Sprints Return to ABC Raceway on Saturday as Stretch Run Begins
by Nick Gima
Ashland, WI, August 12 – The Northern Renegade Traditional sprints will make their final appearance of the 2021 regular racing season at the ABC Raceway on Saturday night.
WIMI radio, 99.7 FM, “the Storm” of Ironwood, MI, will be the night’s presenting sponsor, as the sprints will join the Raceway’s six regular weekly divisions – the WISSOTA Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Mods, Pure Stocks and Hornets, and the ABC Six-Cylinders – for what should be another entertaining night of racing on the award-winning northern Wisconsin red-clay oval.
In two previous visits to the Ashland track, the Traditional – as in, wingless – sprints have put on some thrilling shows for the fans. Chris Lewis of Grand Rapids, MN, held on in a wild three-car battle for the win in their feature here on June 26, and former Modified star Paul Schultz of Grand Rapids won the July 24 A-main at ABC by leading flag-to-flag and fending off a determined effort by Lewis.
“The Northern Renegades have been a huge hit with our fans over the past couple of summers,” Raceway Board president Eric Erickson pointed out earlier this week. “We hope fans will come out and enjoy one of the best nights for the price this summer.”
The final three weeks of regular weekly racing remaining at ABC should provide even more excitement, as the six divisional points championship battles are heading toward their climax. In the Modifieds, Cole Spacek of Phillips leads Brule’s Brandon Copp by just 51 points in a battle of “young guns” chasing their first titles. Interestingly, their fathers – Jeff (6) and Don (8), respectively – are no strangers to holding ABC Raceway championship trophies.
Another driver who knows a little something about titles – Ashland’s Steve Stuart – is working to add a Super Stock crown to a resume that includes six titles here in the Mods, Mid-Mods and Sixes. Stuart leads Shawn McFadden of Ashland by 89 points in the standings.
Tyler Vernon of Mason paces the WISSOTA Midwest Modified rankings just 77 points ahead of Jack Rivord of Superior, and DeJay Jarecki of Ashland has dominated the WISSOTA Hornets, although Iron River’s Derek Dunbar is just 74 points back.
The two closest battles are in the WISSOTA Pure Stocks, where RJ Holly of Marengo is just 13 points up on Aaron Bernick of Duluth, MN; and in the ABC Six-Cylinders, where Ashland’s Dennis Groom has Tiffany Hudack of Ashland and four other drivers all within 80 points of his lead.
Earlier this week the ABC Raceway’s Board of Directors announced that it has rescheduled its second annual “Battle by the Bay” special for WISSOTA Street Stocks, to be presented by Anderson Auto Body of Phillips. The $1,000-to-win special for the Streeters will be run in conjunction with the Safari Bay “Hornet’s Nest 25” special for the track’s entry-level class, to be presented by the Ashland-Bayfield County Sportsmen’s Club, on Saturday, August 21.
There is no immediate plan to reschedule the final round of the three-race Ashland Ford-Chrysler Center Mod Series at press time. The regular season ends with Mountain Dew Championship Saturday Night presented by North Star Beverage of Hurley on August 28, and the 46th annual Red Clay Classic is set for October 1-2.
Regular weekly grandstand admission ticket prices will apply for this seven-division special, and advance tickets and pit passes are available via the My Race Pass website and mobile app. The grandstands will open at 5 pm, hot laps start at 6:15, and the first green flag of the night is scheduled for 7 pm. The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990, or log on to the track’s website, www.abcraceway.com.