5/19/2024
Ogilvie Raceway
The WISSOTA Late Models Make Their First Stop to Wagamon's Ogilvie Raceway for the Season, and TPO Gets the WIN!
By: Tami Jo Kuehn
Ogilvie, MN (May 18) – Wagamon’s Ogilvie Raceway was back in action Saturday night with a great show of WISSOTA Dirt Track Racing. 120 Drivers signed in to battle for the night, and the WISSOTA Late Models made their first stop by the track for the season. Great battles and action occurred through the whole night, and at the night’s conclusion: Tyler Peterson, Brandon Copp, Shane Sabraski, Robert Holtquist, Tommy Pogones, Justin Schelitzche and Zach Benson went home with hardware.
Kolton Brauer and Thomas Worth brought the WISSOTA Street Stocks through the curve for the night’s first feature, however an immediate caution was triggered. On the restart, nearly six different drivers raced and battled for the top point. Kyle Howland, Jeff Ekdahl and Worth battled three-wide for first as Ekdahl took the position. Ekdahl retained his lead through another caution, however with a handful of laps left, Tommy Pogones charged to the second point and chased after Ekdahl. They raced door to door for first, with both drivers nosing out the lead at the line as laps passed. With three laps to go, Pogones retained a slight lead over the 11JR of Ekdahl, and for the second week in a row, Tommy Pogones took the win. Jeff Ekdahl settled for second with Levi Randt, Kyle Howland and Kaden Woodie rounding out the top five.
William Moelter claimed the early lead in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds feature, but after a couple of laps, the 17b of Zach Benson took the point. A couple cautions kept the drivers at a stop and go pace, however when the race resumed, David Swearingen and Jason VandeKamp challenged Benson. Benson stretched his lead while VandeKamp slid to Swearingen’s side. Cole Boston moved into fourth and watched the fight for second. Benson prepared to lap slower cars while Swearingen, VandeKamp and Boston battled for second. Cars covered the entire race surface with a few laps to go, and as the checkers waved, Zach Benson took the win. Remaining top points went to David Swearingen, Jason VandeKamp, Cole Boston and Wyatt Boyum.
The WISSOTA Mod Fours took the clay for the next event, and Connor Hass took the lead. Rowan Tramm, Dustin Holtquist and Robert Holtquist raced three-wide for second until Robert Holtquist moved forward. Robert Holquist and Hass battled for first, Tyler Larson and Dustin Holtquist fought for third, with drivers nose to nose for positions. The battle for top points was nearly too close to call as the yellow waved for a spun car. Hass, Robert Holtquist and Larson raced three-wide for first as the green reappeared and Holtquist retook the point. Hass kept after Holtquist’s #5, and on the final curve, he gave it one final push. Hass, however, came up short as Robert Holtquist took the win. Tyler Larson edged out the second point with Connor Hass, Tommy Pogones and Dustin Holtquist as the top drivers.
A strong field of WISSOTA Late Models lined up to race with Dylan Kromschroeder and Tyler Peterson on row one. Peterson raced to the high groove and took the lead with Kromschroeder, Shane Sabraski and Dave Mass in top points. Sabraski took second while others fought almost four-wide for third. Five laps were complete when Peterson began to lap slower drivers, and others continued to battle for position. With the race half over, the yellow waved causing drivers to slow and field to be reset. Peterson was alone on the restart with Mass and Sabraski on his rear. Peterson held the lead while Mass, Sabraski, Josh Zimpel and Cole Schill kept close for points two through five. Mass found his groove along the wall and was within a couple car lengths of the leader as the white was raised. Tyler Peterson however held his line, and took the win. Dave Mass, Shane Sabraski, Josh Zimpel and Cole Schill rounded out the top points.
Ryan Kostreba and Rick Simpson brought the WISSOTA Super Stocks around the Big O for the next race, and it was Kostreba who grabbed the lead. Dustin Nelson, Dexton Koch and Rick Simpson raced three-wide for second as Simpson dropped back. Shane Sabraski joined the three-wide battle as Koch moved forward. Koch sped ahead and passed Kostreba for the lead while Sabraski began to make his move. Sabraski took second, and as laps passed, he slowly reeled in Koch’s #78k. Sabraski and Koch were door-to-door for the lead as they encountered a slower driver. Sabraski made the pass first, lapped the driver and snagged the lead. Koch chased after Sabraski, but with a couple laps to go, Shane Sabraski claimed the checkers. Dexton Koch, Jeremy Nelson, Ryan Kostreba and Dustin Nelson earned top points.
Clayton Wagamon and Brandon Copp brought the WISSOTA Modifieds to the green, and Copp took the lead at the line. Wagamon, Dave Cain and JT Johnson raced three-wide for second as Cain moved forward to challenge Copp. Atkinson joined Johnson and Wagamon to keep battles three-wide as Copp cruised ahead. Drivers covered the entire track surface as they raced multiple grooves and battled for positions. Cain ran the low groove and challenged Copp in every curve, however Copp continued to emerge with the lead. With a couple laps to go, Copp continued to encounter lapped traffic, but he held his line and Brandon Copp took the win. Dave Cain finished in second along with JT Johnson, Ryan Gierke and Landon Atkinson in top points.
The WISSOTA Hornets closed out the program with a field of ten cars on the track. Tony Jenson took the early lead when the green flew, and Jenna Hagemann, Justin Schelitzche and Branley Theel were three-wide for second. Schelitzche nabbed the point, sped by Jenson for first, with Payson Patrin in second. With the halfway flags showing, Patrin worked on closing the gap with Schelitzche, and was within one-second of the leader. The top two drivers had a solid lead over the competition as the race came to a close. Payson Patrin, Bobie Arnes, Jenna Hagemann and Randy Jacoboski took points two through five while Justin Schelitzche took the win.
Next week, the MN Modified Nationals presented by FYE Motorsports makes it return to Wagamon’s Ogilvie Raceway for two nights of race action. The WISSOTA Modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, Mod Fours, Super Stocks and Hornets will be in action on both Saturday and Sunday nights next weekend with races starting at 7:00pm each night.
Article Credit: Photo By: Troy Powers