By Jason D Searcy

July 7, 2018 – Elko, MN

Fans celebrated the Independence Day weekend for the second time on Saturday night with Eve of Destruction and racing in the Whelen All American Series at Elko Speedway.

The first Genz-Ryan Thunder Car feature event had #92 Norm Grabinger lead the first portion of the race until #75 Keith Paulsrud challenged for the top spot and finally took the lead on lap eight. Paulsrud held the point until #07 Dillon Sellner from Farmington (MN) worked his way up from the fifth row to take the lead on lap sixteen of twenty. Sellner had some big names following closely behind, but he never made a mistake and took home his third feature trophy of the year. Jeremy Wolff #32 was the fast qualifier and started in the seventh row, he finished .143 seconds behind Sellner for second, #3 Conrad Jorgenson was third, #9 Adam Wiebusch was fourth and #25 Eric Campbell finished fifth of the fifteen cars entered in the race.

The second Thunder Car main event had #28 Michael Homan take the early lead until he was passed by #99 Brent Kane for the top spot on lap four. Bryce Blohm #37 from Lakeville (MN) then slipped past Kane and had the lead on lap eight. The yellow flag flew with five laps remaining in the twenty lap race resetting the field but Blohm defended the many challenges of Eric Campbell #25 and won by .429 seconds, it was his second win of the season. Conrad Jorgenson #3 was third, Jeremy Wolff #32 was fourth and Michael Homan finished fifth.

Jeremy Wolff continues to lead the standings, he now has a 46 point advantage over Dillon Sellner with Eric Campbell third, fifty points out of the lead.

The first Pepsi Power Stock feature had #41 Jason Michaud grab the lead early, there was some hard racing behind him causing the fast qualifier #8 Taylor Goldman and #56 Paul Hamilton to make evasive maneuvers trying to avoid a wreck, both cars continued but were near the tail of the sixteen car field as the race continued under green. Joe Prusak #66 from Clayton (WI) caught up to Michaud on the last lap and made a bold pass on the high side coming to the checkered flag, the two cars rubbed and Prusak scraped the wall while crossing the finish line just .046 seconds ahead of Michaud and winning his second feature of the year, it was the 191st win of his career. Michaud finished second, #88 Nick Oxborough was third, #08 Michael Stoer had the rear end of his car fail in practice, he installed a different one just in time for the race and finished fourth and #13 Matt Fry finished fifth of the sixteen cars entered.

The second Power Stock main event had #56 Paul Hamilton from Hastings (MN) led every lap of the cautionless race, it was his second win of the season. Tom Doten #62 and #40 Josh Gernetz had contact and slowed both the drivers but the race continued under green. Michael Stoer #08 started the race in the fifth row and worked his way up to second place at the finish, he was .719 behind Hamilton at the stripe. Taylor Goldman #8 finished third, #41 Jason Michaud was fourth and #88 Nick Oxborough finished fifth.

Taylor Goldman continues to lead the standings, she now has a 19 point advantage over Jason Michaud and 41 points over Nick Oxborough.

It was a clean sweep for #75 Baiden Heskett in the Eternity Homes Great North Legends. Heskett is originally from Texas but now lives in Shakopee (MN).

The first twenty lap feature had former Bando Champion #3 Luke Allen lead early until his brother #16 Matt Allen took over the top spot, a caution came out on lap seven when fast qualifier #12 Sammy Smith hit the wall in the process of avoiding a wreck in corner two. Heskett took the lead off the restart and never gave it up, Tim Brockhouse #13 finished second, Robby Carter #03 was third, #44 Cole Klein started in the sixth row and finished fourth in a back up car and Matt Allen was fifth of the fourteen cars entered.

The second feature had #90 Travis Warling lead up until lap six, then Heskett took over the top spot and held on for his sixth win in ten INEX races at Elko Speedway. Matt Allen #16 finished second, #13 Tim Brockhouse crossed the line third, #03 Robby Carter was fourth and Warling finished fifth.

Baiden Heskett now has a commanding lead in the standings, he is 121 points ahead of Robby Carter in second and Matt Allen is 137 points back in third.

All Results and Standings are unofficial at this point, official results will be posted at ElkoSpeedway.com midweek.

The huge crowd was entertained by Spectator drag winner Ross Larson from Rosemount (MN) who won in a 2012 Jeep Cherokee and Outlaw drag winner was Bob Heine from New Prague in a 1969 Chevelle #39 Dan Ryan race car.

The Urias family put on a great show with their Globe of Death motorcycle demonstration.

Doug Noelke in Tailgator and Jim Burns in Mechanical Mischief thrilled the crowd with their car crushing Monster Trucks and long time stuntman Clay Gallagher jumped over crushed cars. School Bus races did not disappoint as eight school busses caused mayhem all around Elko Speedway and the night was capped off with a wonderful Fireworks show.

The ARCA series presented by Menards is coming up next at Elko Speedway it’s the Sioux Chief Power Pex 250 presented by CW Metals and MatrixCare. Opening Ceremony at 5pm Late Model, Thunder Car and Power Stock qualifying at 5:15pm, ARCA General Tire Pole qualifying at 5:45, Elko division features begin at 6:30pm, ARCA autograph session at 7:15pm, ARCA 250 lap main event begins at 9pm. Get advance tickets at Twin Cities Menards locations or at ElkoSpeedway.com

Follow Elko Speedway on social media, download the free app by searching Elko Racing or go to Elko Speedway.com

Elko Speedway is a NASCAR Sanctioned 3/8th mile banked asphalt oval track with stadium seating located 30 minutes South of the Twin Cities in Elko-New Market (MN).