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Friday, July 12

On Friday, July 12, my good friend Dennis McCauley and I took the new truck and headed down to Red Cedar Speedway for the eighth annual Duane Mahder “Mahder 55” Memorial, remembering our friend and former WISSOTA Challenge Series Champion of Eau Claire, Duane Mahder. Duane passed away in a tragic work-related accident in November of 2016. He was a seven-time winner on WISSOTA’s Late Model tour. His richest triumph was $10,000 win in 2003’s Dacotah Rumble at Aberdeen, South Dakota’s Brown County Speedway. Other wins special wins included the 1990 Red Clay Classic, the 2002 Labor Day Specials at Rice Lake, and Shawano Speedway’s 40th Anniversary special in 2000. Duane was part of a well-known racing family, including Duane’s brother Ron, who was the ’93, ’94 Super Stock division champion. Ron’s son competes in the Modified division.

The memorial is a Late Model special, with the 55-lap feature paying the winner $5,555. This year there were a total of 25 entries for the event. After some discussion it was decided that the feature needed to be 50 laps, as the drivers didn’t believe they could do the 55 laps on the fuel.

When the feature was all set up through heats, Nick Anvelink – from eastern Wisconsin – started the 50 laps on the pole and drove away from the field looking like a sure winner. AJ Diemel worked forward from his seventh starting spot but didn’t look as though he was going to catch Anvelink. With about seven laps to go, however, Diemel got by on the high side at the flagstand to lead the next lap, as Anvelink was working his way through traffic. Anvelink tried to go inside another car exiting turn two, but they clashed. Anvelink was able to continue but made it only to the third turn when he spun out. When the dust cleared, he was sent to the rear and did not finish. Diemel continued to lead and took the win, his first of this season, so it was announced.

In other divisions Friday, Shane Halopka swept the Mod action, holding off a persistent Kennedy Swan, who started fifth and finished second.

In the WISSOTA Super Stocks Curt Myers finished ahead of DJ Keeler to win the 20-lap Super Stock feature.

On Saturday, July 13, Jo and I headed over to ABC Raceway for a full night of racing.

This was after the annual family picnic out at Lake Nebagemon. We had a bunch of Jo’s relatives there, had a beautiful day for it, then left about 4:30 for ABC Raceway.

In the Midwest Mods, Marcus Dunbar held off “our” driver Cody Carlson in the 20-lap feature.

The Pure Stock main event went to Brent Mindock, while the Super Stock feature was won by Steve Stuart.

It was a nice night at ABC Raceway and we left for home, only seeing four deer on the way back to Superior.

Sunday, July 14

On Sunday night we went to Proctor Speedway with the temperature near 90 degrees. Jo and I were very happy as “our” driver Cody Carlson once again swept the Midwest Modifieds, winning heat and feature. He really had the No. 32III cooking! For a change Joey Jensen couldn’t catch him and make a pass stick. When I say “our” driver it’s because we’ve had a small sponsorship in the car for the past couple of seasons. I have to say this is the first car we have ever sponsored. Every other car I’ve sponsored has been, er, mine!

Friday, July 19

We have hit one of high points of our season with the annual Twin Ports Twin 25s at Gondik Law Speedway here in Superior, Wisconsin.

This event features twin 25-lap features for WISSOTA Late Models. Each feature pays $2,500 to win. Racers qualified through time trials, a single heat race and B features to lock in the top 25 drivers to compete in the features. This year the event was also part of the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Series, as well as the KME Late Model Series.

One driver has a chance to walk away with a $6,000 payday on Friday if they win both features. Up to this point, no driver has been able to do that over the several years we have presented the race.

It works this way: once all drivers qualify for the first 25-lap feature, the winner of that feature draws a number right there in the winner's area. The number sets the inversion for the lineup for the second 25-lap feature.

This time the first feature winner was Shane Sabraski, who is actually a rookie in the WISSOTA Late Models. Though he has raced in the Modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, and Super Stocks during his career, this is the first season he has added a Late Model to his fleet. He has taken to the powerful cars well. He has, I think, eight feature wins in the division so far this season.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks and USRA Late Models were the support classes for the evening. Super Stocks were racing for $1,000 to win, while the USRA Late Models ran for a $750 top prize.

There was a great turnout in the Late Models for the races. A total of 51 WISSOTA-legal Late Models were on the grounds to compete.

In the WISSOTA Super Stocks Shane Sabraski ran down early leader Dylan Nelson to take the 15-lap feature win. Third was many-time track champion Scott Lawrence. The rest of the top five included Matt Deragon from Ashland, and Darin Meierotto of Superior.

