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Reuvers Records Third In Row in Elko Go
by Gregg McKarns
August 10, 2002
Elko, MN- Dundas, MN native Donny Reuvers held off defending Budweiser Late Model Champion Jeff Martin and current NASCAR point leader Brian Johnson to claim the “Dwain Behrens Memorial 40” Saturday night at Elko Speedway. It was a popular win for the College City Homes chauffeur as over 1,000 College City Homes guests were in attendance to support their driver. Andy Jirik found victory in the Super Truck feature, Ricky Martin increased his point lead with a win in Miller Lite Sportsman feature competition while Coca-Cola Thunder Car rights went to Mike Felixberger and Impact Printing Bomber honors went to Nathan Wefel.
The familiar white and red #40 of Dwain Behrens led the Budweiser Late Model field during the parade laps prior to feature action, paying tribute to the former track champion. At the drop of the green flag Gary Petrash and Roger Kubes shot from their front row starting positions and into a fierce battle at the front of the field. Petrash gained control of the top spot while Reuvers and Martin discarded their fellow competitors on the way to the front.
Twelve laps into the “Dwain Behrens Memorial 40” by College City Homes, Reuvers moved to the inside of Petrash and into the lead with Martin following suit. Martin stayed within a car length of Reuvers as cars scrambled behind them. Tom Sorem held the third position before a wild spin down the backstretch, which he recovered from before the caution flag was waved. Kyle Estes did not fair as well just a few circuits later as he struck the safety tire.
With the field tightened, Reuvers had his hands full with Martin and Johnson who benefited from the caution period. Reuvers would have enough power on this night and crossed the line ahead of Martin, Johnson, Dan Ryan and Adam Royle who finished fifth.
The Super Trucks returned to Elko Speedway and it was Andy Jirik returning to victory lane. Jirik had to deal with Jamie Farrell and Gary Fredrickson before he celebrated in victory lane. The current point leader and defending Super Truck champion Farrell could only tailgate with his truck tonight, settling for second, Fredrickson was third, Danny Johnson had a stout showing in fourth and Mark Sorenen had a fifth place effort.
A slide for life by James Leffler through the second corner sent the entire Miller Lite Sportsman field scrambling for open racetrack. As the dust settled all drivers stayed out of trouble as the feature pressed on. Ricky Martin and Steve Schultz steered clear of the melee and set sail to catch Doug Brown who had built a sizable lead. A late race caution erased the deficit for the two top point men. Brown elected to restart the race on the outside of the front row, leaving two-time defending division champion Martin to his inside.
As the field motored to the green on the restart, Brown’s car broke loose, giving Martin a slight advantage. With just four laps remaining Martin used that advantage to take sole possession of the lead position. As the checkered flag covered the field Schultz moved to second, Brown dropped to third with Jeff McClintock and Jeff Partington posting top five runs.
Mike Felixberger had the Coca-Cola Thunder Car feature in hand, he could see it through his windshield, that is until sparks flew on the frontstretch as Matt Carlander and Jennifer Ericksen collided bringing the field under caution. Jeff Choban, Ted Reuvers and David Sellner got another crack at the win when action resumed. Felixberger kept Choban at bay claiming the win on College City Homes night, Reuvers captured third as he and fourth place finisher David Sellner crossed the line in a tight battle that also included Michael Crilly who rounded out the top five.
Young Nathan Wefel wheeled his Impact Printing Bomber near perfection on the way to claiming his feature victory. A slew of competitors where hot on the tail of the Northfield native during the closing laps. Danny Weber received runner-up status, Tom Nordwall, James Weeks and Josh Emerson all completed strong showing with top five performances.
Friday night August 16, Elko Speedway will host the first ever United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) event on pavement during the running of the Summer Asphalt Nationals. Gates open at 5:30, qualifying is at 6:30 with racing getting underway at 7:30. Then on Saturday night August 17 Lube-Tech presents the Budweiser Late Models, Miller Lite Sportsman, Super Trucks, Coca-Cola Thunder Cars and the Impact Printing Bombers. Gates will open on Saturday night at 5:30, qualifying is slated for 6 with racing beginning at 7. For more information call the Elko Speedway Box Office at 952-461-7223 or visit
www.goelkospeedway.com.
