Dakota State Fair Speedway
Others falter as Marshall Fegers earns $5,000
By Rob Palmer
WISSOTA Dart Challenge Series
Marshall Fegers (19) battles Jeff Wildung (50) at Huron. (crpphotos.com)
HURON, S.D. (June 7) — With four top contenders falling by the wayside over the final six laps, Marshall Fegers of Mound, Minn., led the final three laps at Dakota State Fair Speedway to capture the richest victory of his career. Fegers, the younger brother of 2008 World Dirt Racing League champion Justin Fegers, earned $5,000 for the first WISSOTA-sanctioned Dart Challenge Series event of the season.
Fegers was standing tall at the finish while four other frontrunners — Jeff Wildung of Nassau, Minn.; Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis.; Steve Laursen of Cumberland, Wis.; and Justin Fegers — failed to finished despite being scored either first or second on the 37th of 40 laps. Marshall Fegers led three laps early in the race, but it was Wildung that held command the rest of the way and he appeared to be headed for victory lane before his motor let go on the 34th lap, sending him to the infield.
Doar inherited the lead, but it was short and not-so-sweet when a broken flywheel stalled his car in turn two on lap 37. Marshall Fegers inherited the lead, but during the caution, the second-running Justin pulled out with a broken air cleaner stud, and Laursen, the new second-place driver, was sent off the track for pitting at his hauler instead of the hot pit.
With the field finally realigned on the 3/8-mile oval under the race's lone caution, Marshall Fegers won the three-lap shootout to the finish, holding off runner-up Brad Seng of Grand Forks, N.D. "I thought I would get passed for sure," Fegers said when asked if he was nervous about the final laps. Home-state driver and former track champion Kent Arment was third followed by John Kaanta of Elk Mound, Wis., and 22nd-starting Lance Matthees of Winona, Minn.
Notes: The winning No. 19F is sponsored by GRP Motorsports and Sunrays Tanning Centers. ... Jeff Wildung also had motor problems the previous week while leading a $5,000-to-win event in Mandan, N.D. ... It wasn't the first time Justin Fegers had air cleaner problems at Huron. He also lost a air cleaner cover during a 2006 World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at the track. ... Brad Seng's second-place finish follows early season victories at his hometown River Cities Speedway and Red River Valley Speedway. ... Chad Becker was stalking fifth place when motor problems forced him out on lap 34, just before Wildung's problems. ... Only 12 of 25 starters were running at the finish. ... The June 6 series event at Red River Valley was cancelled because of weather and wet conditions. ... The next Dart Challenge event is July 1 at Superior (Wis.) Speedway.
Dart Challenge @ Huron: (1) Marshall Fegers, (2) Brad Seng, (3) Kent Arment, (4) John Kaanta, (5) Lance Matthees, (6) Joel Cryderman, (7) Brian Diede, (8) Lorin Johnson, (9) Jake Redetzke, (10) Rick Goth, (11) David McDonald, (12) Steve Isenberg, (13) Steve Laursen, (14) Pat Doar, (15) Justin Fegers, (16) Chad Becker, (17) Corey Nelson, (18) Jeff Wildung, (19) Chad Chenoweth, (20) Dustin Hapka, (21) Brady Johanneck, (22) Jason Fritzsche, (23) Kelly Duffy, (24) Curt Gelling, (25) Mike Stadel. Heat race winners (among 36 cars): Doar, Fritzsche, M. Fegers, J. Fegers. Dash winner: Seng. Consolation winners: Duffy, Redetzke.
