Wi Dirt Racin

4 of the 6 Feature winners from the season opener the previous week came back to win their features again this past Friday Night at Eagle River Speedway. While that may not be a surprise to the good turnout of fans, it was who won the 2 classes that the previous week’s feature winners did not win.

One of the closest races of the night took place in the Pure Stock Feature. Whenever CJ Hedges, Jr. of Tomahawk is in the race, many would expect him to be making the short trip to the Auto Value Victory lane when the race is over. Hedges started out in the middle of the pack, and while he was working his way toward the front, the battle was between long-time racer Don Scharf of Eagle River and Pelican Lake’s Herb Dettman.

The race had 5 cautions, and with every caution, Hedges was working his way to the front. With every caution the lead that Scharf and Dettman had continued to shrink. Then with only 3 laps to go it was Scharf, Dettman, and Hedges in a bumper to bumper battle. At the checkered flag it was Scharf with the win, Dettman getting a second, and Hedges taking a 3rd. Sharf is the only driver that has raced in all 40 years that Eagle River Speedway has been hosting Dirt Track Stock Car Racing.

The other class that did not see a repeat Feature winner was in the highly competitive WISSOTA Street Stock class. The defending point champion, Jordan Kurtti of Bruce Crossing, Michigan, was looking to make a repeat trip to Victory Lane. Preventing Kurtti from winning his second straight WISSOTA Street Stock feature was Tomahawk’s Nate Langberg. Kurtti took every ‘groove’ he could to try to get on the inside or around Langberg, but in the end it was Langberg going to the Victory Lane.

For the first time in the tracks 40 year history, Eagle River Speedway is running a Truck Class. The only driver to win the Truck Features in the first two races of the season is Rhinelander’s Dylan Spiegelhoff. The Truck feature saw trucks hitting the wall, and bumper to bumper racing.

“While Spiegelhoff has won the first two features in the class, I really expect the points championship in this class to be ‘wide open,’ commented Ryan Glembin of Eagle River Speedway.

Rhinelander’s Jered Cech followed the same ‘MO’ as the previous week. That is to finish in the middle of the pack for the Micro Sprint 600 Heat race, only to come back and sweep the competition in the feature. The Honda powered racer hit speeds over 85 MPH as he looks to repeat as the Micro Sprint 600 Class Champion.

The WISSOTA Midwest Modified Class Champion for the last 3 years, Michigan’s Jesse Aho made it two in a row in his feature. The best race in that class took place in the Heat Race when Aho simply could not find a ‘line’ around Hurley’s John Kallas. Kallas has been a 3-time champion at the challenging Tri-Oval of Eagle River Speedway in the WISSOTA Street Stock Class. Track officials and the fans all expect Kallas to be one of the main competitors for Aho this year.

“When one looks at the talent and experience level of the class of drivers we have this year in the WISSOTA MIdwest Modifieds, I think Jesse (Aho) is going to have his hands full in going for an un-precedent 4th straight championship,” commented Track Announcer, Skip Schulz.

The Upper Peninsula’s 11 year old, Wyatt McIntyre continued his unbeated streak that goes back to the start of last year in the Junior Sprint Class. It was in this class that Parker Retzlaff had his hands full in getting by 7 year olds, Anna Price Malouf and Josie Rae Reif. Josie Rae actually looked to finish no worse then 3rd in the Junior Sprint Feature but took her Junior Sprinter to the Victory Lane before the final lap was completed.

Stock Car Racing returns to Eagle River Speedway this coming Friday Night. Gates open at 5 pm CT with Hot Laps starting at 7:00 pm, racing to begin at 7:30 pm CT.

Results (Top 3 Only)

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds Feature: 1) Jesse Aho, Toivola (MI); 2) John Kallas, Hurley; 3) Tadd Schoonover, Eagle River

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds Heat: 1) John Kallas, Hurley; 2) Jesse Aho, Toivola (MI); 3) Tadd Schoonover, Eagle River

WISSOTA Street Stock Feature: 1) Nate Langberg, Tomahawk; 2) Jordan Kurtti, Bruce Crossing, (MI); 3) Jason Jenson, Eagle River

WISSOTA Street Stock Heat 1: 1) Ryan Valeria, Eagle River; 2) Ron VanDuessen, Eagle River; Derek Eberl, Tomahawk

WISSOTA Street Stock Heat 2: 1) Jordan Kurtti, Bruce Crossing, MI 2) Keith Troutman, Tomahawk; 3) Jeff Mullins, Argonne

Micro Sprint 600 Feature: 1) Jered Cech, Rhinelander; 2) Jake Reif, Deerbrook; 3) Bob Hicks, Eagle River

Micro Sprint 600 Heat: 1) Jake Reif, Deerbrook; 2) Bob Hicks, Eagle River; 3) Jerry Reif, Deerbrook

Truck Feature: 1) Dylan Spiegelhoff, Rhinelander; 2) Cory Allen, Rhinelander; 3) Sean Jannsen, Birnamwood

Truck Heat: 1) James Koga, Eagle River; 2) Cory Allen, Rhinelander; 3) Sean Janssen, Birnamwoood

Pure Stock Feature: 1) Don Scharf, Eagle River; 2) Herb Dettman, Pelican Lake; 3) CJ Hedges, Jr., Tomahawk

Pure Stock Heat 1: 1) Tyler Lundberg, Rhinelander; 2) Don Scharf, Eagle River; 3) Troy Larock, Laona

Pure Stock Heat 2: 1) CJ Hedges, Jr., Tomahawk; 2) Isabelle Valeria, Eagle River; 3) Tyler Musoff, Tomahawk

Pure Stock Heat 3: 1) John Johnson, Sr., Lac Du Flambeau; 2) Jason Melton, Rhinelander; 3) Herb Dettman, Pelican Lake

Junior Sprint Feature: 1) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, (MI); 2) Parker Retzlaff, Rhinelander; 3) Anna Price-Malouf, Manitowish Waters

Junior Sprint Heat: 1) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland (MI); 2) Anna Price-Malouf, Manitowish Waters; 3) Josie Rae Reif, Deerbrook

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