Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Final radio show of 2011

Saturday afternoon will wrap up an awesome third year of Speedtalk on 1360 radio on KRWC.
Our final show of 2011 will be broadcast after the Golden Gophers football game vs Michigan on Saturday Oct 1st, our show will go at approx 3:30 or 4pm.

In 2011 we interviewed 55 different race car drivers from all forms of Motorsports including: a Monster Truck driver, 10 different NASCAR Nationwide series drivers, 5 Trans-Am drivers, an NHRA Champion, 13 ASA Midwest tour drivers and the current Daytona 500 champion.  If you are wondering how we got so many drivers on the show, see photo below!

We were lucky to have two great weekly guests too, Dan Plan with his knowledge covering local racing and Jordan Bianchi is the best NASCAR columnist in the country.

This year Jason got to meet his hero, the Monster Jam announcer Scott Douglas (photo below).
We broadcast LIVE from the SCCA Trans-Am series race at Brainerd International Raceway and Two NASCAR Nationwide series races at Iowa Speedway.  Dean found a sign with some good advice for Speedtalk fans (photo below).
It was truely a great year, thank you race fans for supporting Speedtalk radio in 2011.

A big thanks to our sponsors: Gary at Performance driving school at Brainerd International Raceway, Sara, Mike and Barb at Lou Fegers Racing Equipment in Delano, Ted at Stockholm Motorsports park in Cokato and the whole gang at Raceway Park in Shakopee.  Please support these businesses and tell them that you hear their ad on Speedtalk and for helping promote motorsports on mainstream media.

Listen to our final show Saturday Oct 1st at approx 4pm on KRWC radio 1360am or www.krwc1360.com

Remember we will continue to cover MN Motorsports all winter long on our web-site, please keep checking back www.speedtalkon1360.com

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Golden Spike back on the track

By Dean Reller
Co-host Speed Talk on 1360

September 24, 2011 (SAUK RAPIDS, MN) Sunny, but crispy skies greeted drivers and fans as the Golden Spike Speedway once again rumbled to life with the sound of racing.  It has been two years since the last checkered flag waved at the track, but race fans were treated to a special weekend of racing, with a hint that things may continue in the years to come. 

Six divisions of cars were in action and despite a few technical problems early in the program, the races ran relatively smooth.  Chad Funt turned in a clean sweep as he won both his heat the Feature in the Short Trackers.  Dylan Jones came out on top in the Hornet Feature, while Gary Ohnstad pulled off the win in the Pure Stocks.

The Northern Vintage Stock Racers were out in full force, prompting race officials to run three feature races for the various classes of cars.  Paul Dolphy won his heat and that relegated him to the back for the start of the feature.  Dolphy picked his way through the pack to take home the win.  Joe L’Allier took the win in the Coupes and John “Butch” Bethke was the winner in the very quick Super Modifieds.

Despite sitting idle, the track proved to be a relatively smooth and dry for the heat races.  That changed after some water was added at the intermission.  The track wasn’t as dusty, however it became a little rough in turns one and four.  The end result contributed to a few flat tires, but also added to the excitement as the drivers tried to navigate around the bumps.  Though nothing was formally announced, it appears as though racing will return next year at the track, which may be sporting a new name.

*SPEEDTALK UPDATE  9/25/11  Unofficial results from Sunday racing:

Hornets winner Dexter Robyn, Pure Stocks Gary Ohnstad, Short Trackers Tim Lavoi,
Vintage Cars winners Ken Varing and Mike Bjorklund.
We will update any additional information as it is announced here on www.speedtalkon1360.com

Sunday, September 11, 2011

2011 Car show winners

The 2011 Classics by the lake car show in downtown Buffalo drew a large number of cars and a huge crowd of spectators.  Nearly 600 cars were on display under bright blue skies and temperatures in the low 80's.  78 total trophys were given out, here is a listing of some of the top winners.

The Braatzy Award (sponsor's choice - named after the late Mark Braatz, who was the man behind this show getting up and going) went to Dale Olson (Buffalo) for his 1934 Ford Streetrod.

The Spectator's Choice Award (spectators paid $1 / vote) went to Gerard Melgaard (former Buffalo mayor) and his 1958 Chevy.

The Best in Show Award (selected by the owners) went to Jerry and Arvy Haugen (Buffalo) for their 1948 Cadillac.

Perhaps most importantly, Morrie's Classics By The Lake donated $7,500 to the Buffalo Food Shelf and $500 to the Flora of Buffalo program.

Speedtalk on 1360 radio was happy to see so many people during our LIVE broadcast from the show.  We gave away a die-cast car set donated by HideawaySpeedway.com to one lucky fan in attendance.

