Murgic edges Royle to win 17th Dwain Behrens Memorial 40 at Elko

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Sunny skies greeted the enthusiastic fans, who were also treated to a $5 "rebate" from KQRS Morning Show personality Terry Traen prior to an action packed program of NASCAR Whelen All American Series action which began with qualifying and Heat races setting the stage for the six divisional feature races.

In the NASCAR Super Late Models, the drivers were anticipating a hard fought battle as the entire field wanted to add their name to the prestigious list of winners of the Dwain Behrens Memorial 40, which honors the late Elko Speedway Champion and Hall of Fame member. At the drop of the green Steve Anderson and Dean Cornelius jumped out to battle for the early lead with Brian Johnson, Matt Goede and Murgic in tow. As the action remained "clean and green", Murgic began to move on the outside, working around Goede and Johnson to join the top three by lap seven, before he slid around Anderson and began pursuit of Cornelius.

The third generation Elko competitor only needed three laps to take the point from Cornelius on lap 12 and as the action remained caution free, pulled out to a eight car length advantage as Adam Royle and Donny Reuvers joined the top four working around Anderson at the midpoint. The action was finally stalled on lap 36 as Goede lost the handle on his ride in turn two, setting up a four lap shootout. On the restart, Murgic powered to the lead, with Royle working under Cornelius for second but he would not challenge Murgic who roared to his second career win in the Dwain Behrens Memorial, with Royle (a two time event winner) second, Cornelius third, Reuvers fourth and Anderson rounding out the top five.

In the Big 8 Sportsman, Lawrence Berthiaume took the early lead over Travis Stanley and Nick Barstad who went high and low around Ryan Kamish on lap two in a wild "meat in the sandwich" manuver! As the action remained caution free, it was Stanley who put continual pressure on Berthiaume before he worked inside on lap 13 to take the point, with Doug Brown and Tom Kamish also working by Berthiaume. As the field reached the midpoint, it was Brown on the move as the 2 time defending divisional champion roared to the lead and went untouched to the victory, with Kamish working under Stanley on lap 23 to claim second, with Stanley, Barstad and Berthiaume rounding out the top five.

The Genz Ryan Thunder Cars saw Craig Bennett and Scott King duel early, with King taking the early lead as Ted Reuvers, Jack Paulson and Brent Kane charged into the top five by lap 7. As King continued to ride point, Paulson and Reuvers made contact on lap 12, with Paulson taking over third and Kane moving to fourth. With King's lead shrinking, Kane continued his assualt moving by Paulson and then Bennett to second, before Paulson went for a wild spin on the main straight with the action remaining under the green. Once in second, Kane closed on King, moving to the lead on lap 21 enroute to a clean sweep on the night, with King second, Reuvers rebounding to third, Chris Marek closing fast in fourth and Bennett earning a top five.

For the Click Club USA Legends, twin 20 lap features were in store upon arrival and Lakeville's "Flyin Bryan" Syer-Keske showed all in attendence that he is a "star in the making" as he took the lead from Shon Jacobsen on lap 15 enroute to winning the opening main, before he roared by Jacobsen and Dirk Henry on lap 18 in the second feature to sweep the action, with Jacobsen earning runnerup honors in both features and Henry scoring back to back top three finishes.

The Dick's Sanitation Power Stocks also showed off their skills in an action packed 20 lapper that saw Hastings' Paul Hamilton overtake early leader Darren Walterman on lap five, before holding off the hard charging Josiah King to earn the win, with Dillon Sellner, Taylor Goldman and point leader Rob Schnickels rounding out the top five.

Topping off the action were the Super Hornets and Shakopee's Kevin Anderson took the early lead, with Faribault's Brandon Peterson moving up quickly from his third row starting position. Anderson paced the first 10 laps before Peterson slid under him on lap 11 to take the lead and once at the point, Peterson pulled away to his first career feature win, with Anderson, Norm Grabinger, Shawn Grabinger and Robin Roth in the top five to end an action packed night of racing!

