(RACE RECAP) September 18th, 2021 Eve Of Destruction

At Elko Speedway the 2021 Race season is winding down and the drama is increasing as drivers fight for every position on the track because the point standings will be frozen in history and the ELKO Champions will be crowned next week.

The NASCAR sanctioned Late Models sponsored by The Car Lot in New Prague (MN) raced two 25 lap features on Saturday night, the first one had #3 Chris Marek from Lakeville (MN) taking the lead on the first lap and never letting it go, Marek won by 0.366 seconds, it was his 3rd win of the season at ELKO. A hard charging #8 of Billy Mohn finished second in this cautionless race, #19 Michael Haggar was third, #13 Bryan Wrolstad fourth and #81 Bryan Syer-Keske was fifth. Fast qualifier #52 Chad Walen finished eighth and point leader Jacob Goede #72 was ninth of the twenty cars entered.

The second Late Model feature event had former two-time Power Stock Champion #10 Dusty Mann lead the early laps until being passed by #21 Adam Bendzick on lap 10 of 25. Bendzick was then challenged by #52 Chad Walen from Prior Lake (MN) who took over the lead on lap 13. A yellow flag flew slowing the field on lap 22, after the restart #72 Jacob Goede put pressure on Walen, these two drivers have had a great rivalry this year, it was a shootout the last couple laps with hard racing in the corners but Chad Walen prevailed as the winner by 0.125 seconds at the finish line, it was his third win of the season at ELKO. After the checkers the drivers had contact and both spun in corner #1 with no obvious serious damage sustained. Jacob Goede finished second, Adam Bendzick was third, #18 Michael Ostdiek fourth and #8 Billy Mohn finished fifth.

Jacob Goede remains the point leader going into the final night of racing at ELKO, he leads Chad Walen by 100 points, Adam Bendzick is third at -177, Billy Mohn fourth at -196 and Chris Marek is fifth at -272. A maximum of 133 points can be earned in a race night so Goede is in prime position to win his 8th consecutive premier division Championship at Elko Speedway.

The NASCAR sanctioned Genz-Ryan Thunder Cars raced two 20 lap features during Eve of Destruction at ELKO. The first race was a real barn burner as #92 Norm Grabinger led early, then the caution light lit on laps 3 and 5 resetting the field and numerous top competitors dropped out of the race with damage including former Champion #3 Conrad Jorgenson. After the second restart #14 Tony Holm of Prior Lake (MN) challenged Grabinger for the win, the two veteran drivers raced side by side the rest of the race dueling back and forth lap after lap inches apart. Tony Holm ended up winning a drag race to the finish, he crossed the stripe just 0.082 seconds ahead of Grabinger, it was the second win of the season for Holm. Norm Grabinger finished second, fast qualifier #9 Adam Wiebusch was third, #99 Brent Kane fourth and point leader #07 Dillon Sellner was fifth of the 14 cars entered.

The second Thunder Car feature event had current point leader #07 Dillon Sellner from Randolph (MN) led every lap of the race, he sustained through two cautions and won by 0.177 seconds holding off 6-time ELKO Champion #3 Conrad Jorgenson at the finish line. It was the fifth win of the season for Dillon Sellner. Conrad Jorgenson was second, #9 Adam Wiebusch was third, #99 Brent Kane fourth and #09 Matt Weibush fifth.

Dillon Sellner now has a 30 point lead going into the final night of racing at ELKO, he has never before won a points championship in his career. Adam Wiebusch is 30 points behind in second, Conrad Jorgenson is third at -51, Taylor Goldman is fourth at -168 and Matt Wiebusch is fifth at -176.

The INEX sanctioned Legends cars raced two 20 lap features at Elko Speedway Saturday night. In the first race #33 Ryan Rose of Elko (MN) took the early lead until being passed on the inside by #71 Jon Lemke but then Rose fought back and retook the lead two laps later. Ryan Rose is in his rookie season racing a Legends car, he has a lot of racing experience racing a Sportsman-type car but he took over a decade off and 2021 marks his return to racing. Ryan Rose and Jon Lemke fought side by side the last five laps of the race, they raced wheel to wheel all the way around the track including the finish line where Rose edged ahead by just 0.017 seconds to win for the first time since 2007 and the first ever time in a Legends car. Jon Lemke finished second, #8 Colin Stocker was third, #64 Tyler Ledbetter fourth, #2 Rob Thurston fifth and fast qualifier #87 Robby Carter was sixth of the 17 cars entered.

