By Jason D Searcy
June 16, 2018 – Elko, MN
It was Free admission Kids Night and seven busloads of children were given rides around the 3/8th mile banked track at Elko Speedway before the NASCAR Whelen All American series races began.
The first 30 lap Hiway Federal Credit Union Late Model feature event saw #21 Adam Bendzick from Elko (MN) take the lead, a caution happened on lap 12 but Bendzick retained the lead off the restart. Bendzick never looked back from that point, he extended his lead to .909 seconds at the finish line for the win, it was his first win in over 8 years when he was driving a Mid-Am car, and it was his first career win in a Late Model. Jacob Goede #72 started in the fourth row and moved up to finish second, #3 Chris Marek was third, #26 L.B Berthiaume finished fourth and #52 Chad Walen was fifth out of the fifteen cars entered.
The second Late Model feature event had #14 Devyn Stocker lead much of the race until a spin with four laps to go reset the field. The last few laps had #6 Owin Giles and #52 Chad Walen from Prior Lake (MN) race furiously side by side for the trophy. On the last corner Chad Walen edged ahead and won by just .289 seconds, it was his second win of 2018. Giles finished second, Jacob Goede was third, Chris Marek fourth and fast qualifier #13 Bryan Wrolstad rounded out the Top 5.
Jacob Goede continues to hold the point lead with a 35 point advantage over Chad Walen.
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The first 20 lap Genz-Ryan Thunder Car feature had #7 Brandon Petersen up front early, it was his first full night racing after a practice incident on opening night derailed his season. On lap 9 Dillon Sellner #07 took over the lead and then on lap 13 Jeremy Wolff #32 was challenging for the top spot. Wolff grabbed the lead with five laps to go and he beat Sellner to the finish line by .607 seconds. It was the third win of the season for Wolff. Sellner finished second, #25 Eric Campbell third, fast qualifier #3 Conrad Jorgenson fourth and #37 Bryce Blohm finished fifth of the thirteen cars entered.
The second Thunder Car feature had Brandon Petersen again at the top of the field. On lap three #9 Adam Wiebusch took over the lead until the yellow flag flew on lap six. Bryce Blohm #37 from Lakeville (MN) was a rocket ship off the restart and took the lead, Blohm held off the field again after a restart on lap 12 and he went on to win by 1.015 seconds. It was the first trophy of the season for Blohm and it was his second career Thunder Car win. There was a great battle for the runner up position, #25 Eric Campbell started 9th and finished second, Jeremy Wolff #32 started 11th and finished third, Adam Wiebusch was fourth and #07 Dillon Sellner finished fifth.
Jeremy Wolff continues to lead points in the Thunder Car division, he now has a 29 point lead over Dillon Sellner and a 30 point lead over Eric Campbell in the race for the Championship.
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The first Pepsi Power Stock feature had #6 Joey Prusak as the leader in close competition with #83 Julie Jorgenson from Lakeville (MN), on lap seven the #33 Craig Wierson car dropped a lot of fluid on the track and the caution was displayed with numerous cars sliding out of control through the mess. After the restart Jorgenson and the #08 car of Michael Stoer raced side by side for the top spot, it was an exciting battle right to the finish as Julie Jorgenson edged Michael Stoer by .143 seconds at the finish line for her first career win. In the seven Power Stock races run so far in 2018, race fans have seen seven different winners. Michael Stoer finished second, Dustin Tuma #5 was third, #88 Nick Oxborough finished fourth and #56 Paul Hamilton was fifth.
The second Power Stock feature had fast qualifier Taylor Goldman #8 from Minnetonka (MN) take a big lead and increase it throughout the 20 lap caution less race. Goldman won by an impressive 4.572 seconds at the finish line, Jason Michaud #41 finished a distant second place. Paul Hamilton #56 finished Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth (MN) earlier in the day and then raced to a third place finish at ELKO, Nick Oxborough was fourth and Dustin Tuma was fifth of the 17 cars entered. It was noteworthy that two different female drivers won in the same division on the same race night at Elko Speedway.
Jason Michaud continues to be the unofficial point leader with Taylor Goldman ten points behind in the race for the Championship.
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The Eternity Homes Great North Legends first 20 lap feature event at Elko Speedway had #8 Cole Klein lead the early laps until fourteen year old #91 Tristan Swanson from New Market (MN) took over the top spot after a caution on lap six. The finish was very dramatic as the top four cars were all grouped up ahead of the pack and battling for the win, with two laps remaining Tristan Swanson and #12 Sammy Smith had some contact causing the #13 of Tim Brockhouse and #75 of Baiden Heskett to check up and avoid. It was like a momentary wrinkle in time as everyone then continued racing in a furious scramble to the finish. Somehow Tristan Swanson retained the lead and edged Brockhouse for the win by .204 seconds at the line, Sammy Smith was third, Baiden Heskett fourth and #16 Matt Allen finished fifth of the 18 cars entered. It was the first win of the season for Swanson.
The second Great North Legends feature event at Elko Speedway had former Bando Champion #3 Luke Allen lead the early laps until #03 Robbie Carter took over on lap five. Carter extended his lead and was cruising for the victory until a yellow flag flew with three laps remaining in the race. Off the restart, fast qualifier #13 Tim Brockhouse grabbed the top spot and sprinted for the victory, he is now nearing 200 feature wins in his long racing career. Sammy Smith had a good night and finished second, Robbie Carter was third, Baiden Heskett finished fourth and #7 Jackson Lewis rounded out the Top 5. Brockhouse celebrated in front of the crowd by doing his now famous victory donuts with the steering wheel held out of one window and the checkered flag out the other.
Baiden Heskett is now the unofficial point leader with a 68 point advantage over Matt Allen.
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The Brock’s Flooring Bandolero feature at ELKO had a big wreck on the first lap. Teddy Kottschade #07 had the early lead until cars went spinning in corner number one, the melee resulted in seven cars not being able to continue including both Kottchade brothers, both Konop brothers, Ayrton Brockhouse, Anna Price and point leader Kody King. When the race resumed #901 Alex Hartwig from Portage (WI) took the top spot until defending Champion #8 Colin Stocker passed him for the lead, Hartwig then fought back and retook the lead and never looked back. Stocker ended up finishing second, Max Mabee #99 third, #06 Adam Ratliff fourth and #56 Clayton Dorner fifth of the 16 cars entered. This was the first win of the season at Elko Speedway for Alex Hartwig.
Kody King #14 has the unofficial point lead by just three points over Max Mabee.
All Race Results are Unofficial at this time, Official results will be posted at ElkoSpeedway.com
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Coming up next week at Elko Speedway is racing sponsored by the Whelen Engineering Company Inc. Come and see racing in the Late Model, Thunder Car, Power Stock, Great North Legends and Bandolero divisions. The gates open at 5pm and action begins at 6pm. Get more information by following Elko Speedway on Social media, on the free Elko Racing app or at ElkoSpeedway.com
Elko Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned asphalt oval race track located 30 minutes South of the Twin Cities in Elko-New Market (MN).