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BEMIDJI — Bemidji Speedway hosted Aircorps Aviation and Sanford Center Night on Sunday, with bright skies and a breeze out of the west. Six classes of cars filled the track with an excellent grandstand full of fans cheering their favorites.

The races found success for the No. 99s, with Doyle and Blake Erickson both getting clean sweeps on the night in the Wissota Mod Fours and Modified classes. Also picking up a clean sweep was Mason, Wisconsin’s Tyler Vernon in the Wissota Midwest Modifieds.

Next week is Great River Rescue Night, with all fans who bring a pet-related item receiving $2 off the admission price. Minis, Pures, Mod Fours, Street Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Superstocks will be in action.

On Saturday, July 26, Paul and Babe's Tractor Pull will take over the track with pickups, tractors, antique tractors and DOT semis vying for championships. There will be no racing on Sunday, July 27.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

The initial feature of the night was the Wissota Midwest Modifieds, led on track by Brennan Schmidt and Landon Gross. Gross took the early lead over Darrin Lawler with Schmidt, Hunter Weeks and Skyler Smith in the top five. Gross raced out to a five-car length lead while Tyler Vernon worked his way up from his third-row starting position into the top three, pressuring Lawler for second. Vernon moved to the outside on the back straight to pass Lawler for second and then pulled up even with the leader, Gross, taking the lead in turns one and two. Vernon grew his lead and took the checkered flag and the clean sweep. Gross, Sam Blevins, Schmidt and Michael Blevins filled the podium.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

A growing class at Bemidji Speedway has been the mini stocks. Jonah Espe held the pole position in the 13-car field with Conrad Schwinn to his right. At the green flag, Schwinn powered to the lead with Hayden Engen, Espe, Cooper Francis and Nick McCann in the top five. The first caution was for Espe sliding over the top of turn two. He returned tailback. As the racing resumed, another mini stock slid around, bringing out another caution, this time for Engen, who was sent to the rear. The restart was good for Cody Bush, moving up into second but only for a short time, as Francis came back to reclaim the backup position. A few laps later, Francis and Cameron Schwinn tangled on the front straight, bringing out the Bemidji Fire Department to check on the two drivers. Both were OK, but out of the race. The race moved to a green and white checkered finish with Conrad Schwinn taking the win, with McCann, Engen, Troy Foster and Bush in the top five.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

Kade Leeper and Dustin Puffe, two of the best in the world of Wissota Pure Stock racing, led the pack to the green flag waved by flagman Lynn Johnson. Following a first lap caution and restart, Puffe took the lead over Leeper with Alex Berg, Austin Carlson and Greg Caspers in the top five. Puffe and Leeper pulled away from the field, creating a two-way battle for the lead. In turns one and two, Leeper took the lead from Puffe. Following another caution, sending Quintyn Karl tailback, it was Leeper, Puffe, Berg, Carlson and Caspers in the top five. Leeper and Puffe raced door to door late, with Leeper holding the advantage and taking the checkered flag. Puffe, Smith, Berg and Landon Weeks were the top five finishers.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

A small field of Wissota Modifieds became even smaller with Alan Olafson’s No. 77 having engine issues, forcing him to the pits. Early in the race, Davey Mills also had issues and had to sit in the infield and watch the race. The race finally went green with Doyle Erickson racing to the lead over Adam Johnson, Jeff Reed, Devyn Weleski and Peyton Emerson. The mods quickly moved to a single file around the track with Erickson building on his lead. Reed raced up to challenge Johnson for second, and in turns one and two, moved inside with Johnson outside. The two tangled, with the call by officials sending Johnson to the rear. The restart was controlled by Erickson, with Reed and Weleski chasing him. Erickson picked up the win and the clean sweep. Reed, Weleski and Johnson trailed the leader.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

Brother and sister, Blake and Brooke Erickson, led the Wissota Mod Fours on track out of turn four. With the first lap caution, Dawson Oelrich was sent tailback. The second try at a start worked with Blake Erickson in the lead, followed by Conrad Schwinn, Ashton Schwinn, Brooke Erickson and Dean Larson in the top five. In turns one and two, Ashton Schwinn moved up high and around Conrad Schwinn for second. Ashton Schwinn moved up to challenge Erickson for the lead, while Larson got by Brooke Erickson for fourth. Ashton Schwinn raced door to door with Blake Erickson for the lead, but Erickson held off the charge as the two battled back and forth. A late caution created a restart with a green and white checkered flag finish. Blake Erickson held his line and picked up the win and a clean sweep night, just like his dad, Doyle in the modifieds. Ashton Schwinn, Conrad Schwinn, Larson and Brooke Erickson finished in the top five.

Courtesy / Lisa Rhen

As the sun set in the smoky western sky out of turns three and four, the Wissota Super Stocks took to the track for the final feature of the night. Dalton Carlson and Matt Sparby led the dozen cars to the green flag, with Sparby shooting to the lead with Carlson, with last week's winner, Doug Koski, and Justin Barsness and Faye Lewis chasing. Barsness and Koski dueled side by side before another spin brought out the yellow flag for a restart with nine laps remaining. Cameron LaBelle, who started in the fourth row, was on the move, challenging and passing several cars and moving into fourth with Koski in fifth. Up front, Carlson was edging up on Sparby for the lead, with Barsness on Carlson’s rear bumper in a tight three-car battle for the win. Sparby held his line and picked up his long-awaited feature win. Carlson, Barsness, Labelle and Koski filled the top five spots, ending a fun-filled night of racing.