Congrats to our 2022 Champions!

10/25/2022

Iron Mountain Daily News

Checkers or Wreckers Racing Column

John Ostermann

Another typical ending to a Norway Speedway racing season. We are one of the few tracks that race every single week all summer long and at times it gets to be a grind, because of rising cost of everything and just basically drivers and teams having issues with finding time. Most tracks have resorted to running bi-weekly or 6 to 7 race schedules. I always laugh because at the end of our season we all have this feeling of accomplishment and somewhat relieved that it’s over. And then 2 weeks later, we are all fired up and enthusiastic and can’t wait for the season to start again because we already miss it. I recently took some time off to go down to Florida and hang out because that’s what I do after the racing season. I try to get away from it for a while, but of course, I spent 3-4 hours at Daytona Speedway and a lot of thoughts go through my mind. But while I was down there, I saw something I really thought was interesting, I went to the marina in Titusville to see al the damaged boats from the hurricane. Other than some wrecked boats at the shoreline, everything seems to be back to normal. I did however walk over to the boat landing and saw 4 kids between the ages of 15 and 19 years old putting a 16-foot boat in the ocean. I told them I was the DNR and wanted to see their fishing licenses. They had a horrified look on their faces, so I quickly said no it’s just a dumb joke. They all laughed and sighed in relief. Then with excitement in their voices they started explaining to me their fishing trip, how they were going to be 5 miles from shore in a 16-foot boat fishing and how much they loved doing it, and they have been doing it since they were kids with their grandpa who is now passed. As they were leaving in the boat, I told them “Good Luck and Be Safe” and they said “don’t worry mister, we will”. Then for some odd reason I yelled out, “Thank you for being great kids” and I said a few other things I’m going to leave out. I guess that’s where our world is now. Maybe we need to recognize or pay attention more to the kids that are making good choices and playing sports, working hard in the school, and getting part time jobs at a young age. Our 4 cylinder division in 2015 had 6 or 7 cars in it and we made several changes to get the cost of the car down and get the car count back up to where it once was when the division first started. We were basically the first track to run front wheel drive cars in the year 2000. During the Dickinson County Fair that year we had over 100 cars. There were 5 cars with the number 24 and 3 were blue, there were 4 number 12’s and 3 were red. Our Hall of Famer Joe Testolin would smile every week as he was complaining about scoring them. During the Dickinson County Fair this year we had close to 40 cars this year in attendance, which is the most we’ve had in a long time. Which brings me back to the kids that were going fishing and being good young humans. Our 4 cylinder division is filled with kids that not only come out to the track every week and spend every dime they have to get in, but the enthusiasm that they bring with them is contagious. They’re a bunch of kids walking around the pit area with big smiles on their faces, driving cars that don’t have a straight panel on them, and just loving every moment they’re out there. There’s a joke that if you get your kids hooked on or addicted to racing, they won’t have any money to do the bad things in life, which I believe is true. I see kids walking through the pit area all the time and I’m mad at myself because I don’t know their names, but at the same time I’m happy because we have new young blood coming into the sport, just like we planned it. Dean Bellmore of Hermansville won his 3rd Track Championship in a row and has recently purchased one of the top cars in the Auto Value Super Stock division and is taking his racing career to the next level. Congratulations to him, his team, his family, and his sponsors! And like I said previously, I’m already ecited to see him compete in that talented division.

 Joe Verdegan - 9/5/2022

BUTZ RETURNS TO NORWAY SPEEDWAY VICTORY LANE ON FAIR NIGHT; CHAMPIONS CROWNED

(Norway, MI) Sept 4 – Former track champion Chad Butz of Green Bay, Wisconsin passed Braison Bennett of Neenah, Wisconsin for the lead on lap 24 and dodged numerous yellow and red flags to capture the Bob Iverson Memorial 100 lap late model feature on championship night at Norway Speedway Friday during the Dickinson County Fair.

Track champions were crowned in the respective divisions. They were Gleason, Wisconsin’s Justin Mondeik (late model), Pembine, Wisconsin’s Anthony Schiefelbein (super stock), Hermansville’s Dean Bellmore (four banger), Norway’s Joe Osterman (stock car), and Kingsford’s Brad Barglind (sport trucks).

