7/10/2016
Deer Creek Speedway
Richards & Glenz Take Top Honors At NAPA Gopher 50
Spring Valley, MN - July 9, 2016:  It was a glorious day for racing at Deer Creek Speedway for the 37th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50. This year’s event was once again presented by NAPA Auto Parts, NAPA Auto Care Centers, Miner’s Outdoor & Rec and the Blooming Prairie Lions.
There were all sorts of ore-race activities for race fans to take in. There was the NAPA Tailgate Tent where games were played and prizes handed out. Ron Capps NHRA Funny Car was on display for everyone to take a look at. A driver autograph session was held and fans got a great opportunity to meet their favorite driver. Also free Pepsi products and popcorn were available to munch on.
A great field of 36-World Of Outlaws Craftsman Late Models were in attendance which was the largest field for this race since 2010. Billy Moyer Jr. led the first two laps until 2011 Gopher 50 champion Josh Richards made his move. Richards grabbed the lead and opened up a big advantage.
The race for third heated up when defending World Of Outlaws point champion Shane Clanton raced Boom Briggs for the position. Rick Eckert who made his 500th career start was right on their tails. While Richards drove away, Clanton slipped to third and brought Eckert with him to fourth. They then set after Moyer Jr. for second.
The race would have five yellows, but it did not matter for Richards he and his car were just that good on thiis night. Both Clanton and Eckert got by Moyer Jr. for second and third and then had a great race for second over the last 15-laps of the race.
Richards cruised to the $11,000 win and his second Gopher 50 championship,it was also his ninth win of the season and 67th of his career on the World of Outlaws tour. Clanton would hang on for second with Chad Simpson racing his way to fourth while Jimmy Mars would up fifth.
A stellar field of 37-NAPA Auto Care Centers USRA Modifieds signed in to battle it out for a possible $4000 payday for the winner. That field was whittled down to a 26-car field for the 30-lap feature. Dustin Sorensen and Jesse Glenz led the pack to the green flag.
Nate Wasmund bolted from row two on the start to nab the lead with a three wide procession behind him. Glenz took the lead two laps into it while Zack Vanderbeek raced from eighth to third. Vanderbeek then vaulted to second as Glenz opened up the lead.
The leaders would eventually work their way into lapped traffic. Vanderbeek tried in vain to catch Glenz but was never able to close the gap. Glenz sliced through the lapped cars with ease and was able to hold Vanderbeek at bay.
Eleventh starter Brandon Davis got the high side to work and charged to third late in the race. Defending track champion Josh Angst also worked his way through traffic after he started 13th and had a really good late race run.
Glenz raced on to win the race and take home the $4000 check along with the unique wood carved gopher trophy and Husqvarna chain saw. It was car owner Dale White’s second straight Gopher 50 title as Jimmy Mars drove White’s car to victory in 2015. Vanderbeek would end up in second with Davis in third. Wasmund had a very good run in fourth and Angst’s drive would bring him to fifth on the final lap.
World Of Outlaws Craftsman :ate Models
Qualifying Group A— 1. Josh Richards (Shinnston, W.Va.) 14.487; 2. Boom Briggs (Bear Lake, Pa.) 14.563; 3. Chad Simpson (Mt. Vernon, Iowa) 14.571; 4. Joey Coulter (Miami Springs, Fla.) 14.775; 5. Chris Simpson (Oxford, Iowa) 14.797; 6. Jimmy Mars (Menomonie, Wis.) 14.817; 7. Frank Heckenast Jr. (Frankfurt, Ill.) 14.827; 8. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, Ind.) 14.828; 9. Chase Junghans (Manhattan, Kan.) 14.855;10. Jordan Yaggy (Rochester) 14.875; 11. Brandon Overton (Evans, Ga.) 14.895; 12. Chub Frank (Bear Lake, Pa.) 15.015; 13. Austin Siebert (Lake Lotawana, Mo.) 15.107; 14. Pat Doar (New Richmond, Wis.) 15.113; 15. Brian Shirley (Chatham, Ill.) 15.247; 16. Lance Mattheess (Winona) 15.361; 17. Shaun Mann (Buffalo City, Wis.) 16.425; 18. Nick Herrick (West Concord) DNS.
Qualifying Group B — 1. Shane Clanton (Zebulon, Ga.) 14.763; 2. Billy Moyer Jr. (Batesville, Ark.) 14.790; 3. Eric Wells (Hazard, Ky.) 14.833; 4. Rick Eckert (York, Pa.) 14.851; 5. Tyler Erb (New Waverly, Texas) 15.105; 6. Brent Larson (Lake Elmo) 15.105; 7. Austin Smith (Cedartown, Ga.) 15.105; 8. Jason Rauen (Farley, Iowa) 15.184; 9. Rodney Sanders (Happy, Texas) 15.221;10. Morgan Bagley (Longview, Texas) 15.308; 11. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, Iowa) 15.492; 12. AJ Diemel (Elk Mound, Wis.) 15.501; 13. Tyler Bruening (Decorah, Iowa) 15.545; 14. Rick Hanestad (Boyceville, Wis.) 16.155; 15. Jeff Massingill (Keewatin) 16.173; 16. Buddy Hanestad (Boyceville, Wis.) 16.351; 17. Bob Schoenfelder (Grand Meadow) 17.960; 18. Ryan Konkel (Winona) 17.517.
