Doar, Copp Cousins, Vendela, Bernick, Jarecki Crowned as ’24 Gondik Law Speedway Champs

by Nick Gima

               Superior, WI, August 23 – The Gondik Law Speedway took care of a lot of unfinished business on Friday night – it celebrated this year’s Hall of Fame Class, it encouraged attention to suicide awareness, and it named its 2024 track champions.

The sixth annual Suicide Prevention and Awareness Night, which was rained out last Friday, successfully brought a very important issue to the forefront with lots of fundraisers, special vendors, and raffle prizes, as well as special – and emotional – trophy presentations to the feature winners.

Members of the Hall of Fame class were honored with a dinner last Friday, but they were presented to the crowd on hand on this night due to last week’s rainout. They include retired drivers Dave Bjorklund, Marshall Andrews and Glenn Hall; active driver Jody Bellefeuille; and pioneer Rick Milinkovich.

As for the racing, New Richmond’s Pat Doar captured his WISSOTA Late Model feature in order to nail down not only his fourth GLS title in the division and eighth overall, but also the season-long KME Late Model Series points crown, worth $7,500. Doar came into the night with a two-point lead for the track championship and tied with Johnny Broking for the KME title.

After a two-car get-together deep in the field as the green flag was shown, Doar swept around polestarter Kevin Burdick to pace the early going of the 30-lap run. Doar pushed his lead to nearly a second, but the determined Burdick erased that gap by lap 8 and took the spot away on the next go-around, while Shane Sabraski, Mike Bellefeuille, Sam Mars and the rest trailed at a distance.

Laps clicked off quickly on the fast four-tenths-mile oval as the lead pair diced through slower backmarkers, with Burdick gradually building a full-second advantage. But Jeff Massingill’s stalled ride on lap 18 brought the proceedings to a halt, and while under yellow Bellefeuille pulled off the track with mechanical woes, giving Mars fourth and moving Darrell Nelson to fifth for the restart.

Burdick seemed to be in control from there, but as he and Doar caught the slower Taylor Madrinich, Doar pulled a daring thread-the-needle pass to squeeze into the lead on lap 27. Madrinich spun a lap later, and Doar dominated the green-white-checkered finish for his division-leading 57^th Late Model feature win in Superior and 67^th all-time here.

Sabraski stole second from Burdick on the restart, and Nelson took fourth away from Mars on the white-flag lap.

Needing only a solid top-ten run, Brule’s Brandon Copp successfully defended his WISSOTA Modified track title from a year ago, while Darrell Nelson of Hermantown, MN, took the division’s feature win.

Brady Uotinen was the class of the field for the first 17 of the race’s 20 laps, sprinting away from the field from his pole-position start. Within just five laps he had built an impressive two-second lead on Andrew Inman, Nelson, Jack Rivord and the eighth-starting Copp, who dropped to sixth after being passed by the new Hall-of-Famer Bellefeuille on lap 8.

Uotinen continued to improve on his advantage while working through slower traffic just after mid-race. The race went uninterrupted until lap 17, when Uotinen, holding a five-second lead, “hopped the cushion” in turn 4, causing the car to smack into the outside wall and ending his night in heartbreaking fashion.

During the clean-up and re-alignment process, Copp dove into the work area in the pits. He rejoined the race in tenth, as the last runner on the lead lap, risking his championship with Rivord and Bellefeuille both restarting in the top-five. But neither could stay with the new leader Nelson, who rolled on to his all-time track-leading 116^thcareer feature win at Superior, and track-best 74^th here in a Modified, by eight-tenths of a second.

“Big Mod” rookie Inman was impressive in taking second, and Rivord took third to finish runner-up in the final points standings. Andrew Mackey snuck past Bellefeuille on that final restart to take fourth. Copp’s eighth-place finish gave him an 11-point margin for the title.

In the WISSOTA Super Stock division, Brandon’s cousin Kyle Copp of Brule made things a little more interesting but held on for his second GLS division crown in the past three years, while the feature belonged to national WISSOTA Super Stock points leader Dexton Koch of Becker, MN.