When the checkers flew Butz had lapped all but the other top five cars running competitively at the end of the crash filled, caution plagued event. Butz’ margin of victory was a full straightaway lead over Mondeik.

Among the red flag incidents occurred on lap 53 when Robby Iverson made contact with the lapped car of Dean Varda. Both cars sustained heavy damage while both drivers remained unhurt.

Appleton, Wisconsin visitor Andy Monday scored a podium finish with third while Bennett and his dad Lowell Bennett of Neenah placed fourth and fifth, respectively. 11 of the original 18 starters were still running when the checkers flew.

Marquette visitor Jeremy “Pork Chop” Yelle scored the super stock feature win while Aurora, Wisconsin’s Gary Thom was awarded the stock car win after apparent winner Seth Thompson “broke out” and recorded a lap under the .18 second bracket when the checkers flew.

Appleton, Wisconsin’s Jurnee Bennett made the town north pay off with a four banger feature win while Freedom’s Kasey Vander Loop emerged triumphant in the sport truck feature.

The staff and management of the Dickinson County Racing Association would like to thank the race teams, fans and track officials for their support in 2022.  Please check our website norwayspeedway.com and our Facebook page for off season updates or email ostermannjohn@hotmail.com.

RACE SUMMARY

BINK’S COCA COLA SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI; Justin Mondeik, Gleason, WI; Andy Monday, Appleton, WI; Braison Bennett, Neenah, WI; Lowell Bennett, Neenah; Scott Stanchina, Kingsford

SEMI-FEATURE – Dean Varda, Vulcan; Reece Cavin, Marquette; John Ostermann, Norway; Jay Brady, Marquette; Scott Bolster, Marquette        

HEATS  1) Parker Cain, Big Bay; Varda 2) Michael Lantagne, Vulcan; Cory Cootware, Iron Mountain

DASH – Braison Bennett

FAST TIME – Butz, 14.246

AUTO VALUE SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Jeremy Yelle, Marquette; Tony Wender, Upper Pine Creek; Ray Koskimaki, Marquette; Anthony Schiefelbein, Pembine, WI; Cody Vander Loop, Freedom, WI

HEATS 1) Lukas Peterson, Marinette, WI; Ryan Wender, Upper Pine Creek 2) Yelle; Tony Wender

DASH – Joey Pontbriand, Norway

FAST TIME – Schiefelbein, 15.790

141 AUTO SALES STOCK CAR FEATURE – Gary Thom, Aurora, WI; Todd Schmidt, Spread Eagle, WI; Nick Kroehler, Appleton, WI

HEATS 1) Kaitlyn Schettler, Kingsford; Scott Dahlgren, Iron Bluff 2) Trevor Pankratz, Little Suamico, WI; Zackery Krans, Kingsford

FAST TIME – Travis Hulsizer, Menominee 18.056

MC SIGNS & GRAPHICS 4 BANGER FEATURE – Jurnee Bennett, Neenah, WI; Elliot Reid, Faithorn; Brock Pearman, Vulcan; Trevor Cronick, Faithorn; Brett Ayotte, Hermansville

SEMI FEATURE – Cole Brown, Aurora, WI; Dylan Tirschel, Kingsford; Gavin Goulette, Iron Mountain; Ryan Okler, Norway

HEATS 1) Brown; David Oman, Faithorn 2) Owen Eichmeyer, Powers; Tirschel 3) Cory Grondine, Hermansville; Ayotte

FAST TIME - Reid, 18.059

SPORT TRUCK FEATURE – Kasey Vander Loop, Freedom; Brad Barglind, Kingsford; Jason Plutz, Menasha, WI; Cody Vander Loop; Tanner Fickel, Appleton, WI

HEATS 1) Bode Johnson, Ishpeming; Andrew Ross, Appleton 2) Kasey Vanderloop; Brent Barglind

FAST TIME - Brent Barglind, Kingsford, 16.224

SPECTATOR ELIMINATOR – Okler