Tourville, Stender, Koehler, and Crapser Win
on Cesspool Cleaner Night at Eagle Valley Speedway
By Gene Harmelink
May 31, 2009

                If you’re looking for a speedy race program, then Eagle Valley is the place to be with the entire race program being completed in two hours and ten minutes.  As threatening weather headed in their direction, the Eagle Valley race staff moved the program along and got the whole show in on Sunday, May 31, giving the fans their money’s worth in short order.

                Keith Tourville, hoping to repeat last week’s Eagle Valley Speedway win, picked up his fifth feature win of 2009 in his WISSOTA Modified and Cory Crapser picked up his thirteenth feature win in his WISSOTA Street Stock.  Mark Stender in his WISSOTA Super Stock and Nick Koehler in his WISSOTA Midwest Modified each picked up their first feature win of 2009.

                After starting on the outside of the front row for the Modified feature, Keith Tourville was off to a quick lead with fellow front row starter, Bryan Nayes, settling in for second.  Nayes ran second only for one lap as Mike Anderson, who had started fourth, came up to grab second with Nayes dropping to third.  A caution, after lap two, for a spinning Scott Duval in turn three, saw Pat Doar credited with the caution.  Doar was sent to the back, and the field was re-aligned.

                Tourville proved to be the strength of the field as he once again took the lead with Anderson, heat winner, Kevin Adams, and Robby Bunkelman giving chase.  By mid race, Tourville had built up a considerable lead with Anderson still running second.  Adams ran in third, Bunkelman in fourth, and Nayes in fifth.

                With eight laps to go, Adams made a pass for second which he never relinquished.  Adams was unable to catch Tourville, though, who had by that time out-powered the rest of the field and led by almost a full turn.  At race end, it was Tourville taking his fifth feature win of the season, completing a sweep in his JYM (Junk Yard Mafia) Shaw.   Adams finished second with Bunkelman in third, Anderson in fourth, and Nayes in fifth.

                Early leader and pole sitter, Terry Kroening, looked like he would run away with the race after leading the first two laps of the Super Stock feature.  Kroening, though, spun coming out of turn one as lap three began and he was relegated to the back of the field.  

                When racing resumed, Stender, who had been running second,  was off to a lead and stretched his lead with Shane Kisling, who had started fifth, running second, Darrel Hazelton, who had started fourth, running third, heat winner, Mike Keller, who had started eighth, running fourth, and Eric Olson, who had started sixth, running fifth.

                As Stender continued to lead, Kisling, Keller, Hazelton, Olson, heat winner, Shawn Huse, who had started seventh, and Aaron Wilson, who had started ninth, battled for the other top five spots.  In the end, it was Stender (yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks) taking his first win of the 2009 race season in his Quality Propane-sponsored Super.  Rounding out the top five were:  Keller, Hazelton, Kisling, and Olson.

                Nick Koehler took early advantage of his front row starting spot taking a commanding lead in a Midwest Modified feature.  A feature that would run caution-free.  With Koehler establishing an early lead, the rest of the field was left with doing what they could to catch him.  Jason Swan, who had started on the pole, gave chase along with heat winner and recent high school graduate, Ronnie Rihn, who had started seventh.

                By mid-race, Koehler was widening the margin of lead with Swan and Rihn still giving chase.  Heat winner, Jesse Glenz, who had started fourth continued to run fourth and recent graduate, Matt Leer, who started eighth, ran fifth. 

                By race end, the top five remained together with Koehler taking his first ever feature win in his Rufledt Roofing-sponsored car.  Swan, Rihn , Glenz, and Leer rounded out the top five.

                Ron Hanestad gave it his best shot in the Street Stock division taking an early lead after starting third.  However, Hanestad’s car got too high coming out of turn three just three laps into the feature and heat winner, Cory Crapser, who had started fourth, took advantage and took the lead.

                From that point on, it was the Cory Crapser show as Crapser forged ahead increasing his lead as the race progressed.  By race end, Crapser had won his thirteenth feature of the year and completed a sweep for the night in his Dave Running Construction-sponsored Street Stock.  Rounding out the top five were:  Hanestad, Danny Richards, who had started second, Sam Frankhauser, who had started fifth, and Jason Long, who had started first.

                In Pure Stock action, heat winner, Josh Wahlstrom, who started second, was off to an early lead with pole sitter, Kyle Bitney, giving chase.  Wahlstrom continued to lead five laps into the race as Tony Falkner, who had started third, replaced Bitney in second.

                Half way through the feature, it looked like Wahlstrom had the race in the bag, but fate would deal Wahlstrom a bad hand as he and Falkner made contact during lap eight resulting in a flat left front tire on Wahlstrom’s car.  Wahlstrom pitted and he and Falkner joined the back of the pack.

                With Wahlstrom and Falkner out of contention, Danny Richards, who had started eighth, took advantage and shot to the lead after running fourth earlier.  Richards took the win in the Richards’ Repair-sponsored Pure Stock.  Cody Kummer, who had started seventh and had been running sixth for a good share of the race  took second.  Simon Wahlstrom, who started third, heat winner, Zach Manley, who started sixth, and Kyle Bitney rounded out the top five.

