Red Cedar Speedway
Another heartbreak for Mars lifts Gilberts
By Ed Reichert
Red Cedar Speedway
Scott Gilberts heads for victory. (chrisburback.com)
MENOMONIE Wis. (Sept. 21) — Scott Gilberts’ victories are becoming synonymous with Jimmy Mars’ heartbreaks. One week after edging Mars in a photo finish at Cedar Lake Speedway’s Legendary 100, Gilberts claimed another $5,000 victory in Saturday’s Punky Manor Challenge of Champions at Red Cedar Speedway only after Mars was again denied victory. | Slideshow
Gilberts of Sand Creek, Wis., took the lead with four laps remaining in Saturday’s 40-lapper after Mars, Gilberts’ brother-in-law, slowed with ignition issues after dominating the first 36 laps of his hometown track’s biggest annual race.
Restarting second on the double-file restart that followed the caution for Mars, Gilberts raced past Nick Anvelink of Navarino, Wis., when the race went back green and survived three more restarts in the final three laps to cross the finish line a car length ahead of Chad Mahder of Eau Claire, Wis., with Anvelink just behind in third. Darrell Nelson of Hermantown, Minn., and Rick Hanestad of Boyceville, Wis., completed the top five in the 34th running of the WISSOTA Late Model event.
Starting from the pole, Mars got the early jump on fellow front-row starter A.J. Diemel of Elk Mound, Wis. However, Diemel quickly moved in to challenge Mars for the lead as they raced hard for the top spot in the early going. It was only five laps into the race when Diemel slapped the front stretch wall and rolled to a stop.
Mars then moved away from the pack as John Kaanta took over the second spot. Mars continued to pull away from the field as Anvelink, who started sixth, moved in to challenge Kaanta for second with Gilberts also rolling forward from his fourth-row starting spot. Mars continued to pull away from the field and worked his way through heavy traffic as Anvelink passed Kaanta for second with Gilberts soon dropping Kaanta another position.
Mars had the better part of a straightaway lead over Anvelink as the race moved into its late stages. In fact, 31 laps of nonstop action were completed before Mars, only four laps away from victory and alone up front, suddenly slowed and then stalled on the back chute, ending his attempt to garner his sixth Punky Manor victory.
Anvelink inherited the lead but on the double file restart Gilberts powered to the outside on the restart and swept past Anvelink into the lead while Mahder, who started 21st, suddenly became a challenger as he blew past Kaanta into third and threatened to challenge the top two.
Three yellow flags in the last four laps added to the drama, the last of which saw Mark Rose climb the front stretch fence and ride out a frightening flip just as the leaders came out of the last corner of the race running for the win. Rose was uninjured but the wild flip set up a two lap sprint to the finish.
Gilberts jumped into the lead, but Anvelink drove hard to the low side in turn three and pulled beside the leader. Gilberts got up on the wheel and fought off the challenge as Mahder nearly slipped by both of the other contenders on the high side.
On the last lap, Gilberts fought off Anvelink and then slid up the track in the final corner with Mahder pulling to his rear bumper. But Gilberts hung on to win by a car length over Mahder with Anvelink falling to third.
Notes: Gilberts is sponsored by Tim’s Automotive Machine, Bud Light and CMD Race Shocks. ... Mars won the modified portion of the event. ... The two-day event was condensed to a single-day program after Friday’s prelims were washed out by rain. ... Mars, who claimed his lone Late Model victory of the season in a preliminary race at Cedar Lake on Sept. 13, was initially ruled the winner in the photo-finish with Gilberts on Sept. 14, but officials reversed the call after a review of video replay, giving Gilberts a career-high payday. Mars was interviewed in victory lane as the winner before the call was reversed.
Punky Manor Challenge of Champions: (1) Scott Gilberts, (2) Chad Mahder, (3) Nick Anvelink, (4) Darrell Nelson, (5) Rick Hanestad, (6) John Kaanta, (7) Mike Prochnow, (8) Brent Larson, (9) Steve Isenberg, (10) Harry Hanson, (11) Brett Swedberg, (12) Mike Keller, (13) Justin Ochsner, (14) Mark Rose, (15) Nate Beyenhof, (16) Jimmy Mars, (17) Terry Lillo, (18) Jake Redetzke, (19) Lance Matthees, (20) Jerry Bloom, (21) Robby Bunkelman, (22) A.J. Diemel, (23) Steve Laursen, (24) Adam Hensel. Heat race winners (among 24 cars): Mars, Diemel, Nelson, Kaanta. Consolation winner: Mahder.
