9/12/2020 - Elko, MN
By Jason D Searcy
It was Bike Giveaway night at Elko Speedway as ELKO drivers and sponsors donated 25 bikes to lucky kids who attended the races on Saturday night September 12th.
An impressive 23 car field of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts series Late Models took to the track for the first 25 lap feature event. Adam Bendzick #21 from New Prague (MN) and #52 Chad Walen furiously raced side by side at the beginning of the race until the yellow flag flew at lap 11. Off the restart Bendzick took the lead and never looked back, winning by 1.436 seconds, it was the first win of the 2020 season for Bendzick. Chad Walen finished second, #23 Steve Schultz third, #12 Nick Murgic fourth and #8 Billy Mohn fifth. Point leader #72 Jacob Goede finished sixth and fast-qualifier #3 Chris Marek was eighth.
The second Late Model feature had 2019 ELKO Rookie of the Year #51 Justin Neisius from Eagan (MN) grab the lead early but he was in for a real battle with a guy who is just returning from taking a full year off racing, Michael Beamish #40 who raced him hard on the inside, they were wheel to wheel much of this cautionless race. At the finish Neisius edged out the win by just 0.149 seconds, it was the first win of the season for Neisius. Michael Beamish finished second, defending Champion #72 Jacob Goede third, #3 Chris Marek fourth and #50 Steve Anderson Jr fifth of the 22 cars entered.
Jacob Goede now leads the Late Model point standings by 30 points over #52 Chad Walen.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modified division is slowly growing at Elko Speedway. Bryan Syer-Keske #81from Lakeville (MN) had a challenging day that started out with a blown motor in practice, he quickly returned to the shop, changed motors and returned to ELKO just in time to finish third in the qualifying feature putting him on the pole position for the 15 lap main event. Syer-Keske took the lead off the green flag but a caution slowed the eight car field on lap three, Syer-Keske then had to hold off a challenge by #25 Eric Campbell after the restart. Bryan Syer-Keske was able to finally pull away and win by 3.536 seconds for his third win of the season. Eric Campbell finished second, #96 Keith Paulsrud third, #5 Scotty Marschall fourth and qualifying feature winner #100 Aaron Marthaler fifth.
Eric Campbell now leads Bryan Syer-Keske by 1 point in the race for the inaugural WISSOTA Midwest Modified Championship at ELKO.
The first of two 20 lap Thunder Car features at Elko Speedway had #28 James Lindgren lead the first three laps until #9 Adam Wiebusch took over the top spot with an inside pass. Wiebusch was the leader until fast-qualifier #37 Bryce Blohm from Prior Lake (MN) shot to the front from his eighth starting position taking the lead from the high side with five laps remaining. Blohm ended up winning by 1.291 seconds for his sixth victory of the year. Jeremy Wolff #32 just edged out Adam Wiebusch for the runner-up position, #3 Conrad Jorgenson was fourth and #07 Dillon Sellner fifth of the Eleven cars entered.
The second Thunder Car feature had #75 Keith Paulsrud taking the early lead until defending Champion #3 Conrad Jorgenson from Lakeville (MN) pulled up along side of Paulsrud and finally took the lead on lap five and cruised to the victory, it was his third win of 2020 at ELKO and the 149th of his career. Bryce Blohm #37 finished second, #32 Jeremy Wolff third, Keith Paulsrud fourth and #28 James Lindgren fifth.
Bryce Blohm now has a 42 point lead over Conrad Jorgenson in the race for the Thunder Car Championship at Elko Speedway.
In the first 20 lap Power Stock main event at Elko Speedway #13 Matt Frye battled two-wide with 20 year old #41 Ben Gannon from Dundas (MN) for the lead off the start, Gannon then took the top spot on lap five and got out to an impressive lead as the rest of the field battled behind him in this cautionless race. Brandon Plekkenpol #55 recovered from a near-wreck early in the race to battle for the lead at the end, the last couple laps Plekkenpol pressured but Ben Gannon held on to win by 0.198 seconds, it was it first career win at ELKO. Plekkenpol finished second, fast-qualifier #88 Nick Oxborough third, #83 Julie Jorgenson fourth and #08 Mike Stoer fifth of the eleven cars entered.
