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Olafson, Simpson, Schmidt, Russ, Berg and Fosso clean up Sunday at Bemidji Speedway

By Dennis Peterson

BEMIDJI, MN (June 29) - Bemidji Speedway was back in action Sunday after hurricane force winds and rain blasted the Bemidji area during the previous week.

After massive cleanup efforts that included many in the racing community, “Meet the Drivers Night” had special meaning and was a chance to set aside the struggles of the past week.

A total of 108 cars filled the pits for “Meet the Drivers” night. Alan Olafson, Rick Simpson, Bret Schmidt, Connor Bruss, Alex Berg and Brady Fosso topped WISSOTA Dirt Track Series action on Sunday.

Eighteen WISSOTA Pure Stocks were led to green by Austin Carlson and Alex Berg. Berg powered out front ahead of Dustin Puffe followed by Carlson. Making his return to racing, Hall-of-Famer eight-starter Greg Caspers raced into fifth.

Puffe pulled side by side with Berg in a tight duel for the lead, with Carlson on their bumpers. Carlson slowed a lap later in turn one and the caution fell. Several more spins and cautions slowed the racing; with each restart Berg held his line to pick up his first-ever feature win and a clean sweep as well. Puffe, Mason Smith, Josh Bitker and Brandon Puschinsky finished in the top five.

Thirteen WISSOTA Super Stocks were next on track. Rick Simpson grabbed the early lead with Dalton Carlson, Alexa Sparby, Doug Koski and Faye Lewis in the top five. Simpson quickly raced out to a five-car-length-lead over Carlson, with Carlson having the same advantage on Sparby in third.

The last five laps of the 20 lap race were more action packed, as 10th-starter Justin Barsness moved into the top five. Barsness and Koski traded positions a couple of times, with Barsness moving by and getting Sparby for third as well. Sparby dropped back several positions as Koski and Cameron LaBelle moved into the top five. The leader Simpson was fast out front and picked up the victory. Carlson, Barsness, Koski and LaBelle finished in the top five.

The 22 WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were led to green by Gary James Nelson and Bret Schmidt from the front row. Racing for his son Brennan, who was injured earlier in the season, Schmidt raced to the lead with Nelson, Hunter Weeks, Carter Matthews and Dean Eggebraaten setting chase. Several cautions slowed the race and Schmidt continued to have control. The race was given a green, white, checkered finish and Schmidt raced to his first feature win in years since retiring from racing. Nelson, Weeks, Eggebraaten, and Matthews were top five finishers.

Sixteen entries of WISSOTA Mod Fours were led early on by Connor Bruss, as he blasted to the lead ahead of Dawson Oelrich, Chad Erlandson, Blake Erickson and Ashton Schwinn in the top five early. Erickson went high and Schwinn raced by into fourth.

Remaining on the outside of the track, Ashton Schwinn was racing along the front wall when he tagged it hard, ending his chances at a high finish.

Bruss continued to hold the lead with Oelrich, Erlandson, C.J. Roller and Conrad Schwinn chasing him. The senior Schwinn raced high by Roller for fourth and then passed Oelrich for third. Bruss remained steady to pick up his first-ever feature win. Erlandson, Schwinn, Roller and Thomas Burgard finished in the top five.

The 2024 season points champion Chad Reller was on the pole for the start of the WISSOTA Hornet feature race, and he led early ahead of Brady Fosso, Ryker Larson, Russell Kiker, Jr. and Jada Lore in the top five. Reller moved to the high side and Fosso raced along the low side to the lead. Eighth-starter Travis Olafson raced into the top five with high side passes in turns three and four.

Once Fosso had the lead position, he was not about to give it up. Fosso came out victorious ahead of Reller, Olafson, Kiker, Jr., and Larson in the top five.

The WISSOTA Modified finale was led on track by many-time track champs Jeff Reed and Alan Olafson. Olafson blasted into the lead coming out of turn four, while Reed, Devyn Weleski, Lance Schilling and Adam Johnson held top-five spots.

Following a caution Weleski raced alongside Reed for second. Schilling took advantage of this and surged ahead to take third as Olafson built about a lead of three car lengths ahead of Reed.

Nothing was stopping Olafson from taking the checkered flag Sunday, as he picked up his first win of the year with Reed and Schilling on his bumper. Tanner Williamson and Johnson rounded out the top five.

In the Bemidji Mini Stocks, Cameron Schwinn picked up his first feature win over his father Conrad.

