October 3, 2020 - Elko, MN

By Jason D Searcy

A huge fireworks show Saturday night highlighted the finale of the Covid-19 shortened nine week race season completing the 55th year of racing at Elko Speedway.

In the first 25 lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Hometrack series Late Model feature at Elko Speedway nine-time Champion #41 Donny Reuvers took the lead until being overtaken by #19 Michael Haggar on lap eleven. Haggar was then challenged on lap seventeen by #3 Chris Marek from Lakeville (MN) who took over the top spot with an inside pass one lap later. After a short caution period Marek retook the lead on lap 18 but had to fight back the hard charges of Haggar. Marek ended up winning a drag race to the finish line by just 0.129 seconds, it was his fourth win of the season at ELKO. Michael Haggar was second, fast-timer #72 Jacob Goede was third, #21 Adam Bendzick was fourth and #51 Justin Neisius fifth of the twelve cars entered.

The second Late Model feature event had #23 Steve Schultz take the early lead, he had a hard-fought battle with #13 Bryan Wrolstad from Faribault (MN) going side-by-side for numerous laps. Steve Schultz took over the lead and crossed the finish line first, he was later disqualified in post-race inspection and the win was awarded to Bryan Wrolstad who finished just 0.124 seconds ahead of the next competitor, it was the first win of the season for Wrolstad. Donny Reuvers #41 was awarded second place, #72 Jacob Goede was third, #51 Justin Neisius fourth and #19 Michael Haggar fifth.

Jacob Goede from Carver (MN) was crowned the Late Model Champion, it is his seventh consecutive Premier division Championship at Elko Speedway. Chris Marek #3 finished second in points, he was 91 points out of the lead, #52 Chad Walen was third, #21 Adam Bendzick fourth and #19 Michael Haggar fifth place in the final standings.

The WISSOTA Midwest Modified division had #81 Bryan Syer-Keske from Lakeville (MN) clean sweep the night winning both the semi-feature and feature events. He led the entire 15 lap feature event and won by 1.461 seconds, it was his sixth win of the season at ELKO. Aaron Marthaler #100 was second in the feature followed by #25 Eric Campbell third, #5 Scotty Marschall fourth and #96 Ryan Johnson fifth of the seven cars competing.

Bryan Syer-Keske wins the inaugural WISSOTA Midwest Modified Championship at ELKO, Eric Campbell was second place just 16 points behind in the standings, Aaron Marthaler was third, Scotty Marschall fourth and #96 Keith Paulsrud was fifth in the final standings.

The first 20 lap Thunder Car feature event had #14 Tony Holm take the lead and jump out to a big lead until ninth starting #3 Conrad Jorgenson from Lakeville (MN) ran him down with an inside pass for the lead on lap nine. Conrad Jorgenson then ran away from the field during this cautionless race, he ended up winning by 2.006 seconds, it was his fifth win of the season at ELKO. Fast-timer #37 Bryce Blohm finished second, Tony Holm held on for third, #9 Adam Wiebusch fourth and #32 Jeremy Wolff fifth of the nine cars entered.

The second Thunder Car feature event had a great side-by-side battle with #56 Johnny Magnum and #92 Norm Grabinger to start off the race until Grabinger established the lead on lap five. Magnum gathered up momentum again and pulled alongside again until Grabinger retook the lead on lap 13 of 20. Jeremy Wolff #32 finally saw his opportunity for the lead and took advantage with an inside pass on lap sixteen of this cautionless race, Wolff then held on for the win by 0.382 seconds at the finish line, it was the second win of the season at ELKO for Wolff. Norm Grabinger was second, Tony Holm #14 was third, #3 Conrad Jorgenson fourth and #9 Adam Wiebusch fifth.

Bryce Blohm #37 from Prior Lake (MN) won the Thunder Car Championship, it is his second title at Elko Speedway. Conrad Jorgenson was 49 points behind in second, Jeremy Wolff third, Adam Wiebusch fourth and Norm Grabinger fifth in the season ending standings.

