Dondelinger picks up first Super Stock victory

BARROWS - Dan Gullickson and Tim Johnson have been battling all year in the Super Stock class at North Central Speedway. On Saturday night they were fighting again but this time it was for second place.

DJ Dondelinger started from the front row and ran a solid race on his way to his first career Super Stock victory.

Dan Ebert moved closer to Andy Jones in the Midwest Modified class with a feature victory.

The Vintage cars also made their annual appearance at the track with two classes. Ken Varing won the feature event for the Full Bodied car division while Ken Sabby took the checkerd flag in the Modified class. Varing drove a '74 Camaro for the feature win. Sabby was in a Super Modified car.

The other feature winners were Mike Japp in the Pure Stock class with Allen Brehmer finishing second and Robert Mueller third. Allen Gessell Jr. kept his great year going with a victory in the Street Stock class followed by Jack Peterson and Tim Johnson. Rick Jacobson took the checkerd flag in the A Modified class with Troy Jordan finishing second and Brian Strand coming in third.

Dondelinger and Johnson are both having solid years in the Super Stock class with Dondelinger sitting in seventh place after his feature victory. Johnson is in a first-place battle with Gullickson as he trails by just 13 points.

Johnson comes from a racing family and a sad happening in his family changed his driving plans late last summer. "I jumped into the Street car late last year,"Johnson said. "My dad (Ron) lost a leg due to an infection. He has diabetes and couldn't fight it off so I started in the car and started wheeling it at the end of the last year." Tim performed well in the fall events last year and then stayed in the Street car this year. He said that things are progressing well with his dad, and Ron may be back in the car next year.

His dad and the company of friends that come with racing had an impact on Johnson. "I've been around racing my whole life. My dad raced and his friends raced. I'm racing with some of his friends that he used to race with," said Johnson. "I started racing when I was 16 and haven't quit yet and I'm 28. It's nice to go different places and compete and do well."

He is in first in the points standings in the Street Stock class.

"I probably prefer the Super a little more," said Johnson. " There is really stiff competition. We have been running hard with Dan Gullickson and we probably talk to each other three or four times a week," said Johnson. "Everybody is so quick, but I like the Street, too. I know a lot of those guys and they didn't like it to much when they heard I was racing. They know I race hard and we have a good time."

Dondelinger was excited about his first career Super Stock victory with a good field of cars behind him. "I knew those guys were back there. I knew Tim Johnson was behind me and he was going to do his best," Dondelinger said. "There are a lot of good cars here. Brainerd always has a good lineup of cars and I was just glad to beat them."

Dondelinger has been hooked on racing his whole life and he tries to get out to the track at least twice a week weather and work permitting. "This is my fifth or sixth year of dirt track racing. I raced on asphalt for three. When I was a kid we always had a car with my dad and we drove a late model. I went to Daytona when I was 15 and have been hooked ever since."

It was Bud Jones & Sons Auto Salvage night at the track with four bikes being given away after a race combining kids with a NCS driver in a relay bike race. Next week is kids night at the track with drawings for new bicycles and a chance for the youths to meet their favorite driver at intermission.

NCS PURE STOCK

Feature-1-Mike Japp, 2-Allen Brehmer, 3-Robert Mueller

B Feature-1-Mike Smude, 2-Craig Paul, 3-Clayton Caird

Heat 1-1-Mike Japp, 2-Dusty Paul, 3-Dan Bartick

Heat 2-1-Derek Olson, 2-Brian Boser, 3-Max Dondelinger

Heat 3-1-Tim Otterness, 2-Robert Mueller, 3-Gary Ohnstad Jr.

Heat 4-1-Lance Sprague, 2-Allen Brehmer, 3-Luke Shipman

WISSOTA STREET STOCKS

Feature-1-Allen Gessell Jr., 2-Jack Peterson, 3-Tim Johnson

Heat 1-1-Tim Johnson, 2-Wade Blumke, 3-Allen Gessell Jr.

Heat 2 -1-David Goulet, 2-Robert Young, 3-Charlie Peterson

Vintage Cars

Full Bodies Feature-1-Ken Varing, 2-Mike Liegman, 3-Rick Birkland

Modified Feature-1-Ken Sabby, 2-Jeff Row, 3-Dave Lepper

Heat 1-1-Gary Whipple, 2-John Van Wilgen, 3-Ken Varing

Heat 2-1-Butch Bethke, 2-Dennis Olson, 3-Dave Lepper

WISSOTA MIDWEST MODIFIEDS

Feature-1-Dan Ebert, 2-Clayton Wagemon, 3-Josh Fuhrer

B Feature-1-Shane Sabraski, 2-Matt Weisman, 3-Mike Kuhlman

Heat 1-1-Luke Hines, 2-Clayton Wagemon, 3-Mike Jones

Heat 2-1-Josh Fuhrer, 2-George Sniezek, 3-John Thompson

Heat 3-1-Andy Jones, 2-Dan Ebert, 3-Mark Prueser

Heat 4-1-Troy Jordan, 2-Justin Jones, 3-Jesse Lodermeier

WISSOTA SUPER STOCKS

Feature-1-DJ Dondeliner, 2-Tim Johnson, 3-Dan Gullickson

Heat 1-1-Dan Gullickson, 2-Kevin Yeager, 3-Ed Rolfson Jr.

Heat 2-1-DJ Dondelinger, 2-Ken Puckett, 3-ED Rolfson

Heat 3-1-Tim Johnson, 2-Jake Goetze, 3-Donnie Jensen

A MODIFIEDS

Feature-1-Rick Jacobson, 2-Troy Jordan, 3-Brian Strand

Heat 1-1-Eric Martini, 2-Shane Sabraski, 3-Troy Jordan

Heat 2-1-Brian Strand, 2-Brad Jensen, 3-Charles Cooper IV