Koch cleared polestarter Rick Simpson out of the first pair of turns to establish himself as the leader, and he did not give up the point throughout the 20-lap run despite several caution stoppages that kept Simpson, Matt Deragon, Austin Blom, Dylan Nelson and the rest of the field close behind him.

After a Myron Basina spin on lap 3, Deragon worked his way around Simpson for second. Koch’s lead was nearly a full second on Deragon on lap 7 when Dan Peterson’s car stopped on the back straight with issues, and during this caution period Copp, who was running outside the top-ten, dropped into the pit work area to change a flat right-rear tire. He returned to restart at the back of the line-up, but yellow flags flew on lap 8 for debris and on lap 9 for Blom’s slowed racer, denying Copp much chance to make headway through the field.

Second-in-points DJ Keeler took the middle route in a three-wide pass into fourth on lap 10, thinning Copp’s points edge as Koch continued to dominate, pushing his lead to 1.4 seconds before a lap 14 stoppage for debris. Copp lined up tenth for this final restart of the race and he stayed there to the checkers, which turned out to be just enough for the championship.

Koch ran away to a huge 1.9-second winning margin over Deragon, who fended off a persistent Simpson. Keeler and Steve Stuart swapped fourth a couple of times over the closing laps before Keeler claimed the position at the finish, but he ended up one spot – and one point – short of the title.

Joey Jensen of Forest Lake, MN, was his familiar class-of-the-field self in slicing and dicing his way to the win in the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature, while South Range’s James Vendela patiently picked his way to a top-ten finish and his first GLS championship in this division.

Dalton Mains set the pace for the first dozen circuits of the 20-lap run, holding a healthy advantage over Justin Bassa, who himself pulled away from Jimmy Latvala, McLean Andrews and Cody Carlson by mid-race. While Vendela, who started 20^th, bided his time, second-in-points Ryan Savoy tried to make up as much of his 20-point deficit to Vendela as he could by holding down sixth.

Jensen, who started ninth, ran just behind Savoy when the race’s first slowdown occurred, for Dane Olson’s spin on lap 12. Jensen then attacked on the restart, following Carlson past Savoy, Latvala and Andrews to fourth within two quick laps, then displacing Carlson the next time around for third. On lap 16 Bassa made a strong move around Mains for the race lead, and Jensen followed suit into second just before a caution stop for debris with three laps remaining.

Jensen worked an inside pass to take the lead on the restart, but a get-together between Carlson and Savoy negated the pass. Jensen then went the long way around Bassa on the ensuing restart to take the lead for good, with Andrews working a low-lane pass for second a half-lap later. Jensen crossed under the checkered flag a half-second ahead of Andrews, with Bassa a close third. Latvala and Mains completed the top-five, and Vendela’s seventh-place effort, just one spot ahead of Savoy, clinched the title for Vendela.

In the final corner of the Mid-Mod main, Brady Caul, who was running mid-pack, slipped into the soft upper groove and violently barrel-rolled his racer. Safety crews were quick to respond and immediately reported that Caul was shook up but otherwise unharmed.

Duluth, MN’s Aaron Bernick needed a fourth-place finish or better in the WISSOTA Pure Stock A-main to assure himself of a successful championship defense, and he ran to his third feature win of the season here to insure it.

Trevor Treviranus took the early lead from his sister and polestarter Jessie Treviranus at the start of the 12-lapper, with Bernick following in his wake to second. Before the first lap was scored, Bernick took advantage of Trevor’s bobble in turn 4 and took over at the point.

From there Bernick ran away from a tight pack of five drivers battling for second, building as much as a 1.67-second lead before rookie Michael Pederson’s stopped ride on lap 8 brought the field back to Bernick’s trunklid. Tom Treviranus, Bernick’s closest rival for the points crown, restarted second but could not keep up over the remaining laps, as Bernick secured both the win – by a full second – and the title.

Shane Basina ran a solid third throughout the second half of the run and finished well ahead of visiting Anthony Schultz and Jessie Treviranus.

