Murgic And Farrell Share Elko Spotlight

By Jim Burns
September 7, 2002

Elko, MN -- A raucus CEDAR VIEW ELECTIRC sponsored crowed saw Rosemount veteran Steve Murgic use lapped traffic to his advantage, bypassing Jason Schneider with 18 laps to go enroute to winning his fourth BUDWEISER NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by DODGE Late Model main of 2002 at Elko Speedway. Sharing the spotlight with Murgic was New Prague's Jamie Farrell, who kept enough distance between himself and Rosemount's Danny Johnson to win his second consecutive NASCAR Super Truck title at Elko Speedway.

The action saw 22 BUDWEISER Late Models take the green with Jason Schneider powering by pole sitter Gary Petrash for the lead, with Jon Lemke and Steve Murgic making early moves into the top three, before the first of two cautions flew on lap six for a five car melee in turn two. On the restart, Lemke pulled even with his former crew member, but Schneider would retain the point with Murgic and Dean Cornelius on Lemke's tail as the second caution flew on lap 10 as Dan Ryan and Lonsdale's Steve Anderson locked up in turn four sending Ryan to the pits for extensive removal of right side sheet metal. On the ensuiing restart, Schneider quickly put two carlengths between himself and his main competition, now being Murgic who had loosened up Lemke and drove under to second on lap 13.

Once Murgic got into the second spot, it became clear it was just a matter of time and using the lapped traffic to his advantage, Murgic reeled in Schneider on lap 22 with Cornelius and Donny Reuvers powering under Lemke for third and fourth. Over the final 18 circuits, Murgic pulled away to a convincing win and admitted after the race that "us old timers are already looking forward to next year"! Following Murgic was Schneider, Cornelius, Reuvers and point leader Brian Johnson who will hold a 24 point advantage over Reuvers heading into September 14th's NASCAR Championships.

In the NASCAR Super Trucks, the Championship feature found the CEDAR VIEW ELECTRIC Ford of Jamie Farrell leading Rosemount's Danny Johnson by a mere two points heading into the final 20 lap main of the 2002 season. The story of the race however was Bloomington's Harm Alkem who led wire to wire in a dominating performance to score his first ever NASCAR Super Truck win, while Farrell patiently drove to a fourth place finish, with Johnson only able to muster a seventh place finish. Afterwards a humbled Farrell stated "to win a second championship on my sponsor's night, with so many friends, co-workers and family members here is.....AWESOME"!

In the Miller Lite Sportsman division, the fans were treated to some of the season's best action as point leader Ricky Martin and Duane Halvorson raced side by side swapping the lead for the first 14 laps before the caution flew as Glencoe's Josh Larsen needed help with his fiery, disabled Thunderbird in turn two. After the field relined, the Martin/Halvorson battle revved up again, with the top eight drivers running side by side, with the action interrupted for cautions on lap 17 when Jeff McClintock lost control and spectacularly on lap 27 as Farmington's Jeff Partington tagged the front stretch wall, his car engulfed in flames, coming to a stop in turn two. To the delight of his family and fans, Jeff was able to walk away unscathed, although a bit shaken. Over the final three laps, Halvorson was able to hold off Marting for his second consecutive feature win, with Steve Schultz, Doug Brown and visiting Rod Brew rounding out the top five. In the points battle, Farmington's Ricky Martin will go for his third consecutive title, with Webster's Steve Schultz only six points back!

In the Coca-Cola Thunder Cars, "Lightning Strikes Twice" as Hampton's Jonathon Eilen returned from two weeks of "racing misery" to record a clean sweep and with the results, reclaimed a slim four point advantage over Dundas' Ted Reuvers in the Championship battle heading into the final week of point competition at Elko Speedway. In the 25 lap main, Eilen moved to the point on lap four, but felt a little snake bit as three separate cautions allowed his competition to stay close to his bumper, but in the end the high school junior recorded his second feature win of the season, with Jeff Choban, Kevin Lutz, Dave Franek and Ted Reuvers rounding out the top five.

