By Jason D Searcy
September 3, 2016 – Elko, MN
It was Kids Night with racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Saturday night at Elko Speedway. Nine school buses were filled with kids and they were treated with rides around the 3/8th mile progressively banked asphalt oval at Elko.
An impressive field of 22 MN Corn Growers Super Late Models raced double features. In the first event #91 Ty Majeski from Seymour (WI) started on the front row. Majeski made the difficult decision to race at Elko and forgo the ARCA Midwest tour race at Dells (WI) Raceway Park, even though he was the point leader, in favor of chasing the NASCAR Home tracks Division I National title.
Matt Goede #28 from New Germany (MN) fought side by side with Majeski for the first few laps and then established himself as the leader. Goede held the top spot through a couple early restarts and fought back the many challenges put up by Majeski.
Joey Garofalo then brought out another caution when a suspension part broke on his Super Late Model and sent him up onto the wall in corner three, Garofalo rode up the wall on two wheels all the way through the corner before coming back down on the track rubber side down.
After that restart Majeski challenged Matt Goede on the inside lap after lap but couldn’t pass him, Matt’s brother #72 Jacob Goede then jumped into the fray and challenged Majeski for second. Matt Goede beat Majeski to the finish line by .336 seconds with Jacob Goede .470 seconds back for third, #71 Derek Lemke was fourth and #3 Chris Marek finished fifth.
“I’m glad Ty (Majeski) raced me really clean, we touched a couple times but he had a fender up on me about every restart but he gave me the outside and gave me room to race, so I thank him for racing me clean and it was a really good battle, it felt really good to beat him” said Matt Goede. It was Matt’s second win of 2016 at Elko Speedway.
The second 30 lap Super Late Model feature saw #15 Joey Miller rocket to an early big lead, a caution at the half-way mark bunched the field and gave #72 Jacob Goede from Carver (MN) an opportunity to make up some ground. Goede started the race on the fifth row inside, he worked his way through the field and with four laps to go he was side by side with Miller for the lead. Goede and Miller thrilled the crowd with one of the closest finishes we have ever seen, it was a photo finish and according to the transponder Miller crossed the line .007 seconds ahead of Goede.
After a post-race inspection Jacob Goede was awarded the win, the transponder in the Miller car was not in the proper location, it was the third win of the season for Goede. Miller finished second, #50 Steve Anderson was third, #28 Matt Goede finished fourth and #91 Ty Majeski started 10th and moved his way up to fifth at the finish.
With the win Jacob Goede now has a 55 point lead over Joey Miller in the standings, Matt Goede is third, 76 points behind his older brother.
The first feature in the Hiway Federal Credit Union Big 8 division was a thriller. #18 Michael Ostdiek from Lakeville (MN) came all the way up from the fourth row to win his third feature of the year. Nick Beaver #10 led the first few laps, then #40 Michael Beamish took over the top spot mid-race, Ostdiek picked his way through the field and by the end of the race he was in contention for the win. Ostdiek took the lead passing Beamish coming to the white flag, the caution then came out. Ostdiek held off Beamish on a Green-White-Checkered finish by two car lengths, Beaver finished third, #13 Bryan Wrolstad was fourth and #54 Dylan Moore finished fifth of the 20 cars entered.
Ostdiek is part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program and has a paint scheme that pays tribute to the legendary driver from Wisconsin. Ostdiek then gave his trophy to a smart young fan who knew that Alan Kulwicki sported the #7 when he raced in NASCAR.
Joe Neisius #75 from Rosemount (MN) made quick work of the second Big 8 feature event. This 30 lap caution-less event was raced in only 5min and 9 seconds with Neisius leading every lap, it was his third win of 2016 at Elko Speedway. Jon Lemke #17 finished second 1.308 seconds behind Neisius, #42 Ryan Kamish was third, #7 Tony Brewer finished fourth and #5 Jake Sernett a career best fifth.
Dylan Moore #54 is the point leader, he has now has a 40 point lead over Jon Lemke in the race for his first Elko Speedway Big 8 Championship.
Ted Reuvers #8 from Dundas (MN) won his fifth Genz-Ryan Thunder Car main event of 2016 on Saturday night at Elko Speedway. Jeff Partington #48 led early, then Reuvers took over on lap 5, the race from that point on was for second. Conrad Jorgenson #3 and the #07 of Dillon Sellner raced side by side and swapped the runner up position numerous times. Jorgenson ended up in second place, Sellner was third, #99 Brent Kane finished fourth and Partington crossed the line fifth in the 20 car field.
Just 24 hours after Eric Campbell #25 from Lonsdale (MN) and his wife Amber were married, they continued the celebration with a win in the second Genz-Ryan Thunder Car feature.
