News & information
Joe Verdegan - 9/5/21
MONDEIK NIPS BENNETT, CAPTURES BOB IVERSON MEMORIAL AT NORWAY
(Norway, MI) September 5 – Gleason, Wisconsin’s Justin Mondeik grabbed the lead on lap 41 and danced through lapped cars and fought off fellow Wisconsin driver Braison Bennett at the line to capture the Bob Iverson Memorial on Dickinson County Fair night at Norway Speedway Friday.
Mondeik’s margin of victory was slim - .041 seconds.
Champions were crowned in all the divisions. They included Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Chad Butz (late model), Norway’s Joey Pontbriand (super stock), Marion, Wisconsin’s B.J. Schoneck (stock car), Kingsford’s Brent Barglind (sport truck), Hermansville’s Dean Bellmore (4 banger) and Kingsford’s Jim Chartre (spectator eliminator).
Mondeik started 12th in the 19-car field and patiently bided his time in the early going. Polesitter Mike Reichenberger of Appleton led much of the early action and began encountering lapped traffic himself by lap 15.
After a couple of early yellows Mondeik had sliced his way up to 3rd by lap 35 and motored around Scott Stanchina for the runnerup spot two circuits later. Mondeik motored past Reichenberger for the top spot with 59 laps remaining.
Meanwhile Bennett, who started 10th in the Coleman Racing Products entry, worked his way up to 2nd by the event’s midway point and kept the Gleason hotshoe within striking distance as Mondeik squeezed past the lapped traffic. On a few occasions in the last 30 laps that lapped traffic allowed Bennett to close in on Mondeik’s rear bumper. On the final lap as the leaders crossed the checkers it was a lapped car that impeded Mondeik just enough, giving Bennett a ray of hope of catching the win. However, the third generation racer came up less than one-tenth of a second away from victory, placing second.
Butz, who already had the track title wrapped up (team driving with Mike D’Angelo) placed third. Former track champion Dan Lindsley and Stanchina placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
In the super stock main second place points finisher Anthony Schiefelbein scored a consolation prize of sorts – holding off Pontbriand in a paint-trading thriller in which Schiefelbein scored his third feature flag of the season. Pontbriand took home runnerup honors, followed by Tony Wender, Kevin Peterson and Nick Anderson.
Schoneck scored his stock car track title by simply taking the green flag in the division’s main event, which was won by Spread Eagle, Wisconsin’s Todd Schmidt. Kingsford’s Brent Barglind won both the battle and the war. The former track champion scored the sport truck feature win and in doing so, came out champion in the tightest of point battles.
Hermansville’s Dean Bellmore, who was forced to pit with a flat tire midway through the race, mustered up a ninth place finish. That was good enough to earn him the 4 banger track title. The feature race was won by Brent Ayotte.
The Dickinson County Racing Association would like to thank the fans, race teams and employees for a successful 2021 campaign.
Please check our website norwayspeedway.com and our page on Facebook for further information regarding the banquet, off season rules meetings and other information or email ostermannjohn@hotmail.com.
RACE SUMMARY
BINK’S COCA COLA SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Justin Mondeik, Gleason, WI; Braison Bennett, Neenah, WI; Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI; Dan Lindsley, Vulcan; Scott Stanchina, Kingsford; Mike Reichenberger, Appleton, WI; Jason Wells, Kingsford; Greg Haese, Manitowoc, WI; Tanner Kelly, Waucedah; Wyatt Spade, Norway; Bruce White, Kingsford; Cory Cootware, Iron Mountain; Mike Lantagne, Vulcan; John Ostermann, Norway; Scott Bolster, Marquette; Robby Iverson, Escanaba; Bryan Monday, Appleton, WI; Dean Varda, Vulcan; Ryan Hood, Niagara, WI
HEATS 1) Hood; Monday 2) Reichenberger; Wells
DASH - Haese
FAST TIME – Butz, 14.354
AUTO VALUE SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Anthony Schiefelbein, Pembine, WI; Joey Pontbriand, Norway; Tony Wender, Kingsford; Kevin Peterson, Marinette, WI; Nick Anderson, Menominee; John Komp, Menominee; John Mattia Jr, Norway; Todd Maki, Sands; Jeremy Yelle, Gwinn; Kelly La Count, Athelstane, WI; Andy Gerwig, Norway; Mark Bubloni, Iron Mountain; Tim Schultz, Vulcan; Destiny Bullard, Marquette; William Wiley, Ishpeming; Rodney Haferkorn, Norway; Shane Krueger, Kaukauna, WI
HEATS 1) Maki; Bubloni 2) Wender; Gerwig
DASH – Pontbriand
FAST TIME – Komp, 15.841
141 AUTO SALES STOCK CAR FEATURE – Todd Schmidt, Spread Eagle, WI; Travis Hulsizer, Menominee; Gary Thom, Aurora, WI; Graeson Pankratz, Little Suamico, WI; Pontbriand
HEATS 1) Zachery Krans, Kingford; Preston Weddel, Crivitz, WI 2) Nick Kroehler, Appleton, WI; Hulsizer
FAST TIME – Pankratz, 18.002
