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

Harry Hanson won his second AMSOIL Late Model Series event Sunday night September 2nd on the final day of the 31st Annual Labor Day Shootout. Hanson scored earlier in the six race series with a popular win at the ABC Raceway in Ashland, WI. A total of 45 AMSOIL WISSOTA Dirt Track Series Late Models were on hand looking for the four grand payday at the end of the 40 lap feature.

With the $4000 to win $300 to start feature looming as the finale for the two day event the field was broken into five heat races and a pair of semi features to set the 24 car field. The AMSOIL Series also has a provisional for the highest driver in the point standings who fails to make the main event through either a heat race or B Feature. Heat winners included Terry Casey, Bob Reed, George Ledin, Jodi Olson and Hanson while B Features went to John Massingill and Steve Laursen. Pat Doar took his provisional spot and tagged onto the end of the feature lineup to make it 25 cars strong. Judging from the feature race the previous night, the first 20 laps of the race were going to be crucial as drivers needed to position themselves in the lead pack because
the track took rubber in the bottom groove and became a single lane with no passing and the same could happen.

Surprising to some was the pole sitter for the Late Model feature as first heat winner local racer George Ledin led the pack to the green flag with Hanson to his outside. A scramble in the middle of the field when several cars squabbled over the same real estate brought out the caution flag before a full lap was complete. Involved were the cars of Aaron Lillo, Nick Musel and Steve Vesel as well as Brent Larson. Lillo and Musel departed via wrecker hook while Vesel limped to the pits and was unable to continue. Larson's car sustained heavy sheet metal damage on the left side but was able to continue. The field lined up for a complete restart with all 40 circuits remaining minus three starters and Hanson got the jump on Ledin at the green flag. Darrell Nelson, Bob Reed, Darin Meierotto, Terry Casey and Jodi Olson ran close behind. Nelson surged into second and set out after Hanson as Ledin held on to third. Hanson's lead grew to a dozen car lengths as did Nelson's margin over the battle for third. Further back cars who benefitted from the first lap accident had moved up and Joel Cryderman and Kyle Peterlin battled for the ninth spot. Hanson was eyeing up the back of the pack preparing to begin lapping cars when Todd Gehl's 2d suddenly slowed off turn two and rolled slowly to a halt. This first caution flag erased Hanson's lead and put Nelson on his bumper. The So called Delaware restart put Hanson out by himself ahead of the field with the rest lined up two by two behind him. Hanson got another good jump with Nelson, Weed, Olson, Ledin and Casey in the top six. AMSOIL Series point Leader Tom Nesbitt was just outside the top ten in the eleventh spot, but that would be all the closer he would get as he eventually finished 13th.

At the half way 20 lap mark the order in the top ten saw Hanson leading Reed, Nelson, Olson, Ledin, Casey, Meierotto, Larson, Cryderman and Tom Waseleski, Sr who was holding off Peterlin. Just as provisional starter Pat Doar fell a lap down to Hanson, Rod Hafeman flew off turn one and spun in a cloud of dust all the way to the tires and fence that protect the pit area bringing out what would prove to be the final caution flag. At the green flag Hanson Jackrabbited away from Nelson and just a couple of laps later the track locked down to one lane on the bottom and from there to the checkered flag the finishing order was pretty much set. Only the third running Reed stepped out of line to try the middle of the track and when he was able to get back down he was sixth. Hanson went on to take home the $4000 win over Nelson, Ledin, Casey and Olson.

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