New Owners take over Elko Speedway

 

Just before the 60th season of racing at Elko Speedway long-time owner Tom Ryan has sold the ELKO racetrack to MEGA corp (Make Elko Great Again).  

The new management and ownership includes 2009 Elko Speedway Great North Legends Champion driver Jaycen Brockhouse (son of Great North Legends owner Tim Brockhouse), Pat Flynn the owner of Eternity Homes (grandfather of Bando driver Christopher Flynn), and former ELKO driver Wade from Rack Shack Barbecue (his two kids will be racing in the Bando's in 2025).  Tim Brockhouse (owner of Tomah WI Speedway) (photo below) will be heavily involved with management and Robin Anderson will continue her role as facility manager. 

The 2025 race schedule has been set and will not change.  It includes 10 Eve of Destruction nights, 1 ARCA race June 21st and 1 ASA Midwest Tour race night Thunderstruck on September 20th.

Fans can expect some improvements including updated signage, added food options featuring Rack Shack Barbecue, a video and pinball arcade inside the Champions lounge on the West side, new carpet and Wainscoting, updated TV monitors and updates to the Luxury Suites above the grandstand. 

New management said they are open to listening to the racers ideas on improving the racing, increasing car count and adding more purse money in the near future and adding more events in 2026.  Pit Pay is the new mobile pit pass app used at the track.  My Race Pass will also be used for lineups.

It was mentioned that the Eve of Destruction entertainment would continue including School Bus races, Monster Trucks, ATV Big air jumps, petting zoo's, drifters, spectator drags, LIVE music etc.

Other idea's they brought up include:  Enduro's, Flag pole races, figure 8 events, music concerts, a rodeo, snowmobile racing in the winter, a drifter event etc.  Overnight camping returning was also discussed also Classic car shows at the track.   

The idea of racing both heat races and feature events on a nightly basis was discussed (instead of just double features) and moving up the Opening Ceremony to 6pm.  The importance of keeping the "Little Elko" quarter midget program strong was emphasized.  On-track interviews will return in some fashion and an End of the year Championship banquet will be held.  Thursday night practice will return in 2025.

Here is the audio of the full drivers meeting 2025 Drivers meeting

ElkoSpeedway.com

Here are some photos from the 2025 Opening Day practice

2023 Driver Interviews

Listing of Driver Interviews 2023 Elko Speedway from Jason Searcy

ELKO Championship Interviews

Julie Jorgenson #83- Power Stocks

Dillon Sellner #07 - Thunder Cars

Jacob Goede #72 - Late Models

Colin Stocker #8 - Legends Cars

Jackson Kottschade #07 - Bandolero's

2023 Audio Interviews from Elko Speedway 

Tommy Sorem Thunder Car winner Interview  https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/tommysorem2023

Baiden Heskett interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/baiden-heskett-interview

Taylor Goldman Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/taylor-goldman-win-tc-2023-m4a

Brent Kane interview after being awarded with the Jeremy Johnson "tire guy" Sportsmanship award https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/brent-kane-interview

Owin Giles interview after winning the Dwain Behrens memorial Late Model race at Elko Speedway https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/owin-giles-interview

Julie Jorgenson Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/julie-jorgenson-interview-8-4

Jake Ryan Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/jake-ryan-interview-2023

Jackson Kottschade First win Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/jacksonkottschade

Tristan Swanson Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/tristan-swanson-interview

Jackson Lewis First Late Model win Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/jackson-lewis-interview

Colin Stocker Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/colin-stocker-interview

Brent Kane Interview https://soundcloud.com/speedtalkon1360/brent-kane-interview-opener

For More information go to ElkoSpeedway.com

William Sawalich Interview on KRWC

 

16 year old Eden Prairie MN ARCA series driver William Sawalich did a 20 min interview on KRWC with Jason Searcy from Speed Talk on 1360 Radio.

Here is a link to that interview Sawalich Interview HERE

William Sawalich finished 2nd place in the 2023 Elko Speedway ARCA Menards 250 race, he was the star of the show and the crowd favorite.

Jason also did a feature article on William Sawalich and his MN racing roots in the Midwest Racing Connection starting on Page 6 Sawalich Article MRC

Here is the article on William Sawalich that appeared in the Midwest Racing Connection July edition on pages 7 & 8.  July Sawalich article

ELKO 2022 Interviews

 By Jason D Searcy

We did not have a radio show in 2022 but Speed Talk on 1360 continued with interviews from Elko Speedway (MN) drivers.  Here is the list with photos and links.

