HOME BOYS TOP GONDIK LAW SPEEDWAY FEATURES

by · Published July 16, 2022 · Updated August 15, 2022

By Jerry O’Brien

7-15-22 Superior, WI

Friday night’s racing at the Gondik Law Speedway could not have been held on

a nicer day and the strong crowd of fans set to watch competition from the eighty-

eight competitors champing at the bit for some racing on the four-tenths mile high

banks.

It turned out to be a great night pf WISSOTA racing especially for drivers

racing on their usual Friday night track. As it turned out, every feature event was

won by drivers who are regulars at the speedway, going so far as a pair of cousins

winning back to back features, one of them captured his second straight main

event, while the other had waited for some time to visit victory lane.

After qualifying was finished, it was time for the first of six main events to roll

onto the speedway, the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds twenty cars strong looking

for the first green flag of the night. Leading the pack from the pole was Brady

Uotinen flanked by the 7m of Dalton Mains. At the green Uotinen jumped to the

lead with Mains following closely. Cole Chernosky, James Vandela and Cody

Carlson were in the top five. Those five drivers proceeded to run in a bunch as

Chenosky took second, Vendela third, Carlson fourth and Mains slipping back to

fifth. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for things to go wrong as the first caution

flag flew as Dylan Miller spun in turn two. At the restart with 18 laps left, Uotinen

still led Chernosky, Vendela Carlson and new top five runner Davis Simpson.

Another circuit was completed before another caution flag slowed the action. On

this restart Uotinen held onto the lead but Vendela charge up to take second ahead

of Chernosky, Carlson and Simpson. Mains and Kevin Montieth trailed. The battle

was on behind Uotinen as Chernosky and Vendela traded second place while

Carlson looked for a way through. After a several laps Carlson found a seam and

got past Vendela into third with Simpson close in fifth. Further back another group

formed with Mains, Ryan Savoy, Andrew Inman, Evan Checkalski and McLean

Andrews all in a bunch. Carlson again found something and slipped past

Chernosky into second. The third caution flag again was thrown when Savoy had

trouble in turn four and ended his night off on the hook. The restart came with

seven laps to go with Uotinen still clinging to the lead in front of Carlson, but

caution flag number four immediately flew for a spin by Anthony Gallian in turn

two. The restart came with five laps to go and Carlson got a great jump on Uotinen

and surged into the lead. Chernosky also got past Uotinen to second, Simpson was

fourth and Vendela fifth just ahead of Andrews. But then, yet another caution flag,

number five flew, for Kolby Reed in turn two. Still five laps left and Carlson kept

the lead over Chernosky and Uotinen. All the same players in the first bunch

continued to try and find a way past each other as Carlson’s lead widened to

several car lengths. But finishing the final five circuits straight through was not

destine to happen as Gallian hit the second turn wall bringing out what proved to

be the final caution flag. The restart came with two laps to go and Carlson surged

out to a strong lead as Uotinen fended off Chernosky and Simpson. Though

Uotinen began to cut into Carlson’s lead, the checkered flag ended his run as

Carlson secured his second consecutive WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature win

at the speedway. Uotinen, Chernosky, Simpson and Vendela rounded out the top

five. It was Carlson’s fourth feature win of the season.

Next up it was 20 laps for the WISSOTA Super Stocks starting on the front row

was the #27 of Matt Deragon with Andy Grymala on the outside. At the green flag

Grymala took the lead with Deragon, Dylan Nelson, Scott Lawrence, Kyle Copp

and DJ Keeler in tow. The order stayed the same for several laps, Nelson took over

the second spot and put heavy pressure on Grymala. Deragon, Lawrence, Copp

and Keeler were then joined by Jim Campbell. Little changed in the order as

Grymala had established his lead. The first and what turned out to be the only

caution flag appeared when Jase Lien spun in turn four. After the restart with

Grymala still on top, Nelson made a charge tord the front and he and Grymala ut

on an exhibition of race car driving as they flew around the track side by side.

Nelson spent several more laps trying to get away from Grymala without success.

