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Schill speeds to Late Model win as Sunday night Bemidji fans get rare heavy metal treat

By Dennis Peterson

BEMIDJI, MN (June 9) - Once a year Bemidji Speedway plays host to the mighty WISSOTA Late Models. This year, with an impressive $1,500-to-win purse in play, a great field of 19 Late Models were in the pits, with 84 total competitors on hand.

Sponsored by Higginbotham Well Drilling, the WISSOTA Dirt Track Series winners Sunday included Cole Schill, Garrett Masurka, Darrin Lawler, Kade Leeper, and Chad Reller.

Nineteen WISSOTA Pure Stocks signed in at the pit gate. Justin Barsness and Deryk Weleski led the field to the green flag with Weleski taking the early lead over Barsness, Nate Zanter, Chad Tabaka, and Kade Leeper. An early caution sent Dustin Puffe and Alex Berg to the pits for tire repairs.

The restart was also yellow flagged with an incident on the back straight sending Tabaka tailback. Once racing resumed, Austin Carlson raced into fourth with Leeper just in front of him in third. Leeper moved alongside Barsness for second and Carlson joined the duo to make it a three-wide race. Leeper took second behind Weleski, and the two fine racers battled it out for the win, with Weleski down low and Leeper up high. Door to door they fought before Leeper finally took the lead. Weleski dropped back a few positions as Barsness and Carlson raced into second and third. Leeper held on for the win in a wild finish. It was a clean sweep for Leeper with Barsness, Carlson, Josh Bitker and Caylyn Binkley rounding out the top five.

Darrin Lawler and Brennan Schmidt led the field of 15 WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds to the green flag, with Lawler the early leader ahead of Schmidt, Doyle Erickson, and Skyler Smith in close contention. A multi-car crash in turn two brought out the caution flag for a restart, with Schmidt and several other cars pitting.

The restart was led by Lawler with Smith, Erickson, Brandon Bahr and Devyn Weleski in the top five. Several side-by-side duels developed as Smith pulled up to within two car lengths of the leader. Charging up from his fifth row starting position, Hunter Weeks raced into fifth and passed Weleski for fourth. Erickson raced to the outside down the back straight and passed Smith for second as Lawler picked up the win. Erickson, Smith, Weeks and Landon Gross completed the top five.

An impressive field of 19 WISSOTA Late Models roared on track next led from the pole by Matt Sparby. Cole Schill was the early leader before a four-car spin in turn one slowed the race for a restart; Nathan Sletto was sent tailback. The second try at a start was similar to the first, with a multi-car spin in turn two; Johnny Broking was sent tailback.

The third try went green with Schill powering into the lead followed by Sparby, Blake Higginbotham, Don Shaw and Billy Kendall lll. A three-wide race developed among Kendall, Danny Vang and Higginbotham, resulting in another caution and Vang having to pit.

As the race received the green flag once again, Schill pulled back out to the lead with Blake Higginbotham gaining second over Sparby after a side-by-side duel. Fast and furious racing action continued with several three-wide races getting the fans on their feet to cheer on their favorite drivers. The caution flag once again waved, this time Zach Wohlers, who went up and over the third and fourth turns.

The restart was led by Schill with Higginbotham, Sparby, Kendall and Shaw in the top five. The track was black and fast as Schill built up a quarter-lap lead. Higginbotham and Shaw raced bumper to bumper late with Higginbotham claiming the runner-up spot at the finish line. Schill won the special in dominating fashion. Sparby and Kendall completed the top five.

The WISSOTA Hornets were next on track with Mateja Dreyer on the pole and Ryker Larson to her right. An early caution sent Larson to the rear. As racing resumed, Chad Reller quickly took the lead followed by Dreyer, Travis Olafson, Michael Lefler and Aiden Kessler. Reller, once out front, was in control and cruised to the victory. Olafson and Lefler trailed the leader across the finish line.

Garrett Masurka and Brandon Bahr led the pack of WISSOTA Super Stocks down the front straight to the green flag, with Masurka in the lead. A quick crossover move by Bahr put him in the top spot going into the back straight, however. Dalton Carlson raced inside and up into third, with Matt Sparby and Jack Koranda in the top five. An incident in turn four brought out the caution flag and sent Sparby to the rear of the field.

