By Jason D Searcy
September 5, 2015 – Elko MN
A state-wide heat advisory greeted fans and racers at Elko Speedway over Labor Day weekend and the racing on the track proved to be just as hot as the temperature outside.
Jacob Goede from Carver (MN) endured quite the battle to win his 9th MN Corn Growers Super Late Model feature of 2015. Billy Mohn was looking for two wins in a row as he took the early lead in this 40 lap event in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series, he held off former Champion Danny Fredrickson at the start.
Fredrickson worked on Mohn and finally did take the lead just before the half-way point, then defending Champion Jacob Goede advanced from his fourth place starting spot to challenge for the lead. At lap 20 Fredrickson and Goede were side by side at the front and stayed that way lap after lap.
On a restart with 15 laps remaining Goede shot ahead of Fredrickson for the lead, Fredrickson then pulled off the track and into the pits thinking that his new engine was overheating. It turned out to be a faulty temperature gauge that ruined a great run for Fredrickson, who ended up 15th.
Goede then extended his lead and won over nine time Champion Donny Reuvers who finished 1.272 seconds behind, with Matt Goede getting third and Billy Mohn fourth in this incredibly strong 17 car field.
Jacob Goede now has an 88 point lead over his brother Matt in the race for the Championship at Elko Speedway.
Four time Elko Speedway Champion Doug Brown from Prior Lake (MN) finally earned his first HiWay Federal Credit Union BIG 8 feature of 2015 and he held off eleven time winner Chris Marek to do so. “The car was driving off the corners real nice, it was a little tight in the middle of the turns but I just managed the tires and gave it what it needed so I had something for the end” said Brown. Defending Champion Marek started eighth but he finished runner up, .627 seconds behind Brown at the finish line. “I saw him in the mirror,” said Brown “he was far enough back so I didn’t over-drive it, but his car is definitely fast.”
Marek is now has an 82 point lead over Ryan Kamish in the race for the BIG 8 Championship.
The Genz-Ryan Thunder Car main event saw Eric Campbell from Lonsdale (MN) win his second feature of the year. James Lindgren led early before Campbell took over the lead on lap 3 of the 25 lap race. Every one of the nineteen cars seemed to be battling for position and Campbell held onto the top spot though the numerous restarts and spin outs, even though the top 2 point leaders were breathing down his neck. Then with 10 laps remaining a big wreck happened, Tony Holm ended upside down and into the fence in corner number one, he was OK but it gave one more chance for the challengers.
Campbell nailed the restart and went on to win by .554 seconds over Jeremy Wolff with Brent Kane finishing third in this 21 car field.
The race for the point Championship has gotten extremely close. Jeremy Wolff now leads Brent Kane by 3 points with three race weekends remaining in this division. These are two of the most popular drivers at Elko Speedway with both guys having a very vocal group of fans.
Taylor Goldman from Minnetonka (MN) won her third Pepsi Power Stock feature of the year at Elko Speedway. Goldman started up front and ran away from the 20 car field, she won by an impressive 3.733 seconds. Tim Hollen finished runner-up for the sixth time this year, he has been on the verge of winning all year long. Brandon Petersen finished third with point leader Grant Brown having carburetor problems and finishing fourth, Paul Hamilton was fifth and Tom Doten sixth.
15 yr old Grant Brown holds onto the point lead by 24 points over Tom Doten and with the win Taylor Goldman is now 52 points back.
Brady Fox-Rhode from Loretto (MN) won his 5th Great North Legends main event of the year. 2009 Champion Jaycen Brockhouse led early and then raced side by side with defending Champion Derek Lemke for the top spot. Lemke then went high and dropped all the way back to seventh, opening the door for Fox-Rhode who moved up from his 4th row starting position. Hans Roeschli had a back wreck and rolled his machine in corner number four, he was alright but his car was not, he did not finish the race and was scored 19th.
Brady Fox-Rhode then went on to win finishing .925 seconds ahead of Jon Lemke who passed Dirk Henry on the front stretch coming to the line, Lemke beat Henry by .001 seconds. Jaycen Brockhouse dropped back to fourth and Derek Lemke came home sixth.
Derek Lemke still leads in the standings, he now has a 17 point lead over Brockhouse in the race for the Championship.
Michael Wachs Jr from Shakopee (MN) won his first Hornets feature of 2015 in a runaway fashion. Wachs won by 2.413 seconds over the point leader Justin Schelitzche and four time winner Alex Vincent finished third.
Schelitzche now has a 32 point lead over Ashley Bell in the race for the 2015 Hornets point title.
Owin Giles from New Market (MN) was patient enough to wait for an opportunity that finally happened on the last lap in the Bandoleros main event. Giles took advantage of the top two drivers having contact on the last lap to scoot past for the win. Giles won for the sixth time in 2015 with Lennon Watkins finishing second and Luke Allen in third.
Giles now has a 26 point lead over Allen in the race for the title.
For full results and point standings go to www.ElkoSpeedway.com/results
The Jeremy Johnson memorial Sportsmanship plaque was awarded to Kathy Hough at intermission for her many years helping with the Legends and Bandoleros divisions at Elko Speedway.
Two drivers at Elko Speedway are now leading the National NASCAR Hometracks point standings. Brent Kane is currently in first place in division 3 and Grant Brown is the point leader in division 4. Fans can follow their favorite local drivers quest to win a National NASCAR point title by going to https://hometracks.nascar.com/standings/Whelen-All-American-Series/national_top500/2015
Up next a Elko Speedway is an Eve of Destruction with racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series on Saturday September 12th. Two monster trucks will compete, the Timberworks Lumberjacks will perform along with School Bus figure 8 racing, Spectator drags and much more. Gates open at 5pm with action beginning at 6pm. Elko Speedway is located 20 minutes South of the Twin Cities just off of I-35 and County Road 2. Get more information by going to www.ElkoSpeedway.com or by calling 952 461-7223.
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