Bristol Motor Speedway
Mars, Peterlin on top during WISSOTA weekend
From track reports
Punky Manor's top three: Jimmy Mars, A.J. Diemel and John Kaanta. (chrisburback.com)
A veteran and a rookie were the stars of WISSOTA Late Model racing on the Sept. 22 weekend. National star Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., nabbed a hometown victory in the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions at Red Cedar Speedway while Kyle Peterlin, WISSOTA's 2007 rookie of the year, broke through for a victory in the Stock Car Stampede at Jamestown (N.D.) Speedway.
Stock Car Stampede | Slideshow
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Sept. 21-22) — Kyle Peterlin, of Hibbing, Minn., notched his eighth feature victory of the season with a 40-lap triumph at Jamestown's annual affair which draws more than 250 total race cars.
Peterlin started inside the third row and worked his way to the front of a 21-car field made up of drivers from four states and Canada. Kent Arment of Aberdeen, S.D., advanced from his seventh starting spot to finish second followed by Peterlin's mentor Jeff Provinzino of Hibbing, who started 15th. Jeff Wildung of Nassau, Minn., and Canadian entry Scott Greer rounded out the top five at the quarter-mile oval. — From track reports
Stock Car Stampede: (1) Kyle Peterlin, (2) Kent Arment, (3) Jeff Provinzino, (4) Jeff Wildung, (5) Scott Greer, (6) Troy Olson, (7) Chad Williamson, (8) Curt Gelling, (9) Dave Tyrchniewicz, (10) Ed Turnbull, (11) Greg Meyer, (12) Jodi Olson, (13) Kelly Hample, (14) Brad Seng, (15) Paul Mueller, (16) Myron Tschakert, (17) Don Shaw, (18) Brian Diede, (19) John Corell, (20) Matt Aukland, (21) Hank Berry.
Punky Manor Challenge of Champions | Slideshow
MENOMONIE, Wis. (Sept. 21-22) — Winning his fourth Punky Manor crown, Jimmy Mars outdueled John Kaanta early in the 40-lap feature and then fought off a stiff challenge from 14th-starting A.J. Diemel for a $4,000 victory at Red Cedar Speedway. Diemel, the Navarino, Wis., driver who won the previous weekend's WISSOTA 100 in Brainerd, Minn., settled for second ahead of Kaanta, of Elk Mound, Wis., Canadian driver Joel Cryderman and Keith Foss of Winona, Minn., winner of the previous weekend's WISSOTA Western 100.
Kaanta got the jump on polesitter Mike Goodremote at the outset with Mars, Jake Redetzke and Pat Doar in pursuit. Mars challenged for the lead on an early restart and began a side-by-side battle with Kaanta. Two cautions slowed the action on lap seven, including one for a wreck as Doar spun and collected Chad Mahder (he was later sent to the pits for leaking fuel).
Mars finally edged ahead of Kaanta by the 10th lap and began pulling away as the final 30 laps ran non-stop. Mars was in control, but the low-running Diemel began picking off cars to move into the top five. He dispatched of Foss, Cryderman and then Kaanta to grab the second spot and got within a car length of Mars, who was held up by a pair of slower cars.
But Mars shot the gap between the lapped cars to get some breathing room while Diemel moved to the high side to negotiate the traffic. He couldn't regain his rhythm and Mars sped away to add another Punky Manor victory to titles in 1996-97 and 2004. Mars ties Rick Egersdorf with the most victories in Red Cedar's fall classic. — Ed Reichert
Punky Manor Challenge of Champions: (1) Jimmy Mars, (2) A.J. Diemel, (3) John Kaanta, (4) Joel Cryderman, (5) Keith Foss, (6) Jake Redetzke, (7) Rick Egersdorf, (8) Mike Goodremote, (9) Harry Hanson, (10) Lance Matthees, (11) Steve Laursen, (12) Todd Flannery, (13) Ron Schreiner, (14) Brent Larson, (15) Marshall Fegers, (16) Randy Gullixson, (17) Gary Baxter, (18) Steve Isenberg, (19) Mike Prochnow, (20) Darrell Nelson, (21) Chad Mahder, (22) Mark Mitchell, (23) Pat Doar, (24) Nick Anvelink.
