Champion ice racers crowned on Garfield Lake as 2022 season concludes

LAPORTE -- With tight points races in both the A and B classes, the championships came down to the season’s final day for the Garfield Lake Ice Racers.

The titles were decided on Sunday at Garfield Lake near Laporte, as Nate Zanter claimed the A class crown and Josh Bitker the B class crown.

Nine different winners highlighted a very competitive day of racing. Jimmy Venem won two features in the B class, while Skyler Smith and Nick Jessen each won one. In the A class, Justin Miller and Zanter won the feature races.

Winning the heat races were Venem, Bitker and Bob Pawlitschek in the B class, and Bonnie Farrington and John Farrington in the A class.

The end-of-season awards night celebration is scheduled for Saturday, March 19, at the WoodShed Bar and Grill in Laporte. Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 7 p.m., with an awards ceremony to follow.

1/4: Jimmy Venem was a B class feature winner on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at Garfield Lake near Laporte.

2/4: Justin Miller was an A class feature winner on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at Garfield Lake near Laporte.

3/4: Skyler Smith was a B class feature winner on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at Garfield Lake near Laporte.

4/4: Nick Jessen was the B class feature winner on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at Garfield Lake near Laporte.

Set 1 B Class

Heat 1

1. Jimmy Venem
2. Abe Forseman
3. Hunter Weeks
4. Tony Rohloff
5. Mike Moen

Heat 2

1. Josh Bitker
2. Dennis Clark
3. Gordon Hunter
4. Skyler Smith
5. Bob Pawlitschek

Feature 1

1. Skyler Smith
2. Josh Bitker
3. Hunter Weeks
4. Dillon Lutgen
5. Gordon Hunter
6. Nick Jessen
7. Jerry Moen
8. CJ Roller

Feature 2

1. Jimmy Venem
2. Tony Rohloff
3. Sam Delaney
4. Bob Pawlitschek
5. Dennis Clark
6. Mike Moen
7. Abe Forseman
8. Tanner Asplund

Set 1 A Class

Heat 1

1. John Farrington
2. Nate Zanter
3. Kalin Honer
4. Bonnie Farrington
5. Justin Miller

Feature

1. Justin Miller
2. Bonnie Farrington
3. John Farrington
4. Kalin Honer
5. Reid Watson
6. Fritz Meyers
7. Nate Zanter
8. Nick Lewis

Set 2 B Class

Heat 1

1. Josh Bitker
2. Sam Delaney
3. Hunter Weeks
4. Jimmy Venem
5. Tanner Asplund

Heat 2

1. Bob Pawlitschek
2. Abe Forseman
3. Dennis Clark
4. CJ Roller
5. Mike Moen

Feature 1

1. Nick Jessen
2. Josh Bitker
3. Hunter Weeks
4. Tony Rohloff
5. Skyler Smith
6. Dillon Lutgen
7. CJ Roller
8. Tanner Asplund

Feature 2

1. Jimmy Venem
2. Bob Pawlitschek
3. Mike Moen
4. Abe Forseman
5. Sam Delaney
6. Jerry Moen
7. Dennis Clark
8. Gordon Hunter

Set 2 A Class

Heat 1

1. Bonnie Farrington
2. Kalin Honer
3. John Farrington
4. Nate Zanter
5. Justin Miller
6. Nick Lewis
7. Reid Watson
8. Fritz Meyers

Set 2 Feature

1. Nate Zanter
2. Justin Miller
3. Bonnie Farrington
4. Nick Lewis
5. Kalin Honer
6. John Farrington
7. Reid Watson
8. Fritz Meyers