The second Legends car feature had #3 Dirk Henry from Sauk Centre (MN) jump out to a huge lead early, at lap 13 the field was reset with a caution and #71 Jon Lemke grabbed the lead off the restart but then they saw another caution period on lap 17, after that restart Dirk Henry retook the top spot and outraced Lemke to the finish line by just 0.171 seconds. It was the second win of the season for Dirk Henry at ELKO. Jon Lemke finished second, point leader Robby Carter #87 third, #64 Tyler Ledbetter fourth and #8 Colin Stocker fifth.

Going into the final race night Robby Carter has a 39 point lead over Jon Lemke, Colin Stocker is third at -83, Ryan Rose fourth -305 behind the leader and Austin Jahr is fifth at -369. Carter is looking for the first point title of his career at ELKO.

The NASCAR sanctioned Pepsi Power Stocks raced two 20 lap features Saturday night during Eve of Destruction at Elko Speedway. In the first race #45 Gary Stokvis led the first lap and then #3 Jimmie Jorgenson took over the lead on lap two. Jorgenson then battled with #13 Matt Frye and they had contact in corner #3, as a result Jimmie Jorgenson spun out in the middle of the track and his car was t-boned by his sisters car #83 Julie Jorenson both cars sustained serious damage. Matt Frye continued racing from the rear of the field and #56 Paul Hamilton took over the top spot after the restart, fast qualifier #88 Nick Oxborough from Lakeville (MN) challenged Hamilton on lap 12 and took over the lead on lap 14. Oxborough then raced to the finish up front and won by 0.999 seconds, it was his 6th win of the season at ELKO. Joe Prusak #66 finished second, Paul Hamilton was third, #08 Mike Stoer fourth and #19 Mark Berg fifth of the 14 cars entered.

The second Power Stock feature had #13 Matt Frye from Bloomington (MN) leading every lap, he won by 1.655 seconds, it was his second win of the season at ELKO. Paul Himilton #56 finished second, #08 Mike Stoer third, #88 Nick Oxborough fourth and #66 Joe Prusak fifth. Julie Jorgenson drove a back-up car in this race and finished 9th.

Nick Oxborough extended his point lead going into the final race night of 2021, he now has a comfortable lead as he looks for his fourth Power Stock title at ELKO. Julie Jorgenson is 81 points behind in second, Mike Stoer is -169 in third, Paul Hamilton is -190 in fourth and Matt Frye is -251 in fifth.

The INEX sanctioned Bandoleros raced two 12 lap feature events Saturday night at ELKO. In the first feature #07 Jackson Kottschade took the early lead until #12 Ayrton Bockhouse from Shakopee (MN) shot up from his fourth row starting spot to take the lead on lap three. A caution period reset the field on lap 8 but Ayrton Brockhouse drove his way to the finish unchallenged and won by 2.771 seconds, it was his sixth win of the season at ELKO. Jackson Kottschade finished second, #18 Leighton Rose was third, #32 Colton Roe Pershall fourth and #10 Danny Mann fifth of the 10 cars entered.

The second Bandolero feature had #10 Danny Mann from Lakeville (MN) taking the lead from his outside front row starting spot, Mann held the lead though a caution period on lap 7 and outran #12 Ayrton Brockhouse to win by 0.332 seconds. It was his first ever win at ELKO. Ayrton Brockhouse was second, #13 Aiden Brockhouse third, #32 Colton Roe Pershall fourth and #57 Mark Anderson Jr fifth.

Ayrton Brockhouse leads the point standings going into the final night of racing at ELKO, Ayden Brockhouse is second at -38 and Clayton Dorner is third at -39, Ayrton Brockhouse is looking for his second straight Bando Championship at Elko Speedway.

*All points and results are unofficial

The Huge Eve of Destruction crowd enjoyed entertainment with the Spectator Drags, Two monster trucks including the iconic USA-1, the ATV Big Air Tour, BMX bike show, music by Marv and Kate and an awesome finale with a huge bus rollover during the Figure 8 bus races.

Coming up next at ELKO will be an Eve of Destruction season Championship and tribute night on Saturday September 25th. Racing in all five divisions plus Fireworks, a Jet Car, Burnout Contest, Spectator drags, School bus racing and the Famous Figure 8 Trailer race. Gates open at 5pm and action begins at 5:10pm. Get more information at ElkoSpeedway.com or follow Elko Speedway on social media

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