Kraft tops Minnesota Summer Nationals at Jackson
<p>JACKSON, MN (July 29, 1999) – Summer was definitely here for the Minnesota Summer Nationals featuring the United States Modified Touring Series this past Thursday night at the Jackson Speedway. With temperatures well into the 90s and a heat index around 115 degrees a total of 71 cars pulled into the pit for racing action. Willie Kraft, Lakefield MN, took his second big pay day of the season in the Modified Class, as he was also the winner of the 21st Annual Jackson Nationals just two weeks ago. Jason Krohn, Slayton MN was the winner of the Stock Car Feature race with Rick Soules, Worthington MN winning the Hobby Stock feature race. In the 30-lap, $2,000 to win USMTS Modified feature race Willie Kraft had luck running with him as his son drew him the pole position for the race. At the drop of the green it was Kraft taking off from the field, as he was able to grab the top spot from fellow front row starter Kelly Shryock, Story City IA. Kraft would than be slowed four times in the first seven circuits around the historic half mile of the Jackson Speedway. Shryock was not be able to keep his second running position in the field and slipped back in the running order. By lap 2 of the race inside row three starter Bob Timm, Winona MN got the second running position from Shryock. By lap 10 Shryock fell back to the fourth running spot. On lap 16 a yellow flag was thrown for Kevin Pospisil, Worthington MN, who went off the back chute and slowed. The field was than bunched back up for a restart. On the restart Kraft would get some challenges from Bob Timm and Kevin Stoa, Kasson MN, who were right on his bumper. Only one more caution flag on lap 22 slowed Kraft as he went on to claim another $2,000 pay day at the Jackson Speedway. At the line it was Kraft, followed by Kevin Stoa who made his move on Timm coming out of turn four. Timm would have to settle for third with Ron Jones, Zimmerman MN, taking fourth and Kelly Shryock rounded out the top five. The B Features were won by Steve Wetzstein, West Concord MN, and John VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa IA. Heat races went to Kevin Stoa, Kelly Shryock, Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie MN, and Bob Timm. Only two cautions flags slowed action in the 15-lap $400 to win Stock Car feature race. On the start of the race it was Randy Brands, Boyden IA, grabbing the lead from fellow front row starter Chad Lutterman, Fairmont MN. Brands was slowed on lap 4 when a couple of cars got together and spun in turns one and two. By lap 5 Krohn worked his way into the third position after starting 9th. Finally while the field was working on lap 11 Krohn pulled up along side Brands and they went down the back-chute and Krohn would win the drag race into turn three. Krohn than would lead the final laps and go on to claim his first feature race win of the season at the Jackson Speedway. Randy Brands would have to settle for second with John Lyon, Palmer IA, Chad Lutterman, and Darren Wajer, Slayton MN following. Heat races went to Chad Lutterman and Jason Krohn. In the 12-lap $200 to win Hobby Stock feature race, outside pole sitter Mike Albert, Montgomery IA, was able to grab the lead from pole sitter Troy Schmidtke, Trimont MN. A caution flag at the end of lap one for two cars that got together in turn two bunched the field up for a restart. Albert would have the restart lead but was not be able to hold on to it for very much longer as Rick Soules got the top spot from Albert as the two raced out of turn number four. Another caution flag on lap 5 for a blown engine, which oiled and watered down the front straightaway, brought out the races second caution. With one more caution for debris Soules would set the pace for the field and go on to claim victory lane. Terry Buchman, Milford IA, Mike Albert, Jeff Jacobsma, Lake Park IA, and Paul Brecke, Lakefield MN followed Soules across the line. Heat race winners of the night were Rick Soules and Dan Ross, Reading MN. <font size="4"><b>RESULTS</b></font> <b>UNITED STATES MODIFIED TOURING SERIES</b> (30 Cars) A FEATURE (30 laps): 1. 