The first 25-lap feature was set with Shane Sabraski leading the 26-car field to the green flag. Sabraski took the win ahead of John Kaanta, Josh Zimpel, Don Shaw and Adam Ayotte in the top five. There was a crash between Johnny Broking and Don Shaw, which ended with Shaw rolling over. Shaw was not able to start the second feature due to the damage to his car, but he was scored in fourth with Broking getting the call.

The blind draw by Sabraski put him starting the second 25-lap feature in the 11th slot.

Current national WISSOTA Late Model point leader Cole Searing started the final feature on the outside of the front row, with Tyler Peterson on the pole. The two basically swapped positions as Searing grabbed the lead from Peterson and took the win.

Peterson was second, Jeff Massingill was third, Chad Mahder was fourth and Ryan Mikkelson rounded out the top five.

It was actually a great night of racing. There was plenty of action in all classes.

Best of all, I did not get hit in the head with track debris as I did at our last special event!

Saturday, July 20

We took the trip over to ABC Raceway on Saturday, July 20. It was going to be a great night, as the program included kids’ bike races as well as “Meet the Drivers” night.

Looking at the surface it was sure to be a “heavy” race track. One good thing about that sort of surface is that it’s normally going to be a very fast track. During the entire event, especially during the feature events, there was no dust raised from the racers’ tires! It was a perfect night for watching, but the one thing about a slightly wet, tacky, dustless track, is that everyone is fast on that type of surface.

There were a total of 61 cars in the five classes, and heat races moved along quickly.

The Midwest Modifieds had 13 entries on hand. The 20-lap main event was won by Evan Checkalski, who held off Marcus Dunbar for the win. Cory Jorgensen was third, fourth went to Jesse Polson, while Paul Suzik came from the 11th starting spot to finish fifth.

During the event, eighth-starter Cody Carlson was running in seventh when he was squeezed between two cars and was spun around. He restarted, but soon fell out, I believe due to damage suffered in that incident.

In this division's feature I counted only two caution flags. The Midwest Modified feature took 7 minutes 9.92 seconds to complete the 20-lap feature.

Next came the WISSOTA Super Stocks, which showed a total of 11 entries. The feature, which was a 20-lap affair, went to Cury Myers. He outdistanced McFadden, who was in a battle for second with Stuart. There was a bit of shoving going on in that battle. Pat Beeksma started fifth and moved up one place to fourth. Matt Deragon finished in the top five. With a pair of caution flags in the Super Stock feature, it took 9 minutes, 49.21 seconds to run the 20 laps.

In the WISSOTA Modified 20-lap feature, they started all 15 of the classes entries. It took, even with a couple of caution flags, 7 minutes, 19.89 seconds to run the 20 circuits.

During the WISSOTA Modified feature I spent some time watching Kennedy Swan, who blew past several racers from her eighth starting spot to finish a strong third. I have to admit that I'd like to see her win a feature at ABC this season.

Throughout the night I heard the announcers mention racers in several classes running close to track records or, I believe, setting at least one new one on the very fast track. I realize this was a unique night as the track conditions made everyone fast. Since the features took just a few minutes each to run, it also made for a faster night, getting us on the road a few minutes before 10 p.m.

Joanne and I left during the Pure Stock feature. In that division, Brent Mindock has been on a rampage at the raceway the past few weeks. I believe Saturday's win and sweep was his third straight feature win.

It appears that Evan Checkalski is going to be a busy young man, as he's been racing not only his own Midwest Modified, but also his father's WISSOTA Modified.

A huge thanks to Kayla Grymala who brought this great grandstand seat to help my comfort sitting in the grandstands. We have reserved seats which have backs on them, but, in my case, the back catches me on a part of my back that really hurts. I'm so glad that my nurse keeps watch on me at the races, as well as in my doctor's office. She is usually the first person I see before each doctor visit! I really appreciate her help furnishing me with that seat. Kayla is the wife of Super Stock racer Andy Grymala from Superior. Andy is, I believe, also related to “our” racer Cody Carlson.

Sunday, July 21

On Sunday afternoon Joanne and I headed to Proctor Speedway for the “Hornet Nationals,” a special for WISSOTA’s entry division. For this event they drew a good number: 15 entries.

All the other divisions Proctor normally features were also in play, including WISSOTA Late Models (13 entries), WISSOTA Modifieds (10 entries), WISSOTA Super Stocks (15 entries) and WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds (18 entries). That gave us a total of 70 cars in action.

