Topeka, KS ~The Ben Wandahsega Off-Road Racing Team entered this past weekend’s Heartland Park Topeka Round Seven and Eight events of the Championship Off-Road Racing Series (CORR) hoping for some better luck than what occurred in Rounds Five and Six in Crandon, WI.
Although the team persevered to a couple of third place finishes in the previous two rounds after having several mechanical problems, they had lost the points lead in the Sportsman 2 Division to Dan Baudoux by one point. It’s the first time in the 2005 season with the exception of the conclusion of Round One that Team Wandahsega has been trailing in the points race.
The team felt like they could perform well and if the breaks went their way retake the point lead. The Heartland Park Topeka course has characteristics that are to Ben’s advantage as he has always done well on the tight corner technical courses. In the end that is exactly what happened as Team Wandahsega won both days to regain his point lead.
Round 7 Highlights
This weekend was the first full weekend of racing under the lights in CORR competition. The events were run on Friday/Saturday nights vs. their normal Saturday/Sunday afternoons. The course was mostly a technical tight cornered track like we already have mentioned but it did have a nice front sweeper in the front of the stands where the trucks got quite a bit of speed.
Ben Started in the back and gradually worked his way to the front in the 22 lap affair. At the halfway part of the race Ken Halligren’s Fast Funnel/Chevy was destroyed, when he end oed as he was accidentally tagged by another truck going over the big front to back jump to bring out a local yellow.
Lap 16 saw Ben battling for the lead in his Forest County Potawatomi/Toyo Tires/Chevy with race long leader Mike Oberg. With 3 laps to go Ben snuck by
Oberg on the inside to take the lead. Ben led the remainder of the race to win Round 7. Oberg held on for 2 nd and Don Williams brought his truck home in 3 rd. Point leader Dan Baudoux finished 9th allowing Ben to retake the point lead going into Saturday’s Round 8 event. He now had a 12-point lead over Baudoux (118-106).
Round 8 Highlights
While heading into the first corner in the back section, there was a small pile up and Rhonda Konitzer, CORR's only woman truck driver took the lead. Unfortunately after a few laps she came in a little too hard off the front to back jump breaking a ball joint on her truck. She was full of smiles as she got out of her truck. Showing what she is capable of and became the first woman to ever lead a Sportsman 2 event in CORR competition.
It only took a few laps to gain momentum as Ben's Forest County Potawatomi/ToyoTires/Chevy methodically started working it's way up to the front. Mike Savage was giving it all he had to stay ahead of Ben and capture the number 1 spot. But to no avail as Ben managed to take over the lead on lap 18 and never look back. Savage chased Wandahsega to the finish line finishing 2 nd and Mike Oberg rounded out the podium in 3 rd.
The performance this weekend has given Ben Wandahsega and his team somewhat of a comfortable points lead in the Sportsman 2 Division. He now leads by 25 points going into round 9/10 in Bark River, MI next month. Bark River is a course that will go back to higher speeds similar to what was seen at Crandon earlier in the month. It’s not quite as big and fast as Crandon but close. Team Wandahsega is looking forward to the challenge.
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