Now 9 time ELKO Champion #72 Jacob Goede he is now tied with Donny Reuvers and just 1 behind Jeff Martin for the most Premier Divison Championships in track history.  Click Here for interview

Now 6 time ELKO Thunder Car Champion #3 Conrad Jorgenson, he has won a Championship in the 90's, 2000's, 2010's and now the 2020's.  This is a fun interview where he reveals his 2023 plans Conrad Jorgenson interview

Former Thunder Car Champion and crowd favorite #32 Jeremy Wolff got his first Late Model win in a long time, here is his interview Click here for Wolff interview

Legendary Late Model driver #52 Chad Walen finished 2nd in the points in 2022, Here is his interview where he talks racing and his other love, restoring classic cars.

Chad Walen interview link

We also started a new series called "6 questions" where we interview top drivers and ask them some racing questions and other questions that have nothing to do with racing.  The answers proved to be very interesting!

Two time Thunder Car Champion and Rookie Late Model driver #37 Bryce Blohm Click HERE for the Blohm interview 

7 time Elko Speedway Power Stock winner in 2022 #08 Mike Stoer did a very entertaining interview and Photo! 

 

Click Here for Stoer interview

Former ELKO Legends division Champion #13 Tim Brockhouse is an interesting Character and he was in a great mood when doing this 6 questions interview 

Brockhouse Interview link

Long time Power Stock driver #66 Joe Prusak announced his retirement after the 2022 season and after over 200 wins in his career.

Joe Prusak Interview link

Former Power Stock Champion, current Thunder Car driver and crowd favorite Taylor Goldman known as "Roller Girl" did a great 6 questions interview.

Taylor Goldman interview link

We also interviewed ELKO superfan Konnor Koski

Konnor interview link

Jacob Goede also did a very well recieved "6 questions" interview

Jacob Goede Interview

We also posted many Jason Searcy race calls from numerous races at Elko Speedway in 2022.  Click on this link to listen to some of the race calls.  Audio of 2022 ELKO Race Calls

Jimmie Jorgenson 1st win

Mike Stoer 5th win of 2022

Tristan Swanson win

Jesse Fischer 6th win

Mark Anderson Jr win

Jacob Goede 7th Behrens memorial race win

Jacob Goede interview after the Behrens memorial win

Mark Anderson Jr vs Danny Mann race call

Tom Doten 2nd win of 2022

Jeremy Wolff 1st ELKO LM win race call

Tyler Ledbetter 1st win race call

Matt Wiebusch win race call

Danny Mann 6th win of 2022

Jesse Fischer vs Nick Oxborough great race

Baiden Heskett 3rd win of 2022

Mark Anderson Jr Bando win

Danny Mann 5th win of 2022

Owin Giles 3rd win of 2022

Julie Jorgenson first win of 2022

Colin Stocker clean sweep

Hunter Paine 1st LM win

Dillon Sellner clean sweep

Danny Mann 4th win

Ayrton Brockhouse 1st Legends win

Leighton Rose 2nd Bando win

Tim Brockhouse win #241

Tom Doten Power Stock win

Brent Kane 2nd win of 2022

Matt Frye win

Jake Ryan win race call

Jon Lemke 2nd win of 2022

Dusty Mann 1st Late Model win

Here are some photos from an exciting 2022 season that included Sammy Smith #18 winning the ARCA event, 4 years earlier he won 4 races at ELKO in a Legends Car.  A first career Late Model win for #10 Dusty Mann, numerous wins from 12 year old Ayrton Brockhouse in the Legends division, #7 Jacob Tiegen winning a national title in the INEX division and #36 Ty Fredrickson racing at ELKO for the first time.  Elko hosted its first annual Monster Truck Mania event and 7K racing won the Jeremy Johnson memorial "Tire Guy" Sportsmanship award.

Heim wins ARCA at Elko Speedway

July 10, 2021- Elko, MN

By Jason D Searcy

*Corey Heim and Charles Krall

Excitement has never been lacking at Elko (MN) Speedway, the smallest racetrack on the ARCA Menards series always seems to pack the biggest punch when it comes to exciting finishes and 2021 was no exception.

*Ty Gibbs

NASCAR owner Joe Gibbs was in attendance to watch his grandson #18 Ty Gibbs from Huntersville (NC) dominate a majority of the Menards 250, Ty Gibbs won the General Tire Pole award and he led 236 of the 250 laps.  Corey Heim #20 from Marietta (GA) snuck past Gibbs for a few laps after an early restart on lap 53 but then the two cars had a little contact on lap 62 and Gibbs took back the lead on lap 65.  Heim was not happy with the contact and he had the opportunity for payback late in the race.  

