EDER, BURDICK, SAVOY & MOTHER NATURE WIN AT SUPERIOR

By Jerry O’Brien
6-14-19
Superior, WI

  Early in the day of Friday June 14 it appeared that racing at Gondik Law
Speedway would take another hit as thunderstorms and cool weather were slated to hit the track just as racing would be set to begin. 
  Then around the noon hour all that changed as the wind switched to the west, the temperature elevated to the mid 70’s and all forecasts having to do with bad weather disappeared from the radar scopes and racing was on at Gondik Law Speedway.

It was Meet the Drivers night which brought some parents with
children to take advantage of the event.
  Unfortunately the lateness of the weather change kept other fans as well as
racers from coming to watch or compete. As a result a small field of just 64 cars
and a sparse crowd was on hand.
  Qualifying heats were quickly completed and it was time for feature action.
First up were the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds with thirteen cars led to the green
flag by local driver Jimmy Latvala on the pole and Ryan Savoy on the outside.
Savoy surged to the lead ahead of Latvala trailed by David Simpson, Wyatt
Boyum, Andrew Inman and Brandon Copp. Savoy quickly extended his lead over
Latvala while Boyum fell further back in third. The front three were never
challenged and were never able to challenge each other leaving the close racing to
a pack of cars that included Simpson, Inman, Jack Rivord, Copp, Cole Chernosky,
McLean Andrews, Skeeter Estey and Tanner Williamson. Simpson and Inman
battled each other for fourth but found Rivord joining the skirmish in search of
fourth place which he managed to secure. At the mid point Savoy was cruising out
in front of Latvala who was, in turn, trying to keep his lead over Boyum. Little
changed as Savoy cruised to the easy win leading all 20 laps as no caution flags
appeared. 
 With only a dozen Super Stocks on hand, it did not take defending track
champion Kevin Burdick long to make his way from the third starting spot to the
lead over DJ Keeler and Keith Kern. What would prove to be the only caution flag
of the 20 lap event occurred when Jim Campbell, making his first appearance of
the season, spun in turn two. Racing resumed with one lap complete and Burdick
in control. Keeler maintained second as opening night winner Dave Flynn and
Willie Johnsen, Jr moved past Kern into third and fourth respectively. Outside
pole sitter Nick Oreskovich fell back at the beginning but came back with a
vengeance toward the front along with tenth starting Scott Lawrence. At the half
way point Burdick was slowly pulling away from Keeler as Johnsen had moved
past Kern to third with Flynn fourth. Johnsen and Flynn battled for position with
Flynn taking third. Johnsen held off Kern who in turn held off Lawrence and the
order remained the same to the checkered flag. 
  With some possible rain closing in, officials hurried the show along with the
Modifieds next to take to the track for their .20 lap go. Kevin Eder found himself
on the pole for the Modified main event with Al Uotinen to the outside. Eder got
the jump on Uotinen at the green with Mike Anderson, Jody Bellefeuile, Cody
Carlson and Dan Kingsley trailing. John Toppozini moved past Kingsley and
Carlson into fifth as Danny Vang got by also. Toppozini then instigated an
incident in turn four involving four or five cars. At the restart, Eder sailed away in
the lead and Anderson grabbed second from Uotinen with Bellefeuille fourth and
Vang fifth. Bellefeuille pressured Uotinen and was able to slip into third. Carlson
began to fade as Brady Caul, Kingsley and Todd Gehl all got by. Carlson
continued to slip back until he dropped out pulling into the infield. Despite some
pressure from Anderson who also felt some from Bellefeuille, he was unable to get
a run on Eder who went on to take the win. Vang got by Uotinen into fourth and
Bellefeuille got by Anderson into second on the final circuit. Eder led every lap to
take the win. 
  As there seemed to be sighns of some moisture in the air, officials hustled the
Late Model field onto the track for their feature also twenty laps. Chris Lillowas
on the pole with Gunner Frank on the outside. At the green Frank shot into the
lead as Deven VanHouse, Jeff Massingill and Tim McMann boiled past Lillo
toward Frank. Two laps in VanHouse got by Frank to the lead. Massingill
harassed Frank for second and, in quick succession, McMann, Terry Lillo, Kyle
Peterlin and Kevin Carlson got past Chris Lillo. The caution flag flew with a
dozen laps to go for light rain. Officials had the cars move slowly around the track
then parked then at the pit entrance while they decided what to do, then shooed
them into the infield while some heavy machinery along with some Pure Stocks
tried to roll the track in. More moisture briefly fell and it was decided to call the
event. With two specials coming up in the next two weeks, the final dozen laps of
the Late Model feature will be finished on July 12th, the next time they will be at
the speedway. The Hornet and Pure Stock features will be made up during the next
two shows.