Budweiser Late Models
Qualifying (1-3) Steve Murgic, Donny Reuvers, Jeff Martin
Heat 1 (1-3) Kyle Estes, Dan Ryan, Darren Giles
Heat 2 (1-3) Mike Tuma, Roger Kubes, Tom Sorem
Fast Dash (1-3) Martin, Murgic, Brian Johnson
Feature (1-10) Reuvers, Martin, Johnson, Ryan, Adam Royle, Murgic, Jason Schneider, Dean Cornelius, Sorem, Gary Petrash (11-20) Jacob Goede, Jon Lemke, Mark Nesheim, Matt Kern, Steve Anderson, Scott Kingery, Tom Quade, Rick Burns, Kubes, Daniel Giles (21-24) Tuma, Estes, Darren Giles, John Paul
Super Trucks
Qualifying (1-3) Andy Jirik, Jamie Farrell, Mark Sorenen
Heat 1 (1-3) Tony Holm, Jirik, Sorenen
Heat 2 (1-3) Gary Fredrickson, Gordy Swanson, Farrell
Feature (1-10) Jirik, Farrell, Fredrickson, Danny Johnson, Mark Sorenen, Larry Fitzsimmons, Swanson, Michael Schmitz, Tony Holm, Harm Alken (11) Dave Grave
Miller Lite Sportsman
Qualifying (1-3) Jake Ryan, Ricky Martin, Lynn Peterson
Heat 1 (1-3) Steve Schultz, Ryan, Peterson
Heat 2 (1-3) Mike Skaja, Jeff McClintock, Doug Brown
Feature (1-10) Martin, Schultz, Brown, McClintock, Jeff Partington, Ryan, Duane Halverson, Greg Bieber, Thomas Boisvert, Josh Larsen (11-17) Kent Eastlick, James Leffler, Shane Huth, Skaja, Peterson, Darrin Parrott, Gregory Hakala
Coca-Cola Thunder Cars
Heat 1 (1-3) Jeff Choban, Brent Kane, Jonathan Eilen
Heat 2 (1-3) David Sellner, Michael Crilly, Brad Kubes
Heat 3 (1-3) Mike Felixberger, Mark Storlie, Ted Reuvers
Feature (1-10) Felixberger, Choban, Reuvers, Sellner, Crilly, Eilen, Greg Gernentz, Kane, Steve Marschall, Dave Sorem (11-20) Niel Peterson, Storlie, Kubes, Kristopher, Randall Petrash, Shannon Ericksen, Andy Anderson, Marv Vincent, Andrew Ruthenbeck, Kevin Crawford (21-24) Matt Carlander, Jennifer Ericksen, Dave Franek, Jerry Thomsen
Impact Printing Bombers
Heat 1 (1-3)Tim Hollen, James Weeks, Josh Emerson
Heat 2 (1-3) Danny Weber, Jeff Cook, Nathan Wefel
Heat 3 (1-3) Robert Clingingsmith, Joshua Gernentz, Matt Marschall
Heat 4 (1-3) Tom Nordwall, Corey Butler, Jr., Dusty Parrott
Last Chance (1-10) Dan Johnson, Matt Edwards, Clinton Grandel, Kevin Priebe, Joe Fierst, Chase Weber, Luke Sexton, Dennis Warnke, Eric Prindle, Paul Lally (11-13) Kevin Novotny, Randy Kotek, Randy Pfluger
Feature (1-10) Wefel, Danny Weber, Tom Nordwall, James Weeks, Josh Emerson, Parrott, Clingingsmith, Butler, Jr., Jeff Cook, Kerry Estes (11-20) Brock Weber, Tim Graff, Scott King, Daniel Meszaros, Timm Morvec, Chase Weber, Clinton Grandel, Roger Meyer, Terry Nordwall, Dan Johnson (21-30) John Norris, Matt Marschall, Raymond Sandgren, Tim Hollen, Jason Novak, Joe Fierst, Matt Edwards, Joshua Gernentz, Jeff Bratland, Kevin Priebe
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