It looked like Gibbs was going to win the Menards 250 by a sizeable margain until #66 Ron Vandermeir Jr spun on lap 243, setting up a restart with just a handful of laps remaining.  Corey Heim lined in the second row directly behind Gibbs and when the green flag was displayed Heim bumped Gibbs and sent him up the track and leaving the door open for Heim to take the lead and then hold back both the #17 of Taylor Gray and #15 of Jesse Love as the cars went three-wide coming out of turn number two.  Heim then shot to the front and ended up winning by 0.593 seconds a couple laps later.  Jesse Love from Redwood City (GA) finished second, crowd favorite #25 Gracie Trotter from Denver (NC) was third and Ty Gibbs finished a disappointing fourth, Taylor Gray from Denver (NC) rounded out the top five finishers.

Here is the Race Call of that exciting finish ARCA 2021 ELKO finish

*Top Jesse Love Bottom Gracie Trotter

Nick Sanchez #2 from Miami (FL) was sixth, Daniel Dye #21 from Deland (FL) seventh, #10 Willie Mullins from Fredricksburg (VA) finished last car on the lead lap in 8th pleasing his many Minnesota relatives that were in attendance.  Richard Petty's grandson #46 Thad Moffitt from Trinity (NC) spun early in the race but raced hard to finish 9th and #30 Adam Lemke from Holister (CA) was 10th of the 17 cars in attendance.  The race had 7 caution periods and took 1 hour and 20 minutes.

*Willie Mullins at driver autograph session 

The Local NASCAR divisions at Elko Speedway also raced one feature event each for the ARCA crowd in attendance.  The Late Models sponsored by The Car Lot in New Prague had an impressive field of 26 cars start the 40 lap feature event.  

Chris Marek #3 and Andrew Schultz #29 went side by side to start the race, Marek finally established himself as the leader on lap three.  Four-time Elko Speedway Champion Marek was then challenged by another veteran driver #52 Chad Walen who worked his way up from the sixth starting position to get alongside Marek on lap 10 and then passed him two laps later.  Chad Walen from Prior lake (MN) weaved through lapped traffic and held on to win by 1.565 seconds during this cautionless race and win for the first time this season at ELKO.  Andrew Schultz finished second, #13 Bryan Wrolstad third, Chris Marek was fourth and #21 Adam Bendzick was fifth.  Owin Giles #6 was 6th, 7-time Champion #72 Jacob Goede started 14th and finished 7th, #8 Billy Mohn 8th, #11 Buddy Kofoid the USAC National Midgets current point leader from Penn Grove (CA) started 23rd and finished 9th and #40 Michael Beamish was 10th.  Fast-qualifier #54 Dylan Moore had mechanical problems and did not finish.  Chad Walen no leads Jacob Goede by 1 point in the Late Model division point standings.

The Genz-Ryan Thunder Car 30 lap feature at ELKO had #75 Keith Paulsrud take the early lead until a caution happened on lap 9 for #25 Eric Campbell who tagged the wall.  After the restart #8 Taylor Goldman fought hard with Paulsrud and took the lead on lap 12, another caution happened on lap 20 when six-time ELKO Champ #3 Conrad Jorgenson had mechanical problems and dropped out.  Dillon Sellner #07 of Randolf (MN) who finished second in qualifying to Jorgenson by 0.001 seconds moved his way up the field from his 10th starting position and challenged Goldman side by side for a few laps and then took the lead just before the white flag flew.  Sellner ended up winning by 0.369 seconds, it was his first win of the season at ELKO.  Taylor Goldman was second, #92 Norm Grabinger finished third, #9 Adam Wiebusch fourth and #14 Tony Holm fifth of the 11 cars competing.  Dillon Sellner is now tied with Conrad Jorgenson for the lead in the season point standings at Elko Speedway.  

The Pepsi Powerstock 30 lap feature event had #19 James Tich take the early lead until #25 Jason Michaud grabbed the top spot with an outside pass coming to lap 2 of 30.  A yellow flag flew slowing the field on lap seven, after the restart on lap 9 #83 Julie Jorgenson (photo above) from Lakeville (MN) drove up from her 6th starting position and took over the lead with an outside pass, Jorgenson then extended her advantage to a full straight away lead.  Fast-qualifier #88 Nick Oxborough, who started 9th, finally made his way up to the front and was close enough to give Jorgenson a couple bumps in the closing laps.  Jorgenson held strong and won by 0.211 seconds at the finish line, it was her first win of the season, Oxborough was second, #62 Tom Doten finished third, #08 Mike Stoer was fourth and #13 Matt Frye fifth of the 13 cars entered.   Oxborough now leads Matt Frye by 29 points in the season point standings at Elko Speedway.

All results and points are unofficial at this time.

Elko Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned 3/8th mile asphalt oval race track with

stadium seating located 30 minutes South of the Twin Cities in Elko-New Market

MN.  Get More information at ElkoSpeedway.com