DOAR DOUBLES IN LATE MODELS M. BELLEFEUILLE, BURDICK ANDSWERINGEN ALSO WINNERS
By Jerry O’Brien
9-11-21 Superior, WI
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.