We did run a little bit later than normal Sunday, due to some track “reconstruction” before the last few features were run. We had to have a good track for the kid’s bike races, which were also part of the program.

When we go to the Proctor Speedway, Joanne and I have a couple of favorite drivers we back, both in monetary and personal support. One, as we’ve discussed, is Superior’s Cody Carlson. The other is many-time Twin Ports and northern Wisconsin-area track champion Scott Lawrence. Scott grew up on our block, living with his mom and stepdad Charlie Klick, also a racer at the then Tri-State Speedway, back in the early days.

I was hoping Carlson might possibly have a better one than he did Saturday at ABC Raceway. He was on his way to a potential second-straight sweep Sunday, but this night didn’t go quite as well, with him finishing second in the 15-lap Midwest Modified feature.

As far as Lawrence goes, he had one of his best (in my estimation) nights he’s had this season, pulling off the win in the 15-lap feature. He started in what’s become known as the “preferred spot” – outside of the front row. He outdistanced Curt Myers, DJ Keeler, Kyle Copp and Beeksma in the top five. It was his first win at Proctor in about a year.

It was also announced that Lawrence holds the record (so far) at Gondik Law Speedway, with 79 feature wins over his career, overall.

During one of the Hornet heat races, we had an interesting situation when the caution flag flew. I was wondering what had happened, as I did not see any cars spun or crashed anywhere on the track. It soon became apparent what the caution flag had been for – Derek Dunbar’s car was on fire under the hood! It was quickly extinguished, but he was done for the evening.

In other action, Harry Hanson won the 20-lap main event over Mike Klippenstein, who has showed improvement in his rookie year. Hanson also won from that preferred outside front-row starting spot, while polesitter Klippenstein was steady the entire distance in second place. That was the best finish I’ve seen for Klippenstein, who has worked his way up through several divisions to land in a Late Model. He seems to be a good fit in that division so far. Dave Flynn, our second 70-year-old Tim McMann and Danny Vang rounded out the top five.

On the WISSOTA Modified side, I again watched Kennedy Swan. Nick Oreskovich flew up from his eighth starting spot to the lead and grabbed the eventual win. Swan was second. I keep hoping to witness her taking a win in a feature, but not this time. Brandon Copp, Kevin “Buzzy” Adams and Jody Bellefeuille completed the top five. Bellefeuille had started in third, but following a restart he lost a bunch of positions. Adams was involved in an incident, was sent to the back, and hustled his way back forward to finish behind Copp.

In the Pure Stock division, there were only nine entries. In the 12-lap main event, Chaston Finckbone didn’t have quite enough to overcome leader and eventual winner Brent Mindock, who has been hot lately.

I just noticed that I did not mention who won the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature. David Simpson was the victor in that race. He has made a great recovery from a situation at another track, where he had rolled his racer. He came back from that setback to continue to be a contender for the WISSOTA Midwest Modified National Championship.

In the WISSOTA Hornet division, it was a 20-lap feature for them, which is several laps more than they are used to racing in their features.

Justin Schelitzche took that win ahead of DeJay Jarecki, who finished second after starting 15th. Payton Swenson came from his 12th starting slot to finish third. Nikota Larson slipped back from the pole to finish fourth and last year’s winner, Brett Leino, improved from 10th to fifth.

This concludes our three day racing weekend. Finally, we were back to what could be called “normal” after what took place between the end of June and the middle of July!

Coming up at Gondik Law Speedway, we will have a $5,000-to-win KME Late Model Special July 26, as well as the rest of the normal weekly racing divisions. Then there is a pair of race in conjunction with the Head of the Lakes Fair. On Tuesday, July 30 we have the KME Late Model Series along with WISSOTA Mods, Pure Stocks and Hornets. Then on August 2, we have WISSOTA Super Stocks, MidMods, Pure Stocks and Hornets. After that, August 9 is another so-called XR Storm night, featuring the WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series and another KME Late Model Series race, along with WISSOTA Modifieds, Super Stocks and Midwest Modifieds.

August 16 is the 6th annual Suicide Prevention and Awareness night. That night there is a WISSOTA Street Stock special as well. The Hall of Fame night and related activities are also set for August, with more information forthcoming.

I was thinking, since I got hit on the top of my head with track debris a while back, that I would bring my racing helmet out and wear it during the features. I thought it would be funny, but then Joanne thought it wouldn’t be a good thing – and I don’t want to anger the management at Gondik Law Speedway!

Time to wrap this up for another week. See everyone at the races!