Listen to Speedtalk Saturdays 10-11am on KRWC radio or www.krwc1360.com

Here is a link to a gallery of photo's from the show http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=oa.10150290223261793&type=1 Courtesy of Dean Reller.
*bottom photo courtesy of Gredo Goldstein

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Golden Spike to open for one last weekend?


By Dean Reller
September 10, 2011

(SAUK RAPIDS, MN) Since closing a little over two years ago, it looked as though racing had vanished completely from the once popular Sunday night racetrack.  In it’s prime it was located just a few miles east of town, but with the growth of the city of Sauk Rapids, the dormant track now sits about a half mile from the high school, just outside the sprawling city.  Many rumors have come and gone since the track saw it’s last checkered flag wave, but each time the prospect faded and never made it to fruition.
 
However, a glimmer of hope has emerged when it was announced that the Golden Spike would reopen for a pair of events billed as “The Final Events EVER” at the Golden Spike Speedway on Saturday September 24 and Sunday September 25th.  Saturday’s events will feature Hornets, Short Trackers/Hobby Stocks and Pure Stocks with the green flag waving at 3 PM, followed by a concert by the band Chaser.  Sunday’s racing will feature a 200 lap, 4 Cylinder Enduro slated to begin at 3 PM.

*SPEEDTALK UPDATE (9/21/11) The Sunday racing line-up has changed.  Hornets, Short Trackers/Hobby Stocks, Pure Stocks and Vintage cars will also race on Sunday beginning at 3pm.

Even though the track is opening for a weekend of racing, it is very unclear what the future holds for the racetrack as a For Sale sign still hangs on the front gate in advance of this upcoming event.

Race promoter Chris Stepan is putting the event together and he will join us Saturday at 10:30am on Speedtalk on 1360 radio. 

Speedtalk on 1360 radio with Jason Searcy and Dean Reller is every Saturday morning from 10-11am on KRWC radio and www.krwc1360.com


*SPEEDTALK UPDATE (9-13-11) ... we were told by a Leighton employee, that the Leighton broadcasting (KCLD radio in St Cloud) group is attemping purchase of the Golden Spike, the future of the track is unknown at this point.

*SPEEDTALK UPDATE (9-17-11)  Chris Stepan told us in the interview that he is working as a promoter with the goal of racing at the Golden Spike in 2012.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Car show broadcast

Jason and Dean from Speedtalk on 1360 (photo above) will be broadcasting LIVE from the "Classics by the lake" car show Saturday Sep 10th from 10-11am.
This is the third annual event that had gotten bigger every year, in 2010 over 450 cars were entered and on display covering the entire downtown in Buffalo.  Pictured above is Doug Rippe's Corvette race car and below is a unique Corvette pace car.
The Classics by the Lake car show is FREE for specatators and car owners, 78 total trophy's will be given away to classic car owners.  The car show is from 10am-2pm.

Jason and Dean will be broadcasting LIVE on KRWC from 10-11am.  You can hear interviews with Trans-Am drivers from BIR: Tony Ave (photo above) along with Amy Ruman (photo below).
We will also broadcast an interview with Mazda MX-5 Cup winner Mike Cooper (photo below).
We also will be talking with the crowd and interviewing any other race car drivers in attendance at the show, come and join us or listen on-line at www.krwc1360.com

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Ave sweeps at BIR


Minnesota born driver Tony Ave (photo above) wins both the SCCA Trans-Am races from Brainerd International Raceway (MN) on Labor day weekend and clinches the 2011 series championship. 

Ave lead all forty laps of the Saturday race, Dan Ramoutarsingh finished second and Derhaag driver Simon Gregg got third.  Amy Ruman (photo below) survived an opening lap wreck and two flat tires to come back and finish fourth on Saturday, she lead some laps on Sunday in the rain and finished on the podium in third.

Cliff Ebben (photo below) was involved in that lap 1 crash with Amy Ruman on Saturday, his car was not able to continue in the race, he finished in 13th place.  He came back on Sunday and finshed in second place racing Denny Lamers car on a rain soaked track.

Bob Stretch (photo below) was the top finisher both days in the new TA-2 series, which raced on the track at the same time as the Trans-Am cars.

The Playboy Mazda MX-5 cup races where exciting.  Michael Cooper (photo above with Dean) won both days, he and Jason Saini were nose to tail the entire 45 minute race on Saturday.  Kevin Kopp (photo below) was in a bad wreck as he hit the wall hard in the corner just before the bridge, he was able to walk away from this crash. 
Click on this link for more photo's of this event http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedtalkon1360

Get more detailed results on www.trans-amracing.com

We will broadcast interviews with Tony Ave, Amy Ruman and Mike Cooper Saturday 10-11am on Speedtalk on 1360 radio, listen live at www.krwc1360.com