Stock Car Racing: $10,000 enticed 219 drivers at North Central

BARROWS — Two years ago, North Central Speedway promoter Holly Orpen took the idea to track owner Cliff Sasker for a four-day event that would draw attention to the local tracks in the area, two owned by Sasker, and provide drivers with the ultimate racing experience.

Two years later the dream became reality and a field of 219 drivers arrived at North Central Speedway for two days of racing Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26.

Despite a persistent drizzle that halted racing for two hours Saturday, the drivers laid down rubber on the track for 898 total laps and six winners were crowned in the inaugural Land of 10,000 Lakes 10K.

The racing started in Princeton Thursday, June 24 and ended at Granite City Raceway in St. Cloud Sunday, June 27. Sasker owns both the Princeton and North Central tracks and the two facilities received great reviews from Kevin Yoeder, marketing director for IMCA.

“We began sanctioning race tracks here a few years ago and to be able to have events like this and draw competitors from all over the United States,” Yoeder said. “We have drivers from California, North Carolina and many states in between. It’s great for the area, it’s great for the racers and the tracks in the local area, the local economies and we are just proud to be a part of it.”

11 states were represented in the field and among those was Jordan Grabouski from Beatrice, Nebraska. The 2019 Modified and Stock Car National Champion made a strong showing with feature wins in Princeton Thursday and at North Central Friday and a second-place finish in Saturday’s Modified feature event.

On a normal night of racing, there are approximately 100-125 cars participating in seven different classes. Last weekend saw just three classes but close to 225 drivers. That meant that drivers needed to finish in the top two spots in their heat race or in the top two positions in one of the B-Main Features in order to make the starting field for the A-Feature race to close the night. In total, 898 laps were completed in the two nights of racing at North Central.

Local drivers Aaron Johnson and Jake Hagemann were the most successful drivers over the weekend with Johnson coming away with a fifth-place finish Friday and a ninth-place finish Saturday in the Modified Feature. Competing in the Sport Mod Features, Hageman secured the second spot Friday and the fifth spot Saturday. Justin Jones placed fifth for the Sport Mod Feature in Friday’s race and Adam Bohlman was 10th Friday.

The one class that did not have an area driver in the top 10 either night was Stock Car. That wasn’t surprising as the class is starting its first year of regular racing at North Central. Fans got a taste of the excitement of the class with 73 drivers battling for the top prize. Yoeder believes the class has a strong chance to be one of the most popular classes for local fans in the next few years.

“Nationwide our stock car class is the class that we have seen the most momentum with the last couple of years,” he said. “Anytime you start a new class at a new track it takes some time for growth. But as popular as our class is nationwide I don’t see any reason why it won’t grow and there are some great racers in the area. They call that class, ‘the class too tough to contain,’ and the guys really enjoy racing in it. The way the rules package is (set up), those guys race beside each other all night long so the biggest difference is that you are next to guys all night.”

With the large RV village outside and the racing inside, the Land of 10,000 Lakes 10k could also be showing promise of being a regular event in the lakes area for years to come.