5 Willie Kraft, Lakefield, 2. 98 Kevin Stoa, Kasson, 3. 1 Bob Timm, Winona, 4. 7 Ron Jones, Zimmerman, 5. 3 Kelly Shryock, Story City IA, 6. 000 Ron Luitjens, Brewster, 7. 21x John Anderson, Omaha NE, 8. 10 John VanDenBerg, Oskaloosa IA, 9. 27 Bret Hansen, Owatonna, 10. 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, 11. 5B Mike Bosma, Harris IA, 12. 28P Kevin Pospisil, Worthington, 13. 71 Troy Cordes, Cedar Falls IA, 14. 2M Brandon Monson, Harlan IA, 15. 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, 16. 9 Roger Nielsen, Estherville IA, 17. 5R Jim Richert, Comfrey, 18. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, 19. 90M Jason Menz, Redwood Falls, 20. 32 Randy Green, Granada, 21. 85 Mark Dotson, Cameron MO, 22. 7H Dennis Hillson, Blooming Prairie. B FEATURE #1 (10 laps): 1. 10 VanDenBerg, 2. 65 Myer, 3. 27 Hansen, 4. 32 Green, 5. 9 Nielsen, 6. 40 Luke Cochran, Springfield NE, 7. 71x Jason Cummings, New Richland, 8. 51 Tom Finke, Sherburn, 9. 6x Ricky Kluever, Alexanderia. B FEATURE #2 ( 10 laps): 1. 90 Wetzstein, 2. 90M Menz, 3. 5B Bosma, 4. 28P Pospisil, 5. 7H Dennis Hillson, 6. 67 Mike Schuster, Delavan, 7. 8P Greg Porth, Heron Lake, 8. 16 Chris Rakeness, Fairmont, 9. 3D Tim Donlinger, Rochester. HEAT 1 (8 laps): 1. 98 Stoa, 2. 5 Kraft, 3. 000 Luitjens, 4. 65 Myer, 5. 90M Menz, 6. 32 Green, 7. 8P Porth, 8. 51 Finke. HEAT 2 (8 laps): 1. 3 Shryock, 2. 21x Anderson, 3. 2M Monson, 4. 5B Bosma, 5. 10 VanDenBerg, 6. 9 Nielsen, 7. 71x Cummings, 8. 7H Dennis Hillson. HEAT 3 (8 laps): 1. 72 Doug Hillson, 2. 7 Jones, 3. 85 Dotson, 4. 27 Hanson, 5. 90 Wetzstein, 6. 28P Pospisil, 7. 6x Kluever. HEAT 4 (8 laps): 1. 1 Timm, 2. 5R Richert, 3. 71 Cordes, 4. 40 Cochran, 5. 16 Rakeness, 6. 3D Donlinger, 7. 67 Schuster. <b>STOCK CARS</b> (21 Cars) A FEATURE (15 laps): 1. 7K Jason Krohn, Slayton, 2. 27 Randy Brands, Boyden IA, 3. 73 John Lyon, Palmer IA, 4. 3 Chad Lutterman, Fairmont, 5. 3W Darren Wajer, Slayton, 6. 10G Jake Grathwohl, East Chain, 7. 58 Jerry Gronewold, Worthington, 8. 25 Matt Edwardson, Sioux City IA, 9. 6L Jim Larson, Rushmore, 10. 17 Mike Stueber, Truman, 11. 31 Trent Schroeder, Worthington, 12. 99 Mike Ehrhardt, Luverne IA, 13. 01 Tim Grathwohl, East Chain, 14. 77W Brad Will, Windom, 15. 14J Jim Hanson, Truman. HEAT 1 (8 laps): 1. 3 Lutterman, 2. 56 Tom Sierck, Spencer IA, 3. 73 Lyon, 4. 25 Edwardson, 5. 42 Frank Phipps, Spencer IA. HEAT 2 (8 laps): 1. 7K Krohn, 2. 58 Gronewold, 3. 27 Brands, 4. 99 Ehrhardt, 5. 17 Stueber. <b>HOBBY STOCKS</b> (20 Cars) A FEATURE (12 laps): 1. 57 Rick Soules, Worthington, 2. 20B Terry Buchman, Milford IA, 3. 75 Mike Albert, Montgomery IA, 4. 18 Jeff Jacobsma, Lake Park IA, 5. 10K Paul Brecke, Lakefield, 6. 11K Troy Schmidtke, Trimont, 7. 79 Doug Barglof, Sioux Rapids IA, 8. 64 Kevin Bortvit, Estherville IA, 9. 47M Jared Anderson, Alpha, 10. 2 Jeff Senne, Northrop, 11. GF2 Jeff Luhmann, Jackson, 12. 77K William Eggimann, Jackson, 13. 27 Robert Brands, Boyden IA, 14. 28 Mark Lundquist, Spencer IA, 15. 07 Kyle Ewert, Arlington. HEAT 1 (6 laps): 1. 57 Soules, 2. 2 Senne, 3. 11K Schmidtke, 4. 25K Cory Krull, Rushmore, 5. 4P Scott Lupkes, Estherville IA. HEAT 2 (6 laps): 1. 97 Dan Ross, Reading, 2. 64 Bortvit, 3. 18 Jacobsma, 4. 75 Albert, 5. 79 Barglof.</p>