New winners highlight action
BEMIDJI - A pair of new winners were crowned in the Wissota and Mini Stock classes during Sunday's action at the Bemidji Speedway.
Next Sunday the track will host the always popular kids DARE night. During intermission youngsters will be allowed on the track to meet their favorite drivers and collect autographs. The races will start at 5 p.m.
The race entertained the crowd as Christopher Leek and Skyler Smith battled for the lead late in the race and to make it even more exciting, Chris Dudley and Don Smith joined the pack up front in a four-car battle. Don Smith, Skyler Smith, and Dudley were all side by side-by-side with Leek just to their front.
With the white flag waving Don Smith got by both Skyler Smith and Dudley for second as Leek picked up his first checkered flag feature win at Bemidji.
A hard crash on the front straight involving Cory Mueller, Andy Hanson and Becky Barrett slowed the race for a time while track emergency personnel helped Barrett from her car. When racing resumed it was all Rick Watson who claimed his first feature win this year. Leahna Barrett, Weston Ramsrud, Josh Berg and Hanson trailed.
Conrad Schwinn made a move and late in the race on the back straight he passed Tonja Stranger for the lead and eventuallycruised to the win. Stranger, Mike Margl, Fran Hauber and Craig Moore made up the top five finishers.
Following a couple of cautions for a stalled car on the front straight and debris on the track things heated up with Bill Chaboyea and Jerry Ramey Jr. in a tight duel for the lead. Chaboyea held the fast lane and came out of the corners in the lead. Back and forth the two battled door-to-door right to the end of the race with Chaboyea picking up his second win of the summer. Ramey Jr., Cory Peterson, Bill Beaulieu, and Chad Puschinsky made up the top five finishers in a very entertaining race.
Gary Nelson Jr. took the lead early in the race and hung on for his second victory of the season. Bret Schmidt was a close second while Dalton Carlson, Matt Sparby and Blake Higgenbotham rounded out the top five finishers.
Speedway Results
Wissota Midwest Modifieds Feature - Christopher Leek, Don Smith, Chris Dudley, Skyler Smith, Gary Nelson Jr., John Halvorson, Bret Schmidt, Jared Lene, Al Johnson, Brandon Bahr.
Heat 1 - S. Smith, C. Dudley, J. Halvorson, C. Leek, J. Lene
Heat 2 - B.Schmidt, D. Erickson, G.Nelson Jr, B.Bahr, D.Mills
Mini Stock Feature - Rick Watson, Leahna Barrett, Weston Ramsrud, Josh Berg, Andy Hanson, Becky Barrett, Cory Mueller
Heat 1 - R. Watson, L. Barrett, J. Berg, B. Barrett, A. Hanson
Wissota Mod Four Feature - Conrad Schwinn, Tonja Stranger, Mike Margl, Fran Hauber, Craig Moore, Nathan Higginbotham
Heat 1 - C. Schwinn, N. Higginbotham, F. Hauber, T, Stranger, M. Margl
Pure Stock Feature - Bill Chaboyea, Jerry Ramey Jr., Cory Peterson, Bill Beaulieu, Chad Puschinsky, Brandon Smith, John Darkow, Jordan Thayer, Adam Palkki, Jay Lutgen
Heat 1 - C. Puschinsky, B.Smith, C. Peterson, J. Thayer, J. Darkow
Heat 2 - B. Chaboyea, B. Beaulieu, J. Ramey Jr., J.Lutgen, C. Kangas
Wissota Super Stock Feature - GaryNelson Jr., Bret Schmidt, Dalton Carlson, Matt Sparby, Blake Higginbotham, Keith Keena, Robert Preble
Heat 1 - G. Nelson Jr., D. Carlson, M. Sparby, B.Schmidt, B. Higginbotham
