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Bemidji Speedway’s 2024 Rookies Of The Year (from left): Cody Bush, Aiden Kessler, Nate Zanter, Brooklyn Vernlund, Kalin Honer, Ellen Lange (Lisa Rhen Photo)

Roast beef, chicken and all the trimmings for the champions at Bemidji Speedway’s 2024 banquet

By Dennis Peterson

The mood was festive and inviting as the 2024 Bemidji Speedway racing season awards banquet was held at the Sanford Center in Bemidji on Saturday, March 22. A fine turnout of 241 drivers, crew members and fans showed up for the great event, hosted for the first time at the Sanford Center Ballroom. Mark Ricci, longtime announcer at the speedway, was the Master of Ceremonies and kept everyone entertained. The crowd enjoyed a fantastic meal of roast beef and chicken with all the trimmings.

The evening progressed with awards presented to the top 10 in each class that raced at Bemidji Speedway in 2024, as well as the track’s rookies of the year and “Driver’s Choice” awards.

Track owner/promoter Tonja Stranger thanked the Sanford Center for putting on a great event and also all the drivers, crew members, track workers and fans who made 2024 one of the best ever for Bemidji Speedway.

Stranger also announced the addition of the WISSOTA Street Stocks to the summer schedule, in addition to the Bemidji Mini Stocks and WISSOTA Hornets, Pure Stocks, Mod Fours, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks and Modifieds.

Track photographer Lisa Rhen provided the fans and drivers an opportunity to pick special awards for individuals and crews, which were awarded as well.

Stranger gave special recognition the many employees of the track and made special remarks to the Bemidji Fire Dept. members Chris Oelrich, Nathan Preuss, and Dakota Provencher for their efforts in providing safety to the drivers, crews and fans at the speedway.

Those drivers recognized included:

Rookies of the Year: Mini Stocks-Cody Bush; WISSOTA Hornets-Aiden Kessler; WISSOTA Pure Stocks-Nate Zanter; WISSOTA Mod Fours-Brooke Vernlund; WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds-Kalin Honer; WISSOTA Super Stocks-Ellen Lange (also National Rookie of the Year); and WISSOTA Modifieds-Jonathon Feda.

Peoples Choice Awards: Most Improved Drivers-Brandon Puschinsky and Ellen Lange; Fans of the Year: 8-year-old Braxton Smith and Michael Fullerton; Tough Luck Award-Deryk Weleski; Social Butterfly Award-Josh Berg; Paint Brush Award-Billy Binkley; Loudest Fan Base-Hunter Weeks Racing; Most Likely to Win On the Last Lap-Dustin Puffe; Best Victory Lane Celebration-Nick Seitz; Most Loveable Track Employees-the Bemidji Fire Dept.

Sportsmanship award winner Lance Schilling (Lisa Rhen Photo)

Drivers Choice Awards went to: Best Sportsmanship-Lance Schilling and Shannon George; Cleanest Drivers-Dustin Puffe and Michael Blevins Sr.; Pit Crew of the Year-the “Pookie Strong Race Team.”

Top 10 in each class for track points included:

Bemidji Mini Stocks (1-10): Conrad Schwinn, Ashton Schwinn, Cody Bush, Cameron Schwinn, Hayden Engen, Nick McCann, Tania Denny, Jonah Espe, Gabriel Espe, and Justin Honer.

WISSOTA Hornets (1-10): Jayme Gordon, Megan Vernlund, Aiden Kessler, Mateja Dreyer, Ryker Larson, Russel Kiker Jr., Cade Johnson, Chad Reller, Josh Bachstrom, and William Lange.

WISSOTA Pure Stocks (1-10): Dustin Puffe, Austin Carlson, Deryk Weleski, Kade Leeper, Justin Barsness, Nate Zanter, Billy Binkley, Caylyn Binkley, Brandon Puschinsky, and Alex Berg.

WISSOTA Mod Fours (1-10): Blake Erickson, Conrad Schwinn, Ashton Schwinn, Kevin Bahr, Brooke Erickson, Brooke Vernlund, Nick Seitz, Jayden Bahr, Dean Larson, and Rowan Tramm.

Top Hornets of 2024 (from left): Ryker Larson, Mateja Dreyer, Aiden Kessler, Jayme Gordon (Lisa Rhen Photo)

Top Pure Stocks of 2024 (from left): Deryk Weleski, Austin Carlson and Dustin Puffe (Lisa Rhen Photo)

Top Mod Fours of 2024 (from left): Brooke Erickson, Kevin Bahr, Ashton Schwinn, Conrad Schwinn and Blake Erickson (Lisa Rhen Photo)

WISSOTA Midwest Mods (1-10): Doyle Erickson, Skyler Smith, Landon Gross, Hunter Weeks, Noah Bitz, Mike Blevins Sr., Brennan Schmidt, Gary James Nelson, Cory Peterson, and Devyn Weleski.

WISSOTA Super Stocks (1-10): Dalton Carlson, Matt Sparby, Nic Lewis, Brandon Bahr, Ellen Lange, Faye Lewis, Cameron LaBelle, Garrett Masurka, Ron Reed, and Max Dondelinger.

WISSOTA Modifieds (1-10): Lance Schilling, Jeff Reed, Josh Beaulieu, Alan Olafson, Jonathon Feda, Davey Mills, Doug VanMill, Rick Jacobson, Kevin Adams, and Devin Fouquette.