BENNETT, BROWN & MORRISON SECURE FIRST FEATURE FLAGS AT EAGLE RIVER

(EAGLE RIVER, WI) July 30 – It was a night of firsts at Eagle River Speedway Tuesday night as a trio of hometown racers scored their first feature flags of the 2024 campaign.

Eagle River’s own Dave Bennett, Ryan Brown and “The Iceman” Quentin Morrison each pulled off popular wins in the late model, B mod and street stock divisions, respectively.

For Bennett, racing in just his second time of ’24 at Eagle River, sprinted into the lead at the drop of the green of 15 lap contest and never looked back en route to winning the feature. Defending division champion Jason Zdroik finished second, with Travis Friske, Josh Nevoraski and Jesse Aho rounding out the top five finishers.

With his heat win earlier in the evening Bennett scored a clean sweep.

Brown, the 2023 division rookie-of-the-year, bolted from his front row starting spot into the lead but his win was anything but a gimme. During the last half of the contest Brown had his hands full with a pair of grizzled veterans – Dave Dishaw and Dustin White. The sophomore B mod Ace withstood the heavy pressure from the duo to earn his first career feature flag here. Dishaw and White took second and third and the pay window, respectively. Michigan drivers Kory Joliff and Frank “The Tank” Gasperini placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the street stock feature Morrison, who started sixth on the grid, battled his way up into the top three early as he scrapped for the lead with Blake Hartman and Cole Bennett. A massive pileup coming out of turn two forced a red flag with five laps remaining. The melee sidelined no less than six cars, among them was the leader Hartman.

Morrison inherited the top spot with a five lap dash remaining at the checkers and hung on for his first feature flag of 2024. Rookie Ben Pitlik finished second in his first outing of ’24, followed by Bennett, Teagan Melton and Kim Brown who finished third through fifth, respectively.

Hometown driver David Blackberg stormed from his third place starting spot into the lead and never looked back, winning the IMCA stock car feature. Trailing Blackberg in the caution free event was Rod Snellenberger, Jonathan Miller, Jason Zdroik and Jason Eisel.

Rookie Blake Joslin of Rhinelander scored his second straight 600 micro sprint feature win. Earlier in the evening Joslin also picked up his heat win, earning a clean sweep for the night.

Track crews also broke out the proverbial ‘brooms’ In the 300 micro sprint classes. Mason Meier of Eagle River and Tomahawk’s Blake Wilke each earned clean sweeps in the pro and semi-pro classes, respectively.

Racing resumes Tuesday, August 6 and the racing action kicks off at 7:00 p.m. It will be ‘Back To School’ night as dozens of backpacks stocked with school supplies will be given out to kids. For further information fans are advised to check the track’s Facebook page.

RACE SUMMARY

Chef Rene B Mod Feature – Ryan Brown, Eagle River; Dave Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI; Dustin White, Eagle River; Kory Joliff, Mass City, MI; Frank Gasperini, Iron Mountain, MI; Pat Richer, Bark River, MI; Dustin Kangas, Phelps; Andy Fink, Minocqua

Heat – Dishaw; White

Sweetwater Late Model Feature – Dave Bennett, Eagle River; Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Travis Friske, Tomahawk; Josh Nevoraski, Minocqua; Jesse Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Peyton Towne, Boulder Junction; Todd Gorny, Eagle River; Zack Friske, Tomahawk; Ron Hanestad, Glenwood City; Aaron Reivitis, Shawano

Heats 1) Dave Bennett; Jason Zdroik 2) Zack Friske; Jesse Aho

J & J Construction IMCA stock car feature – David Blackberg, Eagle River; Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; Jonathan Miller, Eagle River; Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Jason Eisel, Sugar Camp; Patrick Farley Jr., Green Bay

Heat – Jason Zdroik; Snellenberger

Zdroik Well Drilling street stock feature – Quentin Morrison, Eagle River; Ben Pitlik, Eagle River; Cole Bennett, Eagle River; Teagan Melton, Rhinelander; Kim Brown, Eagle River; Caleb Miller, Eagle River; Colin Joliff, Mass City, MI; Jeff Hartman, White Pine, MI; Jeremy Joslin, Rhinelander; Nick Allard, Three Lakes; Wyatt McIntyre, Mass City, MI; Hope Eisel, Sugar Camp; Brandon Romenesko, Watersmeed, MI; Blake Hartman, Conover; Wyler Haynes, Eagle River (DNS)

Heats 1) Cole Bennett; Haynes 2) Morrison; Colin Joliff

JD Archery and Paintball 600 Micro Feature – Blake Joslin, Rhinelander; Bentley Richer, Escanaba, MI; Hoyt Cournoyer, Pittsville; Chase Richer, Escanaba, MI; Oakley Schwantes, Dorchester; Katherine Towne, Boulder Junction

Heat – Joslin; Cournoyer

300 micro features 1) Mason Meier, Eagle River; Cooper Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Lucas Zdroik, Eagle River; Carter Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Madisyn Dieringer, Marshfield; Bentley Seliger, Wausau; Elijah Sharp-Nevoraski, Minocqua (DNS) 2) Blake Wilke, Tomahawk; Parker Ewert, Eagle River; Archer Peter, Manitowish Waters

Heats 1) Meier; Carter Aho 2) Wilke; Ewert