AKERVIK WINS PURE STOCK SPECIAL AT GONDIK LAW SPEEDWAY

By Jerry O’Brien
(Superior, WI, Aug 16)
     Friday night August 16th at Gondik Law Speedway was an action packed one,
even more than usual. It was National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Night, Kid’s
Big Wheel races as well as a special for WISSOTA Pure Stocks with an enhanced
purse. The WISSOTA Street Stocks were also invited to be part of the program as
the Late Models had the night off.
     Volunteers from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline sold the 50/50 tickets
as well as other items and provided trophies for each division presented by
members of families who’s lives were touched by suicide.
     After qualifying heat races determined the starting order for the feature races,
the first to venture out for their 20 lap main event were the WISSOTA Super
Stocks. Don Muzzy and Kyle Copp occupied the front row of the 20 car field. At
the green Copp took the lead with DJ Keeler following through from the second
row. Muzzy, Dave Flynn and Scott Lawrence followed. Five laps deep in the event
the first caution flag flew when Matt Deragon looped in turn four. Muzzy was
judged to be the guilty party and was sent to the rear of the field. The restart saw
Copp hold onto the lead with Lawrence and Flynn in a battle for second ahead of
Keeler and the always dangerous Kevin Burdick who had already moved from
ninth to fifth. Copp was valiantly holding onto the lead with Lawrence, Flynn and
Burdick in the mix and Keeler fifth. The second caution flag flew for a five car
pileup in turns one and two, this time it was Andrew Mackey who had instigated
the mixup. 
     The restart came with a dozen circuits remaining and Copp was able to hold off
Lawrence for a couple more laps before he got by. Copp held up Burdick for a
couple of laps before the National Point leader got by and set out after Lawrence
and his 29th feature win of the season. Lawrence was able to keep a gap between
himself and Burdick, but caution flag number three flew when Muzzy’s bad night
continued and he went off the fourth turn into the infield. This was something
Lawrence did not want to see as it put Burdick right where he wanted to be on the
restart. Lawrence continued to work the high side which was just a tick faaster
than the low groove while Burdick desperately tried the inside in the turns hoping
to set Lawrence up for a slide job to take the lead. While this was going on behind
the leaders, Copp, Jim Campbell, Keeler and Flynn had an interesting battle going
on for top five spots. Up ahead, as it was closing in on the checkered flag, Burdick
made a last ditch effort and tried for the slide job but came up just short of making
the pass resulting in heavy contact between Burdick’s right rear and Lawrence’s
left front. Both cars were damaged but Burdick was able to take the win. Campbell
got by Lawrence to second while he was regaining control to finish third. Copp
finished fourth and Flynn was fifth. 
     Next up were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds set for their own 20 lap run. It
would shake out to be somewhat of a rerun of the previous Friday as, once again,
it cme down to a battle between the Brothers Estey for the win. This time,
however, it took a little longer for it to develop as Mack started fourth and Skeeter
started eighth. At the initial green flag outside pole sitter Wyatt Boyum used that
preferred high groove to beat pole sitter McLean Andrews to the point. There was
a problem on the first lap, however as Justin Bassa and Jack Rivord had an
encounter that caught up Don Craig in the first turn. Rivord was sent to the back
and racing resumed with one lap complete. That restart was just what the Esteys
needed as Boyum retained the lead but Mack and Skeeter jumped into second and
third. Andrews was trying to hold off Shane Howell for fourth. Mack got by
Boyum for the lead and Skeeter was stuck behind him with Howell breathing
down his neck until caution flag number two appeared when Andrews spun in turn
two and collected Brandon Copp. The restart came with sixteen laps to go with
Mack in the lead, and, a lap later Skeeter disposed of Boyum for second. Now
Skeeter was chasing Mack while Boyum fell back into the clutches of Howell
captured third. Boyum was working hard to stay ahead of Jimmy Latvala while
Andrew Inman, Brandon Copp and Jack Rivord were moving forward. Latvala got
by Boyum with Inman and Copp crowding him, Boyum spun in turn four bringing
out the third and final caution flag with eight laps remaining. On the restart Mack
held the lead but Howell slipped into second ahead of Skeeter. Skeeter wasted
little time regaining second and with les than five laps to go, got a great run on his
brother and shot past to take the win. Howell, Inman and Latvala finished in the
top five.
