Bemidji Speedway fans enjoy ‘Rock Star’, ‘Box Car’ events

BEMIDJI - It was an exciting night for kids of all ages Sunday at Bemidji Speedway. The track hosted “Rock Star Night” and for the younger crowd the always popular “box car” racers were out in force racing on the track in their home made box cars.

Great track conditions once again created great racing action with many new cars in attendance on a picture-perfect night for racing. Just three more nights remain of the regular season at Bemidji Speedway with the track ending its racing season with the annual Paul Bunyan Stampede in September.

Next week the track will host all Boys and Girls scouts and the A-Modified special rescheduled from July. All scouts in uniform will be admitted free. Another “Kids Night” will be held on Aug. 19 with bikes given away and all kids receiving free admission plus the chance to meet all the drivers on the track.

The mini stock feature was led on track by Josh Berg on the pole and Leahna Barrett. Berg’s mini took the lead only to slow and drop out late in the race due to mechanical trouble. Barrett took control and cruised to her first victory of the summer. Cory Mueller, Berg, Ann Lesing and Rick Watson trailed.

Starting in the front row, Bill Beaulieu and Bill Chaboyea, currently tied for the points lead in the pure stock class, dueled for the lead. But the duel ended quickly when Beaulieu’s car slowed to the back of the field with obvious mechanical trouble. Chaboyea picked up his fifth feature win of the summer. Chad Puschinsky, Branden Smith, Weston Ramsrud and John Kruschke completed the top five.

A caution forced a restart and when the action resumed Skyler Smith held the lead. Smith maintained his position and added the feature victory to his win in the heat races.

Doyle Erickson, Gary Nelson Jr., John Halverson and Brandon Bahr made up the top five.

The feature was a flag-to-flag victory for Conrad Schwinn. Starting in the second row, a first-lap restart was all he needed to move to the front.

Schwinn outdueled Tommy Bawden for the lead and cruised to an easy victory. Bawden, Tonja Stranger, Scott Dyrdahl and Mike Margl made up the top five.

Dalton Carlson grabbed the lead early but at the end Gary Nelson Jr. was able to reach his bumper. But he couldn’t get by the leader.

Carlson picked up his third feature win of the summer at Bemidji and added to his current points lead. Nelson Jr., Bret Schmidt, Chris Winter and Rocky Yeats rounded out the top five.

Mini Stock Feature – Leahna Barrett, Cory Mueller, Josh Berg, Ann Lesing

Heat 1 – J. Berg, R. Watson, L. Barrett, C. Mueller, A. Lesing

Pure Stock Feature – Bill Chaboyea, Chad Puschinsky, Branden Smith, Weston Ramsrud, John Kruescke, Bill Beaulieu, Richard Frentess

Wissota Midwest Modified Feature – Skyler Smith, Doyle Erickson, Gary Nelson Jr., John Halverson, Brandon Bahr, Bret Schmidt, Trent Dyrdahl, Al Johnson, Mike Johnson, Ron Reed

Heat 1 – B. Bahr, J. Halverson, G.Nelson Jr., R. Reed, T. Dyrdahl

Heat 2 – S. Smith, B. Schmidt, D. Erickson, A. Johnson, M. Johnson

Wissota Mod Four Feature – Conrad Schwinn, Tommy Bawden, Tonja Stranger, Scott Dyrdahl, Mike Margl, Craig Moore

Heat 1 – C. Schwinn, M. Margl, S. Dyrdahl, T. Stranger, T. Bawden

Wissota Super Stocks Feature – Dalton Carlson, Gary Nelson Jr., Bret Schmidt, Chris Winter, Rocky Yeats, Mike Procopio, Keith Keena, Robert Preble, Scott Messner

Heat 1 – R. Preble, D. Carlson, B. Schmidt, G. Nelson Jr., R. Yeats