BAHR, NELSON AND SABRASKI TOP BORDER BATTLE DAY TWO
By Jerry O’Brien
7-3-20
Though there were nearly the same number of cars in competition on the
second day of the annual Lake Superior Border Battle, the composition
changed slightly as the Midwest Modifieds increased to 38 and the Modifieds
increased to 39.
After qualifying heats and B Features that set the lineups for the feature
events were completed, the first of six races took to the speedway.
It was 15 laps for the WISSOTA pure Stocks. At the green flag outside
pole sitter Dusty Caspers took the lead with Aaron Bernick, James Vendela
along with Cory Jorgensen giving chase. Caspers held onto the lead until
there were two laps left. He had opened up a long lead but the absence of
caution flags allowed the three chasers to cut into the lead and finally close
up to within striking distance. With three laps left, Vendela suddenly
encountered trouble and was forced to pull out. Jorgensen took advantage of
his mishap, pulled up on Caspers and got by with two laps remaining for the
back to back win. Caspers, Bernick, Trevor Treviranus and Jared Akervik
finished in the top five.
The first six laps of the 20 lap Midwest Modified feature were taken up by
four of the six incidents in a caution filled event. Pole sitter Tony Bahr took
the lead at the initial green flag with Aaron Blacklance, Jimmy Latvala, Mark
Froehlich, Andrew Inman and Scott Splitstosser all in contention. Mike
Widmann spun in turn four on the second lap. Bahr continued in the lead
with Latvala taking second. Two laps later Froehlich spun collecting
Blacklance. Froehlich was charged and sent to the rear. Bahr continued in the
lead and this time Inman was second ahead of Latvala, Corey Storck and
Blacklance. Another two laps were completed when Mark Kangas found the
first turn wall bringing out the third caution flag. The next caution flag flew
on the restart when Brady Uotinen and Justin Jones clashed in turn two. The
incident was charged to Uotinen. With 14 laps still remaining, racing
resumed with Bahr still on top. The next caution flag would not appear for
another 11 circuits, so Latvala. Storck, Ryan Gierke, Splitstosser and
Blacklance continued to chased Bahr. Things settled down after the fourth
caution flag, while on the move was Skeeter Estey up from 12th to sixth.
Latvala maintained second for several laps until Inman got past to second.
Also making a charge was Cody Carlson from 19th to ninth. The fifth caution
flag flew when Latvala spun in turn one and was hit by Gierke. Both were
able to drive away and the incident was charged to Storck. Bahr was still
strong at the restart and maintained the point but the caution flag flew for the
sixth and final time when Gierke spun in turn four. Bahr was able to lead the
entire race despite the stoppages for the win. Estey finished second from 12th
and Latvala survived to finish third. Inman and Splitstosser rounded out the
top five. Carlson’s run toward the front ended with an eithth place finish.
The 30 lap Modified feature featured a pair of local veterans on the ront
row. Darrell Nelson was the pole sitter while Al Uotinen started to his
outside. Nelson grabbed the lead as Uotinen fell in behind. Dave Cain, Greg
Chesley, Ashley Anderson and Brandon Copp, Ryan Gierke and Bob
Broking were in the pack. While Nelson had a strong run in the lead, behind
him there was a lot of maneuvering for positions. Cain soon took second and
Anderson made his way to third. Uotionen fell into a battle with Chesley
while Copp, Gierke, Johnny Broking, Danny Vang and Shane Sabraski
battled toward the front. It settled down with Nelson leading Cain, Anderson,
Chesley and Uotinen in the front five. With 20 of the 30 laps complete, the
only caution flag of the event flew for Jeff Tardy. Nelson continued his
strangle hold on the lead chased by Cain. Bunching the field for the caution
restart gave others a chance at advancement. Moving forward was Sabraski
looking for another win, Dan Ebert from 17th and Mike Anderson from 16th.
Sabraski ended up third, Ebert fourth and Ashley Anderson fifth.
It was Nelson’s first win in the Modified since 2018 when he won at the
Northern Nationals.
Don Eischens started on the pole for the Super Stock 20 lap feature with
Shane Sabraski on the outside. There was a caution flag on the first lap fro
Kevin Salin who ended up resting along the wall in turns one and two. The
restart saw Eischens held off Sabraski on the restart with Kevin Burdick
third. Another quick caution flag appeared when Jamie Reberg hit the first
turn wall. With one lap in, this time Sabraski took the lead with Burdick
slipping past Eischens to second and Scott Lawrence to fourth. Curt Myers
moved to sixth ahead of Doug Koski, Tristan LaBarge, Kyle Copp and Jim
Campbell. Once Sabraski was in the lead the order seemed to settle down
with no one in the top four moving. Andy Grymala got by Koski and pulled
in behind Myers in fifth. Al the laps wound down, Lawrence got past
Eischens to third. Caution number three flew for a Nick Jacobson spin which
bunched the field. The restart came with five laps to go but it didn’t hold
when there as a five car pileup in the first turn. The caution was charged to
LaBarge. Sabraski continued to lead as Lawrence got by Burdick for second.
The final caution flag flew for a Myers spin and the restart came with a
white/green flag, a one lap dash to the finish. Sabraski sealed the win,
Burdick got back by Lawrence for second, Campbell was fourth and Eischens
hung on for fifth.
At this point, Sabraski needs to win on the fourth of July and he will
receive the bonus for winning all three days.
Justin Pagones lst the entire way to capture the Mod Four 15 lap feature.
He survived two caution flags, one for a Tyler Larson spin in turn two and
one for Jordan Fischer. Pagones held off Blake erickson for the win. Robert
Holdquist was third, Dustin Holdquist fourth and Larson rounding out the top
five.
Brennan Schmidt held off a charging Dannie Burkholder to win the 12 lap
Hornet main event. Carter Rieland, Kristy Marken and AJ House were top
five finshers.
