Cedar Lake Speedway
Mars nabs Masters finale, third WDRL win in a row
Ashley Anderson (81) and Jason Utter (31) tangled with Rick Hanestad. (fullthrottlephotos.net)
NEW RICHMOND, Wis. (June 20) — Grabbing his third straight World Dirt Racing League victory, Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., won the second round of 11th annual Masters at Cedar Lake Speedway for a $5,000 payday. Mars overtook race-long leader and reigning WDRL champion Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, on a lap-30 restart and led the remainder of Saturday's 50-lap feature. | Mars wins Masters opener | Slideshow
Simpson started on the pole and was on his way to snapping the two-race win streak of Mars, who won Thursday's WDRL event at Superior (Wis.) Speedway and Cedar Lake's weekend opener on Friday.
But after a lap-30 caution, Mars took control for a lead he'd never give up. Simpson, meanwhile, got into the backstretch wall and dropped back to fourth while Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa, and 19th-starting Adam Hensel of Barron, Wis., pursued Mars.
A major accident, however, slowed the action when Jason Utter, Ashley Anderson and Rick Hanestad tangled, with Anderson's machine resting atop Utter's battered No. 31 when the action stopped.
After the red clag, Mars led Eckrich and Simpson back to green and closed out his victory to total $15,000 in three nights of racing. Hensel was fourth and Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark., rounded out the top five.
The Masters finale: (1) Jimmy Mars, (2) Denny Eckrich, (3) Chad Simpson, (4) Adam Hensel, (5) Bill Frye, (6) Dave Eckrich, (7) Al Purkey, (8) Jake Redetzke, (9) Chad Mahder, (10) Jeremy Grady, (11) Tim Isenberg, (12) John Kaanta, (13) Curt Martin, (14) Rob Moss, (15) Bill Koons, (16) Gordie Seegert Jr., (17) Jason Utter, (18) Rick Hanestad, (19) Ashley Anderson, (20) Chris Simpson, (21) Zach Johnson, (22) Jeff Aikey, (23) Andrew McKay, (24) Scott Gilberts. Fast qualifier (among 30 cars): Mars, 13.378 seconds. Heat race winners: Chris Simpson, Gilberts, Chad Simpson, Denny Eckrich. Dash winner: Chad Simpson. Consolation winner: Hensel.