First Heat — 1. Richards, 2. Chad Simpson, 3. Chris Simpson, 4. Heckenast Jr., 5. Junghans, 6. Shirley, 7. Overton, 8. Siebert, 9. Mann.
Second Heat— 1. Briggs, 2. Coulter, 3. Mars, 4. Frank, 5. Casebolt, 6. Yaggy, 7. Matthees, 8. Doar, 9. Herrick (DNS).
Third Heat — 1. Wells, 2. Clanton, 3. Sanders, 4. Erb, 5. Smith, 6. Bruening, 7. Eckrich, 8. Massingill, 9. Konkel.
Fourth Heat— 1. Eckert, 2. Moyer Jr., 3. Diemel, 4. Rauen, 5. Bagley, 6. Larson, 7. R. Hanestad, 8. B. Hanestad, 9. Schoenfelder.
Last Chance Showdown #1 --1. Junghans, 2. Shirley, 3. Yaggy, 4. Casebolt, 5. Overton, 6. Matthees, 7. Siebert, 8. Doar, 9. Mann, 10. Herrick (DNS). Last Chance Showdown 2 (top 3 to 'A') — 1. Smith, 2. Bagley, 3. Larson, 4. Bruening, 5. Eckrich, 6. R. Hanestad, 7. Massingill, 8. B. Hanestad, 9. Konkel, 10. Schoenfelder.
Non-qualifiers feature — 1. Matthees, 2. Bruening, 3. Eckrich, 4. Doar, 5. Siebert, 6. Massingill, 7. R. Hanestad, 8. Mann, 9. B. Hanestad, 10. Konkel, 11. Schoenfelder.
Feature— 1. Richards, 2. Clanton, 3. Eckert, 4. Chad Simpson, 5. Mars, 6. Erb, 7. Overton, 8. Shirley, 9. Moyer Jr., 10. Casebolt, 11. Heckenast Jr., 12. Bagley, 13. Larson, 14. Junghans, 15. Yaggy, 16. Coulter, 17. Briggs, 18. Wells, 19. Frank, 20. Sanders, 21. Chris Simpson, 22. Rauen, 23. Diemel, 24. Smith.
USRA MODIFIEDS
First Heat — 1. Mark Motl (Owatonna), 2. Zack VanderBeek (New Sharon, Iowa), 3. Brandon Davis (Medford), 4. Dwaine Hanson (Lakefield), 5. Todd Stinehart (Waseca), 6. Joel Alberts (Mantorville), 7. David Schuster (Waterville), 8. Tammy Soma Clark (Rochester).
Second Heat— 1. Craig Thatcher (Knapp, Wis.), 2. Jacob Bleess (Chatfield), 3. Brent Larson (Lake Elmo), 4. Brad Waits (Rochester), 5. Jay Ihrke (Dover), 6. Cory Crapser (Chippewa Falls, Wis.), 7. Jason Cummins (New Richland), 8. Joe Ludemann (Grand Meadow).
Third Heat— 1. Nate Wasmund (Rochester), 2. Jesse Glenz (Cadott, Wis.), 3. Josh Angst (Winona), 4. Dan Ebert (Lake Shore), 5. Erik Kanz (Winona), 6. Joe Horgdal (Kasson), 7. Keith Foss (Winona). Fourth Heat— 1. Dustin Sorensen (Rochester), 2. Rodney Sanders (Happy, Texas), 3. Craig Shaw (Dexter), 4. Chris Oertel (Marshfield, Wis.), 5. Robby Bunkelman (Abbotsford, Wis.), 6. Doug Hillson (Blooming Prairie), 7. Levi Nielsen (Evansdale, Iowa).
Fifth Heat — 1. Jake Timm (Winona), 2. Kevin Stoa (Albert Lea), 3. Bob Timm (Winona), 4. Steve Wetzstein (West Concord), 5. John Doelle (Arcadia, Wis.), 6. Darwyn Karau (Kasson), 7. Les Duellman (Winona).
B Main #1 — 1. Kanz, 2. Duellman, 3. Karau.
B Main # 2 — 1. Crapser, 2. Ihrke, 3. Bunkelman.
Feature— 1. Glenz, 2. VanderBeek, 3. Davis, 4. Wasmund, 5. Angst, 6. Bleess, 7. Sanders, 8. Thatcher, 9. Waits, 10. J. Timm, 11. Wetzstein, 12. Sorensen, 13. Kanz, 14. Larson, 15. Bunkelman, 16. Stoa, 17. Ebert, 18. Karau, 19. Oertel, 20. Crapser, 21. B. Timm, 22. Duellman, 23. Ihrke, 24. Shaw, 25. Motl, 26. Hanson.