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Lemke Scores The Winning Run, Slides In Safe At Elko Speedway
(Elko, MN) Veteran NASCAR competitor John Lemke posted another feature
win Saturday night at Elko Speedway, but this one saw the driver slide sideway
across the line for the win. Lemke and rookie Jake Ryan literally
battled to the line in the Waste Management 40 for the Budweiser Super Late
Models. Steve Schultz laid claim to another feature win earning the
checkers in the Elko Sportsmen Waste Management 30 while Matt Carlander padded
his Coca-Cola Thunder Car points lead by taking the Waste Management 25, Jeff
Partington held off a determined Robert Clingingsmith in the Waste Management
20 for the ACDelco Power Stocks and Todd Wilson went to victory lane twice
picking up both feature wins for the Winged Figure 8’s.
Lemke looked to be dominating in the early going as he used the high line to
dispose of Darrin Giles to take the point. Ryan followed upstart Jacob
Goede around Giles on the sixth circuit but Lemke had appeared to check out
with a ten car length advantage. Goede and Ryan stayed in line through
the 29th lap while working to reel in the point leader. Ryan went
underneath Goede to claim the second spot on lap 32 and set his sights on
Lemke. Ryan was able to run to the inside of Lemke but never had enough
to complete the pass. As the two hard chargers came out of turn four
Lemke was sent sideways but was able to maneuver his ride over the line in
front of Ryan.
“It was plain and simple hard racing,” said Lemke after the race.
“That’s what Elko Speedway is all about.” Ryan thought he might
have had a good enough run to claim the win on the final circuit. “I
think I could have won if I could have made it stick out of turn four,” said
Ryan. “I think we need to start running longer features here!”
Goede held on for a strong third place finish followed by Brian Johnson and
Steve Murgic.
Schultz swapped the lead with Mike Skaja for 16 laps before finally claiming
the win in the Elko Sportsmen 30. Paul Neisius grabbed the early lead
from Dan Whitehead with Greg Bieber bringing Skaja with him for the second and
third spots before the first circuit was complete. Bieber tried for the
point on lap 9 but Neisius and Bieber collected each other, bringing out the
only yellow of the race. Schultz and Skaja then swapped the lead several
times each lap before Schultz finally claimed the point on the 26th lap and
went on for the win followed by Skaja, Duane Halvorson third, a career best
fourth for James Leffler and a fifth place finish for Mike Felixberger.
Matt Carlander once again showed his dominance as he pulled away for the win
in the Coca-Cola Thunder Car 30. The only yellow of the race came when
Kevin Turek connected with a hard charging Conrad Jorgenson on the 14th
circuit. That tightened the field up, but Carlander was once again able
to pull away and coast to the win. Jerry Thomsen got around Adam Wolfe
on the restart and held on for second followed by Wolfe, Brent Kane and Roger
Meyer.
Jeff Partington withstood one caution on the 16th lap and held off Robert
Clingingsmith for the ACDelco Power Stock win. Partington got off to an
early lead but then swapped the point with Clingingsmith several times between
the 6th and 10th circuits before claiming the win. Clingingsmith held
off Joe Fierst for second, while Chase Weber and Chad Tuma claimed the other
top five finishing spots.
Todd Wilson never let up in winning both Winged Figure Eight features.
Wilson led Jamie Schoaf across the line in the first affair, followed by Bruce
Mattison, Dennis Barta and Jay Barta. Dennis and Jay Barta followed
Wilson to the checkers in the second feature with Phil Jones and Bob Hasert in
tow.
The Labor Day Weekend racing extravaganza is up next at Elko Speedway.
There’s a full slate of NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series action on tap on
Saturday night, September 4 featuring the Budweiser Super Late Models, the
Elko Sportsmen, Coca-Cola Thunder Cars and ACDelco Power Stocks plus
Legends. Then Sunday night, it’s the third and final round of the
ACDelco Super Summer Series featuring a tight point battle between John Lemke,
Jake Ryan and Kevin Cywinski. The night will also include the visiting
Mid-American Stock Car Series and the Mid-American Truck Series. One of
Minnesota’s best bands, Boogie Wonderland, will entertain after the racing
on Sunday evening. Labor Day will feature the annual running of the ASA
Minnesota 300 presented by Polaris. All weekend long race fans will have
a chance to win a 2005 Polaris snowmobile. For tickets and information,
contact the speedway at either 800-479-3630 or 952-461-RACE (7223) or go to
the website at www.goelkospeedway.com.
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