8/15/2019
Three Richards with Six Feature Wins at Eagle Valley Speedway in 2019
Jim Falls, Wisconsin- The Eagle Valley Speedway presented the 3rd Annual K-Runk Memorial $1,223 to-win Midwest Modified event sponsored by River Country Coop. In addition it was American Hero’s Night. The WISSOTA Pure Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Modifieds, and EVS Hornets were all in action. Heavy rains from the night before left for wet conditions in the pits and a very heavy spring time appearing racing surface. The track crew worked feverishly and took extra time to prepare for racing and continued to work on the surface after every race was completed. Feature winners included Micheal Truscott, Tommy Richards, Shane Halopka, Danny Richards, Patrick Smith, and Jake Halterman.
The WISSOTA Modified feature appeared to be a big one for Mike Knopps as he was seeking the first big mod feature win of this career. He took the lead from the pole and looked very strong when a lap eight caution for the stalled Cory Mahder drew the caution flag. The restart saw Michael Truscott take over the second position and he began to lurk like a shark as he shadowed Knopps lap after lap. Truscott tried to move below the leader several times, but Knopps wasn’t having it. In turn four coming to the white flag, Knopps pushed up the racing surface and Truscott struck. Truscott was the leader with one to go and he drove the remainder to the checkered flag with Knopps, who was both excited for his strong run and disappointed as the Bride’s Maid finish in second. Jake Smith, Justin A-Strike, and Steve Lavasseur earned top five positions.
Michael Truscott tugged the points lead way from Mike Anderson as Truscott scored his second feature win of the season at EVS. Anderson who did not finish on the evening has three wins as he leads Hallquist solidly who sits in third.
The WISSOTA Super Stock heats were won by Kody Koski and Wayne Dean as Dean controlled the feature early. The yellow flag flew quickly three times as Dean was setting the pace but he was caught by Tommy Richards about a quarter the way through the event. Richards moved beside the leader, took the point, and drove away. Dean continued to run in second as Jeff Brauer drove door to door with Brandon Duellman in a battle for third. At the halfway point, Richards had more than a straightaway advantage, but the caution flew for a Kody Koski breakdown and eliminated the same. The final circuits of the event saw Brauer stay with Richards but he was not able to make a move for the win. They put some distance on third finishing Dean as Kevin Hager and Lukas Koski were scored in the top five.
Tommy Richards holds a comfortable lead in points in the Super Stocks with six wins on the season at Eagle Valley. Lucas Koski is currently the runner up over third place Curt Myers.
The WISSOTA Street Stocks saw Danny Richards and Rob Grabon win their heats as Richards worked it into a sweep on the evening, coming from the outside of row four to win the feature. It was CJ Wagner looking very well out front for the first nine laps of the 15 lap event. Richards had quickly closed to second and hounded Wagner lap after lap and was able to pull below him in the corners, but Wagner was fast. On lap ten, Wagner pushed up the track in turn four and it was all Richards needed. He took the lead and led the remaining laps to the checkered flag. Wagner hung with the winner and finished a strong second. Behind them, Braden Brauer ran alone in third. William Fisher had a very nice run to fourth over fifth finishing Bob Seidler. It was Richards sixth win on the season at the Valley and he extended his points lead over Wagner to 65; Bruce Stanley is third.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were racing for $1223 to win in honor of the number 23, the late Kyle Runkel. Tony Bahr, Kylie Kath, and Derek Haas won their heats as Kyle Johnson topped the B-Feature. It was Denny Cutsforth on the pole with Kath to his outside at the start of the 23 lap feature. The yellow flag flew five times throughout the event with the first coming before a lap was scored. A second try saw Kath take the point and continue to lead as he and second running Shane Halopka pulled away slightly from Steve Haas in third. With six laps in, the pace was slowed to remove debris and two laps later the caution flew for Kyle Johnson when he came to a stop in turn four.
It was still Kath looking strong, but Halopka was hounding him when they went back to green. Two laps into the run, Halopka pulled even but Kath remained strong as Bahr overtook third after starting ninth on the field. Halopka moved to the high line in turns three and four and moved into the lead at the crossed flags of the halfway point of the race. Halopka began to put space between himself and second position as Bahr overtook Kath. The caution flag flew again and shortly thereafter one more time for debris. The remainder of the event saw Halopka in control as Bahr maintained a cushion over third. Calvin Iverson, Michael Truscott, and Kath duked it out over the closing laps, swapping positions, and rounding out the top five runners.
Calvin Iverson has a tenuous three point lead in the points in the Midwest Modifieds over Shane Halopka as they both have three wins at EVS in 2019; Derek Haas is in third.
Travis Hazelton won the Pure Stock heat and led from the drop of the green in the feature for several laps. His car began to smoke very heavily but he didn’t falter through the first half of the race. A caution flag flew and while off the pace, there was a fire under Cole Richard’s car. Richards evening was over as was the leader’s as Travis Hazelton broke on the restart. It was Patrick Smith in the lead as Nicholas Hazelton chased. Nicholas Hazelton took looks below the leader and pulled even, but Smith stayed out front. They were nose to tail with one lap remaining and Hazelton challenged low again through three and four coming to the checkered flag. Smith was too strong and Nicholas Hazelton had to settle for second over Michael Huebner Sr, Devin Fries, and Michael Grover.
Nicholas Hazelton holds a nine point lead over the rookie, Cole Richards on the season as the two seek their first feature wins of the year. George Richards, who has missed three nights is in third in points with six feature wins at the Valley in 2019.
The EVS Hornets were swept by Jake Halterman again and he was not challenged in the feature. Troy Tuma, Danny Halterman, Craig Oas, and Randy Stensgaard finished the event.
The Eagle Valley Speedway returns to racing on August 18, 2019, with the Krug Towing Lonnie Leu Memorial presented by Lisa Leu. The often cancelled for weather, Iverson Trucking 30 Midwest Modified Special for $1,000 to win will also be run. The WISSOTA Street Stocks, WISSOTA Pure Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Modifieds, and EVS Hornets will all be in action. As always, there will be a bike given away to one boy and girl by Oium Blacktop and Oium Well Drilling.
Article Credit: Brad Erickson