(EAGLE RIVER, WI) JULY 28 – Iron Mountain, Michigan’s Frank “The Tank” Gasperini grabbed the lead on a lap two restart, and fought off hometown driver Dustin White to score the B modified feature win at Eagle River Speedway Tuesday.
The victory, which paid $1,000, was Gasperini’s first here of the year. To date, seven different drivers in the B mod class have found their way to victory lane in 2026.
After a pair of aborted attempts to get the feature race rolling, Gasperini whisked past front row starter Kory Joliff on a lap two restart and immediately rode the high line around the tight, third-mile, clay oval.
A handful of cautions flew during the event, and with each yellow, hometown driver Dustin White, the only driver to repeat as a B mod feature winner here this year, began scrapping with a pair of former champions – Joliff and Dave Dishaw for the runnerup spot.
The trio chased down Gasperini, with White pulling up alongside Gasperini’s door on two occasions. However, the Michigan driver held on to find the Minocqua Chevrolet victory lane. White settled for second place, followed by Joliff, Dishaw, and George Dalbeck.
So far in eight race nights at Eagle River Speedway, four of the B mod winners wheeled WISSOTA-legal Midwest Modifieds, while four drivers piloted IMCA-legal northern sportmods to victory.
In the rough-and-tumble IMCA stock car class, it was first time winner Keslie Richards of Montello making history – becoming Wisconsin’s first ever female winner of an IMCA stock car feature.
The third-generation driver started 3rd in the 20 lap feature, passed polesitter Ryan Glembin on an early-race restart, and fought off former track champion “Hot Rod” Snellenberger and Jeff Bodendorfer in the waning laps to find victory lane here for the first time ever. Snellenberger took second place, with Bodendorfer, MItch Stankowski and Trentin Bell finishing second through fifth, respectively.
The night of first time winners continued right up until the last event of the night, with New Franken’s Derek Moede pulling off the street stock feature win in the veteran racer’s first appearance of the year here.
Moede’s win was anything but a gimme, as Moede rode the high groove while fighting off defending track champion Jason Eisel in the final laps to score the “W.” Eisel, Jack Brickner, Nick Allard and “The Iceman” Quentin Morrison rounded out the top five finishers.
Hometown driver Jason Zdroik, who competed in three classes here tonight, pulled off the USRA late model feature win. The victory was Zdroik’s third here of the year. Trailing at the checkers were Dave Bennett, Zack Friske, Lucas Peterson and Jason McFadden.
Phillips’ Devin Fries led all 15 laps en route to winning his fourth pure stock feature win here of the year. The race went caution free.
Stacy, Minnesota’s Tyler Pelofske went wire-to-wire, leading all 15 laps en route to victory in the 600 micro sprint feature. The win was Pelofske’s third here of the year.
Twin Lakes, Michigan’s Carter Aho captured the caution free, 12 lap 300 micro sprint feature. The victory was Aho’s third here of the season.
Racing resumes Tuesday, August 4. The street stock division will be throwing down for some bonus cash. Racing starts at 7:00 p.m. For more information check out the track’s Facebook page.
RACE SUMMARY
SWEETWATER USRA LATE MODEL FEATURE – Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Dave Bennett, Eagle River; Zack Friske, Tomahawk; Lucas Peterson, Stockholm; Jason McFadden, Jim Falls; Hoyt Cournoyer, Pittsville; Chad Lederer, Conover; Todd Gorny, Eagle River
HEAT – Dave Bennett; McFadden
CHEF RENE B MODIFIED FEATURE – Frank Gasperini, Iron Mountain, MI; Dustin White, Eagle River; Kory Joliff, Mass City, MI; Dave Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI; George Dalbeck, Wakefield, MI; Jason Zdroik; Josh Smith, Eau Claire; Tad Schoonover, Eagle River; Brad Keith, Allenton; Braedyn Kirtland, Mass City, MI; Beetle Bailey, Argonne; Isiah Rowe, Wisconsin Rapids; Cooper Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Andy Fink, Minocqua; Ryan Brown, Eagle River; Marcus Dunbar, Marinisco, MI; Dustin Kangas, Phelps (DNS)
HEATS 1) Dunbar; White 2) Cooper Aho; Kory Joliff
SUPERIOR PLUMBING IMCA STOCK CAR FEATURE – Keslie Richards, Montello; Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; Jeff Bodendorfer, Waterford; Mitch Stankowski, Wausau; Trentin Bell, Eagle River; Ryan Glembin, Eagle River; Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Matt Cleary, Lac Du Flambeau; Alex Kniewel, Eagle River; White; John Heinz, Green Bay
HEATS 1) Ryan Glembin; Richards 2) Bell; Heinz
ZDROIK WELL DRILLING DIRT UNIFIED STREET STOCK FEATURE – Derek Moede, New Franken; Jason Eisel, Sugar Camp; Jake Brickner, Laona; Nick Allard, Three Lakes; Quentin Morrison, Eagle River; Ben Pitlik, Eagle River; Hope Eisel, Rhinelander; Jeremy Joslin, Rhinelander; Josh Joslin, Rhinelander; Caleb Joliff, Mass City, MI; Lucas Zdroik, Eagle River; Jason Gee Jr., Crandon; Caleb Miller, Eagle River; Blake Joslin, Rhinelander; Kim Brown, Eagle River; Alexis Joslin, Rhinelander
HEATS 1) Josh Joslin; Lucas Zdroik 2) Jason Eisel; Hope Eisel
JD ARCHERY & PAINTBALL 600 MICRO SPRINT FEATURE – Tyler Pelofkse, Stacy, MN; Katherine Towne, Boulder Junction; Blake Joslin; Braxton Lundquist, Bark River, MI; Oakley Schwantes, Dorchester; Jayger Quinn, Gladstone, MI
HEAT – Pelofske; Towne
SUPERIOR PLUMBING & EXCAVATING PURE STOCK FEATURE – Devin Fries, Phillips; Cole Bennett, Eagle River; Reginald Felzkowski, Prentice; Rylee Glembin, Eagle River; Timmy Kin, Greenland, MI; Dale Peterson, Cameron
HEAT – Fries; Felzkowski
DAN’S SERVICE 300 MICRO SPRINT FEATURE – Carter Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Blake Wilke, Tomahawk; Bentley Seliger, Wausau; Reed Joslin, Rhinelander; Myia Ewert, Eagle River; Parker Ewert, Eagle River; Archer Peter, Manitowish Waters; Keagan Jensen, Escanaba, MI; Addison Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI; Colton Glembin, Eagle River; Graham Van Atta, Eagle River
HEATS 1) Wilke; Seliger 2) Reed Joslin; Addison Dishaw
BY_Joe Verdigan
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