RICE LAKE, Wis. – It was Hall of Fame night at the Rice Lake Speedway and four new inductees were added to the Hall on Saturday.
They included former racers Al Hajdasz and the late Gene Bolin, along with Friends of the Speedway new members Larry Johnson and Jim Randall.
A very fast race track, the result of recent rains which made it heavy and full of traction, led to a number of breathtaking races and close battles, but the top feature winners of the season so far continued their winning ways.
Probably the most disappointing moment for the big crowd on hand was when young Kennedy Swan, after leading 13 and nine-tenths laps of the 15-lap Midwest Modified feature, spun exiting turn four and lost her opportunity to be the youngest-ever feature winner at the track.
She had taken the lead immediately at the start of the Midwest Modified feature and when there was a scramble for positions behind her, she was able to move out to a commanding early lead.
As the race continued under the green, she was able to set a good line on the track and turn lap after strong lap as the field chased her.
Shane Halopka was able to move into second after starting sixth and he gradually began to cut into her lead while Travis Anderson moved up to third.
Halopka caught the leader but catching her and making a pass were two different things as she fought hard and refused to give up the top spot, even when they got into some lapped traffic.
Several times Halopka was able to get to the inside of Kennedy but each time she fought him off.
As the laps ran down it looked like a historic feat just might take place but as they raced to the white flag, a lapped car was on her outside and she had to adjust her line slightly in turn four.
That threw her off and when she exited the corner the car got lose and she spun at the exit to turn four, thus ending a great run.
The 13-year-old would restart at the back of the pack and would manage to fight her way back up to sixth at the finish.
Halopka then pulled away on the green and he would earn his third victory of the season at Rice Lake. Anderson had to fight off a last lap charge from Jamie Bisonette to hold on to second.
Other feature winners included Curt Myers (Super Stock), Cody Kummer (Street Stock), Mike Schnider (Pure Stock) and Mike Anderson (Modified).