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Ebert earns his third WISSOTA 100 title by holding off Atkinson during Saturday’s Championship Feature

By Tony Steuck
All The Dirt! Racing News

FERGUS FALLS, MN (September 14) - Dan Ebert was never comfortable at the front of the WISSOTA Modified field on Saturday, but he held off Landon Atkinson the entire way to score his third WISSOTA 100 title, and second in a Modified.

Ebert grabbed the lead at the drop of the green in the 40-lap feature. Dave Cain was second on the opening lap, while Atkinson raced with Don Eischens for third. After a restart with one lap recorded, Ebert maintained his advantage over Cain and Atkinson, while Clayton Wagamon moved in on Eischens inside the top five. The caution waved for a spin with four laps recorded.

Ebert remained at the point, but Atkinson claimed second when the race resumed. Eischens looked to get by Cain for third, and grabbed the position on lap eight. Wagamon was the next to try to slip by Cain.

Dave Cain, Don Eischens and Dan Ebert lead the field to the green flag in the Championship Feature (Cody Papke Photo)

Atkinson remained close to Ebert at the head of the field, and there was a substantial gap to Eischens in third. Shane Sabraski and Wagamon battled with Cain for fourth just after lap 10.

Atkinson looked to the inside of the leader, and they were door to door on lap 15 as they approached traffic. The tail of the field loomed in front of the leaders; Ebert made a move to race under a pair of lapped cars, but Atkinson followed in his tracks a short time later to remain close. Sabraski retired from the event just after the halfway mark.

Ebert altered his line through turns one and two, and opened a small gap, but Atkinson kept him in his sights through traffic. Eischens ran alone in third, Cain was all by himself in fourth, and Brady Gerdes worked on Wagamon for fifth; he made the pass on lap 27.

Seth Brede, Tyler Peterson and Brendan Blascyk

Ebert opened a little ground with less than 10 laps to go, but Atkinson was right on his bumper with five to go. Atkinson looked under the leader in turns one and two and they were door to door down the back chute with less than three laps to go. Ebert gained the advantage in turns three and four, but Atkinson again had a run down the back chute with less than two laps left. Ebert held serve over the final lap, and scored the close victory over Atkinson at the checkered flag. Eischens was third ahead of Gerdes and Cain in the top five. Wagamon, Zach Johnson, Blake Jegtvig, Joseph Thomas and Dustin Bitzan rounded out the top 10.

The final six drivers to lock into the Championship Feature did so through the 15-lap Last Chance Qualifier. Ryan Gierke and Travis Saurer battled for the lead at the drop of the green. Saurer tagged the wall and fell to third behind Avery Anderson, with Brock Gronwold close in fourth. A wild battle for fifth turned ugly on lap three, and Bryce Borgen and Austin Chyba were eliminated from competition. The next caution fell with three laps scored, then another after lap four.

Back under green, Anderson and Gronwold battled for second behind Gierke, while Josh Beaulieu and Justin Froemming raced for a transfer behind Saurer. Cayden Schmeling reeled in that battle, but spun to bring out a caution with six laps recorded.

Only seven cars remained when the field restarted; Gierke continued out front on the cushion, and Saurer rebounded to challenge him on lap nine. After a few laps, Gierke edged away while Froemming worked on Anderson inside the top five.

Gierke raced to the victory, while Saurer, Anderson, Froemming, Beaulieu and Gronwold also earned transfers into the big show.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Modifieds:

Feature (40 Laps): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[3]; 2. 18A-Landon Atkinson[4]; 3. 9E-Don Eischens[2]; 4. 2X-Brady Gerdes[9]; 5. 2C-Dave Cain[1]; 6. 14W-Clayton Wagamon[6]; 7. 6X-Zach Johnson[17]; 8. 2J-Blake Jegtvig[5]; 9. 6ST-Joseph Thomas[15]; 10. 10X-Dustin Bitzan[7]; 11. 22C-Brandon Copp[14]; 12. 52-Jason Thoennes[23]; 13. 18S-Kennedy Swan[11]; 14. 45J-Johnny Broking[12]; 15. 9B-Brendan Blascyk[18]; 16. 97-Cole Anderson[13]; 17. 2G-Brock Gronwold[30]; 18. 17B-Zach Benson[22]; 19. 6SL-Seth Brede[16]; 20. 12D-Mike Stearns[31]; 21. 22B-Josh Beaulieu[29]; 22. 6*-Brian Haben[21]; 23. (DNF) 21X-Travis Saurer[26]; 24. (DNF) 1TPO-Tyler Peterson[20]; 25. (DNF) 7A-Shane Sabraski[8]; 26. (DNF) 6-Dale Ames[24]; 27. (DNF) 40F-John Farrington[32]; 28. (DNF) 40-Kevin Adams[33]; 29. (DNF) 33X-Justin Froemming[28]; 30. (DNF) 26G-Ryan Gierke[25]; 31. (DNF) 15-Ryan Flaten[19]; 32. (DNF) 11-Jody Bellefeuille[10]; 33. (DNF) 51A-Avery Anderson[27]

LCQ (15 Laps): 1. 26G-Ryan Gierke[2]; 2. 21X-Travis Saurer[1]; 3. 51A-Avery Anderson[7]; 4. 33X-Justin Froemming[11]; 5. 22B-Josh Beaulieu[5]; 6. 2G-Brock Gronwold[4]; 7. 18-Taylor Garberich[9]; 8. (DNF) 13-Cayden Schmeling[10]; 9. (DNF) 22-Tyler Kintner[13]; 10. (DNF) 11X-Austin Chyba[3]; 11. (DNF) 7-Bryce Borgen[8]; 12. (DNF) 15T-Jeff Flaten[12]; 13. (DNF) 7R-Mike Rohwedder[14]; 14. (DNF) 6T-Corky Thomas[15]; 15. (DNS) 5H-Brett Hoium; 16. (DNS) 121-Dano Ostrander