Bemidji Speedway holds 2021 awards banquet

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Hornet.jpg — Wissota Hornet top five are pictured from left: Champion Travis Olafson, Megan Vernlund in second place, Caylyn Binkley in third, Brooke Vernlund in fourth and Cody Davis in fifth. Contributed

By Dennis Peterson / Special to the Pioneer

December 22, 2021 at 12:01 PM

BEMIDJI -- The 2021 Bemidji Speedway racing season officially came to an end on Dec. 18 at the Bemidji Eagles Club as the speedway held its end of the year awards banquet.

A record number of drivers, fans, sponsors and guests attended the festive event with over 180 in attendance. Mark Ricci, who has been the voice of Bemidji Speedway for 25 years, performed Master of Ceremonies duties throughout the evening. Guests dined on steak or walleye with all the trimmings. Following the awards, guests danced to DJ Jason Crabb.

The awards were kicked off by Wissota Representative Tim Carlson presenting track Owner/Promoter Tonja Stranger with the coveted 鈥淧eople's Choice Award鈥� for the favorite track in all of the Wissota sponsored tracks. Fifty-two tracks were in the competition, and for Bemidji to receive this honor is 鈥渢ruly incredible and humbling,鈥� Stranger said.

Carlson also congratulated National Wissota Hornet champion Travis Olafson for bringing the national title home to Bemidji. Carlson presented Josh Beaulieu, in the Wissota Modified class, with the award for Best Looking Car.

Carlson complimented the many drivers from Bemidji Speedway who finished in the top 10 nationally. Dalton Carlson was eighth in the Wissota Super Stocks; Josh Beaulieu eighth in the Wissota Modifieds; Skyler Smith fourth and Dean Larson fifth in the Wissota Mod Fours; and Michael Roth second, Austin Carlson third, Dusty Caspers fourth, Deryk Weleski seventh and Josh Berg eighth in the Wissota Pure Stocks. Special thanks were offered to flagman Tim Jackson, track photographer Dennis Peterson, social media expert Lisa Rhen, track announcer Mark Ricci, Chicken Shack guru Randy Hayes and owner Idella Hayes.

Rookie of the Year honors were presented to Kalin Honer in Mini Stocks, Megan Vernlund in the Hornet class, Billy Binkley in the Pure Stocks, Pete Nelson in the Mod Fours, Joey LaValley in the Wissota Midwest Modifieds, Garrett Masurka in the Wissota Super Stocks and Alex Johnson in the Wissota Modifieds.

Next season will open May 14, 2022, with a Demo Derby at the track followed by the Chicken Shack Nationals on May 29-30. Also, the Late Models will return to the track with no date set as of yet and the Wissota RV Modified Tour will return in July.

Final season points standings top 10

Wissota Modifieds

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Modified.jpg — Wissota Modified top five pictured from left: Champion Josh Beaulieu, Lance Schilling in second place, Doyle Erickson in third, Alex Johnson in fourth and Matt Fullerton in fifth. Contributed

1. Josh Beaulieu 1227 points

2. Lance Schilling 1164

3. Doyle Erickson 1133

4. Alex Johnson 1033

5. Matt Fullerton 947

6. Davey Mills 883

7. Scott Engholm 823

8. Devin Fouquette 487

9. Weston Ramsrud 449

10. Tyler Kaeter 301

Wissota Midwest Modifieds

1. Jeff Reed 1331

2. Alan Olafson 1292

3. Joey LaValley 1198

4. Brandon Bahr 1142

5. Jason LaValley 1072

6. Brennan Schmidt 1042

7. Connor Drewry 823

8. Bill Beaulieu 982

9. Harley Kroening 907

10. Michael Jacobson 301

Wissota Pure Stocks

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Pure Stock.jpg — Wissota Pure Stock top five pictured from left: Champion Michael Roth, Austin Carlson in second place, Kade Leeper in third, Deryk Weleski in fourth and Josh Berg in fifth. Contributed