As the checkered flag loomed ahead, Nelson dropped off the tight duo and Andy

Grymala secured his first feature win at the speedway since 2012! It should be no

surprise that Andy Grymala and Cody Carlson are Cousins.Deragon, Copp, and

Keeler finished in the top five. Lawrence, Campbell, Chris Johnson, Mike sirois

and William Fisher rounded out the top ten.

Then it was time to roll out thr WISSOTA Modifieds for their 20 lap main

event. Veteran Todd Gehl led the fifteen thundering beasts to the green flag with

Al Uotinen to the outside. At the green Uotinen used the high line to swing around

the fourth turn and into the lead closely tracked by Gehl, Rick Rivord and Jody

Bellefeuille. Uotinen settled into his line. As he concentrated he began to draw

away from the pack putting distance on Gehl. Gehl soon was hounded by

Bellefeuille who moved to second. Close behind Bellefeuille was Brandon Copp,

Gehl, Jack Rivord and Rick Rivord (Two more Cousins) and Kelly Estey. As the

up front gap continued to widen, Dan Kingsley moved into the pursuit group.

Uotinen’s huge lead disappeared when a caution flag flew for the car of Tyler

Luger in turn two. When racing resumed Uotinen got the jump on the pack but that

start went by the boards when the caution flag again appeared when Copp and

Jack Rivord tangled in turn four. Rivord was sent to the back and Copp dropped

into the pits out of the race. This time the restart went much better for Uotinen

who immediately began putting car lengths on Bellefeuille until he had an almost

insurmountable lead. Bellefeuille, meanwhile, was caught up in a great battle with

Rick Rivord, Estey, Kingsley and Colin Chaschuk. The event went the rest of the

way with no mote stoppages and Uotinen completed the popular win, his first in

quite a while. Bellefeuille, Estey, Rick Rivord and Chaschuk finished in the top

five. Uotinen is in his 43rd season of racing.

It was 25 laps for the WISSOTA Late Models. On the pole was Harry Hanson

with rookie Late Model racer Dave Flynn on the outside. Flynn got the jump at the

green over Hanson, Jody Bellefeuille and Tim McMann but Trevor Wilson hit the

turn three wall. He was able to drive off. Still 25 to go on the restart and Flynn

continued in the lead over the same drivers but another caution flag flew as Eric

Lillo apparently spun the #75. The restart came with still no laps complete when

Lillo and Kevin Carlson got caught up causing a multi-car pileup. Three cautions

and no laps complete… the next try saw Flynn keep the point while those behind

him were able to complete laps without wrecking, but not too long as Wilson and

Tim Lillo had problems in turn one and caused the fourth caution flag. With 22

laps to go racing resumed with Flynn still out front. With Deven Van House up

from fifth to second past Bellefeuille, Travis Budiaslovich, Dany Vang and Mike

Bellefeuille. Flynn pulled out a several car length lead on VanHouse while further

back Budiaslovich was third with some distance back to Jody Bellefeuille. Those

leads disappeared when Eri Lillo, Terry Lillo, and Tim Lillo got caught up in an

incident which was blamed on rookie Late Model driver Ronnie Maalecki. This

next restart came with 18 laps still to go. On this restart VanHouse got the jump on

Flynn and took the lead with Budiaslovich second, Vang up to third, Flynn back to

fourth and Jody Bellefeuille fifth. Vanhouse then pulled out to a nice lead, things

settled down and the laps clicked off past half way. Moving into the top five was

another Late model rookie, former Super Stock national champ Kevin Burdick. As

the end of the 25 laps approached, the last stoppage occurred, the sixth caution

flag flew for Mike Bellefeuille’s #21 in turn four. There were two laps remaining

when the green flag appeared, the last two laps were run and VanHouse had his

first win here in about three years on August 2019. Danny Vang finished a strong

second ahead of Travis Budiaslovich, Flynn and Jody Bellefeuille.

After those features finished, it was 12 laps for the WISSOTA Pure Stocks.

Aaron Bernick squeaked out a narrow win ofer Cory Jorgensen. Tyler Kachinske,

Dylan Shelton and Nate Rose finished in the top five.

In the WISSOTA Hornets, DeJay Jarecki completed the sweep running away

from Tyler Schramm, Kristy Marken, Derek Dunbar and Noah Rose.