Results June 25

IMCA Modifieds

Feature: 1-Tanner Black, 2-Tim Ward, 3-Jeff Patchen

Special 1: 1-Joel Rust, 2-Matt Aukland, 3-Dalton Magers

B Feature 1: 1-Lucas Lameries, 2-Ethan Braaksma, 3-Matt Aukland

B Feature 2: 1-Cayden Carter, 2-Jacob Dahle, 3-Trey Duensing

B Feature 3: 1-John Hansen, 2-Chuck Olson, 3-Jesse Glenz

B Feature 4: 1-Billy Kendall III, 2-Wyatt Block, 3-Ethan Dotson

Heat 1: 1-Jeff Patchen, 2-Dan Menk, 3-Lucas Lamberies

Heat 2: 1-Aaron Johnson, 2-David Brown, 3-Trey Duensing

Heat 3: 1-Terry Phillips, 2-Brandon Schmitt, 3-John Hansen

Heat 4: 1-Justin A-Strike, 2-Tripp Gaylord, 3-Billy Kendall III

Heat 5: 1-Jake McBirnie, 2-Marcus Yarie, 3-Ethan Braaksma

Heat 6: 1-Collin Thirlby, 2-Kelly Shryock, 3-Cayden Carter

Heat 7: 1-Tim Ward, 2-Kyle Brown, 3-Chuck Olson

Heat 8: 1-Tanner Black, 2-Wyatt Block, 3-Matt Gilbertson

Heat 9: 1-Mike Mullen, 2-Shawn Fletcher, 3-Joel Rust

IMCA Sportmods

Feature: 1-Tim Bergerson, 2-Jake Hagemann, 3-Jayden Schmidt

Special 1: 1-Dean Cornelius, 2-Geoff Olson, 3-Chris Siercks

B Feature 1: 1-Timothy Warner, 2-Brandon Hines, 3-Mark Martini

B Feature 2: 1-Jeff Steenbergen, 2-Miles Morris, 3-Geoff Olson

B Feature 3: 1-Jason Vejtruba, 2-Vince Corbin, 3-Zachery Schreder

Heat 1: 1-Troy Jordan, 2-Craig Dorner, 3-Justin Jones

Heat 2: 1-Logan Anderson, 2-Chris VanMil, 3-David Siercks

Heat 3: 1-Luke Krogh, 2-Hunter Longnecker, 3-Cam Reimers

Heat 4: 1-Jayden Schmidt, 2-Cole Czarneski, 3-Colby Fett

Heat 5: 1-Shane Paris, 2-Tim Bergerson, 3-Jared Bourmeeseter

Heat 6: 1-Jake Hagemann, 2-Jake Sachau, 3-Adam Bohlman

IMCA Stock Car

Feature: 1-Jordan Grabouski, 2-Brandon Beckendorf, 3-Eric Mahlik

Special 1-David Brandies, 2-Chad Schroeder, 3-Dan Mackenthun

B Feature 1: 1-Luke Lemmens, 2-Damon Murty, 3-Dan Mackenthun

B Feature 2: 1-Kyle Brown, 2-Jared Seifert, 3-Chad Schroeder

B Feature 3: 1-Beji LaCrosse, 2-Derek Green, 3-David Brandies

B Feature 4: 1-Abe Huls, 2-Chanse Hollatz, 3-Chris Toot

Heat 1: 1-Brandon Beckendorf, 2-Derek Brown, 3-Todd Reitzler

Heat 2: 1-Kyle Vanover, 2-Kyle Falck, 3-Kyle Brown

Heat 3: 1-Jordan Grabouski, 2-Kenneth Richards, 3-Derek Green

Heat 4: 1-Devin Snellenberger, 2-Troy Jerovetz, 3-Chris Toot

Heat 5: 1-Dylan Thornton, 2-Dallon Murty, 3-Luke Lemmens

Heat 6: 1-Elijah Zevenbergen, 2-Brent Uecker, 3-Chad Schroeder

Heat 7: 1-Robert Waechter, 2-Troy Burkhart, 3-Benji LaCrosse

Heat 8: 1-Eric Mahlik, 2-Dustin Larson, 3-Chanse Hollatz

Results June 26

IMCA Modifieds

Feature: 1-Ethan Dotson, 2-Jordan Grabouski, 3-Mike Mullen

B Feature 1: 1-Johnny Whitman, 2-Toby Patchen, 3-Matt Gilbertson

B Feature 2: 1-Casey Arneson, 2-Brandon Schmitt, 3-Cody Laney

B Feature 3: 1-Terry Phillips, 2-Ricky Thornton Jr., 3-Benji LaCrosse

Heat 1: 1-Kyle Brown, 2-Jesse Rogotzke, 3-Johnny Whitman

Heat 2: 1-Brad Theys, 2-Aaron Johnson, 3-Matt Hollerich

Heat 3: 1-Tanner Black, 2-Kelly Shryock, 3-Benji LaCrosse

Heat 4: 1-Kollin Hibdon, 2-Mike Mullen, 3-Dan Roedl

Heat 5: 1-Matt Aukland, 2-Collin Thirlby, 3-Casey Arneson

Heat 6: 1-Ethan Braaksma, 2-Tripp Gaylord, 3-Todd Stinehart

Heat 7: 1-Steve Arpin, 2-Jeff Taylor, 3-Jacob Dahle

Heat 8: 1-Ethan Dotson, 2-Josh Anderson, 3-Brandon Schmitt

Heat 9: 1-Jordan Grabouski, 2-Russ Reinwald, 3-Ricky Thornton Jr.

IMCA Sportmods

Feature: 1-Jake Sachau, 2-Colby Fett, 3-Brayton Carter

B Feature 1: 1-Mark Martini, 2-Justin Jones, 3-Cole Suckow

B Feature 2: 1-Jake Hagemann, 2-Adam Bohlman, 3-Cole Czarneski

B Feature 3: 1-Skyler Woods, 2-Dean Cornelius, 3-Jason Vejtruba

Heat 1: 1-Shane Paris, 2-Timothy Warner, 3-Jeff Steenbergen

Heat 2: 1-David Siercks, 2-Logan Anderson, 3-Nate Albrant

Heat 3: 1-Jake Sachau, 2-Brayton Carter, 3-Cam Reimers

Heat 4: 1-Colby Fett, 2-Torey Fischer, 3-Brandon Hines

Heat 5: 1-Geoff Olson, 2-Jim Horejsi, 3-Thomas Behle

Heat 6: 1-Hunter Longnecker, 2-Jared Boumeester, 3-Chris VanMIl

IMCA Stock Car

Feature: 1-Benji LaCrosse, 2-Luke Lemmens, 3-Damon Murty

B Feature 1: 1-Jeremy Christians, 2-Devin Snellenberger, 3-Tim Gonska

B Feature 2: 1-Jason Rogers, 2-Derek Brown, 3-Brennan Borg

B Feature 3: 1-Dylan Smith, 2-Chad Palmer, 3-Eric Mahlik

Heat 1: 1-Kenneth Richards, 2-Kyle Brown, 3-Devin Snellenberger

Heat 2: 1-Troy Burkhart, 2-Chanse Hollatz, 3-Jason Rogers

Heat 3: 1-Eric Arneson, 2-Matt Speckman, 3-Bob Daniels

Heat 4: 1-Jeff McCollum, 2-Kyle Heckman, 3-Jeffrey Larson

Heat 5: 1-Jacob Dahle, 2-Elijah Zevenbergen, 3-Jeremy Christians

Heat 6: 1-Luke Lemmens, 2-Andrew Altenberg, 3-Derek Brown

Heat 7: 1-Benji LaCrosse, 2-Kyle Vanover, 3-Dylan Smith

Heat 8: 1-Damon Murty, 2-Kyle Falck, 3-Josh Larsen