Rivord, Beeksma Collect ABC Feature Wins Before Rains Set In
by Nick Gima
 Ashland, WI, July 17 -- Four sets of kids’ bike races and feature wins by Shawn Rivord and Pat Beeksma were completed before light rains moved in and spoiled the balance of Saturday’s AmsOil Dirt Track Series race program at the ABC Raceway.
 The program, presented by Ashland’s County Market, became weather-shortened less than two laps in to the WISSOTA super stock feature, when light sprinkles that began just after the WISSOTA Midwest modified A-main increased enough in intensity to chase the cars off the track. The super stock event, as well as the postponed WISSOTA modified and pure stock main events, will be rescheduled to be included in race programs over the next few weeks.
 Rivord won an early-race battle with Rick Przybylski for second spot after a first-lap restart in that Mid-mod feature, then chased down polesitter Steve Anderson and claimed the lead a lap later. On lap 4 the pace was slowed for the stalled car of Cody Carlson, and from there Rivord was untouchable, pulling away to a four-and-a-half-second margin of victory as the remaining 11 laps clicked off non-stop.
 Przybylski worked past Anderson immediately after the lap 4 restart but had nothing for the youngster from Superior, while Pat Cook was able to sneak past Anderson for third in the closing stages, as did visitor Matt Leer for fourth. The win was Rivord’s first of the season and second-ever in Ashland.
 In the sixes’ 15-lap headliner just prior, rookie Tad Bretting held the early lead and was about to pull away when Don Muzzy and Dale Coddington piled up together coming out of turn 4 during the first lap. On the restart Beeksma made a quick move by Warren Beede and Ron Lillie into second place, and within two more circuits Beeksma made the winning pass with an inside move on Bretting.
 Beeksma’s lead was ten car-lengths on lap 8 when Coddington spun to bring about the race’s second slowdown, and the leader again was in the process of pulling away when rookie Bill Anderson looped his ride on lap 9. By that restart Greg Jaeger had claimed the runner-up position from Bretting, and he tried to stay with Beeksma for the next three laps, until Bretting spun out of his impressive top-five run.
 Jaeger bobbled coming off turn 1 on the final restart, allowing 17th-starting Shawn McFadden, Jr, and Neil Adamczak to sweep by on either side for second and third, but as they jostled for position Beeksma pulled away to his first A-main win of the summer here. McFadden won the battle for second over Adamczak, while Jaeger recovered for fourth ahead of Tyler Hudack.
 By the time the supers were ready for their 20-lap affair the sprinkles began in earnest, and two laps after Brian Mikkonen bolted around Cory Casari for the initial lead the race was stopped and the cars sent to the pits due to the rain.
 Bike race winners included Cody Mikkonen (ages 2-4), Jared Stricker (5-7), Jordan Wolfe (8-10), and Walker (11-12). Bikes donated by Scott Hudack Racing, County Market, Dave Anderson Jr Trucking, Double-D Snowplowing and Doug & Jennifer Dickrell, and the ABC Raceway were won by Brian Sabel, Savannah, Dominic Hmielewski, Aubrey Nabozny, Ian Anderson, Jermanie Witow and Alyvia Adamski.
 Next Saturday the ABC Raceway will host its annual “Jam the Stands” Night, presented by Northern Clearing and WBSZ, 93.3 FM. All adult admission tickets (ages 13 and up) will sell for just five dollars, while kids ages 12 and under will still be admitted free when accompanied by a paid adult. Hot laps get underway at 6:15 pm, and the first green flag will fly at 7. “Race Night” will air live on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, from 4:30-6 pm with at-the-track news and weather updates.
 The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990, or log on to the track’s website, <www.abcraceway.com>.
Results
WISSOTA Modifieds
 Feature: ppd
 Heat 1: Al Uotinen, Superior; Jeff Spacek, Phillips; Wayne Stricker, Highbridge; Kevin Adams, Cameron; Steve Stuart, Ashland; Jody Bellefeuille, Duluth, MN; Kelly Checkalski, Poplar.
