Wi Dirt Racin

It wasn’t just those that took the checkered flag on the legendary Tri-Oval of Eagle River Speedway that went away a winner, but over 70 children and dozens of other fans that were winners this past Friday Night. The night was dedicated to a Tori Stevens who lost her life at the age of 11 to Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Stevens was an avid race fan. To honor her and to help raise money for Cure SMA, hundreds of prizes were given away, including over 40 bicycles.
The big crowd was treated to one of the biggest turn-out of drivers throughout the year. 54 racers took part in the tracks regular schedule of 5 classes, plus a special class of ATV’s.
“The fans were treated to one of the most exciting nights of racing I have seen in many years,” commented Mike Trinka, Eagle River Speedway Official.

While all the features thrilled the crowd, it was the WISSOTA Street Stock Feature that had a finish for the Track’s 40+ year History book!
For 17 of the 20 laps, 5 cars were bumper to bumper and side by side. Then on the 18th lap Medford’s Cody Kummer and the race leader, Tomahawk’s Derek Eberl were in an altercation. That accident gave Eberl a flat on the front left side. Eberl chose to stay out on the track with the flat tire.
With 5 cars all having a shot at the checkered, it was 3 cars side by side coming out of the hair-pin third turn. This was Ryan Glembin, Nate Langberg, and Ryan Valeria. Right behind them was Jordan Kurtti and Adam Soltis.
Glembin, Langberg, and Valeria crashed right before the finish line, and going around the 3 car pile-up was Kurtti and Soltis. It was immediately determined that Kurtti won the race and Soltis got a second, but the rest of the order was still in question.
Going into the night Langberg had racked up 557 points, and only 4 points back is Glembin. It was determined that Langberg took a 3rd and Glembin ended in 4th.
“Here we had most of the field that never passed the checkered flag,” stated Trinka.
They went back to the positions they were in on the White Flag lap.
“One would think that if you had this type of excitement in a race of 8 cars, imagine what thrills the fans were in when you put 16 cars on the track for the Pure Stock Feature!” stated Kevin Dawson, Eagle River Speedway GM.
16 started and only 2 were unable to finish. Throughout the race cars were battling for position. Tadpoile Brown had the lead for the first half of the race, then Eagle River’s David Blackberg got the lead, and coming on strong with only 3 laps to go was class Point leader, Tomahawk’s CJ Hedges, Jr.
“I wanted to win this race for Tori (Stevens). She was one of my biggest fans. When I got a flat at the end of the race, I had to go to the back, with only 3 laps to go I did everything I could to move up,” commented Hedges, Jr.
“I want to congratulate David (Blackberg) on the win, as I know Tori would be proud,” commented Hedges.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature proved that one is never out of the race. For most of the race, it appeared that Rib Lake’s Todd Seavers was going to cruise to the Auto Value Victory Lane. While Seavers was building a quarter lap lead on the rest of the field, Eagle River’s Guy Carley, Greenwood’s Shane Halopka, and Toivola, Michigan’s, Jesse Aho were in a close battle between each other. One lap it would be Carley leading Halopka and Aho for the second spot, then the next lap it was Aho leading Carley and Halopka. Finally Halopka got around both Aho and Carley and set his sights on Seavers who by now had built a good lead.
“I knew Halopka, one of the top WISSOTA Midwest Modified Drivers in the United States had the skill and the car to cut into Seaver’s lead, I just didn’t think he could do it with the race winding down,” stated Track Announcer, Skip Schulz.
Seavers must have known that Halopka got around Carley and Aho, as he tightened his line around the track. Then with only 3 laps to go, Halopka was on the bumper of Seavers. Halopka passed Seavers right before the White Flag came out, and went on to get the win. Seavers took a second, and Aho held on to the Class point lead by taking a 3rd. Aho is going for his 4th Consecutive WISSOTA Midwest Modified Points Championship at Eagle River Speedway.
It may have been a night where numerous fans and business’s from the Tomahawk area took part in the Tori Stevens Memorial Race, as this is where Stevens was from. However it was a night for Antigo area drivers to shine.
Deerbrook’s Jake Reif used the smooth track to his benefit as he out-gunned the current Micro Sprint 600 Class point leader Eagle River’s Ty Springer in the Feature. Antigo’s Zak Raab held off a hard charge from fellow Antigo racers, Colton Zimmerman and Dylan Waldvogel in the ATV Feature.
Tommi-Jo Springer looks to continue the Springer family ‘tradition’ by winning the Junior Sprint Class Championship. She leads in the class, a class that was one a few years ago by her 12 year old brother, Ty, who is now leading the point battle in the Micro Sprint 600’s. Tommi-Jo (Springer) won both the Junior Sprint Feature and Heat, holding off the talented Hunter Tingler, Dustin Kangas and 6 year old, Dayton Rein.
The fans may have been treated to exciting racing throughout the night, but organizers of this special night were thank-full for more then a turnout of 56 racers, and hundreds of fans, they knew that Tori Stevens was watching from the side of the fence.
Tori passed away in November of 2012, a few days before her 12th birthday. The Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II is a genetic cause of death. SMA is an inherited disease that destroy’s the nerves controlling voluntary muscle movement. The race was a fund-raiser for Cure SMA. An international non-profit organization founded in 1984 with the mission to find a treatment and a cure for SMA.
“We are just happy for the huge turnout, and all the donations, support, and help for this very special gal. Tori (Stevens) loved racing and she would have been thrilled with how this night turned out, “ commented Ashley Hedges.
Tori’s father drove over 1200 miles to attend the race. Tori’s mother was at the race.
The night started off with all the drivers releasing balloons, a moment of silence, and the reading of a special poem.
“I was so happy with the turn-out and all the people that showed up to honor my daughter,” Tom Stevens, Tori’s father, stated.
“I wanted to win this race for Tori. She was one of my biggest fans. When I got a flat at the end of the race, I had to go to the back, with only 3 laps to go I did everything I could to move up,” commented Hedges, Jr.
The legendary Tri-Oval will have the special Roll-Over Contest this coming Friday Night . This was to take place a couple weeks ago but was rained out. The Roll-Over Contest is in addition to racing in all 5 classes. Hot Laps will start at 7:00 pm CT.
Eagle River Speedway Results 8-14-15
Tori Steven’s Memorial Race

WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature:
1) Shane Halopka, Greenwood
2) Brad Seavers, Rib Lake
3) Jesse Aho, Toivola
4) Guy Carley, Eagle River
5) Tadd Schoonover, Eagle River
6) Duane Dunbar, Marenisco (MI)
7) Cody Kummer, Medford
8) Jonathon Miller, Eagle River
9) Ron Drake, Phelps

WISSOTA Midwest Modified Heat 1:
1) Seavers
2) Aho
3) Carley
4) Kummer
5) Miller

WISSOTA Midwest Mod Heat 2:
1) Halopka
2) Dunbar
3) Schoonover

WISSOTA Street Stock Feature:
1) Jordan Kurtti, Bruce Crossing, (MI)
2) Adam Soltis, Ladysmith
3) Nate Langberg, Tomahawk
4) Ryan Glembin, Eagle River
5) Ryan Valeria, Eagle River
6) Cody Kummer Medford
7) Jay Wilberding, Rhinelander

WISSOTA Street Stock Heat:
1) Eberl
2) Kummer
3) Langberg
4) Soltis
5) Kurtti
6) Valeria
7) Glembin
8) Wilberding

Micro Sprint 600 Feature:
1) Jake Reif, Deerbrook
2) Ty Springer, Eagle River
3) Denver Larson, Shiocton
4) Andy Rein, West Bend
5) Dylan Larsonm Shiocton
6) Emily Portschy, Plymouth

Micro Sprint 600 Heat:
1) Springesr
2) Denver Larson
3) Jake Reif
4) Rein
5) Dylan Larson

Pure Stock Feature:
1) David Blackberg, Eagle River
2) Tadpole Brown, Tomahawk
3) CJ Hedges, Tomahawk
4) Jesse Detman, Colorado Springs, CO
5) Dustin Miller, Rhinelander
6) Don Scharf, Eagle River
7) Dennis LaCrosse, Jr., Eagle River
8) Michael Rick, Irma
9) Herb Dettman, Pelican Lake
10) Isabelle Valeria, Eagle River
11) Louis Malluegge, Merrill
12) Gunner Orcutt, Tomahawk
13) Michael Brown, Rhinelander
14) Tyler Musollf, Tomahawk
15) Mike Heikkila, Iron River, MI
16) Frank Gasperini, Eagle River

Pure Stock Heat 1:
1) Blackberg
2) Scharf
3) Rick
4) Brown
5) Her b Dettman
6) Heikkila

Pure Stock Heat 2:
1) Miller
2) Jesse Dettman
3) Orcutt
4) Musolf
5) LaCrosse

Pure Stock Heat 3:
1) Hedges
2) Tadpole Brown
3) Maulluege
4) Isabelle Valeria
5) Gasparini

ATV Feature:
1) Zak Raab, Antigo, Honda
2) Colton Zimmerman, Antigo, Honda
3) Dylan Waldvogel, Antigo, Honda
4) Sam Rasmussen, Summit Lake, Honda
5) Taylor Hughesman, Antigo, Honda
6) Derek Vos, Marion, Yamaha
7) Andrew Nadke, Athens, Yamaha
8) Travis Tatro, Neenah, HONDA

ATV Race Heat 1:
1) Zimmerman
2) Rasmusson
3) Hughsman
4) Vos

ATV Race Heat 2:
1) Raab
2) Waldvogel
3) Nadke

Junior Sprint Feature:
1) Tommi-Jo Springer, Eagle River
2) Hunter Tingley, Woodruff
3) Dustin Kangas, Phelps
4) Dayton Rein, Conover

Junior Sprint Heat:
1) Springer
2) Tingley
3) Rein
4) Kangas

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