KAANTA STEALS ASHLAND AMSOIL SERIES FEATURE
By Jerry O'Brien 7-29-05 Ashland, WI

John Kaanta of Elk Mound Wisconsin won the second leg of the 2005 AMSOIL Late Model Series at the ABC Raceway near Ashland, WI Friday, July 29th tracking down race long leader and Series point leader New London Wisconsin's Terry Casey.

Kaanta put himself in a position to win by racing his way through the field from his 10th starting spot and took advantage of a caution flag on lap 27 of 35 scheduled to slip past Casey on the restart. From there Kaanta pulled away on a track clear of lapped traffic to take the win. The field was set after qualifying heats with Casey on the pole and Pat Doar to his outside. At the green flag Casey bolted to the lead with Doar right behind. The two battled early on as Darin Meierotto, Keane Laakson and Kevin Carlson skirmished for third but. With two laps completed, Jeff Broking spun in turn two and became hung up on the barrier tires bringing out the first of three caution flags. At the restart, Casey again fended off Doar who tried the outside in an effort to take the lead but Casey was able to hang on. Meierotto was still in the third spot but had Kaanta to contend with. Kaanta had restarted seventh but made quick work of Carlson, Provinzino and Laakson to slide into fourth and begin to worry at Meierotto for third. With seven circuits completed the caution flag again appeared for a tangle between Provinzino and Laakson at the exit of turn four that eliminated Provinzino with front end damage and sent Laakson pit side with a shredded left rear tire. Laakson would be able to continue but Provinzino went off on the hook.

Steve Laursen, a three tme AMSOIL Series Champion also dropped into the pits for a tire change and he and Laakson tagged onto the rear of the field as the green flag flew. Casey again was equal to the task of holding off a determined Doar and Kaanta took third from Meierotto who appeared to be starting to fade a bit. Hanestad had worked his way to fourth and fifth was ninth starting Joel Cryderman. Cryderman got a good run on Hanestad and took fourth as Doar took yet another run at Casey but was unable to make the pass. Up front Casey, Doar and Kaanta had pulled away from the pack with Cryderman a few car lengths back and closing, made up the ground and suddenly Doar had company and was forced to fend off Kaanta and Cryderman while still trying to get past Casey for the lead. Hanestad was fifth several car lengths back from the now hot battle for the lead and was busy trying to hold off Todd Gehl who had started 14th and was now sixth. Cryderman found some traction, got by Kaanta and Doar and began to close on Casey. Further back Gehl took fifth from Hanestad and began to close on the front runners when the final caution flag flew for Cryderman who suffered a broken rear suspension ending a great run and setting up a seven lap dash to the finish. The realignment for the restart put Kaanta right on Casey's tail with open track ahead as the lapped cars were cleared out of the way. Kaanta wasted little time sweeping past Casey at the green flag to take the lead and the win pulling away. Casey held on for second, Doar finished third ahead of Gehl and Hanestad in the top five.

Results: AMSOIL Series 2005 Ashland, WI. (26 Late Models)