HOWELL WINS FOURTH MWM MAIN OF THE SEASON ON DAY TWO OFSUPERIOR FAIR RACES
By Jerry O’Brien
7-23-21 Superior, WI
The second day of racing at the Gondik Law Speedway during the Head of the
Lakes Fair featured a WISSOYTA Midwest Modified shootout as well as a visit
from the Northern Renegade Wingless Sprint Cars as well as WISSOTA Super
Stocks and Hornets on the Card.
Weather conditions were opposite what they were on the first day, last
Tuesday. Friday was warm with high humidity making it an uncomfortable night.
A total of 53 cars in the four divisions were led by a nice field of 23 Midwest
Modifieds. 11 Sprints, 11 Pure Stocks and 8 Hornes filled out the field.
Qualifying heats in all classes were won by Ashley Mehrwerth, Jason VandeKamp
and Shane Howell in the Midwest Modifieds. Tom Treviranus and Cory Jorgensen
topped the two Pure Stock heats, DeJay Jarecki won the only Hornet heat. Paul
Schultz and Ryan Johnson were the Sprint Car heat winners.
The first feature to take to the track was 20 laps for the full field of WISSOTA
Midwest Modifieds. First heat winner Ashley Mehrwerth bolted into the lead from
the pole with front row mate Shane Howell hot on her heels. Zach Benson, Jason
VandeKamp, Dalton Mains and Cody Carlson were in the mix. Mehrwerth and
Howell quickly races away from the rest of the field leaving Benson, VandeKamp,
Mains, Carlson and Ryan Savoy battled as they lost touch with the leaders. Just
before half way the caution flag flew when there was a tangle in turn four
involving Tanner Gehl, Adam Shinn, Rick Siiter and Jesse Polson. Gehl was
charged with the incident. The restart came with 11 laps left. Howell got the jump
on Mehrwerth at the start an captured the lead. The caution flag got no rest as it
was thrown for another quick stoppage as Shinn had a problem in turn four. The
restart came with 10 laps remaining but didn’t last long before the caution flag
again flew when McLean Andrews spun at the bottom of turn two. The restart
came with still 10 laps to go. The race finally got going only to find itself again
bogged down as Josh Johnson out in his first race in a Midwest Modified, and
rookie driver Kalan Wagner tangled in turn four. This time the restart came with
nine laps remaining and ran the rest of the way without further stoppages. Howell
gassed it and pulled away from Mehrwerth to commanding lead to win his fourth
race of the season at GLS. VandeKamp, Savoy, and Wyatt Boyum finished in the
top five.
Next up it was no laps for the Wingless Sprints. Ryan Johnson and Jori Hughes
battled early from the front row with Chris Lewis, Ken Hron and Paul Schultz in
the top five. Hughes maintained the lead over Johnson, Lewis, and Hron until
Johnson slowed on the back stretch bringing out the caution flag. Johnson was out
and the restart came with six laps to go. At the green Schultz shot past the leaders
take over the point. This didn’t last long as the caution flag again flew as Hughes
stopped against the second turn wall and was pushed to the pits. At the restart
Schultz drove aaway from Hron to the win. KC Hawkinson, Lewis and Lance
Solem finished in the top five. It was Schultz’ first win at the speedway in a Sprint
Car.
The Pure Stocks moved out onto the track for their 12 lap feature run with
Dylan Shelton and Jared Akervik leading the way. Akervik used the outside
momentum to vault into the lead chased by Tom Treviranus, Shelton, Cory
Jorgensen, and Trevor Treviranus. Four laps in the first of two caution flags flew.
The restart saw Akervik tighten his hold on the lead over Shelton, Jorgensen, Tom
Treviranus, Aaron Bernick and Nate Rose. Akervik maintained control until
Shelton got passed to the lead. Jorgensen was next inline and moved past Akervik.
The final caution flag came on the last lap. There was a tangle down in the first
turn apparently judged to have been caused by Akervik. He was disqualified for
his actions and it set up a one lap dash to the checkered Flag. Shelton was the
winner over Jorgensen, Tim Carlson, Tom Treviranus and Trevor Treviranus in
the front five.
The Hornet 12 lapp feature finished off the night. DeJay Jarecki drew the pole
and proceeded to make it “No Contest” taking the #0 off into the night leading all
the laps and outdistancing Tyler Schramm by a good margin for his fourth feature
win of the season at the speedway. Kristy Marken survived a battle with Casey
Fitzpatrick to finish third and Reid Johnson finished fifth.
