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Burdick beats the Challenge Series Late Model field, Sabraski scores twice, and Blevins and Puffe post WISSOTA Classic wins to kick off invitational season at Grand Rapids Speedway

By Chris Stepan and with reporting from Ed Reichert

GRAND RAPIDS, MN (August 30) - The 2024 season for the Structural Buildings WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series powered by Momentum Truck Group, Freightliner, and Western Star rolled into Grand Rapids Speedway in Grand Rapids, Minnesota for the 30th annual WISSOTA Classic on Friday, August 30. In the headlining event, Kevin Burdick withstood a late-race charge and several final lap caution flags to get revenge after losing the lead on the final corner one year ago. Burdick led all but the opening lap and raced to his first career series victory in front of a packed grandstand to kick off Labor Day weekend.

Other WISSOTA Dirt Track Series winners included Shane Sabraski, Sam Blevins and Dustin Puffe.

Gunner Frank and Burdick earned the front row for the night’s 40-lap Late Model Challenge Series feature event, with Frank taking the lead on the initial start before Burdick roared around on the top side, stealing the lead on the second lap.

Once out front, Burdick took off into the night ahead of Frank, Peterson, Broking and Shane Sabraski, as they quickly embarked in a multi-car battle for second.

The field chased Burdick during the first 15 laps until the first caution flag flew over the field for a tangle on the backstretch, which bunched the field for the restart.

Burdick again took off into the lead with Massingill in tow after the restart. Just behind the leaders, Peterson, Sabraski and Billy Kendall were in a great battle for position with Jeff Provinzino and Ryan Mikkelson lurking inside the top 10 as well.

Burdick continued to lead after a pair of mid-race restarts with outstanding three and four wide racing occurring throughout the field behind the leaders. Massingill, Peterson, Sabraski, Frank and Broking were tussling lap after lap for top five finishes until the action got a bit too close and Massingill and Sabraski tangled late in the race, slowing the field for the seventh and final time with just three laps to go.

The field rumbled around the Iron Range oval for the final times and Massingill was able to get just to the inside of Burdick entering turn three, but unlike a year ago, Burdick was able to withstand the late-race challenge and drove to his first career Challenge Series victory. Massingill was second with Peterson third, just ahead of Broking and Cole Searing, who rounded out the top five.

Sabraski started on the pole for the WISSOTA Super Stock feature and pulled away from the field immediately. The battle for second was a good one, as Dalton Carlson, Kyle Copp, D.J. Keeler and Matt Sparby raced close and hard for those spots.

One yellow just past halfway bunched the field, but Sabraski pulled away again. At the checkered flag his lead was almost a half lap over the field. Carlson finished second and was pulling away from both Copp and Sparby, who finished behind him in the top five. Keeler was fifth.

Ryan Jensen was the early leader in the WISSOTA Modifieds. Sabraski then drove by him to take over the point and drove to the eventual win by a half lap over the field.

There was a good battle for second between Jody Bellefeuille and Kennedy Swan, with Swan getting by briefly. Bellefeuille moved back under her in turn one, however, and regained the spot. Bellefeuille claimed the runner-up honors, Swan was third, Charlie Castle was fourth and Jensen slipped back to fifth.

The WISSOTA Pure Stock feature was a challenging one, with seven cautions in 15 laps. Austin Carlson led the first nine laps of the race as he fought off multiple challenges. Dustin Puffe was the driver on the move, starting fifth and gradually moving into contention. Following the second yellow, he got under Carlson and took over the lead, which he then held the last six laps of the race.

While Puffe was in control, it was crazy behind him, with a lot of skirmishes throughout the field. Puffe held on amid the wild action to claim the win over Finckbone and Carlson. Jake Smith and Brent Mindock were top-five finishers.

