2019 MN Asphalt Driver of the Year

By Jason D Searcy

Jacob Goede from Carver (MN) has been named the 2019 Minnesota Asphalt driver of the year by Speed Talk on 1360 Radio.

Goede had a record breaking year and was recently recognized nationally as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I Champion at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte (NC). “The banquet was a good time, NASCAR does a good job honoring the Champions and it was really special to have my car (on display) at the Hall of Fame,” said Goede.

The 3G race team was awarded a beautiful Championship Trophy to Erica Goede as car owner and another trophy for Jacob as the driver, he also received a custom painted helmet as the Mobil 1 National driver of the year.

The 2019 statistics for Jacob Goede speak for themselves. In 37 NASCAR sanctioned starts he finished in the top 10 in every race, not one DNF. In 30 of those races he finished in the Top 5 and he won a total of 10 races across his hometrack at Elko (MN) Speedway but also Lacrosse (WI) Fairgrounds Speedway and Madison (WI) International Speedway.

Due to the inversion rules up here Jacob didn’t just start up front in these races, he had to fight his way to the front. Maybe the most incredible stat is that Jacob gained 218 positions from where he started the race to where he finished in those 37 events, so he averaged passing nearly 6 cars per feature race while competing against some of the strongest fields of cars in the Nation.

Jacob also excelled at all the big Marquee Races of 2019, he won the prestigious Dwain Behrens memorial event and the Thunderstruck93 Big 8 series race at Elko Speedway and also the Big 8 series race during Oktoberfest in Lacrosse.





This is the third time Jacob Goede has won the Minnesota Asphalt Driver of the year award, he also won back to back in 2014 and 2015.

Winners of the MN Asphalt Driver of the year:

2019- Jacob Goede
2018- Baiden Heskett
2017- Conrad Jorgenson
2016- Tim Brockhouse
2015- Jacob Goede
2014- Jacob Goede
2013- Ricky Martin
2012- Jonathan Eilen
2011- Chad Walen
2010- Brent Kane
2009- Adam Royle
2004- Dan Fredrickson

Ernie Francis Jr wins at VIR

Ernie Francis Jr #198 from Southwest Ranches (FL) won the GT1 division at the 2019 SCCA runoffs at Virginia International Raceway.

Tony Ave #4 was the fast qualifier with a time of 1.43.857 edging Ernie Francis Jr who timed in with a  1.44.06, the next fastest car was three seconds slower.

The John  Baucom #86 car was smoking from the beginning of the race, he was black flagged immediately but continued to drop a large amount of fluid all around the 3.1 mile race track causing a very slippery condition for the rest of the competitors.

Ave and Francis swapped the lead back and forth the first lap and Francis officially led lap one, Ave then led on lap two and three.  The third fastest qualifier was the 114 car driven by Ron Malec, he was in a bad wreck and the full course caution was finally called on lap 3.

It was a long clean up process to get the track back in a race able condition, Tony Ave led the two caution laps after the cleanup leaving only four green flag laps to finish the race which had a time limit of 40 minutes.

Ave slipped off the course after the restart and Ernie Francis Jr bolted to the lead the final three laps of the shortened race.  It was the first SCCA Runoffs win for Francis Jr.  "This is the most pressure I have ever felt," said Francis Jr "I've always wanted to be a Runoffs Champion."

Tony Ave finished second 1.838 seconds behind Francis Jr, David Pintaric #57 from Canfield (OH) driving with a broken hand, was third, he was over 24 seconds behind the winner.  Todd Peterson #42 from Bolder (CO) was fourth and #30 J Richard Grant from Germantown (TN) was fifth of the 13 cars participating.

It was a bit disappointing that the race was so short but it was pleasure covering the Trans Am type cars at the 2019 SCCA runoffs in Virginia.

Us here in Minnesota can look forward to 2020 when the Trans Am series returns to Brainerd International Raceway July 10-12th after a two year layoff.  This event will honor the memory of the late BIR owner Jed Copham and also feature a $35,000 purse boost to ensure a great field of Trans Am series cars.

