Upsets and Loyalty at TNT
Mother Nature did everything she could to take the checkered flag at TNT Motor Speedway in Three Lakes, but in the end it was racer and fan loyalty that rose to the top. With rain throughout the day the question was whether or not to race, whether or not to come to watch, and whether or not the racers and fans would stick around.
The drivers told the new track promoters that they would go out and pack the one-third mile clay track as long as it takes, just so they could race. After a two hour delay, the fans remained in the stands, and the racers that did stick around treated the fans to exciting racing.
“I’ve been announcing for decades that it only takes two cars to put on a good race. Tonight proved it,” commented track announcer, Skip Schulz.
That was proven in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature when Rhinelander’s Dennis Mickelson and Dan Melton went the entire race, bumper to bumper. Mickelson held the lead for half the race, until Melton finally got around him. Melton went on to win the Feature.
Another exciting race took place in the WISSOTA Street Stock Feature when Rhinelander’s Britt Broman held off the current class point leader, Jordan Kurtti of Bruce Crossing, Michigan for most of the race. Kurtti would try going way up on the high banked oval to get around Broman, but that didn’t work. Then as the race was winding down, Mickelson went high on the exit of the second turn. That opened the inside for Kurtti. Kurtti dipped the nose down low and got the lead and went on to get the win.
The biggest upset of the night took place in the Micro Sprint 600 Feature. Going into the night the top 2 drivers were the Shiocton brothers of Denver and Dylan Larson. Denver walked away from his younger brother and 1st year racer, Andy Rein of Kewaskum. However in the feature, Rein got an early lead with Denver right on his tail. The two racers were hitting speeds of over 80 MPH and racing inches a part! In the end, Rein pulled off the biggest upset of the night by getting his first Feature Win.
Another upset took place in the TNT Pro Truck Class. It was in the Heat that Eagle River’s James Koga left the pack and cruised to victory. However in the Feature the race would come down to a battle between Koga, Cory Allen, and Herb Dettman. Allen entered the night with 207 poiints, Koga had 206 points. When the checkered flag flew it was not Allen or Koga that would make the trek to the NAPA Victory Lane. It was Pelican Lake’s, Herb Dettman.
On a night of upsets, Zach Degner defeated fellow Merrill driver, Louis Malluegge in an exciting Stinger Heat Race. In the feature, Malluege kept Degner right on his bumper to the checkered flag for the win.
Another surprise took place in a Heat Race when Haden Johnson ran for the first time at TNT Motor Speedway in the Junior Sprints. Johnson won the heat race, but it was Dustin Kangas of Phelps getting his first Junior Sprint Feature.
It was in the Pure Stock Feature that point leader and the winner of the earlier heat race Tyler Lundberg started from the back of the 7 car field in the Feature. Lundberg quickly moved up to 4th half way through the race. Then Lundberg got on the inside of Jake Ison, David Blackberg to put his sights on the leader, Jason Melton. When Melton drifted high in the corners, Lundberg took the lead and went on for the win.
Racing returns to TNT Motor Speedway this coming Saturday Night. TNT Motor Speedway is located south of Three Lakes, on US 45. Hot Laps begin around 6:30 pm CT.
TNT Motor Speedway Results 6/20/15
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds Feature:
1) Dan Melton, Rhinelander
2) Dennis Mickelson, Rhinelander
WISSOTA Midwest Mod Heat:
1) Melton
2) Michelson
WISSOTA Street Stock Feature:
1) Jordan Kurtti, Bruce Crossing, MI
2) Britt Broman, Eagle River
3) Scott Detert, Rhinelander
WISSOTA Street Stock Heat:
1) Kurtti
2) Broman
3) Detert
TNT Pro Truck Feature:
1) Herb Dettman, Pelican Lake
2) Cory Allen, Rhinelander
3) James Koga, Eagle River
4) Parker Retzlaff, Rhinelander
5) John Johnson, Sr., Lac Du Flambeau
6) Eddie Bauer, Rhinelander
TNT Pro Truck Heat:
1) Koga
2) Johnson, Sr.,
3) Allen
4) Dettman
5) Retzlaff
6) Bauer
MICRO SPRINT 600 Feature:
1) Andy Rein, Kewaskum
2) Denver Larson, Shiocton
3) Dylan Larson, Shiocton
Micro Sprint 600 Heat;
1) Denver Larson
2) Dylan Larson
3) Rein
TNT Pure Stock Feature:
1) Tyler Lunberg, Rhinelander
2) Jason Melton, Rhinelander
3) David Blackberg, Eagle River
4) Jake Ison, Eagle River
5) Herb Dettman, Pelican Lake
6) Joe Chaney, Crandon
7) Nick Paolli, Ironwood, MI
TNT Pure Stock Heat:
1) Lundberg
2) Ison
3) Melton
4) Chaney
5) Blackberg
6) Dettman
7) Drake
8) Paoli
Stinger Feature:
1) Louis Malluegge, Merrill
2) Zach Degner, Merrill
3) Paul Winker, Tomahawk
Stinger Heat:
1) Degner
2) Malluegge
3) Winker
Junior Sprint Feature:
1) Dustin Kangas, Phelps
2) Haden Johnson
Junior Sprint Heat:
1) Johnson
2) Kangas
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