7/17/2021
Ogilvie Raceway
O'Neil Claims Victory on Night 1 of Mod Wars
Ogilvie, MN (July 16) – Friday night was night one of the Inaugural Mod Wars at Wagamon’s Ogilvie Raceway. 118 drivers signed in for the night which featured WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, Mod Fours and Hornets. However the real attraction of the night was the USMTS Modifieds versus the WISSOTA Modifieds. Many drivers of each class made the big dance with David Swearingen, Tommy Bawden, Nate Servaty and Jake O’Neil going home victorious.
The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds were first with Ashley Mehrwerth and Shane Howell on the front row. As the green flew, Mehrwerth drove away and left Howell and Jason VandeKamp in her dust. Mehrwerth stretched her lead and with the half-way flags displayed, Mehrwerth was with slower drivers. After a quick caution, Mehrwerth brought the drivers back to green, but David Swearingen and Shane Howell didn’t let her get away. The leaders were nearly three wide in the turns as smoke rolled from Brennan Gave’s #112. After another caution, Howell was in command, but when the drivers exited the curve, Swearingen slid up to snag the lead. With few laps to go, Dave Swearingen took the checkers with Shane Howell, Travis Schulte, Jason VandeKamp and Ashley Mehrwerth as the top finishers.
Tommy Bawden, Dustin Holtquist and Skyler Smith claimed points one, two and three when the WISSOTA Mod Four Feature began. A couple of laps were completed before the first caution, but when the green reappeared, Bawden was in charge. Holtquist and Smith battled door to door for second until Smith claimed the point. Tommy Pogones slid to Holtquist’s door and took third, but soon had Robert Holtquist at his side. The Mod Fours had a few more cautions which kept the drivers at a slow pace, however Bawden remained in the lead. Robert Holtquist kept close to Bawden, and with two laps to go, Holtquist tried different grooves to make the pass. Bawden however held the lead and rolled his #TB81 into victory lane. Remaining top points went to, Robert Holtquist, Dustin Holtquist, Skyler Smith and Tommy Pogones.
The WISSOTA Hornets shot out of the curve when the green waved with drivers door to door for top points. Justin Schelitzche and Alex Aderman battled for first while Randy Jacoboski and Zachary Furbur fought for third. After four laps were complete, top drivers settled into position with Schelitzche in the lead. Schelitzche and Aderman separated from the pack as Jacoboski grabbed third. Nate Servaty, Colton Trembath and Jesse Turnvall put pressure and Jacoboski as the fight for third was nearly four wide. One more caution slowed the hornets, but Schelitzche was still in charge. Nate Servaty closed in and raced to Schelitzche’s door. With few laps to go, Servaty nosed ahead and secured the lead. Servaty continued on to take the win with Justin Schelitzche, Alex Aderman, Colton Trembath and Jesse Turnvall in top points.
28 Modifieds were scheduled to start the 35 lap Mod Wars feature with Jason Hughes and Ryan Gierke on the front row. At the close of lap one, Gierke snagged the lead with Jake O’Neil in second and Jason Hughes in third. The top two drivers stretched out their lead and with seven laps complete, Gierke was putting drivers down a lap. As Gierke made his way through traffic, his pace was slowed which allowed O’Neil to catch him. O’Neil made the pass for first just before a caution occurred. After a couple restarts, O’Neil led the drivers back to green. Drivers were three and four wide as they sped down the straight-away and battled for points. O’Neil stretched his lead while Tanner Mullens challenged Gierke. Mullens dropped a groove to make the pass, but came up short. He remained close to Gierke while Rodney Sanders closed in. Mullens dropped a groove to give it another shot, and this round he took the second point. Gierke held third with the #20 of Sanders at his door. They remained door to door for third up until the double checkers flew. Jake O’Neil snagged the win in his USMTS Modified with Tanner Mullens, Rodney Sanders, Ryan Gierke and Lucas Schott snagged the top points.
Night #2 of Mod Wars will resume at 6:30pm on Saturday Night.
Article Credit: Tami Jo Kuehn