DOAR DOUBLES IN LATE MODELS M. BELLEFEUILLE, BURDICK ANDSWERINGEN ALSO WINNERS

by · Published September 12, 2021 · Updated September 13, 2021

By Jerry O’Brien
9-11-21 Superior, WI

The final night of the 33rd Annual Northern Nationals actually drew a few more

cars than the previous night, 140 to 134. Though two Late Models were lost, the

three other classes made up for it. Once again the idea of running full shows each

night proved to be the right thing to do as several cars in the other divisions left

and their spaces were filled in by racers who had raced elsewhere the previous

night.

The final night’s crowd was better than the previous night and the weather was

wonderful, 73 degrees with a somewhat brisk breeze.

Prior to the beginning of the race program Gondik Law Speedway honored the

2020 track champions with a trophy and Jacket since there was no Banquet the

previous year due to the Pandemic.

2020 Track Champions were: WISSOTA Late Model, Deven VanHouse (#17)

Two Harbors, MN, WISSOTA Modified, Johnny Broking Grand Rapids, MN

(#45J); WISSOTA Midwest Modified, Cody Carlson (# 32 III) Superior,

WISSOTA Pure Stock, James Vendela (#15) and A. J. House, (#28) Cloquet, MN.

Racing started earlier with hot laps at five thirty and racing at six o”clock. Heat

races in all divisions qualified drivers for feature spots by the use of Passing

Points.

There were 40 entries in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified division with four

heats and two B Features. Heat races were won by David Swearingen, Travis

Schulte, Shane Howell and Cody Carlson. The pair of B Features went to Joey

Jensen and McLean Andrews. Next were the WISSOTA Super Stocks 39 strong.

The four heat races were won by Shane Sabraski, Andy Grymala, Kevin Burdick

and Cory Casari. The B Features were won by Matt Deragon and Kyle Copp.

WISSOTA Modified heat races went to Dave Cain, Jody Bellefeuille, Ashley

Anderson and Brandon Copp. The single B Feature were topped by Mike

Anderson. The WISSOTA Late Models only needed three heat races which went

to Travis Budiaslovich, Deven VanHouse and Derek Vesel. There was no need for

a B Feature as officials decided to run all 27 cars in the 35 lap Main Event.

With qualifying completed, racing began in earnest as the WISSOTA Midwest

Modifieds lined up for their 20 lap feature. On the pole was David Swearingen

with Shane Howell on the outside. At the green flag Swearingen took the lead

ahead of Howell, Cody Carlson, Kennedy Swan and Travis Schulte. Carlson

moved up to second and gave chase after Swearingen. Swan maintained third and

Schulte fourth. This order stayed for a couple laps until Ross Fuhrman spun the

#00 in turn one bringing out the caution flag. The restart came with four laps

complete and Swearingen held onto the lead. Carlson was still second but Swan

lost third to Schulte as Brandon Jensen moved two places forward into fifth. This

order stayed the same for a couple of laps as the lead battle moves away from the

rest. Jensen continued forward past Schulte to third as Swan lost another position

to Shane Howell. Meanwhile, the battle for the win between the two leaders

moved steadily away from Schulte in third. By the half way point the pair had

nearly a quarter of a lap on the rest of the field. The lead battle heated up as

Carlson showed his nose to Swearingen to the inside as they flew around the track.

Swearingen was running the high side and Carlson was gaining ground hugging

the marker tires especially in the fourth turn where he was able to run up to the

inside as they came down the straight away. Swearingen was barely able to keep

ahead at the line, time after time. It went that way right to the end as Swearingen

picked up his third Northern Nationals championship by .038 seconds over

Carlson. It was a sweep for Swearingen. Brandon Jensen finished third, Howell

fourth, Schulte fifth and Kennedy Swan a strong sixth. Seventh through tenth were

Tyler Vernon, Jason VandeKamp, Joey Jensen and Andrew Inman.

Next were the WISSOTA Super Stocks with a bunch of hot drivers in the 25

car field. Also, it seemed, it was the Super Stocks’ turn to have a caution filled

event as a total of eight stoppages slowed the 25 lap race.

At the green pole starter Steve Stuart took the lead over ‘21 track champ Dave

Flynn, National point leader Shane Sabraski, and Scott Lawrence. Before the first

lap could be finished, the caution flag flew when Keith Kern and another car got

together in turn two. Kern was able to continue but the other went off on the hook.