Here is a story we wrote about the modern day history of Trans Am at BIR

End of the Trans Am era at BIR?

Speed Talk on 1360 has covered every Trans Am race in the modern era at BIR and that will surely continue in 2020!

Jason D Searcy

 

Speed Talk on 1360 Podcasts

We just wrapped up our 2019 season, our 11th on KRWC radio.  Here are the links to our Podcasts from Speed Talk on 1360 --

9/28/19 Dan Plan Segment Thunderstruck93 wrap-up

9/28/19 Book/Movie review of Rapid Response Rapid Response

9/21/19 Nick Oxborough ELKO Powerstock winner Oxborough

9/21/19 Brody Willett #Thunderstruck93 preview interview Brody Willett

9/21/19 Bryan Syer-Keske first WISSOTA Modified winner at ELKO Bryan Syer-Keski

9/14/19 Full Show- Jordan Bianchi talks INDY and Vegas, Jacob Goede interview before Championship night and Dan Plan from the Legendary at Cedar Lake 9/14/19

9/7/19 Nick Panitzke interview Panitzke

9/7/19 Jacob Goede interview Goede

9/7/19 Goede win Race Call Goede win Race Call

9/7/19 Michael Haggar interview Haggar Interview

8/31/19 Nick Pantizke win Race Call Panitzke win Race Call

8/31/19 Haggar win Race Call Haggar win Race Call

8/24/19 Jon Lewerer Interview Lightning Lewerer interview

8/17/19 Knoxville Nationals Recap  Knoxville Recap

Cole Klein vs Tristan Swanson Race Call at ELKO Klein Win Race Call

Conrad Jorgenson interview Conrad Jorgenson Interview

Paul Hamilton win Race Call Paul Hamilton Win Race Call at ELKO

Tom Quade Interview Tom Quade Interview

Robby Carter Interview Robby Carter Interview at ELKO

8-10-2019 Full Show  8/10/19 Full Show

8-3-19 7K racing interviews Kottschade Boys interview on KRWC

7-27-19 Carson Gramm WISSOTA interview Gramm on KRWC

Baiden Heskett win Race Call Heskett win at ELKO

Chad Walen win Race Call Walen win at ELKO

Michael Stoer win Race Call Stoer win at ELKO

Cole Klein win Race Call Klein win at ELKO

Dean race call of Conrad Jorgenson win Jorgenson win at ELKO

Cole Klein interview at ELKO Klein interview after win

Racin Ryan Varner interview Varner interview at ELKO

7-2-19 Full show ARCA Recap with interviews at ELKO and Kari Miller ARCA Recap

Austin Jahr interview  Austin Jahr at ELKO

Chad Walen Interview Walen win at ELKO

Race Call of Anderson win Anderson ELKO race Call

Steve Anderson interview at ELKO Anderson Interview at ELKO

Josiah Kottschade interview 6/1/19 Kottschade interview at ELKO

Paul Hamilton Interview Hamilton at ELKO

Jacob Goede win Race Call 5/25/19 Goede win at ELKO

Joe Graf Jr interview at IOWA Joe Graf Jr interview

Natalie Decker interview from Iowa Speedway Natalie Decker interview

Joe Graf Jr interview previewing ELKO ARCA race Joe Graf Jr

Tribute to Tony "the Tiger" Hallerman Tony the Tiger tribute

Craig Dollansky interview on KRWC Craig Dollansky

World of Outlaws at Granite City recap WoO recap

Dan Bailey interview Bailey interview on KRWC

Spencer Pigot INDYCAR interview Spencer Pigot

Reed Allex WoO interview Reed Allex interview on KRWC

Ron Krog 5/18/19 Ron Krog interview

Dean Cornelius Cornelius Interview on KRWC

Carson Gramm 4/27/19 Gramm interview

Ron Bernhagen 5/4/19

Brad Sweet at Granite City Speedway
David Gravel at Granite City Speedway
Jesse Little from IOWA
Chandler Smith from IOWA
Justin Algier from IOWA
Cole Custer from IOWA
Chandler Smith from ELKO
Michael Smith from ELKO
Ty Gibbs from ELKO