SUMMARY

WISSOTA Modifieds:

A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 77-Alan Olafson[2]; 2. 2R-Jeff Reed[1]; 3. 43-Lance Schilling[3]; 4. 88-Tanner Williamson[7]; 5. 72-Adam Johnson[4]; 6. 99-Doyle Erickson[10]; 7. 7M-Wagner Macleod[5]; 8. 4A-Dawson Allen[8]; 9. 22B-Josh Beaulieu[11]; 10. (DNF) 13-Devyn Weleski[6]; 11. (DNF) 9B-Brendan Blascyk[9]; 12. (DNF) 51E-Peyton Emerson[12]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 88-Tanner Williamson[1]; 2. 77-Alan Olafson[4]; 3. 43-Lance Schilling[2]; 4. 13-Devyn Weleski[3]; 5. 9B-Brendan Blascyk[6]; 6. (DNF) 22B-Josh Beaulieu[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2R-Jeff Reed[2]; 2. 72-Adam Johnson[1]; 3. 4A-Dawson Allen[4]; 4. 7M-Wagner Macleod[3]; 5. 99-Doyle Erickson[5]; 6. (DNF) 51E-Peyton Emerson[6]

WISSOTA Super Stocks:

A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 77-Rick Simpson[1]; 2. 57-Dalton Carlson[2]; 3. 47J-Justin Barsness[10]; 4. 76-Doug Koski[6]; 5. 27C-Cameron Labelle[7]; 6. 29X-Brandon Bahr[8]; 7. X81-Alexa Sparby[3]; 8. T26-Nic Lewis[12]; 9. 69X-John Sharpnack[11]; 10. 17-Faye Lewis[4]; 11. (DNF) 10-Gordon Hunter[13]; 12. (DNF) 81X-Matt Sparby[9]; 13. (DNF) 26M-Garrett Masurka[5]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 29X-Brandon Bahr[1]; 2. 77-Rick Simpson[3]; 3. 27C-Cameron Labelle[6]; 4. 57-Dalton Carlson[4]; 5. 81X-Matt Sparby[7]; 6. 69X-John Sharpnack[2]; 7. 10-Gordon Hunter[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. X81-Alexa Sparby[2]; 2. 76-Doug Koski[6]; 3. 17-Faye Lewis[1]; 4. 26M-Garrett Masurka[3]; 5. 47J-Justin Barsness[4]; 6. T26-Nic Lewis[5]

WISSOTA Midwest Mods:

A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 32-Bret Schmidt[2]; 2. 74-Gary James Nelson[1]; 3. 9W-Hunter Weeks[4]; 4. 6-Dean Eggebraaten[5]; 5. 07-Carter Matthews[3]; 6. 15-Landon Gross[14]; 7. 15S-Sam Blevins[10]; 8. 19-Darrin Lawler[9]; 9. 10-Michael Blevins Sr[12]; 10. 10JR-Mikey Blevins[11]; 11. 11K-Travis Klein[16]; 12. 59X-James Lambert[13]; 13. 6K-Noah Bitz[7]; 14. 22E-Ethan Elhardt[15]; 15. 115-Kalin Honer[6]; 16. (DNF) 16-Skyler Smith[8]; 17. (DNF) 19D-Dane Durbin[18]; 18. (DNF) 54-Terry Nelson[17]; 19. (DNF) 26-Kyle Davis[19]

B Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. 11K-Travis Klein[2]; 2. 54-Terry Nelson[1]; 3. 26-Kyle Davis[6]; 4. 19D-Dane Durbin[3]; 5. (DNF) 21W-Bruce Hislaw[7]; 6. (DNS) 12A-Alex O'Dell; 7. (DNS) 33L-Cejay LaValley

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 74-Gary James Nelson[2]; 2. 16-Skyler Smith[6]; 3. 115-Kalin Honer[4]; 4. 15S-Sam Blevins[7]; 5. 10-Michael Blevins Sr[3]; 6. 54-Terry Nelson[1]; 7. 19D-Dane Durbin[5]; 8. 21W-Bruce Hislaw[8]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 07-Carter Matthews[1]; 2. 9W-Hunter Weeks[4]; 3. 6K-Noah Bitz[2]; 4. (DNF) 15-Landon Gross[5]; 5. (DNF) 22E-Ethan Elhardt[6]; 6. (DNF) 12A-Alex O'Dell[7]; 7. (DNF) 33L-Cejay LaValley[3]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 19-Darrin Lawler[1]; 2. 6-Dean Eggebraaten[3]; 3. 32-Bret Schmidt[5]; 4. 10JR-Mikey Blevins[6]; 5. 59X-James Lambert[4]; 6. 11K-Travis Klein[2]; 7. 26-Kyle Davis[7]

WISSOTA Mod Fours:

A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 20-Connor Bruss[1]; 2. 44-Chad Erlandson[4]; 3. 6-Conrad Schwinn[8]; 4. T34-Christopher Roller[3]; 5. 9T-Thomas Burgard[9]; 6. 99-Blake Erickson[6]; 7. 37-Dean Larson[10]; 8. 99JR-Brooke Erickson[15]; 9. 29-Kevin Bahr[7]; 10. 4-Dawson Oelrich[2]; 11. 29J-Jayden Bahr[14]; 12. 119-Brandon Backstrom[12]; 13. (DNF) 40-Jack Post[13]; 14. (DNF) 26L-Lily Knute[16]; 15. (DNF) 18-Ashton Schwinn[5]; 16. (DNF) 77-Brooklyn Vernlund[11]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Ashton Schwinn[1]; 2. 99-Blake Erickson[2]; 3. 20-Connor Bruss[5]; 4. 6-Conrad Schwinn[7]; 5. 9T-Thomas Burgard[3]; 6. 77-Brooklyn Vernlund[4]; 7. 40-Jack Post[8]; 8. 99JR-Brooke Erickson[6]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 29-Kevin Bahr[2]; 2. 4-Dawson Oelrich[1]; 3. 44-Chad Erlandson[7]; 4. T34-Christopher Roller[3]; 5. 37-Dean Larson[4]; 6. 119-Brandon Backstrom[6]; 7. 29J-Jayden Bahr[5]; 8. 26L-Lily Knute[8]