The first 20 lap Power Stock feature event saw a great battle from the first lap all the way through the last lap between #08 Mike Stoer and seventy year old #71 Tom Quade from Bloomington (MN). The two cars were never separated by more than a few feet, Quade grabbed the lead on lap three and fought back Stoer the entire race eventually winning by 0.393 seconds at the finish line. It was the second win of the season for Quade, a good way to wrap up his final season as a driver. Mike Stoer was second, #27 Darin Patnode third, #66 Joe Prusak fourth and fast-timer #88 Nick Oxborough fifth.

The second NASCAR Power Stock feature had #13 Matt Frye take the early lead until #83 Julie Jorgenson from Lakeville (MN) drove up alongside him on lap eight, the two drivers then raced side-by-side the rest of the race. Jorgenson gained a slight advantage and withstood a bump from Frye on the last lap to win by 0.363 seconds, it was the fifth win of the season for Jorgenson. Matt Frye was second, #8 Taylor Goldman third, #88 Nick Oxborough fourth and #66 Joe Prusak fifth of the eleven cars entered.

Nick Oxborough #88 from Lakeville (MN) won the 2020 Power Stock Championship, it was his third title at Elko Speedway. Julie Jorgenson was 42 points back in second place, Joe Prusak finished third, Mike Stoer fourth and Taylor Goldman fifth in the season ending point standings.

In the first INEX sanctioned Great North Legends 20 lap feature event #91 Tristan Swanson took the early lead until a caution flag flew on lap five. With a great restart #13 Tim Brockhouse from Shakopee (MN) took the lead as #71 Jon Lemke broke away with him to gain a sizable advantage on the rest of the field. Another caution happened on lap fifteen compressing the competitors but it was a carbon copy of the first restart with Brockhouse shooting out to the lead, he fought back the many pass attempts from Lemke and won by 0.174 seconds at the finish line, it was his eighth win of the season at ELKO. Jon Lemke finished second, #47 Austin Jahr third, #87 Robby Carter fourth, Tristan Swanson was fifth and fast-timer #75 Baiden Heskett sixth of the 20 cars entered.

The second Legends feature had #7 Teddy Kottschade take the top spot off the start until #75 Baiden Heskett grabbed the lead with an inside pass on lap four. Heskett had to hold on through a caution period on lap seventeen but was able to win by 0.235 seconds, it was his fourth win of 2020 at ELKO. Jon Lemke #71 had a great night but he ended up just short of victory and finished runner up for the second time on the night, #43 William Sawalich was third, #91 Tristan Swanson fourth and #3 Dirk Henry was fifth.

Tim Brockhouse #13 from Shakopee (MN) won his first points Championship at Elko Speedway. Baiden Heksett finished second place, 54 points behind in the standings, Jon Lemke was third, #8 Colin Stocker fourth and #47 Austin Jahr was fifth in the season ending point standings at ELKO.

The first 12 lap Bandolero feature event saw a caution before the opening lap was completed, on the restart #J3 Justin Ziemiecki grabbed the top spot and held on until #70 Josiah Kottschade from Ramsey (MN) passed for the lead at the half-way mark. A caution period happened on lap seven and again on lap ten but Kottschade was able to withstand the constant pressure applied by #901 Alex Hartwig to win by 0.189 seconds, it was the third win of the season at ELKO for Kottschade. Alex Hartwig finished second, #06 Adam Ratliff third, #13 Ayden Brockhouse fourth and #87 Vincent Marthaler fifth of the thirteen cars entered. Point leader #12 Ayrton Brockhouse was caught up in a wreck and had mechanical problems, he did not finish and was credited with tenth place, giving him a 17 point lead over Josiah Kottschade going into the final race of the season.

The second Bando feature had #32 Colton Roe Pershall take the early lead as they completed lap one, a caution happened and #70 Josiah Kottschade from Ramsey (MN) grabbed the lead with an inside pass on lap two. Kottschade felt pressure from #901 Alex Hartwig on lap eight but a caution flew again just before Hartwig officially completed the pass. Kottschade had a great restart and was able to outrun Hartwig and hold on by the slimmest of margins, just 0.116 seconds at the line, it was the fourth win of the season for Kottschade. Hartwig finished second, #J3 Justin Ziemiecki was third, point leader #12 Ayrton Brockhouse ran a smart race, stayed out of trouble and finished fourth, #06 Adam Ratliff was fifth in his final race driving a Bando.