Jordan Bianchi from the Athletic NASCAR segments:
9/28/19
9/21/19
9/7/19
8/31/19
8/24/19
8/17/19
8/3/19
7/27/19
Summer Daytona Segment
6/29/19
6/15/19
6/8/19
6/1/19
5/29/15
5/18/19
5/11/19
5/4/19

Other misc interviews Dean Reller Soundcloud
Jason Searcy Soundcloud

Listen every Saturday morning 10-11am on KRWC1360.com 1360am or on Tunein.com Search KRWC APRIL - SEPT

Fathers Day Double at Iowa Speedway

Due to the cancellation, because of rain, of the Gander Outdoors Truck series event on Saturday, it was instead raced on Fathers day at Iowa Speedway.  Ross Chastain #44 crossed the finish line first at the M&Ms 200 and went through all the victory lane celebration but was later Disqualified in post-race inspection for being too low in the front giving second place finisher #24 Brett Moffitt the win.  This is the first time a win has been taken away in modern NASCAR history, the winner Moffitt never led a lap in the race.

Newly declared winner, Iowa native #24 Brett Moffitt.

BOTH winners of the race signed this die-cast toy for a sponsor, Ross Chastain signed on the roof and Brett Moffitt signed it on the hood.

Iowa Speedway was part of the Triple Truck Challenge, a three race series-in-a-series.

The drivers who have elected to run for points in the series were eligible for an additional $50,000 bonus above the normal purse money.

The money was on display in the Media Room.

Local angles in the Truck series race included MN and WI Late Model racer Natalie Decker #54, she finished 17th, here is our post-race interview with her.  Natalie Decker interview

Former ELKO ARCA winners Brennan Poole finished 11th, Gus Dean 20th, ELKO pole winners Grant Enfinger was 4th and Riley Herbst 15th.  Elko Speedway Great North Legends driver Rob Thurston and his business Thurston Inc seed brokerage helped sponsor the car #97 driven by Jesse Little (below), he finished 22nd.  Here is our post-race interview with Little Jesse Little interview

Chandler Smith #51 started on the pole position, here is our post-race interview with him after a Top 10 finish.  Chandler Smith interview 

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The late afternoon race of the Fathers day double was the Circuit City 250 in the NASCAR Xfinity series.  Cole Custer started the race from the pole and finished second, Cole Custer Interview.  Christopher Bell won the race in dominating fashion (photo above).  

Justin Allgaier had a good run and finished 3rd Allgaier interview

Here is audio of the first lap at Iowa Speedway Sound at Iowa

Minnesota born driver #21 Joe Graf Jr finished in the Top 20, he also previewed the upcoming ARCA race at Elko Speedway.  Joe Graf Jr interview



We will have full coverage of the Iowa Speedway weekend on Speed Talk on 1360 radio.  Saturdays 10-11am on KRWC1360.com and check back on Speedtalkon1360.com 

Also look for us on social media for race coverage.

https://twitter.com/ElkoJason

https://twitter.com/DeanReller

https://twitter.com/Jordan_Bianchi

LISTEN to Speed Talk on 1360 HERE

Listen to Speed Talk on 1360 Radio Saturdays 10-11am on 1360 AM radio in Minnesota.

Listen LIVE by using the free Tunein app and searching KRWC

CLICK HERE FOR TUNEIN LINK

You can also stream the show on the KRWC1360.com website

CLICK HERE FOR KRWC Web Stream

Click on the Icon that says "Live Internet Broadcast Audio"

You can hear podcasts of previous 2018 shows 

CLICK LINK HERE

Jason's Soundcloud- CLICK HERE
Dean's Soundcloud and 2019 Show archive CLICK HERE


Thank you for Listening.
Dean, Jason and Shane

Speed Talk returns on April 20th for 11th season

Speed Talk on 1360 will return to KRWC radio for it's 11th year beginning April 20th - Sept 28th 2019.