Bahr was out front for the restart with Carlson, Masurka, Koranda and Nic Lewis in the top five. Masurka raced alongside Carlson, with Masurka making the pass into second along the high side. He continued his assault toward the front, racing high again around Bahr for the lead. A three-wide war among Koranda, Bahr and Carlson waged for second, with Carlson coming out on top for the spot. Bahr dropped back to fifth, with Lewis gaining fourth.

Masurka was impressive in his win, ahead of Carlson, Koranda, Lewis and Bahr in the top five.

Justin Honer and Gabriel Espe led the pack of Mini Stocks to the green flag. Second-row starter Hayden Engen came out in front with Espe, Conrad Schwinn, Gordon Hunter and Nick McCann trailing. Schwinn moved down low and into second with McCann following. Schwinn stayed on the gas down the front straight, taking the lead. McCann and Engen dueled side by side with McCann taking over the back-up spot behind Schwinn. Schwinn picked up the win and a clean sweep with McCann, Engen, Hunter, and Ashton Schwinn in the top five.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Late Models:

A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 44*-Cole Schill[2]; 2. 57-Blake Higginbotham[4]; 3. 42S-Don Shaw[3]; 4. 81X-Matt Sparby[1]; 5. 99-Billy Kendall III[6]; 6. 2-Dave Mass[9]; 7. 57H-Nathan Higginbotham[10]; 8. 15X-Blake Boelens[13]; 9. 45J-Johnny Broking[7]; 10. 12-Mark Heinle[16]; 11. 71-Zach Wohlers[19]; 12. 24-Jase Lien[11]; 13. 27-Jarrett Huus[14]; 14. 12XL-Ben Heinle[12]; 15. 4C-Brandon Corbett[18]; 16. (DNF) F50-Ryan Corbett[17]; 17. (DNF) 47-Danny Vang[8]; 18. (DNF) 02-Dan Dowling[15]; 19. (DNF) 3S-Nathan Sletto[5]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 42S-Don Shaw[2]; 2. 47-Danny Vang[1]; 3. 3S-Nathan Sletto[3]; 4. 57H-Nathan Higginbotham[4]; 5. 15X-Blake Boelens[6]; 6. 12-Mark Heinle[7]; 7. 4C-Brandon Corbett[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 45J-Johnny Broking[4]; 2. 44*-Cole Schill[3]; 3. 99-Billy Kendall III[6]; 4. 24-Jase Lien[1]; 5. 27-Jarrett Huus[2]; 6. F50-Ryan Corbett[5]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Dave Mass[6]; 2. 57-Blake Higginbotham[1]; 3. 81X-Matt Sparby[2]; 4. 12XL-Ben Heinle[5]; 5. 02-Dan Dowling[4]; 6. (DNF) 71-Zach Wohlers[3]

WISSOTA Super Stocks:

A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 26M-Garrett Masurka[1]; 2. 57-Dalton Carlson[4]; 3. 22-Jack Koranda[5]; 4. T26-Nic Lewis[6]; 5. 29X-Brandon Bahr[2]; 6. 65-Ron Reed[7]; 7. 81X-Matt Sparby[3]; 8. 40-Ellen Lange[8]; 9. 17-Faye Lewis[9]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 81X-Matt Sparby[1]; 2. 57-Dalton Carlson[2]; 3. 22-Jack Koranda[3]; 4. 29X-Brandon Bahr[8]; 5. 26M-Garrett Masurka[7]; 6. T26-Nic Lewis[6]; 7. 65-Ron Reed[4]; 8. 40-Ellen Lange[9]; 9. 17-Faye Lewis[5]

WISSOTA Midwest Mods:

A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 19-Darrin Lawler[1]; 2. 99-Doyle Erickson[3]; 3. 16-Skyler Smith[4]; 4. 9W-Hunter Weeks[10]; 5. 15-Landon Gross[11]; 6. 6K-Noah Bitz[13]; 7. 29X-Brandon Bahr[6]; 8. 115-Kalin Honer[12]; 9. (DNF) 13-Devyn Weleski[5]; 10. (DNF) 46J-Taylor Jacobson[7]; 11. (DNF) 28S-Ryan Schow[8]; 12. (DNF) 18X-Connor Drewry[9]; 13. (DNF) 11K-Travis Klein[14]; 14. (DNF) 32B-Brennan Schmidt[2]; 15. (DNS) 10B-Bill Beaulieu