Topping off the action packed program were the IMPACT PRINTING Bombers and two separate stories played out as point leader Scott King of Lakeville didn't qualify for the evenings feature and a first time winner dominated as Prior Lake's Nate Kane turned in a great performance in besting the 30 car field for his first career win. In the point battle, King's problems allowed Dusty Parrott, Dan Weber and Brock Webber to stay close entering the final night.

As a side note to the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by DODGE Championships at Elko Speedway on Saturday September 14th, the Mighty Modifieds see a three way tie for the point lead with Steve Johanneck, Jim Kulseth and Jack Paulson. The spectator gates will open at 5:30p with qualifying at 6p and green flag action at 7pm. For more information or directions, call (952) 461-RACE.

Results from the NASCAR Weekly Racing Serie presented by DODGE at Elko Speedway
Saturday September 7, 2002

BUDWEISER Late Models

Fast Qualifier Jeff Martin Webster 14.053 seconds
Heat 1 Jon Lemke Greenfield, Dan Ryan Lakeville, Brian Johnson Lakeville
Heat 2 Jason Schneider New Market, Gary Petrash Lakeville, Donny Reuvers Dundas
BUD Dash Kyle Estes Shakopee, Steve Anderson Lonsdale, Adam Royle Farmington
Feature 1. Steve Murgic Rosemount 2. Jason Schneider New Market 3. Dean Cornelius Bloomington 4. Donny 'Reuvers Dundas 5. Brian Johnson Lakeville

MILLER LITE Sportsman

Fast Qualifier Mike Skaja New Prague 14.938 Seconds
Heat 1 Ricky Martin Farmington, Mike Skaja New Prague, Shane Huth Shakopee
Heat 2 Steve Schultz Webster, Jake Ryan Lakeville, Duane Halvorson Rosemount
Feature 1. Duane Halvorson Rosemount 2. Ricky Martin Farmington 3. Steve Schultz Webster 4. Doug Brown Savage 5. Rod Brew Appleton, WI

NASCAR Super Trucks

Fast Qualifier Danny Johnson Rosemount 14.758 seconds
Heat 1 Andy Jirik Lonsdale, Gary Fredrickson Northfield, Danny Johnson Rosemount
Heat 2 Tony Holm Prior Lake, Bob Sellner Lakeville, Jamie Farrell New Prague
Feature 1. Harm Alkem Bloomington 2. Mike Schmitz Northfield 3. Gary Fredrickson Northfield 4. Jamie Farrell New Prague 5. Gordy Swanson Northfield
SEASON CHAMPION Jamie Farrell New Prague

COCA-COLA Thunder Cars

Heat 1 Niel Peterson Burnsville, Andrew Ruthenbeck Virginia, Kevin Crawford New Prague
Heat 2 Keven Lutz Lakeville, Mark Storlie Lakeville, Mike Felixburger Hastings
Heat 3 Jonathon Eilen Hampton, Ted Reuvers Dundas, Kris Moreland Nerstrand
Feature 1. Jonathon Eilen Hampton 2. Jeff Choban Oakdale 3. Kevin Lutz Lakeville 4. Dave Franek Montgomery 5. Ted Reuvers Dundas

IMPACT PRINTING Bombers

Heat 1 Joe Fierst Faribault, Chase Webber Apple Valley, Tim Moravec Veseli
Heat 2 Nate Kane Prior Lake, Scott Powers Bloomington, Josh Gernetz Red Wing
Heat 3 Matt Marschall Northfield, Josh Emerson Webster, Brock Webber Apple Valley
Heat 4 John Norris Prior Lake, Tim Hollen Richfield, Tom Nordwall Lakeville
"B" Feature Al Thomas Savage, Kevin Novak Burnsville, Corey Butler Jr. Rosemount
Feature 1. Nate Kane Prior Lake 2. Matt Marschall Northfield 3. John Norris Prior Lake 4. Scott Powers Bloomington 5. Josh Emerson Webster

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