Listen LIVE from anywhere on the free Tunein app by searching KRWC every Saturday 10-11 am (Central).  Tunein App or by going to KRWC1360.com Click Here

Long-time hosts: Motorsports writer Dean Reller and Jason Searcy announcer at Elko Speedway will be joined on a regular basis this year by writer Shane Carlson who is also working with 66 time World of Outlaws winner Craig Dollansky.  DOLLANSKY LINK

*Jason, Dean and Shane at Elko Speedway'

Minnesota NASCAR writer Jordan Bianchi will continue to join us with the most current NASCAR buzz and Dan Plan from the Midwest Racing Connection will give us the Local/Regional racing scoop.  Jordan's web site Dan's web site

Plus you can count on us to interview 50+ drivers every year from Local racing to World of Outlaws to ARCA, Trucks, IndyCar and Xfinity series races at Iowa Speedway.

Here is a list of Podcasts from previous years:

PODCAST LIST

Big THANKS to our sponsors who make this show possible:

Elko Speedway ElkoSpeedway.com
Performance Driving School at BIR BIRPerformance.com
Cottens' NAPA Cottens' NAPA
Lou Fegers Racing in Delano LouFegersRacing.com
STB Screen Printing and Embroidery STB

Thanks everyone for listening, we will see you at the Track!

Murphy tops Monster Jam in MPLS

By Jason D Searcy

A local racer is making a name for himself in motorsports, but maybe not the way that he originally planned, he is one of the hottest names in Monster Jam and was named the 2017 Rookie of the Year.

You might remember Camden Murphy (22) from Itasca (IL), he started his career by racing locally in Karts and Legends Cars before stepping up to the UARA Late Models and the Midwest Truck series.  He won the Midwest Truck feature at the famed Thunderstruck93 event at Elko Speedway (MN) in 2013, it was his first ever Truck win. “I always loved ELKO, I remember that day being all about survival, we were having some bad luck and then everything just turned our way, it’s a day I will never forget,” said Murphy “especially being in that unique victory lane.”  He edged out Jacob Van Wazer, Natalie Decker and Jerry Wood on that day. Link to 2013 #Thunderstruck93 article CLICK HERE

Murphy had numerous wins in the Midwest Truck series and narrowly lost the title to Derek Kraus in 2015.   Since then Murphy has been searching for the right opportunity and financial support to make a living in motorsports.  Murphy has had 21 total NASCAR starts driving for small underfunded teams like: Rick Ware Racing, Copp Motorsports, JJC Racing and Beaver Motorsports in the NASCAR Truck series and 1 start in the NASCAR Xfinity series, he has never scored a Top 10 finish.

“With the struggles of finding funding I looked for as many different avenues in Motorsports that I could, knowing that driving is all I wanted to do,” said Murphy “I found myself with the opportunity to go to Monster Jam University.”  Murphy made the most of that opportunity working directly with 11-time World Finals Champion Tom Meents, he impressed the right people and got a job driving a 12,000 lb Monster Truck. Now funding is not an issue, he has equal equipment to the best drivers in Monster Jam and he has excelled.

Murphy has quickly become one of the hottest new stars on the premier Stadium Tour of Monster Jam.  After driving a new truck named Pirate’s Curse last year, he is currently behind the wheel of Bakugan Dragonoid, a wild looking truck designed from the Japanese animated cartoon and video game.

Every Monster Jam event now is divided into three competitions (Racing, Two-Wheel Skills and Freestyle) with the fourteen trucks taking part in each competition, fourteen points for first on down to 1 point for last.  The points are tallied at the end of the night to determine the Overall Champion.