WISSOTA Pure Stocks:

Feature (15 Laps): 1. 18B-Alex Berg[2]; 2. 21X-Dustin Puffe[3]; 3. 21S-Mason Smith[13]; 4. 62-Joshua Bitker[10]; 5. 88B-Brandon Puschinsky[7]; 6. 15-Caylyn Binkley[16]; 7. 57-Austin Carlson[1]; 8. 9L-Landon Weeks[17]; 9. 8-Karen Puschinsky[15]; 10. 7K-Quintyn Karl[18]; 11. (DNF) 3-Kade Leeper[12]; 12. (DNF) 47-Greg Caspers[8]; 13. (DNF) 70-Chris Dudley[4]; 14. (DNF) 55-Aaron Bitker[9]; 15. (DNF) 13D-Dylan Elhardt[14]; 16. (DNF) 87-Shannon George[11]; 17. (DNF) 25-Billy Binkley[5]; 18. (DNF) 88-Chad Puschinsky[6]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 18B-Alex Berg[2]; 2. 70-Chris Dudley[6]; 3. 57-Austin Carlson[3]; 4. 62-Joshua Bitker[4]; 5. 21S-Mason Smith[5]; 6. 15-Caylyn Binkley[1]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 88-Chad Puschinsky[1]; 2. 55-Aaron Bitker[6]; 3. 88B-Brandon Puschinsky[3]; 4. 87-Shannon George[2]; 5. 13D-Dylan Elhardt[5]; 6. 9L-Landon Weeks[4]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 21X-Dustin Puffe[4]; 2. 25-Billy Binkley[1]; 3. 47-Greg Caspers[2]; 4. 3-Kade Leeper[5]; 5. 8-Karen Puschinsky[3]; 6. 7K-Quintyn Karl[6]

WISSOTA Hornets:

A Feature (12 Laps): 1. 27-Brady Fosso[2]; 2. 28R-Chad Reller[1]; 3. 00-Travis Olafson[8]; 4. 13K-Russell Kiker Jr[5]; 5. 81R-Ryker Larson[3]; 6. 25K-McKenna Folstad[7]; 7. 03-Christian Kast[10]; 8. 24JR-Jada Lore[4]; 9. 8X-Adam Kessler[6]; 10. 28-Logan Delaney[9]; 11. 7M-Mateja Dreyer[13]; 12. (DNF) 7G-Jayme Gordon[12]; 13. (DNF) 72-Aiden Kessler[11]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 27-Brady Fosso[1]; 2. 00-Travis Olafson[6]; 3. 13K-Russell Kiker Jr[2]; 4. 81R-Ryker Larson[4]; 5. 28-Logan Delaney[3]; 6. 72-Aiden Kessler[7]; 7. (DNF) 7M-Mateja Dreyer[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 28R-Chad Reller[1]; 2. 25K-McKenna Folstad[3]; 3. 8X-Adam Kessler[2]; 4. 24JR-Jada Lore[4]; 5. 03-Christian Kast[6]; 6. 7G-Jayme Gordon[5]

Mini Stocks:

A Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. 94-Cameron Schwinn[1]; 2. 6-Conrad Schwinn[5]; 3. 50-Nick McCann[7]; 4. 11C-Cody Bush[3]; 5. 19-Troy Foster[11]; 6. 7-Karlie Feda[6]; 7. 22H-Justin Honer[8]; 8. 3-Cody Meyers[2]; 9. 87-Malachi Albrecht[9]; 10. 117-Zack Honer[12]; 11. (DNF) 90-Cory Nelson[4]; 12. (DNF) 5H-Ethan Hunter[13]; 13. (DNF) 18-Ashton Schwinn[10]; 14. (DQ) 77-Hayden Engen[14]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 6-Conrad Schwinn[2]; 2. 11C-Cody Bush[3]; 3. 7-Karlie Feda[6]; 4. 3-Cody Meyers[1]; 5. 87-Malachi Albrecht[5]; 6. 19-Troy Foster[4]; 7. (DNF) 5H-Ethan Hunter[7]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 50-Nick McCann[5]; 2. 90-Cory Nelson[3]; 3. 22H-Justin Honer[6]; 4. 94-Cameron Schwinn[1]; 5. 18-Ashton Schwinn[4]; 6. 117-Zack Honer[7]; 7. (DNF) 77-Hayden Engen[2]