ANDERSON BURDICK FROEMMING BERNICK AND JOHNSTON TAMEBORDER BATTLE FEATURES ON NIGHT TWO
By Jerry O’Brien
(7-3-21) Superior, WI
(7-3-21) Superior, WI
The two day fifth annual Border Battle finished it’s run on Saturday July 3rd at
Gondik Law Speedway on a day that was hotter than hades with temperatures
hovering around the 90 degree mark. The only saving grace was a light breeze and
humidity in the 30% range.
It was to be another full show with the same five WISSOTA Divisions.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as well as the previous night with a smaller
car count at 95 cars.
Qualifying heats began the night. Only one division had enough cars to have
four heats and a B Feature and that was the Midwest Modifieds with a total of 31
entries. In the WISSOTA Modifieds Jody Bellefeuille furthered his chances of
winning the $2500 bonus posted if he was able to sweep both nights. He won his
heat as did Corey Jones and Jeremy Nelson. Shane Sabraski and Kevin Burdick
won Super Stock heats and Sabraski was in line for a bonus if he w as able to
sweep the division as he had the night before. In the Midwest Modified division
James Vendela, Travis Schulte, Zach Benson and Brennan Gave won heats and
Ashley Mehrwerth topped the B Feature. Only six Pure Stocks stayed for the
second day. Only one heat was needed and Tom Treviranus won that. There were
two heats in the Hornet division won by Mac Hohnston and Matt Dittman.
With all the heats plus the lone B Feature completed, it was intermission time.
Some track work was done to keep the surface in good shape. Right after that the
first of five feature races rolled onto the speedway. It was the 15 lap WISSOTA
Pure Stock main event with Tom Treviranus on the pole and the previous night’s
winner Aaron Bernick on the outside. To make a long story short, the race went
green to checkers and Bernick led every one of them for the sweep and the second
feature win of his career. Treviranus stayed in second place while there was some
trading places behind the leaders nothing threatened them until the last three laps.
Cory Jorgensen and Dylan Shelton moved up to finish second and third.
The 25 lap feature for the Midwest Modifieds was up next. Zach Benson and
James Vendela were the front row followed by the previous night’s winner Travis
Schulte and Brennan Gave. Benson led the first lap but Vendela got by and led a
couple before Benson took back he lead. While the leaders were swapping
positions, Justin Froemming was in third and Schulte was fourth. Benson kept a
lock on the lead with Froemming keeping pace in second. Moving forward from
his tenth starting spot was Corey Mehrwerth . Little changed for a few laps until
the caution flag flew with 13 to go for car spun out in turns one and two. It was
Cody Borgeson who was out. The restart saw Schulte take the point from Benson
but the caution reappeared quickly for the car of Tanner Gehl. Gehl also left the
race. Still with 13 to go, yet another caution flag appeared for a multi car tangle at
the bottom of the turn four exit. Caught up in the incident were Tyler Kintner,
Brennan Gave, Jack Rivord and Justin Bassa. The incident was charged to the
leader Benson who was put to the rear. With Benson’s exit to the rear Froemming
assumed the lead and it seemed the #33 was in control. He did have some
competition from Schulte who actually led a lap before Froemming reassumed
control and went on to take the win. Schulte was second, Ashle Mehrwerth third,
Jason VandeKamp fourth and Kintner fifth. Mehrwerth was the hard charger
landing in third from 17th. VandeKamp was also a candidate making it up from 18th
to fourth. Another who had strong run was Kennedy Swan who started 20th and
ended up seventh.
Next on the schedule was the showcased division the WISSOTA Modifieds
who lined up for their 30 lap feature. An interesting occurrence, the front row was
made up of the winner of the previous night’s feature and, on the outside the man
who chased him all night in vain. At the green Bellefeuille moved from the pole to
the lead while Anderson was second. Jeremy Nelson was third and Corey Jones
fourth ahead of Shane Sabraski. A couple laps in Jeremy Nelson actually nosed
ahead of Bellefeuille briefly to lead a lap. Bellefeuille was strong but Anderson
was determined to go after him if only he could get rid of the pesky Nelson.
Speaking of Nelson, anothr one was back on his home turf, Darrell Nelson was in
the mix and camped out in fourth for several laps in the early part of the non
stopped event. Anderson spent that same first part of the race trying to get past
Jeremy Nelson, finally did it and pressured Bellefeuille until he was able to make
the pass for the lead which he never relinquished going on to take the win. Nelson
fell back into a battle with Darrell Nelson and they swapped spots. Anderson got
his revenge on Bellefeuille with Darrell Nelson, Brandon Copp and Jeremy Nelson
in the top five in that order. The Hard Charger of the event was Johnny Broking
with a plus 12.
Next to roll out was the 25 lap Super Stock feature. Shane Sabraski was on the
pole and looking to take a win but his front row mate Kevin Burdick had other
thoughts. Sabraski led the first couple of trips around before Burdick got it
together and took over the point. The first caution flag came quickly with 22 laps
remaining. Burdick maintained the lead at the restart and the pair never gave up on
the battle. There were some changes deeper in the field as Dylan Nelson, Kyle
Copp, Scott Lawrence, Dexton Koch, Willie Jonsen, Jr and others put on a show
further back in the field. One more caution period slowed the action with a dozen
circuits remaining. When racing resumed, Burdick maintained the lead followed
by Sabraski, Nelson, Lawrence and Copp in the top five. Burdick extended his
lead over Sabraski who then lost second to Nelson. Copp held fourth, Lawrence
held in fifth, Dylan Kromschroeder was sixth, Koch was seventh, Nick Jacobson
eighth, Willie Jonsen, Jr ninth and Jake Fromke rounded out the top ten.
Mac Johnston swept the Hornet action winning the first heat, snatched away the
lead from Matt Dittman and went on unbothered to the win. Dittman held onto
second, Dejay Jarecki was third, Brandon Hummelmeier finished fourth and Jesse
Turnvall was fifth.
