TOM NESBITT WINS AMSOIL SERIES FINALE AT SUPERIOR
Pat Doar Takes First Series Title.

By Jerry O'Brien

Before a packed house at the Superior Speedway Tom Nesbitt of Thunder Bay Ontario showed everyone that the fire was still there. The National Dirt Late Model and Superior Speedway Hall of Fame inductee who just turned 65 years old in July, showed the way Saturday night September 10th as he won the 40 lap Late Model feature at the 17th annual Underwrote Nationals. Nesbitt recorded his 54th feature win at the 4/10ths mile banked clay oval winning out in a three car battle with Pat Doar and Joey Jensen.

Nesbitt redrew the pole position and got a great start over front row mate Pat Doar with Jensen, John Kaanta and Joel Cryderman behind running both high and low on the very racy track. Doar closed up on Nesbitt with jensen about six car lengths back. The caution flag appeared when Darin Meierotto lost a wheel and hit the second turn wall just past the pit exit. At the green flag Nesbitt hung tough and kept the point despite pressure from Doar and Jensen.Kaanta was running fourth at the time with Cryderman still in fifth. Jensen got a good run off the bottom of turn two and, though Nesbitt hung tough, Jensen was able to edge ahead at the line. Before another lap could be completed, Terry Casey spun bringing out the caution flag. Reverting back to the previous completed lap gave Nesbitt back the lead. At the green flag Nesbitt was holding on for dear life as Jensen and Doar tried to pass each other and Nesbitt in a very tight battle. Cryderman was still fourth and Trent Follmer had moved into fifth. Just at the midpoint Jensen made his attempt to pass Nesbitt stick and took the lead but Nesbitt was not giving up and stuck like glue to Jensen's tail. Further back Ashley Anderson who had started in the sixth row worked his way into the top five as Nesbitt made a run on Jensen and regained the lead with ten laps to go. Jensen continued to worry at Nesbitt's bumper and retook the lead only to have the caution flag reappear with five laps remaining for Jeff Provinzino who spun and stalled at the top of turn two once again giving Nesbitt back the lead. Nesbitt had the better line off turn two and was able to keep the lead while Anderson crept up on Jensen after disposing of Doar and slipped by into second. Nesbitt was able to claw a couple of car lengths lead and took the popular win over Anderson, Jensen, Doar and Kaanta. Doar's fourth place finish was enough for him to win his first AMSOIL Late Model Series championship after seven years of trying.

Results: AMSOIL Series 2005 Proctor, MN. (46 Late Models)