By: Tami Jo Kuehn
Princeton, MN (May 30) – After a couple weeks off, the Princeton Speedway was back in action Friday with a full night of WISSOTA Dirt Track Race Action. Drivers battled and fought for points all night, and Travis Schulte, Dexton Koch, Erik Gruhlke, Rowan Tramm, Tommy Pogones and Bobie Arnes visited victory lane.
The Hy-Tech Automotive WISSOTA Street Stocks were first on the agenda with Tommy Pogones and Thomas Worth on row one. Pogones took the early lead with Worth and Jim Gullikson in tow. Gullikson snagged the second point and chased after Pogones for first until he spun in the curve. Pogones brought the drivers back to green and other drivers battled for positions. A couple more cautions slowed the drivers, but Tommy Pogones retained the lead and took his third straight feature win. Charlie Sheik, Steve Eggersgluess, Jim Gullikson and Trent Keller rounded out the top five.
Erik Gruhlke and Adam Bohlman led the Crystal Cabinets WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds to the green and drivers were nearly four-wide for points. Gruhlke claimed the lead but had Dustin Nelson and Blake Adams close behind. After a quick caution, Gruhlke, Nelson and Adams were three-wide for first. Gruhlke held the lead while Mitch Weiss challenged Nelson for second. Another caution reset the field, and as the race resumed, Nelson, Adams and Ryan Putnam kept pressure on Gruhlke. The top drivers remained close the final laps, however Erik Gruhlke held his line and took his first ever WISSOTA feature win. Ryan Putnam, Dustin Nelson, Blake Adams and Mitch Weiss rounded out the top five.
An immediate caution slowed the East Central Sports WISSOTA Mod Fours, but as the green reappeared, Ashton Schwinn claimed the lead. Rowan Tramm grabbed second and Robert Holtquist slid into third. Laps passed quickly for the Mod Fours with father-son team in a nose-to-nose fight for third as debris laid in turn two and a caution was triggered. Schwinn was in command on the restart with Tramm and the Holtquist’s at his tail. Rowan Tramm raced to Schwinn’s door when the green flew, snuck by for first and then took the checkers. Ashton Schwinn settled for second with Dustin Holtquist, Robert Holtquist and Gerald Nohner as the top finishers.
The Dirt race Central WISSOTA Modifieds took the green with Travis Schulte and Austin Chyba on row one. Schulte grabbed the lead as the race began, but a caution soon followed. Schulte brought the drivers back to green with Brennan Gave and Clayton Wagamon door to door for second. Schulte began to stretch his lead while Wagamon and Gave swapped for the second point. Wagamon secured second with a handful of laps to go, and looked ahead, but Travis Schulte led the race from flag to flag and drove his #3T to victory lane. Clayton Wagamon, Brennan Gave, JT Johnon and Kyle Kirberger finished in points two through five.
Travis Bruns and Tony Jenson led the WISSOTA Hornets around the speedway, and top drivers battled as the green waved. Jenson grabbed first and Bobie Arnes took second as the top two separated from the field. Arnes slid low and the lap after lap battle began of Arnes and Jenson bumper to bumper for the lead. Contact occurred between the leaders as they fought for the top point and rounded the curves of the track, but at the checkers, Bobie Arnes took the win. Tony Jenson and Russell Kiker, Jr. were scored in points two and three after cars went through post-race tech.
The Zoomies Race Engines WISSOTA Super Stocks closed out the night’s race program with James Trantina grabbing the early lead. Josh Schmidt, Dustin Nelson, Dylan Kromschroeder and Dexton Koch battled for second and were three and almost four-wide for the positions. Nelson took second but had Koch close by as they rode the rear of Trantina, until Trantina went around in the curve. Nelson assumed the lead on the restart with Koch and Schmidt to his tail. Koch worked the high line and made the pass for first as Nelson settled into second. Koch retained the lead after a caution reset the field, and Dexton Koch took his #78K to victory lane. Dustin Nelson, Dylan Kromschroeder, Josh Schmidt and Max Nelson rounded out the top five.
All six regular WISSOTA Classes will be back in action next Friday night at the Princeton Speedway. Races begin at 7:00pm.