HOT RACING ON A HOT NIGHT AT GONDIK LAW SPEEDWAY

by · Published June 5, 2021 · Updated June 8, 2021

By Jerry O’Brien
(6-4-21) Superior WI

There seems to be no half way as far as the weather is concerned here on the

tundra. Either it is bone chilling cold or mind numbing heat, there seems to be no

middle ground.

So, as time moved closer to “Friday Night at the Races”, a weekly show

showcasing all six WISSOTA divisions at Gondik Law Speedway, the

temperatures moved steadily upward as the week moved toward the Friday night

show until at the seven o’clock starting time the thermometer stood at 84 degrees.

Despite the rising temperatures a good field of 91 cars were ready to compete

on the four tenths mile high banks. There was a nice breeze from the south

southwest that kept the crowd coming producing a good crowd.

Qualifying heats in all divisions went off without any serious trouble and were

finished in short order. In the WISSOTA Late Models there was a pair of heats

won by Travis Budiaslovich and Derek Vesel, Mod heats went to Kelly Estey and

Bob Broking, Dave Flynn and Scott Lawrence won Super Stock heats, Andrew

Inman, Jack Rivord and Brady Uotinen won the MidMod qualifiers. Jared Akervik

and Aaron Bernick won the Pure Stock heats while Kristy Marken and DeJay

Jarecki won the Hornet heats.

With qualifying completed and some track maintenance completed it was time

for the first feature of the evening. Rolling onto the track was the 23 car 20 lap

feature for the WISSOTA Midwest Modified. Leading the pack was Tyler Vernon

and “The Cowboy” Shane Howell. Howell edged ahead of Vernon at the green

flag trailed by Inman, Dalton Mains, Zach Benson and Jack Rivord. The first

caution flag occurred with two laps complete for a Mason Musel incident in turn

four. Howell held onto the lead at the green flag and the order behind maintaied

itself. Howell held onto the lead while Vernon fell back into the clutches of Inman,

Benson and Mains, while further back Rivord, Jason VandeKamp and Uotinen

battled for position. While Howell extended his lead, Inman moved past Vernon to

second. Shortly thereafter caution flag number two flew for Kenny Kincaid’s

incident in turn four. The restart came with 12 laps to go and Howell kept the lead

over Inman, Benson, Mains and VandeKamp in the top five to the checkered flag

for the win.

Officials decided to change up the running order as they trotted out the 25 lap

feature for the WISSOTA Late Models. Twenty-five laps were scheduled for the

high powered machines with former track champion Deven VanHouse on the pole

flanked by Aaron Lillo controlling the green beast. VanHouse seized the lead as

Mike Bellefeuille followed him through to second. He was soon passed by Derek

Vesel who set out after VanHouse. Quickly blowing up from his seventh starting

spot, Pat Doar got by Vesel and VanHouse to nab the top spot with 13 laps

remaining. From there on Doar kept widening his lead while Vesel and VanHouse

stayed ahead of Bellefeuille and Travis Budiaslovich for the flag to flag victory.

Vowing to follow their “Big Brothers” the Late Models’ example, it was 20

laps for the WISSOTA Modifieds. Pole sitter Mike Rivord surprised some of his

competitors by fighting off all comers as he out dueled the likes of Skeeter Estey,

Johnny Broking, Bob Broking, Brandon Copp and Cole Spacek in the early laps.

Estey finally captured the point and fought off Rivord for several laps as the event

moved on without a stoppage. Almost unnoticed Copp was on the move and began

picking off drivers one by one. Up front Estey held down a narrow lead over

Rivord who in turn was trying to avoid losing second to Johnny Broking. As the

laps wound down, Copp put on a charge, got by Rivord, then drove past Estey into

the lead and the win as the Mods emulated the Late Models by running their event

caution free. Rivord maintained third as Cole Spacek vaulted over Skeeter Estey to

fourth at the checkered flag.

Next up was a 20 lap go for the WISSOTA Super Stocks led to the line by

Andrew Mackey and Dave Flynn. This 20 lap go would display a total of four

caution flags, but despite the slowdowns, Flynn would do his part to post a sweep

of the division. Scott Lawrence has been having a good season thus far with

several strong advances through the fields for good finishes. He was in the midst

of another one moving through the pack from his eighth starting slot when

something apparently went wrong. After moving into the fifth spot he hit the wall

at the exit to turn two and went off on the hook. This was the second caution flag.

Two more would fly, one with 15 laps to go and one with 11 laps remaining. Flynn

would weather them all to outdistance Matt Deragon, Mackey, Keith Kern and

Andy Grymala in the top five.

The final two main events were both 12 lap affairs for the WISSOTA Pure

Stocks and Hornets. In the Pure Stock feature, rookie driver A. J. House led a lap

from the pole before Tom Treviranus would take over for a lap as heat winner

Jared Akervik was on the move toward the point. He soon sailed past Treviranus

and moved away from the pack until the caution flag flew for Daniel Boatman

which drew Treviranus and the rest of the crew close to Akervik. Akervik had

little trouble maintaining the lead to the end to complete his sweep.

On the pole for the Hornet feature was Tyler Schramm in the #16. Schramm

had no trouble staying out front until a caution flag thrown when Gavin Rivord

who had rolled over in the fourth turn in his heat, again flirted with the wall, this

time in the second turn. This gave DeJay Jarecki a chance to close up on

Schramm’s tail. Jarecki got past and went on for the win completing his sweep.

Next Friday Gondik Law Speedway will form the second leg of a four day tour

by the Advantage RV Modified Tour which will start Thursday in Grand Rapids,

then, after Gondik Speedway moves to the ABC Raceway on Saturday and then to

the Halvor Lines Speedway in Proctor for the “King on the Hill” Mdifired show.

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