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Estey takes third at annual Minnesota Modified Nationals

By Ray Beste

ALEXANDRIA, MN (July 4, 2008) - Kelly Estey held off a mid-race challenge from Steve Arpin to pick up the qualifying feature during opening night action at the 4th Annual Minnesota Modified Nationals. Estey chose to start Saturday night's $7,000 to win A-main from the pole which will put Arpin to his outside. Shane Sabraski continued his unbelievable streak of consistency picking up yet another win in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified division while Shawn Wageman scored the win in the WISSOTA Street Stocks. 63 WISSOTA Modifieds checked into the backgate to do battle during Amsoil Dirt Track Series racing at Viking Speedway.
The final race of the night belonged to the WISSOTA Modifieds. With fourteen drivers locked into the A-main, they stacked up two by two with 25 laps put up on the board. Kelly Estey and WISSOTA Modified rookie Brady Peterson were aligned on the front row as the green flag dropped. Estey bolted off into the lead while Zach Johnson quickly moved into second. Outside row five starter Steve Arpin quickly cracked the top five just four laps in running the middle of the speedway. Row seven starters Jason Thoennes and Scot Danzeisen proved they would be a factor early on working their way through the field methodically. Aprin moved by Johnson for the second spot with eleven laps remaining and quickly began to pressure Estey for the lead. Estey worked the extreme high side of the speedway with Arpin rolling through the middle. With seven laps remaining, Arpin took a peak to the inside of Estey as the duo entered turn three. Estey, however, carried his top side momentum down the hill and still held the advantage. From that point on, Estey looked strong out front, eventually scoring the win. Danzeisen and Thoennes each moved up to 6th and 7th respectively during the 25-lap affair while Arpin came home second behind Estey. Johnson, Scott Gilbertson and Don Eischens rounded out the top five finishing order for the WISSOTA Modified qualifying feature. All seven heat race winners locked into the qualifier as well as the top seven in passing points. Eleven more drivers would still qualify for the main event on Saturday.

After the race was over, Estey chose the inside pole for the feature which would put Arpin on the outside of row one for Saturday night's $7,000 to win A-main.

With all the events of the weekend in the books, the 25-car WISSOTA Modified field rolled out onto the speedway. 50- laps were put up on the board with a planned fuel stop on lap 20. Driver introductions were performed with each driver strapping into their respective machine. Kelly Estey and Steve Arpin brought the 25-car field off of turn four and it was underway. Arpin immediately grabbed the lead on the opening lap while the field stretched in tow. Zach Johnson held the third spot early on while Scot Danzeisen made some nice moves. Danzeisen cracked the top five just three laps in while Arpin was bolted to the speedway out front. Danzeisen was able to work his way past Scott Gilbertson and Johnson to take over the third spot twelves laps into the event while Arpin was on cruise control out front. Dave Cain moved up six positions early on finding himself in the fourth spot when the red/checkered flags waved on lap 20. When order was restored, Arpin once again cruised off to a comfortable advantage this time leaving Estey and Danzeisen to battle for the runner up spot. Danzeisen took the spot on lap 34, with Estey regaining the spot just two laps later. Blooming Prairie, Mn legend Mark Noble began to make his presence known with eighteen laps remaining as he wheeled by Jason Thoennes for the sixth spot. Thoennes, however, battled back and regained the spot just one lap later. Many hard charging efforts were found during the remaining laps while Arpin maintained a huge lead out front. Ryan Aho, Thatcher and Noble had made considerable ground on the field as they battled in an attempt to enter the top five. With five laps remaining the final yellow flag of the event hung over the field. On the restart, Thoennes was able to work to the outside of Cain moving into the fourth spot in the process. Ninteenth starter Aho was very impressive in his first ever Mod Nationals finishing second after disposing of Thatcher for the seventh spot with just two laps remaining. Out front it was all Arpin picking up his first ever Minnesota Modified Nationals title, as well as his first Viking Speedway victory. Scot Danzeisen had a mighty impressive run in the second spot ahead of Estey, Thoennes and Cain. The final eleven drivers that qualified through the B-mains and last chance qualifiers included: Joey Jensen, Mark Noble, Brock Gronwold, Shane Sabraski, Ryan AHo, Dale Mathison, Craig Thatcher, Jeff Hinkemeyer, JJ Schuelke, Corky Thomas and Blake Jegtvig.

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