The second Power Stock feature at ELKO had veteran racer #71 Tom Quade and #8 Taylor Goldman slugging it out for the lead, Goldman finally took the top spot after the restart on lap seven. Julie Jorgenson #83 of Lakeville (MN) then challenged Goldman as these top two female racers were wheel to wheel for the lead. Jorgenson took the top spot with a high side pass on lap 13 and outran her competitors to win by 0.607 seconds. It was her third win of the season at Elko Speedway. Goldman ended up finishing second after a good battle with #08 Mike Stoer, beating him by 0.104 seconds at the line. Stoer was third, 69 year old Tom Quade #71 was fourth and #55 Brandon Plekkenpol fifth. Point leader #88 Nick Oxborough was shuffled back during a late caution and finished 9th.
Nick Oxborough now has a 37 point lead over Julie Jorgenson in the race for the 2020 Power Stock Championship at Elko Speedway.
The first 20 lap INEX sanctioned Great North Legends feature had pole-sitter #2 Robby Thurston go for a wild spin on the first lap in front of the entire field but everyone escaped unscathed. On the restart #91 Tristan Swanson took the lead until #3 Dirk Henry passed on on the high side on lap five. Henry held the lead through a caution period until veteran driver #71 Jon Lemke of Savage (MN) grabbed the top spot off the high-side just past the half-way mark of the race. Lemke then had to hold on through a late caution and fend off the many challenges of Henry to win by 0.271 seconds, it was his first win of 2020 at ELKO. Dirk Henry was second, #47 Austin Jahr third, Tristan Swanson fourth and #8 Colin Stocker fifth. Many top cars were shuffled back on that late caution including fast-qualifier #75 Baiden Heskett who finished 11th and point leader Tim Brockhouse who finished 13th of the 18 cars entered.
In the second Great North Legends feature event fourteen year old #7 Teddy Kottschade held the lead until #47 Austin Jahr from Farmington (MN) took over the top spot on lap eight. Jahr then had to hang on through a couple different cautions to maintain the lead, he won by 1.027 seconds, it was the second victory of the season at ELKO for Jahr. Dirk Henry #3 finished second again, #75 Baiden Heskett was third, #13 Tim Brockhouse fourth and #87 Robby Carter fifth.
Tim Brockhouse now has a 54 point lead over Baiden Heskett in the race for the 2020 Great North Legends Championship at Elko Speedway.
In the first 12 lap Bandolero feature it was #901 Alex Hartwig from Portage (WI) taking the early lead and never letting it go, even though a couple different caution periods, Hartwig increased his advantage and won by 1.29 seconds, it was his fifth win of the season at Elko Speedway. Josiah Kottschade #70 was second, #12 Ayrton Brockhouse third, #07 Jackson Kottschade fourth and #10 Danny Mann fifth of the twelve cars entered.
The second INEX sanctioned Bando feature had #56 Clayton Dorner lead off the green flag until it was three-wide on lap three, #70 Josiah Kottschade emerged with the lead and broke away from the field until a caution period on lap seven of twelve. After the restart #901 Alex Hartwig took the top spot away with three laps to go, another caution happened with two laps remaining but Hartwig held on and mowed down the competition to win by 0.881 seconds. It was a clean sweep for Hartwig, his sixth win at ELKO in 2020 and 91st win of his career at the age of 12. Josiah Kottschade finished second again, #12 Ayrton Brockhouse was third again, #J13 Justin Ziemiecki was fourth and #06 Adam Ratliff fifth.
Ten year old Ayrton Brockhouse now leads Josiah Kottschade by 30 points in the race for the 2020 Bando Championship at ELKO.
All results and points are unofficial at this time.
Craig Jacky from Hampton (MN) driving a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado thrilled the crowd and won the Spectator Drags competition.
Coming up next at Elko Speedway is racing with all six divisions on Saturday September 19th plus a special figure 8 school bus race. Gates open at 5pm, action just before 6pm. Get more information at ElkoSpeedway.com, download our free app or follow Elko Speedway on social media.
Elko Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned 3/8th mile asphalt oval race track with stadium seating located just 10 minutes South of Lakeville in Elko/New Market (MN).
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