July 6, 2024 - Elko, MN
By Jason D Searcy
Elko Speedway encouraged everyone to celebrate freedom during their post Independence day Eve of Destruction on Saturday night and another huge crowd was in attendance.
The first first of two Interim HeathCare Staffing 25 lap Late Model feature events had 17 cars take the green flag. Hunter Covell-Paine #94 from Mound (MN) led every lap and took home his first trophy of the year at ELKO. The race did have some drama though as fast-qualifier #19 Jake Ryan moved his way up through the field from his 8th starting spot and challenged for the lead at the end. Covell-Paine was able to endure the pressure from Ryan during a Green-White-Checkered finish and won by 0.395 seconds. Jake Ryan finished second in the race but took home the $500 bonus for having the fastest lap in qualifying sponsored by Interim HealthCare Staffing, his lap time was 14.674 seconds. Chris Marek #3 finished third, #6 Owin Giles was fourth and #99 Tommy Peterson scored a Top 5 finish. All cars finished on the lead lap.
The second NASCAR sanctioned 25 lap Late Model feature event was marred by four caution periods and numerous cars dropping from the race with damage. Michael Haggar #19h returned after competing at other venues the last couple years and he led the first few laps of the race, #52 Chad Walen then took over the top spot on lap 3, but it was anything but easy. Jake Ryan caught Walen mid-race and battled with him side by side for numerous laps, these two veteran racers touched a couple times in the corners and raced inches apart for about 10 laps. Ryan finally established himself as the leader with a few laps to go and ended up winning by 1.455 seconds. It was the third win of the season for Jake Ryan and it was a good enough night for Ryan to take over the point lead. Chad Walen finished just a nose ahead of Rookie Late Model driver #10 Danny Mann who just turned 16 years old, Michael Haggar finished 4th and #8 Colin Stocker scored a 5th place finish. Six cars did not finish the race with damage including last weeks winner Michael Ostdiek #18 and the winner of the first feature Hunter Covell-Paine.
The NASCAR sanctioned Thunder Cars raced two cautionless 20 lap feature events during Eve of Destruction at Elko Speedway on Saturday night. The first race had #18 Eric Montour lead the first handful of laps until #83 Julie Jorgenson had a very short-lived turn as the leader. Brent Kane #99 from Lonsdale (MN) took away the lead from Jorgenson and held on to win by 1.53 seconds, it was the 4th win for Kane in the first 5 races of 2024 in the Thunder Car division at ELKO and the 133rd win of his career. Tom Sorem #29 finished second, just edging Jorgenson who was third, #16 Jimmy Omeara fourth and #9 Adam Wiebusch fifth of the 9 cars entered in the race.
The second Thunder Car feature brought a lot of emotion from the big crowd at Elko Speedway. Eric Montour lead the first half of the race until crowd favorite #41 Ben Gannon from Kenyon (MN) took advantage of a wide corner by Montour to grab the top spot, Montour later dropped from the race with a mechanical problem. Gannon then laid down consistently fast lap times and never opened the door for a challenge during this cautionless race. It was the first win for Gannon in his four years of racing Thunder Cars at ELKO. Ben Gannon is the son of the recently passed Dan Gannon who was a big supporter of numerous drivers in the pits and very well respected in the racing community. Jimmy Omeara finished 0.409 seconds behind in second place, Tom Sorem was third, point leader Brent Kane finished fourth and Julie Jorgenson scored a fifth place finish.
Fifteen NASCAR sanctioned Power Stocks raced two cautionless 20 lap feature events at Elko Speedway on Saturday night. The first race had #77 Payton King lead the first few laps until #08 Mike Stoer from Prior Lake (MN) took over the top spot. The challenge then for Stoer was weaving through the lapped traffic, he dove low and high and ended up winning by 2.808 seconds. It was the second win of the season for Stoer at ELKO. Jesse Fischer #57 finished second place, #3 Jimmie Jorgenson third place, 15 year old Clayton Dorner #14 was fourth and King held on to finish in the Top 5.
The second Power Stock race had lots of excitement and zero lapped cars during the 20 lap feature event. Thomas Moot #11 led the first lap until #22 Zeke Oppegaard grabbed the lead on lap four. Jesse Fischer #57 from Eagan (MN) blasted into the lead with his patriotic colored car on lap seven and never let it go, he won by 1.428 seconds, it was his third win of the season at ELKO, he is the current point leader. Jimmie Jorgenson finished second place, Mike Stoer was third, defending Power Stock Champion Julie Jorgenson finished fourth and Clayton Dorner was fifth. The race was highlighted by a front stretch long burnout by the recently returned to racing 2003 Champion Bud Kane in his classic 1973 Chevelle race car.