                You could have thrown a blanket over the top three Hornets for most of their feature, but it was the car that ran third for most of the feature that would be the eventual winner.  Rocky Kempe, who started third, led for the first three laps, but Matt Marvin, who had started second, seemingly put an end to Kempe’s hopes for a repeat to rest as Marvin led the next four laps.

                Kempe would have no part of running second and tried to make a comeback only to have his car make contact with Marvin’s car resulting in Kempe being sent to the rear of the field.  With Marvin in the lead for the restart, it looked like the race was his to win or lose, but a flat left rear tire, would make the final decision as Marvin pulled his car into the infield on the restart. 

                With Kempe and Marvin out of the picture, Mike Peters, who had been running third, took the lead and the win.  Kempe and Paul Monpas, who had started fifth, rounded out the top three.

 

SUMMARY

Eagle Valley Speedway

Jim Falls, WI

May 31, 2009

 

WISSOTA Modifieds

20 Lap Feature:  Keith Tourville-Star Praire, WI, Kevin Adams-Cameron, WI, Robby Bunkelman-Abbotsford, WI, Mike Anderson-Colfax, WI, Bryan Nayes-Chppewa Falls, WI, Pat Doar-New Richmond, WI, Jay Richardson-Spring Valley, WI, Scott Duval-Bloomer, WI, Steve Hallquist-Eau Claire, WI, Kent Baxter-Dorchester, WI, Cory Crapser-Eau Claire, WI, Steve Bangart-Stratford, WI, John Hazelton-New Auburn, WI (DQ)

Heat 1:  Tourville, Anderson, Duival, Nayes, Doar, Hallquist, Hazelton

Heat 2:  Adams, Bunkelman, Bangart, Crapser, Baxter, Richardson

 WISSOTA Super Stocks

20 Lap Feature:  Mark Stender-Holcombe, WI, Mike Keller-Menomonie, WI, Darrel Hazelton-Chippewa Falls, WI, Shane Kislling-Sarona, WI, Eric Olson-Ladysmith, WI, Aaron Wilson-Menomonie, WI, Shawn Huse-Bloomer, WI, Lance Schilling-Chilli, WI, Scott Geiger-Dorchester, WI, Terry Kroening-Colby, WI, Tommy Richards-Mondovi, WI, Rick Hallquist-Eau Claire, WI, Ryan Olson-Chippewa Falls, WI

  WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

15 Lap Feature:  Nick Koehler-Bloomer, WI, Jason Swan-Chippewa Falls, WI, Ronnie Rihn-Bloomer, WI, Jesse Glenz-Cadott, WI, Matt Leer-Bruce, WI, Michael Truscott-Chippewa Falls, WI, Mark Gerth-Menominie, WI, Shane Halopka-Eau Claire, WI, Jason Zdroik-Eagle River, WI, Jake Smith-Eau Claire, WI, Travis Anderson-Colfax, WI, Jake Frion-Ellsworth, WI, Bob Wood-Cadott, WI, Chad Kallenbach-Eau Claire, Wi, John Moravec-Ladysmith, WI, Grant Southworth-Bloomer, WI, Scott Erickson-Barron, WI

Heat 1:  Glenz, Smith, Southworth, Koehler, Moravec, Anderson, Frion, Kallenbach, Erickson

Heat 2:  Rihn, Leer, Halopka, Swan, Gerth, Truscott, Zdroik, Wood

WISSOTA Street Stocks

15 Lap Feature:  Cory Crapser-Eau Claire, WI, Ron Hanestad-Glenwood City, WI, Danny Richards-Mondovi, WI, Sam Frankhauser-Rice Lake, WI, Jason Long-Sheldon, WI, Brock Haines-Eau Claire, WI

Heat:  Crapser, Hanestad, Richards, Frankhauser, Lang, Haines

Eagle Valley Pure Stocks

12 Lap Feature:  George Richards-Mondovi, WI, Cody Kummer-Medford, WI, Simon Wahlstrom-Cameron, WI, Zach Manley-Cameron, WI, Kyle Bitney-Chippewa Falls, WI, Tyler Wahlstrom-Eau Claire, WI, Pat Smith-Eau Claire, WI, Tony Falkner-Menomonie, WI, Josh Wahlstrom-Cameron, WI, Dalton Hazelton-New Auburn, WI, Rick Weir-Mondovi, WI, Ron Hoffman-Ridgeland, WI, Mitchell Johnson-Bloomer, WI, Paul Clark-Chippewa Falls, WI

Heat 1:  S Wahlstrom, J Wahlstrom, Kummer, T Wahlstrom, Smith, Weir, Clark

Heat 2:  Manley, Richards, Falkner, Bitney, Hazelton, Hoffman, Johnson

 Eagle Valley Hornets

12 Lap Feature:  Mike Peters-Whitehall, WI, Rocky Kempe-Chippewa Falls, WI, Paul Monpas-Jim Falls, WI, Matt Marvin-Whitehall, WI, Shawn Warner-Bruce, WI (DQ)

Heat:  Kempe, Peters, Monpas, Warner, Marvin, Romie Kowalaski