JOHNNY BROKING TOPS 40 LAP ADVANTAGE TOUR FEATURE
By Jerry O’Brien
(6-10-22) Superior, WI
Johnny Broking took up where he left off as he dominated the 40 lap
Advantage RV Modified Tour event at Gondik Law Speedway Friday June 10th.
Broking of Grand Rapids, MN was the 2021 Tour overall champion after the
extensive string of events took most of the summer months.
It couldn’t have worked out better for the Series or for the Speedway as the
Friday weather landed on the up side with temperatures in the 70’s and mostly
cloudy skies. This combination of summer-like weather brought out a strong
crowd of fans as well as a good bunch of racers to put on a show for that crowd.
With the WISSOTA Modified class taking top billing and the WISSOTA Late
Models taking the night off, the program moved right along as fans were able to
watch the entire show and be on the road home before 10:30.
Qualifying heat races for all five divisions then commenced at the stated seven
O’clock time with three heats for the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. Winners in
the three heats included McLean Andrews, Cody Carlson and Jimmy Latvala. The
WISSOTA Super Stocks fielded a pair of qualifying heats won by Scott Lawrence
and Kyle Copp. With 26 entries also filling the Modified field, three heats were
needed for qualifying. Brandon Copp, Shane Sabraski and Don Eischens were the
winners. At intermission further shuffling of the Modified starting lineup was
accomplished by a redraw to build the first few rows. This was done by certain
drivers who had finished at or near the top of their heats and then drew for a spot
in a blind draw.
Heat races also set the lineups for the Pure Stocks and Hornets. In the Pure
Stocks there was a single heat won by Tom Treviarnus. The Hornets needed a pair
of heats won by Mac Johnston and Carson Gotelaere to set their feature event.
The first of five feature events flagged off with a 20 lap event for the Midwest
Modifieds. Twenty-five cars took the green flag at 8:39 p.m. starting form the pole
position Jesse Polson led the field into the first turn. Polson managed to lead the
first circuit but then Tanner Gehl led a few laps before sixth starting Ryan Savoy
took the position in his #16 and proceeded to keep the point while the players
behind lined up to fight it out to decide who could challenge Savoy for that top
spot and the win. Camped behind the leader while looking for a way past were
Gehl and McLean Andrews while watching out for others trying for the win
including Cody Carlson up from the eighth starting spot, Polson, Jimmy Latvala
and Wyatt Boyum. Savoy proceeded to drive away from Gehl, Andrews and
Carlson and widen his lead until he left the battle behind him. With no sign thus
far, of a caution flag, it appeared that Savoy was going to make a runaway of the
event. Fourteen laps later with only six laps to complete, the caution flag appeared
for some bumping that occurred on the front stretch between a number of cars. The
situation was deemed a “Racing incident” and there was no call and all that were
able resumed their places at the restart. The restart saw Savoy easily pull away
from the pack with Carlson hot on his tail in second place. A second caution flag
then flew for another car spinning. There were a pair of laps remaining when
racing resumed. With only two laps remaining Carlson tried his best to take the
win but Savoy was just fast enough to keep him behind him. As the laps ran out
Savoy grabbed his first victory since 2021.
Officials then rolled out another 20 laps this time for the WISSOTA Super
Stocks. Fourteen of fifteen cars showed up for the green flag with outside pole
sitter Matt Deragon taking the early lead followed by Scott Lawrence, DJ Keeler,
Randy Graham, Shane Sabraski and Kyle Copp. Deragon kept the lead until the
first caution flag flew. Deragon kept the lead on the restart but Sabraski got past
Lawrence into second. After a skirmish with Deragon, Lawrence and Keeler,
Sabraski took the lead and kept it to the checkered flag. Sabraski pulled out a lead
leaving the pack to battle as he got further away. Caution number two appeared
with 18 laps to go with more confusion at the bottom of turn four. Several cars
were involved and Lawrence got the ticket for it and was sent to the back.
Sabraski’s lead diminished with everyone close at the green. He managed to pull
away and expand the distance to the pack. By this time it was Kyle Copp who was
leading the charge toward Sabraski who seemed to pull away with ease while
Lawrence began a charge from the back. Caution number three saw Jack Koranda
spin between turns three and four bringing out the third caution flag. Sabraski had
little trouble staying out front for the win over Copp, Deragon, Keeler, and Jim
Campbell in the top five. Lawrence made it back to seventh at the finish.
Next up was what everyone had been waiting for, the 40 lap Advantage RV
Series main event. Drawing the outside pole was Johnny Broking the 2021 Series
Champion with John Toppozini on the pole. At the green flag Broking wasted
little time taking over the lead as Brandon Copp shot up to second place for row
two. While Broking was solidifying his lead, behind him a battle raged with Copp
second Eischens second, Toppozini hanging in there along with Sabraski. The first
caution flag appeared and Toppozini was sent to the rear for his part in the
incident. Then it boiled down to the hounds chasing the Hare as the pack
continued to race after Broking with little result except the second caution flag
which flew when there was contact. The restart came with 23 laps to go and
Broking hanging tenaciously onto the lead while Copp continued the chase
without much success. Broking was able to move out to a more commanding lead,
but it looked as though no one in the pack had the ability to catch him. The final
order in the top five was Johnny Broking able to hold on for the dominating win.
Copp, Sabraski, Joseph Thomas and Dave Cain who had started 10th were the top
finishers. This victory was Broking’s third feature win in 2022.
With all the big time excitement finished there were only the Pure Stocks and
Hornet features to be run. In the Pure Stocks, a second lap spin gave Cory
Jorgensen the opening he needed as he grabed onto the lead and, after a bit of a
battle with Aaron Bernick, raced off into the night with the win, his third at
Gondik Law Speedway this season.
The Hornet feature was won by Justin Schelitzhce over Mac Johnston who had
been difficult to beat. Paul George, DeJay Jarecki and Carson Gotelaere finished
in the top five.