The 2024 races in the INEX sanctioned Legends cars division have been filled with excitement and lots of lead changes. Saturday night was no exception, the first 20 lap feature had #3 Zac Geiger take the early lead and #3 Luke Allen topped the field on lap two. After a couple early cautions, fourteen year old #12 Ayrton Brockhouse from Shakopee (MN) took over the top spot on lap 5 and never gave it up. Brockhouse won by 2.182 seconds, it was his third win of the season at ELKO. #75 Baiden Heskett finished second in the race he was also fast-timer in qualifying with a time of 15.744 seconds, Luke Allen was third, #87 Robby Carter fourth and #2 Rob Thurston fifth of the twenty cars in attendance.
The second Legends car feature saw a lot of drama with #J3 Justin Ziemiecki led the first handful of laps before dropping back. Former I-94 Raceway Champion #2 Rob Thurston took over the lead on lap 4 until #12 Ayrton Brockhouse shot to the top of the leaderboard on lap 5 of 20. With a few laps to go something happened under the hood to the Ziemiecki car, he lost power and dropped a lot of fluid on the track causing an extensive clean-up. On the restart the top two cars Brockhouse and Heskett had some contact causing another caution and sending both of those racers to the back. That set up a short sprint to the finish on the restart with two veteran racers fighting for the victory in drag-race fashion. Robby Carter #87 from Lakeville (MN) edged Rob Thurston by the closest of margains, 0.002 seconds at the finish line. It was the first win of the season for 2021 ELKO Champion Carter who is racing part-time this season at Elko Speedway, he is also the crew chief for his daughter Logen who is racing in the Bando division. Thurston finished second place, he was inches away from the victory which would’ve been his first win since 2009. Matt Allen #16, who now lives in NYC and is home visiting for the holiday finished third, his younger brother Luke was fourth and 69 year old Greg Erhardt finished fifth of the 20 cars entered.
Baiden Heskett ended up finishing 12th and Ayrton Brockhouse was 13th.
The INEX sanctioned Bandoleros for kids ages 7-15 raced two 12 lap feature events at Elko Speedway on Saturday night. The first race had #59 Caleb Hawes leading the first lap and #32 Colton Roe Pershall from Sartell (MN) grabbing the lead on lap two and holding on through 3 caution periods to win by 1.533 seconds. It was the second win of the season for Roe Pershall who will be soon traveling overseas to Slovenia to play hockey for team North America in the CCM world invite. Christopher Flynn #5 finished second place, #32 Mason Westphal spun backwards across the finish line for third place, #75 Logen Carter was fourth and #57 Revelin Heitkamp was fifth of the 13 cars racing.
The second Bando feature had #56 George Brochman lead lap one and #32 Mason Westphal from Farmington (MN) took the lead on lap two. First feature winner Colton Roe Pershall ended up crossing the finish line as the leader but was disqualified in technical inspection. Westphal was awarded the win, the first of the season and first in his Bando career at ELKO. Rev Heitkamp was second, Logen Carter third, #8 Thomas Poretski fourth and #64 Jaden Miller-Schmitz fifth of the 13 cars entered.
*All results are unofficial at this time, get more results and point standings at ElkoSpeedway.com
Austin Matta from Shakopee (MN) won the spectator drags.
Twin motorcycle performers Sawer and Shannon Schmidtman entertained the crowd and executed the first ever motorcycle front flip at Elko Speedway.
Monster Trucks Thunder 4x4 and Mechanical Mischief crushed cars and got the crowd on its feet during their freestyle runs.
Some of the best Drifters in the North did performance style tandem drifting during Eve of Destruction.
MAW wrestling held numerous wrestling matches on the concourse in front of a huge crowd of onlookers during intermission at ELKO.
The School Bus races were memorable as always and the Magdatude Jet Truck melted two vehicles to the ground and the evening was capped by an incredible fireworks show.
The next event at Elko Speedway is an Eve of Destruction on July 20th with racing in all 5 divisions, a petting zoo, Monster Trucks, project fireball frenzy, spectator drags, School Bus Races, Mega Jump BMX, Music by GenX and Inside Out 2 at Elko Drive-in. Gates open at 4:30pm, action begins at 5:15pm. Get more information and tickets at ElkoSpeedway.com
Elko Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned 3/8th mile high banked asphalt race track with stadium seating located just 30 minutes South of the Twin Cities in Elko-New Market (MN).
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