Sam Blevins started outside of the front row next to his dad, Michael Blevins, Sr., and held the lead for the entirety of the race. Michael had to settle for second behind his son, while Garrett Paull improved four spots to third. Tim Jackson and Mervin Castle III rounded out the top five.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Late Models:

A Feature 1 (40 Laps): 1. 30-Kevin Burdick[2]; 2. 6M-Jeff Massingill[8]; 3. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson[4]; 4. 45J-Johnny Broking[3]; 5. 10-Cole Searing[14]; 6. 21F-Gunner Frank[1]; 7. 28-Jeff Provinzino[11]; 8. 15*-Ryan Mikkelson[9]; 9. 99-Billy Kendall III[6]; 10. 7H-Harry Hanson[13]; 11. 7-Joel Bennett[12]; 12. 71M-Zach Wohlers[18]; 13. 16-Derek Vesel[7]; 14. 31T-Trent Follmer[15]; 15. 54L-Jayme Lautigar[10]; 16. 7A-Shane Sabraski[5]; 17. 212-Mike Klippenstein[22]; 18. 12X-Ben Heinle[21]; 19. 24-Eric Lillo[23]; 20. 63-Patrick Kelley[17]; 21. (DNF) 54-Rick Niemi[25]; 22. (DNF) 35-George Ledin Jr[24]; 23. (DNF) 23-Kyle Peterlin[16]; 24. (DNF) 12-Mark Heinle[20]; 25. (DNF) 729-Michael Winn[19]; 26. (DNS) 04JR-Adam Ayotte; 27. (DNS) 83-Josh Clark

Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson[2]; 2. 99-Billy Kendall III[1]; 3. 6M-Jeff Massingill[3]; 4. 28-Jeff Provinzino[4]; 5. 23-Kyle Peterlin[5]; 6. 7H-Harry Hanson[9]; 7. 12-Mark Heinle[8]; 8. 24-Eric Lillo[7]; 9. (DNF) 54-Rick Niemi[6]

Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 45J-Johnny Broking[2]; 2. 7A-Shane Sabraski[3]; 3. 54L-Jayme Lautigar[1]; 4. 15*-Ryan Mikkelson[6]; 5. 10-Cole Searing[4]; 6. 71M-Zach Wohlers[7]; 7. 12X-Ben Heinle[5]; 8. 212-Mike Klippenstein[9]; 9. 35-George Ledin Jr[8]

Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 30-Kevin Burdick[2]; 2. 21F-Gunner Frank[4]; 3. 16-Derek Vesel[3]; 4. 7-Joel Bennett[1]; 5. 31T-Trent Follmer[5]; 6. 63-Patrick Kelley[7]; 7. 729-Michael Winn[8]; 8. (DNF) 83-Josh Clark[9]; 9. (DNS) 04JR-Adam Ayotte

WISSOTA Modifieds:

A Feature 1: 1. 7A-Shane Sabraski[4]; 2. 11-Jody Bellefeuille[5]; 3. 18S-Kennedy Swan[6]; 4. 2-Charlie Castle[7]; 5. 23-Ryan Jensen[1]; 6. 04N-Nick Ayotte[9]; 7. 45-Bob Broking[14]; 8. 22B-Josh Beaulieu[8]; 9. 7J-Rick Jacobson[13]; 10. 24D-Duane Dale[10]; 11. T23-John Toppozini[2]; 12. 12-TJ Heinle[12]; 13. 66-Kevin Lear[15]; 14. 4S-Steve Stavenger[11]; 15. 05-Mark Prueser[16]; 16. (DNF) 77-Alan Olafson[17]; 17. (DNS) 45J-Johnny Broking; 18. (DQ) 40JR-Tyler Vernon[18]

Heat 1: 1. 23-Ryan Jensen[1]; 2. 11-Jody Bellefeuille[5]; 3. 2-Charlie Castle[4]; 4. 24D-Duane Dale[3]; 5. 7J-Rick Jacobson[2]; 6. 05-Mark Prueser[6]

Heat 2: 1. 7A-Shane Sabraski[4]; 2. 45J-Johnny Broking[1]; 3. 04N-Nick Ayotte[2]; 4. 4S-Steve Stavenger[6]; 5. 45-Bob Broking[5]; 6. (DQ) 40JR-Tyler Vernon[3]

