6/19/2022
Ogilvie Raceway
Winged and Non-Winged Sprints, Micro Sprints and Vintage Cars Entertain Fans on Sprint Car Night at Ogilvie Raceway!
By Tami Jo Kuehn
Ogilvie, MN (June 18) – The UMSS Winged, Non-Winged Sprint cars as well as the Vintage cars swung through Ogilvie Saturday night for some WISSOTA Dirt Race Series Action. The WISSOTA Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Hornets were also in attendance as well as Micro Sprints. It was Sprint Car night and nearly 100 drivers signed in for the event.
The first race of the night belonged to the Non-Winged Sprint Cars. Mike Mueller and Travis Case brought the drivers to the green and Mueller snagged the early lead. Drivers battled for points on as Scott Brandt made his way to second. A couple cautions slowed the drivers, but Mueller brought them back to green. Brandt had company with Nick DaRonco at his side, but Brandt held the point. DaRonco slid low on the track, snatched the second point and looked ahead at Mueller. Mueller had a good lead established, but DaRonco was looking to close the gap. Seven laps remained in the race as a final caution slowed the drivers. Mueller’s lead was gone and DaRonco was on his rear. The race resumed and DaRonco moved to Mueller’s door. After a slight tire rub, DaRonco moved into the lead point and continued on to take the win.
Keeping the Sprint Car theme going, the Winged Sprint Cars rolled onto the track and Trevor Redding and Jeremy Kerzman sped off as the green dropped. Redding took the top point as Chase Viebrock drove to Kerzman’s side. Redding was already lapping traffic as he drifted high and got into the wall. The yellow lights flickered on, and the field was reset. As the race resumed, Viebrock claimed the top position, but Owen Carlson didn’t let Viebrock get out of sight. Carlson raced higher on the track surface and shot by Viebrock with seven laps to go. Drivers covered the entire track surface while leaders put others down a lap. A couple cautions slowed the drivers, but Viebrock and Carlson were nose to nose with three laps to go. As they shot down the front chute, contact occurred resulting in Viebrock rolling through the curve. The race went red and drivers were attended to. Three laps still remained as Jeremy Kerzman assumed the lead. The drivers took the green and cruised through turn one when Mark Chevalier raced the middle groove and emerged in the lead. Kerzman came back to his door and raced to the finish line, but another caution was triggered. Chevalier took the lead on the final restart and held on to take the win.
Grayson Pratt and Cole Elton brought the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds to the stand and as the green waved, Pratt claimed the lead. Kyle Kirberger claimed the second point and moved aside Pratt. After couple of cautions, the race resumed with David Swearingen, Travis Schulte, Pratt and Kirberger four wide for the lead. Schulte emerged with the point while other drivers battled for positions. Zach Benson moved into second and put pressure on Schulte but found Kirberger back at his door. Benson broke away from Kirberger and moved to the inside of Schulte. Another yellow slowed the drivers and put Benson and Austin Chyba on Schulte’s bumper. As the drivers took the green, Benson moved to the high groove to steal the lead which left Schulte, Swearingen, and Chyba three wide for second with three laps to go. Zach Benson continued on and took the checkers with Austin Chyba, Travis Schulte, David Swearingen and Kyle Kirberger as the top finishers.
The Micro Sprints were next on the agenda with 14 drivers taking the green. Ryan Erickson took the early lead with Paul Wrazidlo and Jeremy Snow in top points. Erickson built up a slight lead while others were left chasing him. As the race reached the half-way mark, Erickson caught slower traffic and Wrazidlo neared Erickson’s rear. The yellow waved for debris scattered on the race surface and the field was reset with five laps to go. Ryan Erickson sped off when the green reappeared and never looked back as he took the checkers.
Zachary Furbur and Blake Hawker brought the WISSOTA Hornets out for the night’s next race. Brady Albertson jumped into the lead point as the race began and drivers three wide behind him. John Aderman snagged the second point and moved to Albertson’s door. Aderman, Albertson, Justin Barsness and Marcus Ammerman battled close for points one through four. A quick caution slowed the drivers, but Aderman was in command on the restart. The top four drivers resumed their door to door, three wide at times battle for top points as Alex Aderman joined the battle. John Aderman remained at the point with A. Aderman and Albertson side by side for second. Barsness and M. Aderman swapped grooves and lines for the second point lap after lap as the race came to a close. Slight contact occurred between the drivers battling for second, but they kept the race green with Alex Aderman, Justin Barsness, Marcus Ammerman and Blake Hawker earning points two through five as John Aderman took the win.
The WISSOTA Super Stocks took the clay with Joel Collins and Russell Kostreba on the front row. The top two drivers kept side by side the first lap, but as the second lap began, Collins claimed the lead. Jeremy Nelson slid into the second point and moved to Collins’ door. After a couple laps, Nelson pulled away from Collins for the lead. Dexton Koch weaved his way into the third point and after a few laps, shot by Collins. Collins worked the low groove and came back to Koch’s door, but Koch pulled away and looked ahead at Nelson. Nelson was nearly a straight away ahead of his competition as the yellow lights blinked on. Nelson was alone on the restart with Koch and Collins on his bumper. Koch retook the second point and raced the high groove to try and make his way past Nelson. Nelson retained the lead through a couple cautions, but Koch and others kept after him. Koch moved to the middle groove with and came out of turn four at Nelson’s door. Koch sped by Nelson as they came down the front stretch and held the lead the remainder of the race. Dexton Koch rolled his #78k into victory lane while Jeremy Nelson, Joel Collins, Ryan Kostreba and Dustin Nelson earned top points.
The Vintage Full Body and Vintage Modifieds also raced during the program and celebrated in victory lane at the end of the night with fan trophies. Al Keske took the win in the Full Body cars while Mike Selberg won the Modifieds.
Next Saturday is another exciting night of racing as the WISSOTA Late Models make their first appearance of the season at Wagamon’s Ogilvie Raceway. All six of our regular weekly classes will be in action in addition to the Late Models. Racing will begin at 6:30pm.
Article Credit: Photo By: BC Photography