1. Michael Roth 1224

2. Austin Carlson 1205

3. Kade Leeper 1185

4. Deryk Weleski 1134

5. Josh Berg 1120

6. Dusty Caspers 1028

7 ^.Billy Binkley 1017

8. Brandon Puschinsky 934

9. Bryan Karl 915

10. Bonnie Farrington 848

Wissota Super Stocks

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Super Stock.jpg — Wissota Super Stock top five pictured from left: Campion Matt Sparby, Dalton Carlson in second place, Tim Carlson in third, Garrett Masurka in fourth and John Farrington in fifth. Contributed

1. Matt Sparby 1294

2. Dalton Carlson 1255

3. Tim Carlson 1197

4. Garrett Masurka 1141

5. John Farrington 1120

6. Nicholas Jacobson 1028

7. Brandon Bahr 905

8. Kevin Bahr 888

9. Doug VanMill 839

10. Tyler Kroening 673

Wissota Mod Fours

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Mod Four.jpg — Wissota Mod Four top five pictured from left: Champion Skyler Smith with son Braxton, Dean Larson in second place, Conrad Schwinn in third, Blake Erickson in fourth and Pete Nelson in fifth. Contributed

1. Skyler Smith 1224

2. Dean Larson 1198

3. Conrad Schwinn 1185

4. Blake Erickson 1150

5. Pete Nelson 1031

6. Jonathon Feda 1001

7. Nick McCann 957

8. Nicole Feda 915

9. Brian Feda 737

10. Dean Shaver 666

Wissota Hornets

1. Travis Olafson 1235

2. Megan Vernlund 1062

3. Caylyn Binkley 1058

4. Brooke Vernlund 1150

5. Cody Davis 997

6. Peyton Edelman 996

7. Lucy LaValley 983

8. Chad Reller 975

9. Malaki Wilson 915

10. Josey LaValley 894

Mini Stocks

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Bemidji Mini Stock.jpg — Bemidji Mini Stock top five pictured from left: Champion Conrad Schwinn, Kalin Honer in second place, Ashton Schwinn in third, Travis Klein in fourth and Gordon Hunter in fifth. Contributed

1. Conrad Schwinn 1388

2. Kalin Honer 1304

3. Ashton Schwinn 1279

4. Travis Klein 1204

5. Gordon Hunter 1011

6. Hayden Engen 975

7. Brandon Hunter 875

8. Cory Nelson 855

9. Waylon Current 815

10. Kaylie Winge 429

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Rookies of the Year.jpg

1/8: Rookies of the Year pictured from left: Modified Alex Johnson, Super Stocks Garrett Masurka, Midwest Modified Joey LaValley, Mod Fours Pete Nelson, Mini Stocks Kalin Honer, Hornets Megan Vernlund and Pures Billy Binkley. Contributed

2/8: Wissota Midwest Modifieds pictured from left: Champion Jeff Reed, Alan Olafson in second place, Joey LaValley in third, Brandon Bahr in fourth and Jason LaValley in fifth. Contributed

3/8: Wissota Mod Four top five pictured from left: Champion Skyler Smith with son Braxton, Dean Larson in second place, Conrad Schwinn in third, Blake Erickson in fourth and Pete Nelson in fifth. Contributed

4/8: Bemidji Mini Stock top five pictured from left: Champion Conrad Schwinn, Kalin Honer in second place, Ashton Schwinn in third, Travis Klein in fourth and Gordon Hunter in fifth. Contributed

5/8: Wissota Pure Stock top five pictured from left: Champion Michael Roth, Austin Carlson in second place, Kade Leeper in third, Deryk Weleski in fourth and Josh Berg in fifth. Contributed

6/8: Wissota Modified top five pictured from left: Champion Josh Beaulieu, Lance Schilling in second place, Doyle Erickson in third, Alex Johnson in fourth and Matt Fullerton in fifth. Contributed

122521.S.BP.SPEEDWAY Wissota Representative.jpg

7/8: Wissota Representative Tim Carlson presents track owner and promoter Tonja Stranger with the Wissota Peoples Choice Award for favorite track. Contributed

8/8: Wissota Super Stock top five pictured from left: Campion Matt Sparby, Dalton Carlson in second place, Tim Carlson in third, Garrett Masurka in fourth and John Farrington in fifth. Contributed