By Jason D Searcy
July 8, 2017 – Elko, MN
It was a great night of Double Feature NASCAR racing Saturday night sponsored by Whelen Engineering at Elko Speedway.
The first Hiway Federal Credit Union Late Model 30 lap feature event went to #71 Derek Lemke from Shakopee (MN). Grant Brown #14 had the early lead in this cautionless race until Lemke moved up from his fourth starting position, took the lead on lap 12 and pulled away. The racing behind the leader was intense with Brown finishing second, #26 Mark Lamoreaux third, #72 Jacob Goede fourth and #52 Chad Walen fifth. It was the first Late Model win of the year for Lemke.
In the second Late Model feature #42 Ryan Kamish from Farmington (MN) dominated and led nearly every lap, Michael Beamish #40 took over the top spot after a restart with 14 laps to go but Kamish gathered him up and then set sail for the checkers. Michael Ostdiek #18 drove through the field and moved up from his tenth starting position to finish second in this highly competitive 23 car field. First feature winner #71 Derek Lemke finished third, Michael Beamish dropped to fourth and #52 Chad Walen crossed the finish line fifth. It was the first Late Model feature win of the year for Kamish.
The first Genz-Ryan Thunder Car feature winner was #52 Dave Reed from Rockford (MN). Michael Homan #28 led the first few laps until Reed challenged for the top spot on lap seven, raced side by side and then took the lead at the half-way mark of the 20 lap feature. Reed then extended the lead and won by 1.081 seconds. Ted Reuvers #8 started the race in the 8th position and moved up to second place, Michael Homan dropped to third, defending Champion #32 Jeremy Wolff finished fourth and newlywed #07 Dillon Sellner rounded out the Top 5. This was the first career win for Dave Reed in a Thunder Car, he had not won since the year 2013 in a Short Tracker car at Raceway Park, “These Thunder Cars a quite a bit different, “they have quite a bit of motor and not a whole lot of tire,” said Reed.
The second Thunder Car feature had #92 Norm Grabinger take the lead off the green flag and #99 Brent Kane from Lonsdale (MN) capture the top spot on lap 3 of 20. Two caution periods had three of the contenders at the back of the field by mid-race; #37 Bryce Blohm, #3 Conrad Jorgenson and #8 Ted Reuvers all had trouble. Brent Kane won his fourth trophy of the year, the 102nd feature win of his career. Defending Champion #32 Jeremy Wolff got second, #07 Dillon Sellner was third, #52 Dave Reed wrapped up a good night with a fourth place finish and #20 James Lindgren was fifth on the scoring tower after the race.
The Pepsi Power Stock features were entertaining as usual at ELKO. Maddie Larson #16 took the lead in feature number one and drove to a big lead looking for her first career win as drivers fought for position behind her. Tim Hollen #54 from Richfield (MN) blasted through the pack on the high side, he caught Larson with just a few laps to go and passed her on the low side to take the lead and the win, his second feature win of the year. Taylor Goldman #8 emerged through the tussle to finish second, defending Champion #62 Tom Doten started 8th and finished third, Michael Stoer #8 was fourth and #10 Dusty Mann finished fifth. Larson had some trouble late in the race and finished mid-pack in the 15 car field.
Jim Tich #19 led the first lap of the second Pepsi Power Stock feature, veteran driver Joe Prusak #66 then grabbed the top spot and never let it go for his first win at ELKO in many years, career win #185 for Prusak who has spent the last few years racing on the dirt. The Prusak was smoking and had to fight off former Champion #88 Nick Oxborough who was also smoking and finished .376 seconds behind for second. Three time winner #10 Dusty Mann finished third, #8 Taylor Goldman was fourth and #62 Tom Doten rounded out the top 5 in the Power Stocks.
The Eternity Homes Great North Legends 20 lap main event had a wild finish as #7 Jackson Lewis from Lakeville (MN) and #17 Jon Lemke had an epic battle as both of them were looking for their first win of the year. Lewis and Lemke raced side by side for numerous laps until having contact coming out of corner four on the last lap, both cars slid sideways and Lewis emerged with the win, his second career win at Elko Speedway. Jon Lemke got turned around and spun, he finished the last car on the lead lap. Point leader #71 Derek Lemke started 10th in the 18 car field, he drove his way up to finish second, #14 Devyn Stocker finished third, #22 Shon Jacobsen was fourth and Wil McCully driving the #70 car for Mike Grostyn was fifth.
In the first five weeks of racing in the Hornets division there were five different winners and no cautions. This week everything changed as the yellow flag flew twice and #3 Michael Wachs Jr from New Prague (MN) won both 15 lap feature events. Ridge Oien #7 crossed the line first in feature number one but was disqualified in the Tech Shed. Brian Adams #0 finished second, #55 Brandon Plekkenpol was third, #14 Justin Schelitzche started 9th and finished fourth and #36 Brandon Olson was fifth.
In the second feature #41 Ashley Bell had the early lead until she and the black #36 of Alex Vincent had contact on lap four, she could not continue. Wachs Jr then battled with #2 Aaron Reimers for the top spot with Wachs Jr taking the lead on lap 10 and holding on to win by 3.143 seconds over former Champion #0 Brian Adams who finished second in both races. Defending Champion Justin Schelitzche finished third in both races with #36 Brandon Olson scoring a fourth place finish even though his car was damaged mid-race and #22 Shawn Grabinger crossed the line fifth out of the 13 cars competing. This was the third win of the season for Michael Wachs Jr.
Kody King #14 from Forest City (IA) won the Brock’s flooring Bandolero feature event, this was his second career win and first at ELKO.
Updated point standings were not available at this time, Official results and points will be posted mid-week at ElkoSpeedway.com
Coming up next at Elko Speedway is an Eve of Destruction event on Saturday July 15th. In addition to NASCAR Whelen All American Series racing we will have School Bus Races, Spectator Drags, Two Monster Trucks, an Extreme Pogo Stick Stunt team, 4-Wheeler and Motocross Stunts and much more including music from Time Machine and a Movie after the races at Elko Drive-in Theater. Spectator Gates open at 5pm and action starts at 6pm. Get more information at ElkoSpeedway.com, follow Elko Speedway on Social Media, download our free app or call (952) 461-7223.
Elko Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned 3/8th mile asphalt oval race track located 30 minutes South of Downtown Minneapolis just off of I-35 and County road 2 in Elko (MN).