US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (MN) hosted Monster Jam on Feb 16th and Cameron Murphy won the Racing competition beating John Gordon in Bad Company in the finals and earlier defeating monster truck royalty Ryan Anderson (son of pioneer Dennis Anderson) in Son-uva Digger, it was the fourth racing win for Murphy.  He then thrilled the 30,000+ in attendance with an incredible show of driving skill balancing his monster truck nose down with a stoppie on its front wheels and walking it across half the stadium, he scored a 9.4 besting rising star Morgan Kane who was driving Grave Digger, it was the second two-wheel skills win of the season for Murphy.  He then performed a backflip and finished 6th on his freestyle behind his mentor Tom Meents driving Max-D. With his two wins Murphy scored enough points to take his second overall event Championship with Ryan Anderson finishing runner up. Camden Murphy was the star of the show on this night.

Even with all of his success in Monster Jam, Murphy has not forgotten about his NASCAR dream.  “As of right now, I am fortunate enough to have many opportunities on all 3 levels (of NASCAR).  However I am limited due to lack of funding, as many drivers can relate” said Murphy. “All I can say is that you will find me in a seat almost every weekend, be it racing or start-and-parking, you’ll find me somewhere.”  Murphy hopes to make his 2019 NASCAR season debut either in California or Texas.

There is no doubt that he has now proven that in equal equipment, Camden Murphy can win behind the wheel of a Monster Truck and has become one of the best drivers in the series.  Hopefully someday that local racer will be given the very same opportunity in NASCAR. Somebody please tell that Japanese company that NASCAR fans like Dragons too.

2018 MN Asphalt Driver of the Year

Baiden Heskett, 27, from Farmington (MN) has been named by Speed Talk on 1360 radio the 2018 MN Asphalt Driver of the year.  The hometown for Heskett is Alvarado (TX) but has lived in Minnesota the last two years. Heskett had an incredible year of racing in the Great North Legends division at Elko Speedway.  He won his first Championship by a whopping 288 points, won 11 feature events, scored an incredible 163 passing points, (never finishing worse than his starting position) and he had a TOP 5 finish in all 24 feature events he raced in at ELKO.  “Racing in Minnesota has helped me become a better driver,” said Heskett “there is a bunch of talent up here and ELKO is the best track to race at in the nation, it’s racy and you can go side by side.”

In 2018 Heskett won a massive total of 30 feature races at an impressive list of tracks including: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (TX), Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids (IA), Jefferson Speedway in Cambridge (WI), Slinger Speedway in Slinger (WI), Elko Speedway in Elko (MN) and Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells (WI).   

Heskett also excelled at the National level, he was awarded the most prestigious title in all of Legends Car racing.  The 2018 INEX Asphalt Pro division points title becoming the first ever Minnesota based driver to do so.

In fact, racers from this area did well as a whole with Ryan Braseth from Ulen (MN) winning the Young Lions overall title on dirt and Great North Legends owner Tim Brockhouse from Shakopee (MN) winning the overall asphalt Masters title.  Brockhouse, who won the MN Asphalt Driver of the Year award in 2016, is proud of his successful protege “I taught him everything I know, almost.”

Baiden Heskett plans on staying in Minnesota for the 2019 season and is setting even higher goals, he is gunning for both the Asphalt and Dirt Pro Division INEX titles.  “Texas will always be my home, but I think I can call Minnesota my home now too.” said Heskett.

