Pick the Podium winner!

ROB THURSTON won our Speedtalk on 1360 "pick the podium" contest on KRWC.  Rob picked the top 3 finishers in the NASCAR Cup series correctly.  He correctly picked Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick in his top 3.

Rob Thurston's name may be fimiliar to many local race fans, he is a former 4 time champion at I-94 Raceway in the Great North Legends division.  He will get an awesome Dale Earnhardt die-cast as a prize.

Rob and his wife Abby, who live in Olivia MN, are expecting their first child in January. 

A big thank you to Darin Nelson and Hideaway Speedway in Isanti (MN) who sponsored this contest.  We hope to do this contest again next year, remember "Speedtalk on 1360" is set to return next April Saturday mornings on KRWC radio.

We have a winner!

Jordan Bianchi (far right) from http://www.theracinggeek.com/ has won our "pick the winner" contest on Speedtalk this year. 

It was a close competition, here are the final results:  Jordan 31, Jason 28, Dean 24.  Thank you everyone for following along this year.

Thank you to our sponsor of this contest, Darin Nelson with Hideaway Speedway (pictured below).  They race radio controlled cars on an awesome track near Isanti (MN).

NASCAR at Homestead (FL)

The NASCAR Chase is very close coming into the final race of the long 36 race season.  Before the race at Miami-Homestead (FL) Denny Hamlin leads four time champ Jimmie Johnson by 15 pts, and dark horse Kevin Harvick is only 46 pts back.

Our SPEEDTALK "pick the winner" contest is also close.  Jason leads Jordan by just one point 28 to 27, last years champion Dean Reller is third with 19pts.

Jason is picking Denny Hamlin this weekend, Denny is the defending race winner, he also finished third in 2006 & 2007, he is a two time winner at 1.5 mile tracks this year and they are racing the same car they won with at Texas a couple weeks ago.  Denny was the fastest car at Phoenix last week and is really running well.   Its time for someone new to win the Cup Championship.

Jordan is going with Carl Edwards who won at Homestead in 2008 and has five consecutive "top 10" finishes.  He has the best driver rating (111) and is first in "average running position" at 8.9.   He starts on the front row and was fastest in first practice.  Cousin Carl won at Phoenix and has moved up to fourth place in the standings.

Dean Reller will pick Jimmie Johnson who is looking for "one for the thumb," this weekend.  Jimmie has finished in the "top 5" three of the nine races at Homestead.  He has run a conservative race the last few years protecting a points lead, that is NOT the case this year.   For the 2010 season Jimmie is best in driver rating (108.5) and average running position (9.3).

This contest is sponsored by Darin Nelson and Hideaway Speedway radio controlled car racing track in Isanti MN.

*photos courtesy of NASCAR/Getty Images

Digger wins Monster Jam MPLS

Jason D Searcy (http://www.speedtalkon1360.com/)

Dennis Anderson driving Grave Digger swept the trophys at the Metrodome on a snowy night in Minneapolis (MN) on Saturday Nov 13th.

Grave Digger sent home the crowd happy, ripping up his truck and scoring a 30 to win the "Free Style" competition.  Here is a you-tube link to his winning run http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqQmEkHg2-4

Lupe Soza in Grinder never slowed down, even after blowing both tires on the same side of his truck, he finished second with 27pts.  Here is a link to that run  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYdKksW_33c  Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction had an awesome run cut short with mechanical problems, he scored 26.  Jeremy Slifko in Backdraft was the second truck to hit the track, he scored a 25 and held the lead for much of the night.

The racing portion of the night saw Grave Digger as the fast qualifier (18.60), just edging Blue Thunder (18.72), Captains Curse (18.78) and Air Force Afterburner (18.84).

Grave Digger defeated Mohawk Warrior, Grinder and Air Force Afterburner to advance to the finals.  Maximum Destruction beat Brutus, Avenger and Blue Thunder on his way to the end of the bracket.

The "Greatest rivalry in Motorsports" saw Grave Digger edge Maximum Destruction in the racing finals. 

Here is the SPEED Channel broadcast schedule for the Metrodome show.  (All times CENTRAL time zone) Dec 5 11pm-1am.  Dec 10 6am (racing).  Dec 13 6am (freestyle).  Dec 27 4pm (racing).  Dec 28 4pm (freestyle).  Jan 18th 6am (racing).  Jan 19th 6am (freestyle).