Campbell took the lead on lap two and never looked back, no cautions slowed his path to victory lane for his first win since opening night. Just like the previous race the best battle was for second position, #3 Conrad Jorgenson and #32 Jeremy Wolff raced fender to fender and put on a show for the large crowd at Elko Speedway. Campbell won the race by 3.532 seconds with Jorgenson finishing second, Wolff in third, #07 Dillon Sellner in fourth and #99 Brent Kane finishing fifth.
Wolff now has a 36 point lead over Kane in the race for the Championship, Campbell is still in striking distance, he is now 47 points back in third.
Derek Lemke #71 from Shakopee (MN) won the twice rescheduled Regional Qualifier event for the Great North Legends on Saturday night at Elko Speedway. Will McCully #26 took the early lead, Brady Fox-Rhode #4 then took over the top spot on lap 3 but Lemke passed Fox-Rhode just two laps later and held on to win for the fourth time this year at Elko.
With the win Lemke gets a free pass into the World Championship race for INEX Legends cars held in Waterford (CT) October 6th-8th. Lemke was the Pro division winner, Tim Brockhouse #13 finished third and was the Masters division winner, #16 Matt Allen finished fourth and was the Semi-Pro division winner and #7 Jackson Lewis finished fifth and was the Young-Lions division winner. They all now have the invite to race for the title in Connecticut. Lemke says that with the win he plans on traveling to the world championships held the week after the conclusion of racing here at Elko Speedway.
Lemke holds a commanding 60 point lead over Matt Allen in his quest for a third consecutive Great North Legends point title at Elko.
Ryan Varner #3 from Minnetonka (MN) won his first Pepsi Power Stock main event of 2016 at Elko Speedway. Brandon Olson #36 held the early lead, Varner then took over the top before the half-way mark. Shawn Grabinger #22 brought out a caution with 8 laps to go resetting the field. Paul Hamilton #56 came from mid-pack to challenge for the lead but Varner held strong and won by about four feet at the finish line. “It was tough, Hamilton had the fast lap of that feature, it was tough to keep him next to me but, the car really came in after the caution and I held onto it, it was awesome!” said Varner.
Varner has the classic #3 wrangler paint scheme made popular by Dale Earnhardt, it was good timing for Varner to win during NASCAR throwback weekend. “It’s really cool, I love that Darlington does that with all the throwbacks, I wasn’t around during that era but I sure wish I was,” said Varner.
Paul Hamilton finished second, #8 Taylor Goldman finished third, #62 Tom Doten was fourth and #6 Joey Prusak crossed the line fifth.
The Power Stock feature was an exciting race that saw numerous leaders and tough competition throughout the 20 car field. Michael Stoer #8 made a bold move on the first lap to take the lead, #53 Tom Quade then went side by side with Stoer and eventually took the lead from him. After a mid-race caution #62 Tom Doten mixed it up with Quade for the top spot, these two veteran racers raced door to door for many laps before Doten edged in front. Doten held on for the win, it was his first of the season at Elko, Quade finished second, Nick Oxborough #88 started 11th and finished third, Brandon Olson was fourth and #37 Bryce Blohm started 12the and finished fifth.
With the win Tom Doten took over the point lead, he now has a 6 point advantage over Bryce Blohm and a 25 point lead over third place #7 Brandon Petersen. Doten is looking for his first ever point title at Elko Speedway.
The Hornets feature event was a wild race with lots of bumping from its top competitors. Michael Wachs Jr #3 had an early big lead but then was challenged for the top spot mid-race by defending Champion #14 Justin Schelitzche and #55 Brandon Plekkenpol. Plekkenpol ended up taking the top spot and Schelitzche pressured him until the checkered flag and finishing second by.236 seconds.
Plekkenpol from Shakopee (MN) won his second consecutive feature with Scheltizche second, #36 Brandon Olson third, Wachs fourth and #7 Ridge Oien finishing fifth.
Schelitzche now leads the standings by just 3 points over Olson in the race for the Championship.
Two Bando features were raced. Luke Allen #3 from Chanhassen (MN) and #8 Collin Stocker originally from Arizona now living in Farmington (MN) were the two winners.
Results and Standings are unofficial at this time. Get more stats at Elko Speedway.com or by downloading the free ELKO Racing app.
Coming up next at Elko Speedway is an Eve of Destruction presented by the MN Lottery. In addition to NASCAR Whelen All American Series racing we will have the Timberworks Lumberjacks, Tailgator Monster Truck, Freestyle Motocross Stunts, Flaming ring jump, Clay Gallagher stunts, Bullet bike trick riding, Spectator Drags and Figure 8 School Bus races. Gates open at 5pm with action at 6pm. Get more information at ElkoSpeedway.com or by calling (952) 461-7223
Elko Speedway is a 3/8th mile progressive banking asphalt oval race track with Stadium seating in Elko (MN) 30 minutes South of Downtown Minneapolis just off of I-35 and County Road 2.