Past winners of the MN Asphalt Driver of the Year:

2017- Conrad Jorgenson

2016- Tim Brockhouse

2015- Jacob Goede

2014- Jacob Goede

2013- Ricky Martin

2012- Jonathan Eilen

2011- Chad Walen

2010- Brent Kane

2009- Adam Royle

2004- Dan Fredrickson

2018 Speed Talk Wrap up

2018 was a banner 10th year for Speed Talk on 1360 radio on KRWC

We had the honor to interview drivers from many different forms of racing including:

ARCA at ELKO! and Iowa Speedway
Gus Dean
Christian Eckes
Riley Herbst
Sheldon Creed
Natalie Decker
Chandler Smith
Zane Smith
Chase Purdy
Harrison Burton
Willie Mullins

IndyCar at Iowa Speedway
Wil Power
Zach Veach

NASCAR Xfinity and Trucks at Iowa Speedway
Ryan Truex
Jusin Haley
Austin Cindric
Kaz Grala
Ty Majeski
Brandon Jones
Riley Herbst
Jesse Little
Johnny Sauter

Elko Speedway weekly racers
Jacob Goede
Dave Reed
Robby Carter
Jeremy Wolff
Jon Lemke
Julie Jorgenson
Sammy Smith
Bryce Blohm
Brody Willett
Norm Grabinger
Taylor Goldman
Nick Oxborough
Bryan Wrolstad
Michael Stoer
Brent Kane
Baiden Heskett
Paul Hamilton
Eric Campbell
Joe Prusak

Bandit Big Rig Series
Mark Noble

Flat Track Motorcycle
Bryan Smith
Bronson Bauman

ERX
Tim Dehann

Road Racing
Matt Peterson

Local Dirt Tracks and WISSOTA 100
Jon Lewerer
Dexton Koch
Eric Martini
Jeremy Nelson
Dustin Holtquist
Dave Mass
Adam Prieve
Shane Howell

MOST LISTENED TO INTERVIEWS of 2018:
Dean's Soundcloud
1- Jon Lewerer interview Listen HERE
2- ELKO Recap 8/11 (Goede, Wrolstad, Sammy Smith) Listen HERE
3- Mark Noble interview Listen HERE

Jason's Soundcloud
1- Michael Haggar win Race Call Listen HERE
2- Julie Jorgenson win Race Call Listen HERE
3- Owin Giles win Race Call Listen HERE
4- Taylor Goldman interview Listen HERE
5- Michael Stoer interview Listen HERE

We were also honored to talk to Carson Gramm from WISSOTA and legendary dirt track announcer Ron Krog multiple times this year, plus Doug Selle, Skip Pollack and Adam Brachle too.  It was fun to see Dean Reller make his TV debut as the pit reporter on the Speed Sport coverage of the WISSOTA 100 (the Kottschade boys were excited) and Jason got his 10 seconds of fame on the MavTV coverage of the ELKO ARCA race.

You can listen to podcasts of Jason's interviews and Race calls HERE

You can listen to Deans interviews and FULL SHOW podcasts HERE

Our final wrap-up show of 2018 here available on a podcast HERE

Our full podcast listings of 2018 are HERE

We also want to thank Jordan Bianchi and Dan Plan for contributing their insights to the show weekly also Shane Carlson for helping out numerous times in 2018.

Please Support our sponsors, they make this show possible.

Performance Driving School at BIR
ELKO Speedway
Cotten's NAPA
Lou Fegers Racing Equipment Delano
Highway 55 Trailer Sales Buffalo
STB Screen Printing and Embroidery

Our MOST CLICKED stories of 2018 were:
1- Local Drivers steal the show at Monster Jam  HERE
2- Willie Mullins small team success in ARCA  HERE
3- Speed Talk returns for 10th year
4- Gus Dean wins ARCA at ELKO HERE
5- Allgaier wins Xfinity at Iowa HERE

6- Creed wins ARCA at Iowa HERE
7- Jorgenson is 2017 Driver of Year HERE
8- Hinchcliffe wins Indycar at Iowa HERE

We had 22,840 unique page views this year and went over 270,000 for the past 10 years.

Thank you for listening... hope to see you again in Spring of 2019 for our 11th year on KRWC
Jason and Dean

Photo credit: Tom Venturini (Jason and Pete)
Photo credit: 7K racing (Dean on TV)
Photo credit  Dean Reller (Becky Monster Jam and Iowa Speedway burnout)