FLYNN SWEARINGEN AND ANDERSON WIN MAINS AT GLS FRIDAY
By Jerry O’Brien
9-11-20 Superior, WI
9-11-20 Superior, WI
On the card for Friday night September 11th for the 32nd Annual Northern
Nationals was the beginning of the Russ Laursen Classic for the WISSOTA Late
Models. Named for pioneering racer Russ Laursen who passed away 50 years ago
from injuries sustained in a sprint car accident.
The Late Model feature will be run on the final day of the Northern Nationals.
On the day before the finals, Late Models ran two rounds of heat races to
determine the first eight rows of the 40 lap feature. B Features and the main event
will be run the next night Saturday September 12th.
Full shows for the Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks and Modifieds were also
on the card with qualifying heats, B Features and Features. With the qualifuing
finished, it was time to roll out the first of the three main events.
First up it was 20 laps for the WISSOT Midwest Modifieds. Leading off from
the pole position was Cody Carlson with David Swearingen to his outside. At the
green Carlson took the lead for the first go round, but Swearingin took his #5 past
Carlson to the lead. Carlson, Shane Sabraski driving the EZ1 Midwest Modified,
Skeeter Estey, McLean Andrews and Shane Howell in the top five. Swearingen
stayed out front and little shifted behind him except Howell to fourth after a battle
with Andrews. The first of four caution flags appeared when Cole Boston spun in
turn two. With 11 laps remaining, the green flag flew for Swearingen and the rest
but the yellow one quickly appeared for an incident involving Justin Weinberger
in turn two. Brady Uotinen was tagged with the caution. No sooner did the field
line up and take the green when the third caution flag flew for Andrews in the
second turn. This try at a restart got the field as far as turn four where there was a
multi car tangle resulting in caution flag number four. In this encounter Andrews,
Boston, Travis Krumrei and Nick Ayotte all went to the pits. Swearingen led of
the restart with Sabraski and Estey in tow hoping to get on with the rest of the
race. That thought went by the wayside when caution flag number five flew for a
repeat tangle between Weinberger and Uotinen. This time both were out. With
nine laps to go, Swearingen again led the restart and this time it stuck with nine
laps to go with 18 of 25 starters still in action. Swearingen was uncatchable for the
next nine circuits as he won his second straight Northern Nationals Midwest
Modified championship. Sabraski firmly planted himself in second but was unable
to catch Swearingen. Estey was third at the finish, but Brandon Mehrweth made a
forward charge from 15th to get past Howell for fourth place. Pole sitter Carlson,
Corey Storck, Ryan Savoy, Mark Kangas and Ashley Mehrweth rounded out the
top ten.
Then it was time for 25 laps of WISSOTA Super Stock feature racing. ABC
Raceway 2020 track champion Dave Flynn held down the pole with the always
dangerous Shane Sabraski on his outside. Flynn led the first circuit but Sabraski
got by to the lead on lap two. Following closely was Scott Lawrence with Keith
Kern and Matt Deragon in the top five. Seventh starting Kevin Burdick got by
Deragon into the top five. Kern began to slip back as Burdick went to fourth and
Deragon recaptured fifth. Also moving up was 2019 WISSOTA Rookie of the
Year Kyle Copp and Andy Mackey. On the charge was Curt Myers from the 18th
starting spot into the top ten. Flynn began to reel in Sabraski and the pair battled
side by side as Flynn worked to make the pass and regain the top spot and with
eleven laps to go made the pass to the lead. The battle still raged for the lead but
Flynn was able to stay in front. With three laps to go, the order was Flynn,
Sabraski, Lawrence, Burdick and Deragon in the top five. The rest of the top ten
included Dexton Koch, Cory Casari, Kyle Copp, Curt Myers and Shawn
McFadden. It was Flynn’s second win at the Northern Nationals. The 25 lap
feature went the entire way without a caution flag.
The final race of the evening was a 30 lap race for the WISSOTA Modifieds.
Twenty-five cars lined up to take the green flag from Starter Ray Stuart with
Shane Sabraski and Kelly Estey on the front row. The event was shaping up to be
a slam bang affair on a race track that was extremely fast with a number of
grooves. At the green Estey shot into the lead tracked by Sabraski and Clayton
Wagemon but there was a caution flag on the start. The field made it as far as turn
four before the multi car tangle occurred. Caught up in the incident were Bob
Broking, Curt Myers, Pat Cook, Brandon Copp, Jeremy Nelson and Johnny
Broking. Johnny Broking was tagged with the caution flag and restarted last. On
the restart Sabraski led Wagemon and Estey but caution number two occurred
when Johnny Broking and Danny Vang tangled in turn two. Since both drivers
were at the back of the pack it was deemed a racing incident and the field went
back to the original lineup. The green saw Sabraski continue to lead Estey, Darrell
Nelson, Wagemon, Copp and Bellefeuille. Just outside the top five was a fast
moving Ashley Anderson. Sabraski gapped Nelson who had taken second, and, in
turn Nelson Gapped Copp. By this time Anderson was in fourth with Bellefeuille
fifth, esty back to sixth and Al Uotinen seventh. Once again the pack was closed
up after a caution flag for a tangle between Donnie Lofdahl, Curt Myers and Taton
Hansen. The restart came with 22 laps to go. Sabraski led off but it was Anderson
who was second and began to apply pressure. The two of them moved away from
the pack and began a stirring battle that saw the lead change back and fourth
literally by inches. Back behind the leaders the racing was hot and heavy as
positions changed almost with every lap. It all calmed down temporarily as
another caution flag, number four, flew when Andy Jones was forced into the
inside tires at the exit of turn two. With a dozen circuits left, the pack was off, but
a fifth and, as it turned out, final caution flag flew for debris on the racetrack
identified as a coil spring. The restart came with Anderson in the lead with
Sabraski trying to regain his ede. Anderson was quicker and went on to take his
first Northerh Nationals Modified vicxtory. He also has one in a Late Model. Jeff
Spacek won the third place battle in a duel with his son Cole and Johnny Broking
earned a hard fought fifth place finish after being sent to the back earlier. Jody
Bellefeuille, clayton Wagemon, Al Uotinen, Darrell Nelson and Mike Anderson in
tenth fro 21st.