Heat 3: 1. 18S-Kennedy Swan[5]; 2. 22B-Josh Beaulieu[3]; 3. T23-John Toppozini[4]; 4. 12-TJ Heinle[2]; 5. 66-Kevin Lear[1]; 6. 77-Alan Olafson[6]

WISSOTA Super Stocks:

A Feature 1: 1. 7A-Shane Sabraski[1]; 2. 57-Dalton Carlson[2]; 3. 26-Kyle Copp[3]; 4. 81X-Matt Sparby[4]; 5. 12K-Duane (DJ) Keeler[5]; 6. T26-Nic Lewis[6]; 7. 30S-Dan Severson[7]; 8. 17-Faye Lewis[8]

Heat 1: 1. 81X-Matt Sparby[1]; 2. 12K-Duane (DJ) Keeler[3]; 3. 7A-Shane Sabraski[5]; 4. 57-Dalton Carlson[6]; 5. 26-Kyle Copp[7]; 6. T26-Nic Lewis[2]; 7. 30S-Dan Severson[4]; 8. 17-Faye Lewis[8]

WISSOTA Midwest Mods:

A Feature 1: 1. 187-Sam Blevins[2]; 2. 10B-Michael Blevins Sr[1]; 3. 16-Garrett Paull[7]; 4. 48-Tim Jackson[3]; 5. 10-Mervin Castle III[9]; 6. 19-Darrin Lawler[4]; 7. 28-Paul Ripley[11]; 8. 10JR-Mikey Blevins[6]; 9. 4L-Carey LePage[8]; 10. 18-Justin Feltus[18]; 11. 40JR-Tyler Vernon[5]; 12. 7A-Eric Anderson[10]; 13. 86-Don Smith[12]; 14. 8-Jonny Nowak[17]; 15. 5F-Fritz Myers[15]; 16. 25C-Cole Sondergaard[16]; 17. (DNF) 26K-Sam Kolar[13]; 18. (DNF) 17-Matthew Cunha[14]

Heat 1: 1. 10-Mervin Castle III[2]; 2. 10JR-Mikey Blevins[6]; 3. 4L-Carey LePage[5]; 4. 7A-Eric Anderson[1]; 5. 26K-Sam Kolar[3]; 6. 25C-Cole Sondergaard[4]

Heat 2: 1. 16-Garrett Paull[1]; 2. 48-Tim Jackson[3]; 3. 187-Sam Blevins[6]; 4. 28-Paul Ripley[5]; 5. 17-Matthew Cunha[2]; 6. (DNF) 18-Justin Feltus[4]

Heat 3: 1. 10B-Michael Blevins Sr[3]; 2. 40JR-Tyler Vernon[6]; 3. 19-Darrin Lawler[5]; 4. 86-Don Smith[4]; 5. 5F-Fritz Myers[2]; 6. 8-Jonny Nowak[1]

WISSOTA Pure Stocks:

A Feature 1: 1. 21X-Dustin Puffe[5]; 2. 40C-Chaston Finckbone[9]; 3. 57-Austin Carlson[1]; 4. 86J-Jake Smith[6]; 5. 57BC-Brent Mindock[3]; 6. 47X-Jake Barsness[4]; 7. 28-Eric Crosby[2]; 8. 7-Bob Klein[10]; 9. (DNF) 47-Anthony Schultz[13]; 10. (DNF) 22E-Ethan Elhardt[8]; 11. (DNF) 18B-Alex Berg[11]; 12. (DNF) 47J-Justin Barsness[7]; 13. (DNF) 81X-Alexa Sparby[12]

Heat 1: 1. 28-Eric Crosby[2]; 2. 86J-Jake Smith[4]; 3. 21X-Dustin Puffe[7]; 4. 47X-Jake Barsness[3]; 5. 40C-Chaston Finckbone[6]; 6. 18B-Alex Berg[1]; 7. 47-Anthony Schultz[5]

Heat 2: 1. 57-Austin Carlson[4]; 2. 57BC-Brent Mindock[3]; 3. 47J-Justin Barsness[5]; 4. 22E-Ethan Elhardt[2]; 5. 7-Bob Klein[1]; 6. 81X-Alexa Sparby[6]