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 28S-Ryan Schow[4]; 2. 32B-Brennan Schmidt[5]; 3. 13-Devyn Weleski[3]; 4. 46J-Taylor Jacobson[7]; 5. 18X-Connor Drewry[8]; 6. 15-Landon Gross[6]; 7. 6K-Noah Bitz[1]; 8. (DNF) 10B-Bill Beaulieu[2]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 16-Skyler Smith[2]; 2. 99-Doyle Erickson[4]; 3. 29X-Brandon Bahr[6]; 4. 19-Darrin Lawler[7]; 5. 9W-Hunter Weeks[3]; 6. 115-Kalin Honer[5]; 7. 11K-Travis Klein[1]

WISSOTA Pure Stocks:

A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 3-Kade Leeper[7]; 2. 47J-Justin Barsness[1]; 3. 57-Austin Carlson[6]; 4. 62-Joshua Bitker[4]; 5. 15-Caylyn Binkley[12]; 6. 25-Billy Binkley[11]; 7. 21X-Dustin Puffe[9]; 8. 38-Nate Zanter[3]; 9. 26-Chad Tabaka[5]; 10. 24-Tabatha Conkle[8]; 11. 39-Deryk Weleski[2]; 12. 55-Aaron Bitker[10]; 13. 92-Mason Scholin[15]; 14. 21-Mason Smith[13]; 15. 18B-Alex Berg[17]; 16. 8-Karen Puschinsky[19]; 17. (DNF) 29XT-Aaron Sigerud[14]; 18. (DNF) 47-Zach Jackson[18]; 19. (DNS) X81-Alexa Sparby

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 57-Austin Carlson[5]; 2. 62-Joshua Bitker[1]; 3. 39-Deryk Weleski[3]; 4. 55-Aaron Bitker[2]; 5. 21-Mason Smith[6]; 6. X81-Alexa Sparby[4]; 7. (DNF) 47-Zach Jackson[7]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 3-Kade Leeper[1]; 2. 21X-Dustin Puffe[4]; 3. 26-Chad Tabaka[2]; 4. 25-Billy Binkley[3]; 5. 29XT-Aaron Sigerud[5]; 6. 18B-Alex Berg[6]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 47J-Justin Barsness[2]; 2. 38-Nate Zanter[1]; 3. 24-Tabatha Conkle[4]; 4. 15-Caylyn Binkley[3]; 5. 92-Mason Scholin[5]; 6. 8-Karen Puschinsky[6]

WISSOTA Hornets:

A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 28-Chad Reller[3]; 2. 13H-Travis Olafson[5]; 3. 33L-Michael Lefler[4]; 4. (DNF) 7G-Jayme Gordon[8]; 5. (DNF) 7M-Mateja Dreyer[1]; 6. (DNF) 72-Aiden Kessler[7]; 7. (DNF) 81R-Ryker Larson[2]; 8. (DNS) 77-Megan Vernlund; 9. (DNS) 71-Nathan Bird

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 13H-Travis Olafson[1]; 2. 7M-Mateja Dreyer[2]; 3. 28-Chad Reller[7]; 4. 81R-Ryker Larson[4]; 5. 33L-Michael Lefler[9]; 6. (DNF) 71-Nathan Bird[6]; 7. (DNF) 72-Aiden Kessler[8]; 8. (DNF) 7G-Jayme Gordon[3]; 9. (DNF) 77-Megan Vernlund[5]

Mini Stocks:

A Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. 6-Conrad Schwinn[6]; 2. 50-Nick McCann[7]; 3. 77-Hayden Engen[4]; 4. 15-Gordon Hunter[5]; 5. 18-Ashton Schwinn[8]; 6. G17-Gabriel Espe[2]; 7. 94-Cameron Schwinn[9]; 8. 11C-Cody Bush[3]; 9. 22-Tania Denny[12]; 10. (DNF) 5-Justin Honer[1]; 11. (DNF) 3H-Kaylie Winge[11]; 12. (DNS) 9W-Hunter Weeks; 13. (DQ) 20JE-Jonah Espe[10]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 50-Nick McCann[6]; 2. 5-Justin Honer[2]; 3. 15-Gordon Hunter[4]; 4. 11C-Cody Bush[5]; 5. 94-Cameron Schwinn[7]; 6. 3H-Kaylie Winge[3]; 7. (DNF) 9W-Hunter Weeks[1]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 6-Conrad Schwinn[2]; 2. G17-Gabriel Espe[4]; 3. 18-Ashton Schwinn[3]; 4. 77-Hayden Engen[5]; 5. 20JE-Jonah Espe[6]; 6. 22-Tania Denny[1]