By Gary Jacob
Black Hills, SD -- Shad Karna from Custer SD had to fend off a fierce last lap challenge from Eric Mass to get an $800 win in the WISSOTA dirt late model 16 lap feature Friday night at Black Hills Speedway. The race was shortened from the usual 20 laps due to the 20 minute time limit in a caution filled affair. Karna’s first 2004 win led a GRT sweep as he, Gillette WY rookie dirt late model star Mass and South Dakota’s Tom Sires all wheel GRT mounts. Mass was rebounding from an early race flat tire for his $675 second and Sires won $550 for third. Some late race contact between Steve Neumiller and Nathan Kjerstad saw both drivers penalized two spots in the final standings with Kjerstad dropping back to 5th and Neumiller credited with 7th.
The 16 car turnout was split into three heat races. Neumiller won the first over Mass and Troy Leiker. Gillette WY’s Wes McKenney won heat 2 over visitor Todd Hansen and Morris Oberle. Karna enjoyed a big night as he also won heat 3 ahead of Sires and Nielsen. Dirt Modified star returned to the dirt late model action for the first time in 2004 and ran fifth in heat 2. For the second straight week, a fast, tacky track sent tempers soaring in the scheduled 20 lap feature. Mass had to pit with a flat tire early in the action, but he was ready to challenge Karna for the win at the white flag. Mass tried to make an outside groove run in the final two corners, but couldn’t get the necessary traction and settled for second. Neumiller and Kjerstad had banded into each other on the back stretch with a couple laps remaining and Neumiller delivered a retaliation shot in front of the grandstands after the checkered flag. Sires ran third and McKenney moved up to fourth with his Warrior with the penalties. Kjerstad was placed fifth ahead of Hansen, Neumiller, Casper WY senior citizen racer Forest Canipe, Doug Amick and Tony Leiker. Mike Stadel was 12th, John Bey 15th and Eddie Kirchoff did not race.
The next two Friday nights are huge for the dirt late model teams. The traveling WDRL Series from the Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin area invades on August 13 as part of the Sturgis SD bike week activities and the NAPA-MDA Series opens it’s final two race weekend on August 20th.
Summary Heat 1-Steve Neumiller, Eric Mass, Troy Leiker, Nathan Kjerstad. Heat 2-Wes McKenney, Todd Hansen, Morris Oberle, John Bey, Forest Canipe. Heat 3-Shad Karna, Tom Sires, Brent Nielsen, Mike Stadel, Tony Leiker. Main-Karna, Mass, Sires, McKenney, Kjerstad, Hansen, Neumiller, Canipe, Doug Amick, Tony Leiker, Troy Leiker, Stradel, Oberle, Nielsen, Bey, Chris Johnson.