The NASCAR Whelen All American Series action continues on Saturday August 14, 2010 with six divisions of racing including the Click Club USA Challenge Series 40 for the Click Club USA Legends. Spectator gates will open at 5pm, with qualifying at 6pm and green flag action at 7pm. For directions, ticket information or general questions, contact the Racing Office at (952) 461-7223 or visit www.elkospeedway.com.

Results from the NASCAR Whelen All American Series at Elko Speedway Saturday August 7, 2010

NASCAR Super Late Models

Fast Qualifier Matt Goede New Germany 13.836 seconds (97.572 mph) Semi Feature #1 15 laps 1. Dean Cornelius Chaska 2. Brian Johnson Lakeville 3. Jason Schneider New Market 4. Donny Reuvers Dundas 5. Adam Royle Lonsdale Semi Feature #2 15 laps 1. Nick Murgic Rosemount 2. Bryan Roach Goodhue 3. Steve Anderson Lakeville 4. Paul Paine Mound 5. Ryan Johnson Eagan Dwain Behrens Memorial 40 1. Nick Murgic Rosemount 2. Adam Royle Lonsdale 3. Dean Cornelius Chaska 4. Donny Reuvers Dundas 5. Steve Anderson Lakeville 6. Brian Johnson Lakeville 7. Bryan Roach Goodhue 8. Jason Schneider New Market 9. Paul Paine Mound 10. Ryan Johnson Eagan

Big 8 Sportsman

Fast Qualifier Doug Brown Prior Lake 14. 804 seconds (91.192 mph) Heat 12 laps 1. Lawrence Berthiaume Rogers 2. Travis Stanley Prior Lake 3. Nick Barstad Prior Lake 4. Doug Brown Prior Lake 5. Tom Kamish Farmington Feature 30 laps 1. Doug Brown Prior Lake 2. Tom Kamish Farmington 3. Travis Stanley Prior Lake 4. Nick Barstad Prior Lake 5. Lawrence Berthiaume Rogers

Thunder Cars

 Fast Qualifier Brent Kane Lonsdale 15.927 mph (84.762 mph) Heat 12 laps 1. Brent Kane Lonsdale 2. Ted Reuvers Dundas 3. Chris Marek Lakeville 4. Jack Paulson Faribault 5. Scott King Lakeville Feature 25 laps 1. Brent Kane Lonsdale 2. Scott King Lakeville 3. Ted Reuvers Dundas 4. Chris Marek Lakeville 5. Craig Bennett Forest Lake

Click Club USA Legends

 Feature #1 20 laps 1. Bryan Syer-Keske Lakeville 2. Shon Jacobsen East Bethel 3. Dirk Henry Sauk Center 4. Matt Ostdiek Lakeville 5. Todd Tracy Belle Plaine Feature #2 20 laps 1. Bryan Syer-Keske Lakeville 2. Shon Jacobsen East Bethel 3. Dirk Henry Sauk Center 4. Matt Ostdiek Lakeville 5. Pat Zandstra Buffalo

Power Stocks

 Heat 10 laps 1. Tom Doten St. Paul 2. Paul Hamilton Hastings 3. Dillon Sellner Farmington 4. Darren Walterman Webster 5. Taylor Goldman Minnetonka Feature 20 laps 1. Paul Hamilton Hastings 2. Josiah King Lakeville 3. Dillon Sellner Farmington 4. Taylor Goldman Minnetonka 5. Rob Schnickels Elko

Super Hornets

Heat 10 laps 1. Shawn Grabinger Medford 2. Corey Miller Elko 3. Zach Schelhaas New Prague 4. Brandon Peterson Faribault 5. Kevin Anderson Shakopee Feature 15 laps 1. Brandon Peterson Faribault 2. Kevin Anderson Shakopee 3. Norm Grabinger Medford 4. Shawn Grabinger Medford 5. Robin Roth Faribault

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