The ALL-STAR Triple Crown Series, presented by Earth Inc., kicked off the season with their first of three events on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for racing. It was Dalton Zehr setting fast time today with a lap time of 17.907 seconds. Heat winners today were Wausau, WI driver Neil Knoblock, and Minnesota driver, Billy Mohn.
Grabbing the early lead was veteran ace driver Jeremy Lepak, with Joel Thiesen holding on to the runner up position. Lepak woud lead the first 6 laps, but slipped slightly out of turn one allowing Joel Thiesen to take over the top spot. Neil Knoblock pressed Thiesen hard for the race lead on lap 9, and would earn the top spot with an outside pass. Knoblock took his turn leading the 75-lap feature, leading the next 7 laps. On lap 16, Knoblock was passed by Billy Mohn. Mohn, who earlier in the day won his heat race, appeared to have a very fast car. With Knoblock and Thiesen riding 1/2 respectively, it was Jim Sauter, Jr. moving to the fourth position. Sauter, Jr., the 2012 Marshfield Motor Speedway track champion, worked his way past Thiesen on lap 15 for the third spot. Mohn would continue to lead until lap 28, that was when John Beale powered his familiar red #5 past Mohn for the top spot. On lap 31, Dalton Zehr moved his #119 machine to the runner up spot, setting his sight on Beale for the race lead. With Beale and Zehr running first & second, the best race on the track was the race for third with Mohn and Knoblock in the #7-11. For 25 laps, Knoblock was looking to regain the position that he lost to Mohn earlier in the race. Knoblock would look low, but Mohn continued to slam the door. Finally for Knoblock, Mohn slipped up slightly in turn one, allowing Knoblock to work to his inside. Knoblock cleared Mohn for the third spot, and quickly earned a 5-car length cushion on the fourth place Mohn. With Beale, Zehr, and Knoblock holding their positions comfortably, caution flew with 6 laps remaining as Mohn was tagged by Joel Thiesen as they exited turn 4. On the restart, it was status quo, as John Beale ran a great race and went on to earn his first career super late model feature win on the wide half-mile paved oval of Marshfield Motor Speedway. With Zehr and Knoblock finishing second and third, it was Dillon Hammond and Jim Sauter, Jr. rounding out the top 5.