The restart saw Stuart continue on top while Flynn and Sabraski were joined by

the driver second in National Points, the defending champion Kevin Buedick and

Lawrence. Burdick was in a hurry and sliced his way forward into the lead,

Sabraski got by Flynn but the caution flag again appeared as Lawrence was spun

out by Nick Oreskovich in turn two. The restart came with 17 laps to go and

Burdick firmly ensconced in the lead. Just a lap later Andrew Mackey went around

in turn two. The restart saw Burdick leading Stuart, Sabraski, Dexton Koch who

happens to be the number three driver in National points, and Pat Beeksma, but it

didn’t as a tangle in turn four prevent another lap from being completed. Involved

were Kern, Matt Deragon, Justin Weinberger and Josh Saunders. Kern and

Deragon were able to drive away and continue. The restart stil say 16 laps left to

complete. Burdick still led Stuart, Sabraski, and Koch. Joining the front crowd was

Kyle Copp, Terran Spacek and Orskovich. While Burdick commanded the lead,

there was movement in the pack behind him. Koch and Sabraski battled after Koch

got by Stuart. The laps reeled off and Sabraski took over second, Spacek found his

way to third Stuart, Koch, Oreskovich, Flynn and Copp were battling each other

while trying to gain ground on Burdick and Sabraski. And then…Leslie Leu spun

in turn four and there was a brief caution period. Racing resumed with eight laps

remaining. Burdick was still holding off Sabraski ahead of Spacek and Koch when

another caution flag flew this time for debris in turn four. This was caution

number six. This was the same number of laps left when the green flag flew. One

lap later Spacek’s great run ended when, apparently the drive shaft parted

company with the car bringing out caution flag number seven. With five laps left

the green light flipped on and Burdick resumed his march forward to the

checkered flag. Racing continued for three laps and then, what turned out to be the

eighth and final caution flag flew when Andrew Mackey was spun in turn two.

Burdick survived the green/white/checkered restart to record his 29th feature win

of the season and his fourth Northern nationals championship. Sabraski, a

rebounding Dave Flynn, Koch, and Copp finished in the top five. Oreskovich,

Cory Casari, Pat Beeksma, Stuart and Lawrence were the second five in the top

ten.

We were then half way through the evenings events and it was Late Model

time. 2021Silver 1000 winner Travis Budiaslovich started the 35 lap event from

the pole with Hibbing Raceway ‘21 champ Derek Vesel on the outside. At the

green flag Vesel blasted into the lead with Budiaslovich, Darrell Nelson, Birthday

Boy Mike Prochnow and Deven VanHouse trailing. Vesel continued to lead and

Mike Bellefuille moved up to sixth. Four laps in the first caution for a James

Kannegieser looped it in turn four. With 31 laps to go racing resumed and Vesel

asserted his dominance ashe pulled away from the rest of the field. The one to

watch was Late Model rookie Mike Bellefeuille who began picking them off on

his way forward. Nelson continued to be a solid factor holding down second. Sel

drove away from the mob behind into a huge lead. Nelson, Prochnow and

Bellefeuille were joined by the previous night’s winner Pat Doar. His nemeses

James Giossi from the previous night was on the move as was Kyle Peterlin.

Vesel’s huge lead disappeared with 14 laps to go as Kannegieser again spun this

time in turn two. Vesel continued to lead on the restart and things were very busy

on the slippery track. Once again everything slowed down as caution period

number three happened when Rick Niemi spun off turn two. Now there were five

laps remaining at the restart. Vesel still had the lead with victory in sight. But

caution flags were not done flying as Steve Laursen, Aaron Lillo and Carey

LePage crashed on the front stretch bringing out caution number four. Now there

were four circuits for Vesel to complete for the win. It was not meant to be easy as

another lap passed and Harry Hanson spun in turn two and it was caution flag

number five. So now there were three laps to go and Vesel stubbornly held onto

the point as rasing resumed. With those three laps standing between Vesel and

victory he should be wary of Nelson and the rest. Everyone had reckoned without

the wily veteran Pat Doar who positively flew through those in front of him,

caught Vesel and before anyone knew, he had back to back Northern Nationals

wins. Nelson was able to protect his spot but Vesel ended up fourth. Mike

Bellefeuille was third and VanHouse finished fifth.

Now it was time for the finale of the Northern Nationals, the 30 lap main event

for the WISSOTA Modifieds. Holding down the pole position was Bob Broking

with Ashley Anderson starting second. At the green flag Anderson bolted to the

front followed by Broking and Cole Spacek. Jody Bellefeuille wasted little time

taking second with Bob Broking third, Dave Cain fourth and Shane Sabraski in

fifth. Anderson had the lead firmly in his grasp as there was much movement

throughout te field as the race proceeded with no cautions. Anderson and Sabraski

continued to skirmish for the lead as Bellefeuille and Bob Broking, Cain and Cole

Spacek were joined by Ryan Gierke and Jeff Spacek. Belefeuille said in his post

race interview that he saw that Anderson and Sabraski were battling on the low

side. He thought he’d try the middle and found good traction which he used to fly

past the two into the lead. Sabraski got by Anderson back to second, Anderson

third, Cain Fourth and Johnny Broking was fifth. Then there was an incident

which was charged to Anderson who was sent to the rear and out of contention

with three laps remaining. But they were not done crashing. Jody Bellefeuille

survived the last laps to become a Northern Nationals Modified champion for the

third time. Sabraski, Cain, Johnny Broking and Darrell Nelson were the top five.

Bob Broking, Jeff Spacek, Daniel Bargender, Brandon Copp and Tyler Vernon

rounded out the top ten.