Unofficial Free Style results:

Grave Digger                30
Grinder                         27
Maximum Destruction   26
Backdraft                     25
Air Force Afterburner   23
Captains Curse             21
Blue Thunder                20
Mohawk Warrior         19
Brutus                          18
Avenger                       16

Monster Jam returns to the Metrodome on Saturday night January 22nd 2011
http://www.monsterjam.com/Tickets/2011/01/22/Minneapolis,_MN/

WISSOTA Expo, A Racer's Mall

By Dean Reller

(ST. CLOUD, MN)  Billed as "The last chance to get together before the snow flies," it was a steady falling snow that met everyone as they came to the annual WISSOTA Expo.  The event featured all the components of what it takes to build a race car all rolled into one shopping experience.  The Expo is just part of the WISSOTA Promoter's Association Annual Meetings and National Awards Ceremony at the St Cloud River's Edge Convention center which is undergoing an expansion that forced visitors to navigate a labyrinth filled with twists and turns just to enter the building.  Once inside, it was a smorgasbord of vendors ranging from tires, shocks, brakes and graphic companies just to name a few.  As racers shopped for new parts and pieces to get ready for the 2011 season, they were also able to visit with industry experts and improve their knowledge, which hopefully will improve their on track performance.  A few instructional seminars were held to further explain some of the tricks of the trade.

The overall buzz of the Expo was several new rule changes announced for the Midwest Modifieds and the WISSOTA Modifieds.  A major rule change will force a large majority of the Midwest Modifieds to change their cars to run a 3 link rear suspension which somberly affected the tone of the normally upbeat gathering.  The WISSOTA Modifieds will now be allowed to run quick change rear ends, which created a somewhat lesser reaction.

New at the Expo this year, was the display of the Championship winning cars in each of the WISSOTA divisions.  All in all, it was a good chance to catch up with racers and talk about what will be happening when the snow melts in 2011.

*Pictured above is the WISSOTA Late Model National Champion car driven by Ricky Weiss from Headingley Manitoba Canada and WISSOTA Mod-4 Champion car driven by Rob VanMil from Moorhead MN.

Monster Jam coming to MN

10-31-10

Jason D Searcy http://www.speedtalkon1360.com/

The Monster Jam is coming to the Metrodome in Minneapolis MN on Saturday Nov 13th.

Dennis Anderson driving Grave Digger, Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction, Linsey Weenk in Blue Thunder and Damon Bradshaw in Airforce Afterburner are all scheduled to compete that night.  The show begins at 7:30pm

Last time the Monster Jam came to the Metrodome, 16 trucks competed.  Max D won the racing, and Avenger won the Free-Style with an awesome backflip twice!  Here is a you-tube video of that run http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ez8alDf62Y

Unofficial results from January 2010:

Avenger 32

Max Destruction 31

Grave Digger 30

Here is a link to the Official Monster Jam website Minneapolis information http://www.monsterjam.com/Tickets/2010/11/13/Minneapolis,_MN/

I-94 Speedway OBIT

10-26-10
Jason D Searcy http://www.speedtalkon1360.com/

*update 8-10-11
I am told that the power company has rented space for the next 18 months or so at the old I-94 Speedway site for storage of the power polls that are in construction along the freeway all the way from Monticello to Fargo.  No new racing is planned at I-94 Speedway.

After talking with people on all sides of the situation, I believe that I-94 Speedway (Sauk Centre, MN) will never again be open as a racetrack.

The back concessions stand has been torn down and some gravel and fill have been moved around, but this recent activity has nothing to do with racing.  The sound system has been removed and any modification of the property is in an effort to increase the efficiency of storage space for the current owner of the land.

The south parking lot is now a storage area for wood logs and the "pits" area is filled with semi-tractors and trailers.

The track has been vacant for only a year but, the wooden seats on the backstretch stands are already warped and separating.

The racetrack itself looks like a super sized chia-pet gone bad.  Waist high weeds are growing through the dirt surface all the way around this 3/8th mile track.

19 seasons of racing at this amazing facility 1991-2009.   4 years of dirt racing and 15 years as an asphalt track.










I-94 Speedway was built by Dick Johanneck and opened in 1991 as a dirt track.

Notable events:

In 1993 Scott Bloomquist won the UMP Summer Nationals event, he set a fast time of 15.44 seconds and held off Billy Moyer.