 Heat 2: Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford; Scott Hudack, Ashland; Pat Hoffman, Rice Lake; Bill Byholm, Glidden; Ross Lightner, Washburn; Paul Brust, Rice Lake; Steve Lavasseur, River Falls; Jerry Hartman, Marenisco, MI.
WISSOTA Super Stocks
 Feature: ppd
 Heat 1: Eric Olson, Ladysmith; Randy Spacek, Phillips; Kevin Eder, Ashland; Ron Hmielewski, Marengo; Nick Oreskovich, Mason; Andy Grymala, Superior; Nathan Dees, Hurley; Willie Johnsen, Superior; Charlie Anderson, Ironwood, MI.
 Heat 2: Brian Mikkonen, Iron River; Cory Casari, Montreal; Scott Lawrence, Superior; Shane Kisling, Sarona; Greg Kuklinski, Ironwood, MI; Dave Elliott, Minocqua; Roy Pumala, Mason; Dave Flynn, Superior.
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
 Feature: Shawn Rivord, Superior; Rick Przybylski, Ashland; Pat Cook, Washburn; Matt Leer, Bruce; Steve Anderson, Ironwood, MI; George Dalbeck, Wakefield, MI; Mickey Nosser, Phillips; Shawn McFadden, Ashland; Ryan Adamczak, Ashland; Jimmy Latvala, Solon Springs; Rob Weber, Ashland; Bill Byholm, Glidden; Jake Gondik, Foxboro; Travis Nye, Ashland; George Truscott, Greenland, MI; Taylor Leuthner, Foxboro; Neil Balduc, Bessemer, MI; Chris Bretting, Ashland; Joe Olson, Chetek; Dan Sellung, Mason; Cody Carlson, Superior; Chad Adamczak, Ashland; Roland Gordon, Bayfield; Duane Dunbar, Marenisco, MI.
 Heat 1: Anderson; Leer; Przybylski; McFadden; R Adamczak; Gondik; Dunbar; Weber.
 Heat 2: Dalbeck; Nosser; Olson; Latvala; Nye; Leuthner; Truscott; Bretting.
 Heat 3: Rivord; Carlson; Cook; Balduc; C Adamczak; Gordon; Sellung.
Six-Cylinders
 Feature: Pat Beeksma, Ironwood, MI; Shawn McFadden, Jr, Ashland; Neil Adamczak, Ashland; Greg Jaeger, Mellen; Tyler Hudack, Ashland; Chuck Hawkinson, Mellen; Don Muzzy, Ironwood, MI; Jim Pelto, Ashland; Jim Anderson, Mason; Ron Lillie, Wakefield, MI; Forrest Schultz, Ashland; Shane Basina, Bayfield; Bill Anderson, Wakefield, MI; Tad Bretting, Ashland; Aaron Mashlan, Ashland; Warren Beede, Iron River; Adam Traaholt, Ashland; DeJay Mihalek, Ashland; Dale Coddington, Hayward; Tyler Luger, Iron River.
 Heat 1: Luger; Jaeger; Lillie; B Anderson; J Anderson; Traaholt; Mihalek; Ken Tyykila, Iron River.
 Heat 2: Adamczak; Coddington; Beeksma; Hawkinson; Hudack; McFadden; Schultz.
 Heat 3: Muzzy; Bretting; Beede; Pelto; Mashlan; Basina; Scott Ovaska, Marengo.
Pure Stocks
 Feature: ppd
 Heat: Al Rapp, Saginaw, MN; Paul Milanowski, Ashland; Chad Carlson, Superior; Tim Carlson, Superior; Tiffany Hudack, Ashland; Tim Carbon, Highbridge; Joe Wolfe, Ironwood, MI; Matt Deragon, Ashland; Dustin Follett, Cloquet, MN.