HANSON SCORES AMSOIL SERIES WIN
By Jerry O'Brien for the Daily Telegram

Veteran racer Harry Hanson of Eveleth, MN dominated the WISSOTA Late Model feature Friday night July 27 at the ABC Raceway in Ashland WI. Hanson blasted away from the 25 car field and dominated the action for most of the 35 laps. The event was the second of the six race four track series sponsored by the AMSOIL Corporation of superior, WI. 36 Late Models, the largest contingent in some time for the Ashland race, were on hand to do battle including former series champions, three time winner( 1999, 2000, 2003) Steve Laursen, Cumberland, WI; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, MN;( 2004) Joel Cryderman, Thunder Bay Ontario (2002) and Pat Doar (2005), New Richmond, WI. Only Solon Spring' WI's Brady Smith (2001) who has gone on to race on the national scene was absent.

At the green Flag for the start of the Late Model main event, Hanson shot from his front row starting spot and set a blistering pace around the 38ths mile clay oval. Scrambling to catch up were Jeff Broking, Keane Laakson, Darrell Nelson and Tom Nesbitt, but to no avail as by lap five Hanson was a straight away ahead. As Hanson got away from the field, Broking and Laakson battled for second and Nelson and Nesbitt did the same for third. By lap ten Hanson's domination found him sizing up traffic at the back of the field. By lap 20 Hanson was putting the back of the pack a lap down including former champion Steve Laursen, while still maintaining his straight away margin over Broking who was holding off Laakson. At the half way point Laakson slipped inside Broking to take over the second spot with Nelson fourth and Nesbitt fifth. 2007 point leader Joel Cryderman who had started 15th, had worked his way into the top ten. The fast pace of the event was slowed by a single caution when provisional starter Jeff Massingill crashed hard into the first turn guard rail. On the restart Hanson pulled away to a three car length lead but this time he was unable to gain much distance on Laakson, Nelson, 13th starting Jake Redetzke and Nesbitt. As the final five laps began to wind down, Nelson got by Laakson and pulled alongside Hanson. They were dead even at the white flag but Hanson was able to hold on for the $2000 win. Laakson held off Redetzke while Nesbitt came home a solid fifth. Steve vesel and Kyle Peterlin finished in sixth and seventh after solid runs in the top ten the entire event. Cryderman finished eighth ahead of Rick Hanestad who had come from the 11th row to finish ninth while Broking held on to finish tenth. Cryderman lost the point lead to Darrell Nelson despite an eight place finish in the feature.

The next AMSOIL Series event is scheduled for Friday August 17 at the Superior Speedway. Also on the racing card were the WISSOTA Super Stocks and the ABC Raceway Six Cylinder class. Scott Lawrence won a slam bang Super Stock main event in a duel with Curt Myer. Lawrence patiently worked his way from the 12th starting spot avoiding several caution flags and slipped past third place Tyler Kintner into second. With two laps left the fireworks began when Charlie Anderson spun in turn four as Lawrence dived under Meyer for the lead and slid up in front of him off turn four for the lead. Meyer tagged Lawrence coming for the white flag as several in the lead pack checked up for the caution flag taking out several setting up a green-white-checkered sprint to the finish. At the final corner after the restart, Lawrence, who's car had suffered rear end damage, slid up the track and pinned Myers' car to the wall sending several cars scrambling, some into the infield, for the finish. Randy Spacek rode up on the front stretch wall in a shower of sparks and Myer ended up against the wall under the flag stand. The final official order of finish in the top five was Lawrence with career win number 35, Joe Oliver, Tyler Kintner, Eric Olson and Randy Spacek.

Greg Jaeger won the makeup Six Cylinder feature over Dale Coddington, Shawn McFadden, Jr Steve Stuart and Travis Swanson. In the regularly scheduled feature the roles were reversed as Coddington was the winner over JaegerWarren Beede, Scott Ovaska, and Chuck Hawkinson. Later Jaeger was given the win when Coddington refused a post race technical inspection. The adjustment gave Jaeger his second win of the evening and moved Travis Swanson into the top five.

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