Like Bernick, DeJay Jarecki of Ashland needed to finish top-four to secure a GLS WISSOTA Hornets championship. And, like Bernick, he nailed down the title with the feature win.

Front-row starters Cade Johnson and Andy Leino experienced trouble getting going at the drop of the green flag, forcing Jarecki, second-in-points Nikota Larson, and the rest of the field to take evasive action to get by. The result was Jarecki gaining the lead before a lap was scored, and he stayed there the rest of the way.

The top four of Jarecki, Carson Gotelaere, Justin Schelitzche and Larson put on an entertaining show, running mostly nose-to-tail with Schelitzche sneaking looks to either side of Gotelaere in an effort to take second.  Defending Hornets champ AJ House’s car stalled on lap 3 to pause the fun, but the running order up front stayed the same until lap 8, when Schelitzche finally got by Gotelaere.

After a lap 10 stop for Abby Baum’s stalled racer, Jarecki spent the final two laps looking over either shoulder for a possible pass by Schelitzche, but the pass never happened and Jarecki won his second feature of the season and second points title here. Gotelaere and Larson were close behind in third and fourth, respectively, and Leino finished a distant fifth.

The Gondik Law Speedway will finish up its 2024 schedule with its 36^th annual Northern Nationals, presented by Bay Lock & Security, on Wednesday through Saturday, September 4-7. Wednesday’s open practice session is free to the public and is highlighted by its “Showdown in Souptown” challenge race pitting Super Stocks with Midwest Mods, while Thursday’s offering includes full programs for the Mid-Mods, Pure Stocks, Hornets and WISSOTA Street Stocks.

On Friday the Interstate Raing Association’s winged “outlaw” 410 sprint cars will take to the big oval, while Midwest Mods get another full show, and Late Models, Modifieds and Super Stocks will run qualifying heats. The event caps off on Saturday night with semi-features and features for the Late Models, Mods and Supers, plus full programs for the Mid-Mods and USRA Limited Late Models

For full details outlining the times and events for this event, log on to the track’s website, www.gondiklawspeedway.com or check out its FaceBook page.

Results

WISSOTA Late Models

               Feature: 1-10: Pat Doar, New Richmond; Shane Sabraski, Rice, MN; Kevin Burdick, Proctor, MN; Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, MN; Sam Mars, Menomonie; Billy Kendall III, Walker, MN; Travis Budisalovich, St Paul, MN; Johnny Broking, Grand Rapids, MN; Mike Prochnow, Menomonie; Danny Vang, Deerwood, MN.

               11-20: Dave Flynn, Superior; Derek Vesel, Hibbing, MN; Keith Niemi, Gilbert, MN; Ronnie Malecki, Duluth, MN; Taylor Madrinich, Duluth, MN; Skeeter Estey, Kelly Lake, MN; Mike Bellefeuille, Duluth, MN; Jeff Massingill, Keewatin, MN; Terry Lillo, Duluth, MN; Steve Laursen, Cumberland.

               21-25: Todd Gehl, Solon Springs; Eric Lillo, Proctor, MN; Tim McMann, Duluth, MN; Harry Hanson, Eveleth, MN; Robbie Cooper, South Range.

               Heat 1: Estey; Bellefeuille; Mars; Vang; Kendall; Prochnow; Brett Shafer, Menomonie; Gehl; E Lillo.

               Heat 2: Burdick; Broking; Nelson; Budisalovich; Massingill; Niemi; Madrinich; Cooper; T Lillo.

               Heat 3: Sabraski; Doar; Vesel; Hanson; McMann; Laursen; Malecki; Flynn.

WISSOTA Modifieds

               Feature: 1-10: Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, MN; Andrew Inman, Canyon, MN; Jack Rivord, Superior; Andrew Mackey, Duluth, MN; Jody Bellefeuille, Carlton, MN; Cody Wolkowski, Thunder Bay, ON; Kennedy Swan, Chippewa Falls; Brandon Copp, Brule; John Toppozini, Thunder Bay, ON; Shane Sabraski, Rice, MN.

