This past weekend, the AMSOIL/Wanderscheid Racing team was in Rock Rapids, Iowa for the second round of WSA Pro Ice Racing.
The temperature in Rock Rapids was hovering around 38 degrees, so things were melting and track conditions became sloppy. In the 
first heat of 600 open qualifying, PJ Wanderscheid ended up third and finished the second heat in fifth. Track conditions were quickly deteriorating with the warm weather so race officials decided to call it a day. The track was down to dirt in spots, causing damage to the studs and carbides. With colder weather in the forecast, everyone hoped Sunday would be a better day for racing.
Sunday morning arrived and so did the cold. The temperature was around five below and about a ¼ inch of ice covered the region. The first heat of the day in Champ 440, Wanderscheid ended in second behind the Wahl sled driven by Brandon Johnson. The third and final round of 600 qualifying was the next race on the board, and PJ crossed the line in third. That qualified the AMSOIL sled seventh for the 600 Open final.
first heat of 600 open qualifying, PJ Wanderscheid ended up third and finished the second heat in fifth. Track conditions were quickly deteriorating with the warm weather so race officials decided to call it a day. The track was down to dirt in spots, causing damage to the studs and carbides. With colder weather in the forecast, everyone hoped Sunday would be a better day for racing.Sunday morning arrived and so did the cold. The temperature was around five below and about a ¼ inch of ice covered the region. The first heat of the day in Champ 440, Wanderscheid ended in second behind the Wahl sled driven by Brandon Johnson. The third and final round of 600 qualifying was the next race on the board, and PJ crossed the line in third. That qualified the AMSOIL sled seventh for the 600 Open final.
The second heat of the 440 Champ class brought some extra tuning by and they were able to cross the finish line first. The third and final heat of the day, Wanderscheid grabbed the hole shot and lead until two laps to go, when Dustin Wahl got around the #28 sled.
In the 600 open final, Wanderscheid grabbed the hole shot and came out of turn 2 with the lead. The #38 of Matt Schultz shot by us on the inside and the #22 of Brandon Johnson went by us on the inside. We hung close the #22 sled for most of the race but the 600 sleds are just to much for our 440 Champ sled to overtake. We ended the final in third.
"We are very happy with this finish considering out 440 was running in the 600 open class," said Wanderscheid. "The 600's have a distinct advantage, having about 20 more horsepower than our 440 sled. But we use this as a test for the AMSOIL World Championship Derby, where we will all have to run the 440."
Due to the oncoming snow and cold, the WSA decided to call off the 440 Champ final. That race will be rescheduled at the next event in Forest Lake, Minn. Wanderscheid qualified second for that final.
Due to the oncoming snow and cold, the WSA decided to call off the 440 Champ final. That race will be rescheduled at the next event in Forest Lake, Minn. Wanderscheid qualified second for that final.
Wanderscheid won't race again until January 10-11 in Plymouth, Minn., his final tune-up before the AMSOIL Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
Until then, we'll see you at the races.