KENS SPORTS SPORT TRUCK FEATURE – Brent Barglind, Kingsford; Brad Barglind, Kingsford; Andy Secrist, Florence, WI; Cody Vander Loop, Freedom, WI; Andrew Ross, Appleton, WI
HEATS 1) Ross; Bode Johnson, Ishpeming 2) Brent Barglind; Brad Barglind
FAST TIME – Brad Barglind, 16.402
MC SIGNS & GRAPHICS 4 BANGER FEATURE – Brett Ayotte, Hermansville; Alex Bellmore, Hermansville; Trevor Cronick, Faithorn; Garrett Goetsch, Oconto, WI; Elliot Reid, Faithorn
HEATS 1) Zach Gazda, Vulcan; Garrett Strochota, Wausau, WI 2) Owen Eichmeyer, Powers; Cassandra Freeman, Niagara, WI
SPECTATOR ELIMINATOR – Jim Chartre, Kingsford
John Ostermann - 9/4/21
Norway Speedway Racing Column
John Ostermann
Iron Mountain Daily News
Everyone thinks the most wonderful time of the year is Christmas, but for me it’s always been the fall season, leaves changing, temperature dropping, and racing during the Dickinson County Fair. Norway Speedway decides it’s Track Champion during the Dickinson County Fair and it always brings out the best, whether they are competing for the Championship or not. Norway Speedway recently named this event The Bob Iverson Memorial Championship Night brought to you by the Dickinson County Fair. The event is appropriately named after Norway Speedway’s Greatest of All Time. Bob, who resided from Hyde, Michigan, was famously known as the Hyde Hustler. He has won more championships and more feature events than any driver in the Speedway’s history. Bob’s family will be handing out trophies to all Feature Event Winners Sunday Evening.
In the Coca Cola Late Model Division, Chad Butz from Howard, Wisconsin, and Mike D’Angelo, Jr. from Gwinn, Michigan, teamed up and became a solid force in the Division. They currently have an 82-point lead over Kingsford standout Jason Wells. Wells, who is enjoying his best season ever, might have to wait for next year to win his first championship. Scott Stanchina of Kingsford, Michigan, like Wells, also had a break-out year as he sits 6 points behind Jason Wells. It will be fun to watch how these two finish up after Sunday Night. Jason’s father Bob, and Scott’s father The Late Rick Stanchina, are life-long friends and they worked on the race car for Norway Speedway Hall of Famer Mark Miller during his Championship Years.
In the Auto Value Super Stock Division, Joey Pontbriand of Norway, Michigan, has a 61-point lead over Anthony Schiefelbein and a 126-point lead over 2020 Track Champion Ryan Wender. The Division’s future looks great with the return of John Komp of Menominee, Michigan, and Nick Anderson of Menominee, Michigan. Kelly LaCount of Athelstane, Wisconsin, also had his best year and could contend for his first championship while local favorite Andy Gerwig also had a solid year finishing 4th in the point standings. Last week, Three Time Track Champion Tim Schultz, Jr. returned to the track and looked very fast after being involved in one of the worst crashes of the season a month earlier when he hit the guard rail on the back stretch. Kevin Peterson finished 6th in the points after dealing with an illness and having Matt Charlebois take over the driving duties for a while could also be a strong contender next year. With all these guys coming back, and I’m sure there will be many more names added, this Division should be stronger than ever.
In the 141 Auto Stock Car Division, BJ Schoneck of Marion, Wisconsin, has a 43-point lead over Todd Schmidt of Spread Eagle, Wisconsin. Both BJ and Todd are seasoned veterans of the sport of stock car racing. Both drivers are talented, and are the absolute gentlemen of the sport. Todd’s race car and BJ’s race car have both been racing for over 20 years which I think is very cool. Paul Bourgeois of Iron Mountain, Michigan, has climbed to number three in the points and is definitely the most improved driver in this Division that is growing in popularity.
In the Wisconsin Sport Truck Division, this Championship could be the most dramatic as Green Bay, Wisconsin’s, Cody Vanderloop has only a 5-point lead over Florence, Wisconsin, speedster Andy Secrist. Andy has been consistent and improving each and every week. Brent and Brad Barglind of Kingsford, Michigan, are 14 and 21 points respectively, behind the points leader. So, by the end of the night any one of these four could be the new track champion in the Division.
In the MC Signs and Graphics Division, the Defending Champion Dean Bellmore of Hermansville, Michigan, has a 23-point lead over Elliott Reid of Faithhorn, Michigan. These are both veteran drivers that have experienced a lot of success and either one of them could end up the Champion for 2021.
We have a full show Sunday with Qualifying at 2:30 and Racing at 4. We have a full slate of racing including Spectator Eliminators. There is no admission to the races as long as you have admission to the fair. No carry-ins are allowed. The Dickinson County Fair Board improvements to the facility are stunning. I hope you check them out Sunday Night for yourself. See you there!