               11-14: Brady Uotinen, Superior; Rick Rivord, Superior; Al Uotinen, Superior; Tanner Gehl, Solon Springs.

               Heat 1: J Rivord; Sabraski; Nelson; Mackey; Wolkowski; R Rivord; Toppozini.

               Heat 2: Copp; B Uotinen; Bellefeuille; Inman; A Uotinen; Gehl; Swan.

WISSOTA Super Stocks

               Feature: 1-10: Dexton Koch, Becker, MN; Matt Deragon, Ashland; Rick Simpson, Thunder Bay, ON; DJ Keeler, Superior; Steve Stuart, Ashland; Dylan Nelson, Merrifield, MN; Shane Sabraski, Rice, MN; Scott Lawrence, Superior; Don Livingston, Washburn; Kyle Copp, Brule.

               11-20: Trenton Bond, Iron River; Doug Bolt, Rosslyn, ON; Andrew Groom, Neebing, ON; Larry Both, Thunder Bay, ON; Rita Anderson, South Range; Myron Basina, Bayfield; Darin Meierotto, Superior; Austin Blom, Saginaw, MN; Dan Peterson, Foxboro; Danny Doran, Esko, MN.

               Heat 1: Copp; Deragon; Keeler; Meierotto; Livingston; Lawrence; Anderson.

               Heat 2: Simpson; Nelson; Koch; Basina; Bond; Peterson; Bolt.

               Heat 3: Stuart; Blom; Sabraski; Both; Doran; Andy Grymala, Superior; Groom.

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

               Feature: 1-10: Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, MN; McLean Andrews, Duluth, MN; Justin Bassa, Cotton, MN; Jimmy Latvala, Solon Springs; Dalton Mains, Foxboro; Ashley Boyum, International Falls, MN; James Vendela, South Range; Ryan Savoy, Superior; Jamie Davis, Fort Frances, ON; Kolby Reed, Kakabeka Falls, ON.

               11-20: Paul Ripley, Duluth, MN; Ross Siiter, Esko, MN; Jonny Nowak, Proctor, MN; Brady Caul, Fort Frances, ON; Dane Olson, Littlefork, MN; Cody Carlson, Superior; Evan Checkalski, Duluth, MN; Adam Shinn, Duluth, MN; William Moelter, Elk Mound; Wyatt Boyum, International Falls, MN.

               Heat 1: Jensen; A Boyum; Latvala; Checkalski; Reed; Siiter; Olson.

               Heat 2: Savoy; Andrews; W Boyum; Caul; Shinn; Davis; Vendela.

               Heat 3: Carlson; Bassa; Mains; Moelter; Ripley; David Simpson, Thunder Bay, ON; Nowak.

WISSOTA Pure Stocks

               Feature: 1-9: Aaron Bernick, Duluth, MN; Tom Treviranus, Hawthorne; Shane Basina, Bayfield; Anthony Schultz, Stillwater, MN; Jessie Treviranus, Superior; Jason Simonson, Poplar; Trevor Treviranus, Hawthorne; Michael Pederson, Duluth, MN; Eric Crosby, Amery.

               Heat: Bernick; Jessie Treviranus; Crosby; Trevor Treviranus; Basina; Tom Treviranus; Schultz; Pederson; Simonson.

WISSOTA Hornets

               Feature: 1-10: DeJay Jarecki, Ashland; Justin Schelitzche, Chaska, MN; Carson Gotelaere, Superior; Nikota Larson, Barnum, MN; Andy Leino, Sturgeon Lake, MN; Madisyn Olson, Culver, MN; Rick Andrews Jr, Superior; Abby Baum, Superior; AJ House, Cloquet, MN; Ryan LaBorde, South Range.

               11-13: Carter Wieringa, Slate River, ON; Cade Johnson, Iron, MN; Eva Lillo, Duluth, MN.

               Heat 1: Schelitzche; Larson; Wieringa; Leino; LaBorde; Olson; Lillo.

               Heat 2: Jarecki; House; Gotelaere; Johnson; Andrews; Baum.