1993 Craig Dollansky and Tim Monson won the "Outlaw" Sprint double feature races.  Doug Wolfgang finished second in both races.  Donny Schatz finished third in the second feature.

April 21 of 1994: Dick Johanneck announced he was switching the track surface to asphalt because it was "the future of racing."

Sep 11 1994: was the inaugural "MN Governors Cup," won by Steve Carlson.  Michael Waltrip (back row, 4th from left) and Matt Kenseth (back row, far right) also raced in that event.

Aug 4 1996: was the "Missing Kids" American Indy car 200.  Patty Wetterling was the honorary starter.  Greg Gordon won the race and local star Travis Whitney finished third and Jacques Lazier fourth.

Sep 2000: Dick Johanneck transferred operation of the facility to the Mike Giles/Les Ferris group.

Sep 2001: Tim Olson and his family took over track operations and changed the name to I-94 Raceway.

Jan 2002: I-94 Raceway became one of the original three "ASA Member tracks" in the nation.

July 5 2003:  NASCAR Elite division July Spectacular won by Eddie Hoffman.  Jon Lemke won "fast time" with 16.89 seconds.  Clint Bowyer also raced in this event.

Sep 19 2004:  Fall Nationals event, 166 cars competed. Jeff Van Oudenhoven won the race and Dick Trickle raced in this event.

July 3 2005:  ASL 150 won by Ryan Matthews.  Landon Cassil, Jarit Johnson and Kevin Cywinski also raced in this event.

July 7 2007:  ASA Midwest tour won by Jacob Goede, he also set "fast time" with a 16.97.  Ron Hornaday finished third.

July 5 2008:  ASA Midwest tour won by Dan Fredrickson.  Chris Wimmer "fast time" with 16.76

March 2009:  Dick Johanneck regains operations of track and changes name back to I-94 Speedway.  Removes asphalt and adds new clay surface.

Sep 4 2009:  Final race at I-94 Speedway.  Jamie Lemke won Wissota Mod feature, Zach Johnson in the Late Models and 4 cyl driver Ben Godbee is the final race winner ever.

2010:  Ron Somers and MN Sawdust and shavings takes over operations of the property and discontinue racing.

I raced at this place from 1996-1999 and was the announcer from 2000-2008.  Lots of memories, awesome racing and great people.  Loved every minute of it, hope you did too.

Please check back for more articles on the history of I-94 in the next month on http://www.speedtalkon1360.com/

I-94 Speedway/I-94 Raceway 1991-2009

Brockhouse wins at Dirt Nationals!

10-16-10

Minnesota driver Tim Brockhouse won at dirt Nationals event in the "Masters division" in Springfield (MO)on Saturday night, over 60 cars were in attendance for the event.

Tim's long racing resume includes nearly 70 feature wins in his career and 6 track championships.  Now he can add a 2010 National Dirt Championship in the "Masters division" to that list.

Tim Brockhouse is the owner of "Great North Legends" get more information at http://www.greatnorthlegends.com/

Behind the scene's at Oktoberfest

10-13-10

The 41st annual Oktoberfest was a big success for MN drivers.  Danny Fredrickson took home the trophy in the ASA Midwest tour finale.  In picture above Dan, David and his crew changed out a bad alternator just before the main event on Sunday.  

MN drivers grabbed four of the top 5 spots in the ASA Midwest tour race on Sunday.  Including Jacob Goede wrecking during the "Dick Trickle 99" race on Friday night and then going back to MN to get his brother's (Matt) car and finishing second on Sunday.  Fredrickson won the "Trickle 99" race as well. 

Here is a you-tube video of the big wreck on Friday night http://www.youtube.com/user/jacklyndaniels#p/a/u/1/1dGW47UsPYE

Nick Murgic finished third and had a great run on Friday night to win the race on the track but was DQ'd in the tech shed for being 8lbs off on "left side" weight after the third segment.  Nick Panitzke won the "futures" race on Thursday night at Oktoberfest.

Brent Kane finished in second place in the area Sportsman race to end his incredible season and Jeff Heaney of Caledonia (MN) won the Hornets feature on Thursday night.  Bill Collins from South St Paul (MN) finished 5th in the ASA Midwest Truck series finale.

Dean Reller took these "behind the scenes" pictures down in La Crosse (WI)

A Fan's view of the action

 DW replica car

ASA president Dennis Huth

LCQ

Big 8 Cars

Mini Truck getting ready to race on the 1/4 mile

Dustin Karl's new ASA MW truck