10/24/2021
Ogilvie Raceway
With the Topless Nationals in the Books, the 2021 Season comes to an end.
By: Tami Jo Kuehn
Ogilvie, MN (October 23) – With the official WISSOTA race season in the books, Wagamon’s Ogilvie Raceway hosted it’s 11th Annual Topless Nationals on Friday and Saturday nights. The weekend was full of activities including a 50/50 raffle, Parade for the Cure, fireworks and 188 drivers signing in to battle.
The WISSOTA Street Stocks were first on the night’s agenda for feature events, with Justin Vogel and Keegan Stueve on the front row. The street stocks had a tricky time getting their feature completed with cautions every few laps. Justin Vogel led the drivers through the restarts, with Kyle Dykhoff on his rear. Once the green waved again, Vogel and Dykhoff were side by side. The remaining 10 laps was a race between the top two drivers, and as the white waved, they were nose to nose. Vogel and Dykhoff drag raced to the finish line, and Justin Vogel crossed the line first to take the win. Vogel celebrated his win with a wall burn-out and some donuts before he drove his #10 into victory lane.
As the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds took the green, drivers were three wide for the lead. Ashley Mehrwerth and Travis Schulte broke away from the pack but remained door to door for the top point. As Schulte snagged the lead and pulled away the yellow waved. Schulte remained in command through a few cautions however he had company to his rear. Cody Lee and Brendan Blascyk went three wide with Schulte on a restart, with Schulte holding the lead. Lee kept next to Schulte and they were side by side as the white flag waved. As they rounded the final curve, a slower driver came in to play and they were three wide for the win. The checkers waved with Travis Schulte getting the win.
The Minnesota Micro Sprints were added to the event Saturday night and 12 drivers came to race. When the Micro’s took the green, they were three wide for the top point. A few drivers swapped for the point that opening lap, but Noah Berglund claimed the spot at the end of lap. Cole Elton and Mason Seubert sped past Berglund and jockeyed for the lead while Ryan Erickson closed in. Elton gained a slight lead on his competition, and as the race carried on, Elton stretched his lead. Elton put a couple drivers down a lap before the race concluded, but Elton held his position and took the win.
After a couple of cautions, the WISSOTA Modifieds were back under green with Shane Sabraski in the lead. Matt Auckland and Jody Bellefeuille took top points as drivers began to space out. Auckland and Bellefeuille were door to door for second as they caught slower cars. Modified drivers covered the entire race surface while a couple of guys made some great passing progress. Clayton Wagamon started the race in 11th and Jeremy Nelson started in 25th, and both drivers were breaking into the top five. Sabraski looked strong in the lead while Wagamon challenged Bellefeuille for third. Wagamon used every groove on the track to get by the #11, but he came up short. With the white flag ready to wave, the yellow appeared with one final caution. Sabraski had Wagamon and Auckland on his rear with just a lap to go, so as the green reappeared, he sped away. Wagamon, Auckland, Nelson and Alex Williamson filled in the top five points that final lap as Sabraski took the win.
Robert Holtquist, Jordan Fischer and Dustin Holtquist grabbed points one through three as the WISSOTA Mod Fours took the green, but the yellow soon followed. Robert Holtquist led the drivers back to green, but Dustin Holtquist made the pass for first. Dustin led the remainder of the race and snagged the win.
After a mess on the first lap of the WISSOTA Super Stock feature, the remaineder of their race was caution free. Josh Zimpel claimed the lead as the race resumed as Shane Sabraski drove to his outside. Sabraski sped into the lead, Zimpel held second as Tim Johnson moved into third. Dan Nissalke drove to Johnson’s door, took third and made his way aside Zimpel. Sabraski had a solid lead established and began putting drivers down a lap as Nissalke took second. Sabraski was caught in heavy traffic which gave Nissalke the opportunity to close the gap. With three laps to go, Nissalke was next to Sabraski as they went four wide with slower cars. With the white flag waving, Nissalke was all over the #7a and he tried to make take the lead. As Sabraski and Nissalke came down the final chute, Sabraski crossed the line first and won the event.
With the final checkers waving, the 2021 race season was officially in the books. On behalf of the Wagamon Family, track management, employees and volunteers of the Ogilvie Raceway – we’d like to send our most sincere Thank You to every driver and fan who made this season a great one. We look forward to the off season and planning for the 2022 season.
Article Credit: Photo By: Mike Wadsen
