SABRASKI MACK ESTEY WIN MOD FEATURES AT GONDIK LAW SPEEDWAY Peterson Stordahl Top Traditional and Winged Sprints UMSS/Renegade Battle By Jerry O'Brien 6-21-19 Superior, WI
Racing Friday night June 21st at Gondik Law Speedway was essentially an Open Wheel show. Coming to the cool shores of Lake Superior was the North/South clash between the Upper Midwest Sprint Car Series and the Renegade Sprint Car Series featuring both Winged and Traditional Sprint cars.
The traditional cars are sans wings.
Also on the card were WISSOTA Modifieds and Midwest Modifieds with WISSOTA Pure Stocks and Hornets.
After qualifying heats for the Traditional Sprints won by Mike Meuller of Stacy, MN and Harry Hanson of Eveleth, MN, the first sprint car main event took the the speedway. It was explained that the reason the sprint car features were split to run first and last was that the traditional cars could run the winged feature by adding the wings and changing from a two barrel carburetor to a four barrel carburetor. The reverse was true for winged cars wanting to run with the Traditional cars.
Eighteen cars lined up for twenty-five laps of wingless competition with Brad Peterson and Zach Hansen leading the pack to the green. Peterson jumped to the lead over Mike Mueller, Hansen, Rob Ccaho Jr and Jack Berger and Harry Hanson. The field quickly became strung out with Peterson moving off to a long lead. The first of two caution flags flew when Josh Bradford stopped at the top of turns one and two. The restart saw Peterson maintain his lead over Caho with Harry Hanson and ninth starting Caley Emerson up to third. The final caution flag appeared setting up a five lap dash with the pack all bunched up. At the green Peterson was equal to the task and stayed out front to the checkered flag after leading all twenty-five circuits. Caho faded rapidly to a 16th place finish while tenth starting Jon Lewerer finished second. Emerson held third, Denny Stordahl came from 11th to get by Hanson to fourth as Hanson held off Mueller for fifth.
The Pure Stocks were next and Jason Akervik took the early lead from the outside pole. Trevor Treviranus held second ahead of Aaron Bernick, James Vendela, Dylan Shelton and Cory Jorgenson. It was the first time out this season for Tyler Keup and it became evident something was amiss with the right front wheel. With eight laps to go of the 12 scheduled the right front wheel parted company with the car bringing out the caution flag. Akervik held onto the lead at the restart dogged by Bernick, a fast closing Jorgenson, Vendela and Shelton.
Three laps later, Vendela had worked his way into second and made the pass for the lead on Akervick. Akervick began to slide back a bit and brought out the second and final caution flag when he was turned into the wall in turns one and two. Michael Roth was charged with the caution abd Akervik was restored to second place. Vendela held off Akervik, Jorgenson, Bernick and Treviranus for several laps but Jorgenson got past and went on to complete the sweep.
The Hornets came out of their nest to run their twelve lap feature with Carter Rieland on the pole. At the green Rieland took off in the lead with Nate Rose in hot pursuit. Paul George and Jase Wiarda were also in contention. Rieland expanded his lead over Rose who fought off George for several laps before giving up second to him. Rieland's lead kept getting longer as Rose fought back and reclaimed second. The top three were way out in front of the pack while Paul Ripley, Tate Niehaus,Tyler Schramm, Dayna Marken, Rick Long Jr and Derek Dunbar squabbled amongs themselves for position. Reiland took the win over George with Rose, Schramm and Niehaus finishing in the top five.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were scheduled for fifteen laps for their main event. Gunner Peterson grabbed the lead from the pole over Tanner Williamson, Andrew Inman, Mack Estey, David Simpson and Skeeter Estey but the caution flag appeared for a Wyatt Boyem spin in turn two. The restart came with one lap in the books and Peterson still holding off Williamson and the rest of the snarling pack. The front runners back to sixth place Skeeter Estey began to pull away from Craig Lofdahl and Eric Lamm back in seventh and eighth. Caution number two flew when Ryan Savoy hit the second turn wall. He was charged with the incident and sent to the rear. Peterson was tenacious holding onto the lead as the players gaggle of players behind him turned into a skirmish between Mack and Skeeter Estey as battled for second. Just before the end Mack Estey wrestled the lead away form Peterson and a lap later Lofdahl brought out the caution when he clipped the back stretch wall. The restart came with three laps left and Mack held off Skeeter to take his second win at the speedway this season. Peterson held onto third, Inman was fourth and Shane Howell made it to fifth from his 11th starting spot.
Then it was the big boy Modifieds for their 20 lap main event. Cody Carlson drew the pole and shot into the lead at the green with Andy Jones giving chase.
Todd clung to third ahead of Darrell Nelson, Shane Sabraski, Al Uotinen, Danny Vang and Kelly Estey. Jody Bellefeuille began to make some moves as he worked his way to fifth. The first caution flag flew when Carlson was judged to have spun on his own and was sent to the back. The restart came with 14 laps to go. Nelson assumed the point as Sabraski took over second, Jones third and Vang fourth ahead of Bellefeuille in fifth. The second caution was for Bellefeuille who pulled into the work area. Eleven laps remained after this stoppage and Bellefeuille returned to the fray at the end of the field. Nelson led Jones, Estey, Sabraski and Vang. A lap later Sabraski got the opening he'd been looking for and scooted past Nelson to the lead. Sabraski then put some distance on the pack and Nelson taking his second win of the season here. Nelson, Estey, and Vang were the front running four with Bellefeuille breathing dwn their necks in fifth. The night finished up with the Winged Sprints going for 20 laps. Carter Chevalier started from the pole with Gunner Cummings, Harry Hanson, Denny Stordahl, Caley Emerson and Jack Berger following. The caution flag appeared when Cummings appeared to tangle with Ryan Johnson in turns three and four. The restart saw Chevalier take the lead with Emerson closely following. Berger. At the half way point Denny Stordahl found himself in the lead and went on to hold off Emerson, Chevalier, Berger and Cummings in the top five.
- administrator on Jun 24, 2019
- Article Date: 6/24/2019