     It was also 20 laps for the WISSOTA Modifieds and Greg Chesley made a rare
appearance in the number 45c Modified, won a heat and drew the pole next to 
Scott Lawrence who is still driving Rick Rivord’s number 95. At the green,
Lawrence was aimed right in the top groove and used it to blast into the lead. Al
Uotinen took advantage and drove past Chesley to second ahead of Cody
Wolkowski who had also gotten past Chesley. Lawrence had the Modified on a
rail and opened up a huge lead on Wolkowski who had come out of the pack to
second. Uotinen hung onto third for a couple laps but Danny Vang and Johnny
Broking were on the move. The first and only caution flag flew with a dozen laps
remaining when Austin McWilliams spun in turn two. Lawrence stayed in front on
the restart, but Vang used it to jump into second, Chesley rebounded to take third
while Wolkowski was fighting off Broking. Vang caught up to Lawrence and took
about four laps to find a way past to the lead and went on to take his second win of
the season at the speedway. Lawrence fended off Broking for second while
Wolkowski finished fourth just ahead of Jody Bellefeuille who had come from 17th
to fifth. Bellefeuille had been in an accident in his heat and did not finish hence
the 17th starting spot. 
     A nice field of 18 WISSOTA Hornets started their 15 lap feature with a caution
flag before a lap could be completed. Dayna Marken was charged with the
incident and officials went back to a complete restart with the exception of
Marken who started in the back. The next try at a start saw Tyler Schramm take
the lead from the second row ahead of Hunter McDougall with first time visitor
Nate Servaty quickly making his way from the third row to the lead which he
never relinquished. The number 99 was dominant as the event went from green to
checkered without a hint of a caution flag. Tyle Kachinske finished second,
Schramm third, Jase Wiarda was fourth from tenth and Carter Rieland started fifth
and finished fifth. It was Servaty’s first win at the speedway and was a sweep a s
he won his heat, also.
     The invited WISSOTA Street Stocks ran a 15 lap main event and all eyes were
on the “Twenty-Five Grand Man” Jimmy Randall of Rice lake, WI who just a few
weeks ago won the “Little Dream” WISSOTA Street Stock Special at the Rice
Lake (WI) Speedway that paid the winner 25 Grand. Randall had recorded a DNF
in the only Street Stock heat and had to start the feature from the back row. Travis
Loew driving the number 40 car drew the pole and quickly took the lead, but two
laps in, Hunter VanGuilder spun in turn four. Loew maintained the lead at the
restart with Shawn Amundson, JohnKallas, Andrew Hanson and Randall already
up to fifth. Loew was running strong in the lead but Randall was slicing his way
through the field and soon was running second to Loew with Hanson third.
Randall soon disposed of Loew and Hanson followed him through. Then began a
pitched battle between the wily long time veteran racer Randall and the talented
Street Stock rookie. Hanson gave Randall all he wanted as Hanson would get a
fender on Randall entering the turns but Randall drove a perfect line and was able
to beat Hanson to the start/finish line sometimes by only a half car length. Randall
once again showed why he is the arguably the best at what he does. VanGuilder
rebounded from his mistake to finish a strong third, veteran Jay Kesan driving
Adam Soltis’ number seven was fourth and John “Wild Animal” Kallas was fifth.  
     The finale of the night was the WISSOTA Pure Stock feature as they were the featured
division. Jeremy Cash started the 15 lap main from the pole with Aaron Brenick
on the outside. Cash, who had won a heat, immediately grabbed the lead and was
followed through by former track champion James Vendela, Bernick, Cody Cimfl
and Jared Akervik. Akervik, who has been having a great season, didn’t stay fifth
for very long as he quickly made his way to the lead after tracking down cash.
While Akervik drove away from the field, Vendela established himself in third and
found his way past Cash for second. Cash got up on the wheel and raced past
Vendela back to second where he stayed until the checkered flag flew. Akervik’s
lead grew to huge proportions until it went away when Bernick and Trevor
Treviranus tangled bringing out the only caution of the event and Treviranus was
charged with the incident. Akervik had no trouble walking away from the field to
record his tird win of the season at the speedway. Cash held off Vendela and
Bernick for second while Dylan Shelton came from 10th to fifth.