickson 9-99, Todd Hansen 100-110,
Dan Fredrickson 111, Todd Hansen 112-116, Dan Fredrickson 117-145
Total Laps Led: Dan Fredrickson 121, Todd Hansen 16, Eugene Dick 8
5 lead changes involving 3 drivers
Modifieds
First Heat
1. Jeff Rohner (Willmar) 2. Kevin Woeste (Waite Park) 3. Jerry Voigt
(Cold Spring) 4. John Notch (St. Cloud) 5. Brady Barker (Grove City) 6.
Mike Meagher (Grey Eagle) 7. Matt Anderson (Atwater) 8. Dave Deters (Sauk
Centre)-DNS
Second Heat
1. Jon Lewerer (Coon Rapids) 2. Terry Merten (Sauk Centre) 3. John
Gottwald (Paynesville) 4. Tony Grams (Zimmerman) 5. Joey Johnson
(Alexandria) 6. Tim Brockhouse (Shorewood) 7. Joe Berthiaume (Hamel)
Feature
1. Jon Lewerer 2. John Gottwald 3. Kevin Woeste 4. John Notch 5. Terry
Merten 6. Tony Grams 7. Jerry Voigt 8. Joey Johnson 9. Brady Barker 10.
Jeff Rohner 11. Joe Berthiaume 12. Tim Brockhouse 13. Matt Anderson 14.
Mike Meagher 15. Dave Deters-DNS
Great North Legends
First Heat
1. Jaycen Brockhouse (Prior Lake) 2. Rick Dubay (Coon Rapids) 3. Matt
Hendrickson (Albany) 4. Ross Zumbach (Racine) 5. Chad Flynn (Alexandria)
6. Greg Lohrenz (Chanhassen) 7. Charlie Balderston (Freeport) 8. Dave
Schafer (Glenwood) 9. Doug Petty (Oak Grove)-DNS
Second Heat
1. Tim Brockhouse (Shorewood) 2. Todd Tracy (Belle Plaine) 3. Zack Davids
(Apple Valley) 4. Jamie Walker (Kimball) 5. Cam Schafer (Glenwood) 6.
Mike Turbes (North Mankato) 7. Paul Hartman (Willmar) 8. Nick Binsfeld
(St. Cloud)-DNF
Third Heat
1. Dirk Henry (Sauk Centre) 2. Jon Lewerer (Coon Rapids) 3. Rob Thurston
(Olivia) 4. Rollie Davidson (Burnsville) 5. Stan Davis (Maple Grove) 6.
Bruce Allen (Chanhassen) 7. Tim Bumgardner (Coon Rapids) 8. Robbie Carter
(Prior Lake)
Fast Qualifiers
1. Jaycen Brockhouse (19.06 sec.) 2. Jon Lewerer (19.09 sec.) 3. Tim
Brockhouse (19.2 sec.) 4. Greg Lohrenz (19.25 sec.) 5. Dirk Henry (19.25
sec.) 6. Todd Tracy (19.29 sec.)
Feature
1. Dirk Henry 2. Tim Brockhouse 3. Greg Lohrenz 4. Jaycen Brockhouse 5.
Rob Thurston 6. Jon Lewerer 7. Todd Tracy 8. Zack Davids 9. Matt
Hendrickson 10. Jamie Walker 11. Paul Hartman 12. Chad Flynn 13. Robbie
Carter 14. Stan Davis 15. Charlie Balderston 16. Rick Dubay 17. Rollie
Davidson 18. Dave Schafer 19. Mike Turbes 20. Tim Bumgardner 21. Nick
Binsfeld 22. Cam Schafer 23. Ross Zumbach-DNF 24. Doug Petty-DNF 25.
Bruce Allen-DNF
Thunder Cars
First Heat
1. Jerry Messer (Sauk Centre) 2. Lance Stueve (Greenwald) 3. Ace
Valencour (Sauk Centre) 4. Matt Miller (Glenwood) 5. Jonathan Olmscheid
(Elrosa) 6. Tim Wojtowicz (Minneapolis)-DNF 7. Jim Larkin (Big Lake)-DNF
Second Heat
1. Patrick Amelung (St. Joseph) 2. Jarmin Henry (Sauk Centre) 3. Daryl
Harth (Glenwood) 4. Joe Karl (Osakis) 5. Matt Hoeschen (Sauk Centre) 6.
Doug Olmscheid (Elrosa)-DNF
Feature
1. Ace Valencour 2. Lance Stueve 3. Jarmin Henry 4. Jerry Messer 5. Jim
Larkin 6. Pat Amelung 7. Matt Miller 8. Joe Karl 9. Jonathan Olmscheid
10. Matt Hoeschen 11. Tim Wojtowicz 12. Doug Olmscheid (Elrosa) 13. Daryl
Harth-DNF
UCARs
First Heat
1. Andy Mayavski (St. Cloud) 2. Nick Panitzke (Sauk Centre) 3. Dan
Bolstad (Fergus Falls) 4. David Bolstad (Fergus Falls) 5. Billy Weyer
(Sartell) 6. Bobbi Maras (Grey Eagle) 7. Tony Hallerman (Sauk Centre) 8.
Josh Christi (Sauk Rapids) 9. Carrie McDougall (Monticello)-DNF
Second Heat
1. Cory Flynn (Alexandria) 2. Jeremy Fleck (Sauk Rapids) 3. Andy Heying
(St. Cloud) 4. Curt Peterson (Burtrum) 5. Alan Thompson (Waite Park) 6.
Matt Peterson (Burtrum) 7. Craig Maack (Pelican Rapids) 8. Kris Wensmann
(Burtrum)
Feature
1. David Bolstad 2. Cory Flynn 3. Jeremy Fleck 4. Dan Bolstad 5. Alan
Thompson 6. Andy Heying 7. Kurt Peterson 8. Bobbi Maras 9. Nick Panitzke
10. Tony Hallerman 11. Andy Mayavski 12. Craig Maack 13. Josh Christi 14.
Billy Weyer 15. Kris Wensman-DNF 16. Matt Peterson-DNF 17. Carrie
McDougall-DNF
