By Stephanie Isaacson; I-90 Speedway
After having several weeks off, the I-90 Speedway in Blue Earth welcomed 53 drivers for racing action Friday night. Leading off the night of clean sweeps was Collin Christenson of Ellendale, MN in the Putt-Putt class. Lucas Jacobson from Mason City, IA claimed the sweep in the Junior Sportsmen division. Zach Drahota of Jackson pulled off another sweep this season capturing the checkers in the Jr. II class. North Mankato driver, Jason Vetter, captured the IKF Animal Heavy sweep.
Collin Christenson started the 10-lap putt-putt feature alongside Lexie Ignaszewski to lead the six-kart field to the green. Christenson pulled into the lead ahead of Payton Anderson and Ignaszewski and began to drive away. As the laps clicked off, Christenson’s lead grew until he came upon lapped traffic. As Christenson was slowed by the lap car, Anderson and Ignaszewski closed in and with two laps to go, the top three were in battle for the lead. Ingaszewski moved past Anderson who was hung behind the lap car and closed in on Christenson challenging for the lead. When the two came out of turn four, Christenson held off the challenges of Ignaszewski and ended his night with a sweep after winning both flight heat races.
Lucas Jacobson came into the night with a run of second place finishes. After winning both of his flight heats, he started on the front row next to Bryan Brandt, who was the winner at the last race. On the start, Brandt took the lead with Jacobson falling to second and Levi Bulfer in third. Bulfer moved ahead of Jacobson on the second lap-giving chase to Brandt. After a few cautions, Brandt still maintained the lead ahead of Bulfer until Bulfer got aggressive and got into the side of Brandt. Brandt was given the lead; Bulfer went to the tail and Jacobson inherited second place. After one final caution for a safety check on the bumper of Jacobson, Brandt remained in the lead for the restart. Jacobson drove under him down the backstretch and never looked back as he took over the top spot. Jacobson broke his streak of runner up finishes and ended the night with the sweep. Cole Ignaszewski moved past Brandt for second; Brandt held on for third ahead of Parker Anderson and Porsha Porath.
Junior II driver, Zach Drahota, went into the night having won all the features at I-90 this season, and only two points from perfect on the season. After having things go his way in the heat races, he started on the pole with Derek Steen alongside. Steen was runner up in both heats and was looking to top Drahota. At the drop of the green, Drahota pulled away as the action behind him was fierce with Eric Porth, Steen, and Aaron Kaderabek battling for position. Drahota was untouchable as he coasted to his fourth sweep of the season. Steen held on for second ahead of Kaderabek, Dylan Hanson, and Porth.
In his second visit this season, Jason Vetter was looking to repeat his accomplishments from the first trip to I-90 Speedway. Vetter was able to hold off challenges from Brandon Sohl in the heat races and started to the inside of Sohl to start the feature. The field ran a green-white-checkered 14-lap event with Vetter pulling away from Sohl on the start and continued to put distance between him and the rest of the pack. When crossing the line, Vetter wrapped up the sweep, making his record at I-90 perfect on the season.
The I-90 Speedway has four regular points shows left this season in August. The karts will again take to the track on August 1 with pit meeting at 7:00, hot laps and racing to follow. The remainder of the schedule includes a Sunday afternoon make up race on August 10 and regular races Aug 15 and 29. The season will conclude at I-90 with the Scott Greimann Memorial Fall Classic on September 27.
I-90 Speedway Karting results
July 18, 2008
Putt Putt (6 karts)
Feature (10 laps)
1- 20 Collin Christenson; Ellendale, MN
2- 11 Lexie Ignaszewski; New Richland, MN
3- 47 Payton Anderson; Sherburn, MN
4- 99 Keagan Ihle; Winnebago, MN
5- 76 Blair Nothdurft; Sioux Falls, SD
6- 77 Jordan Price; Austin, MN
Flight 1 winner: Christenson; Flight 2 winner: Christenson
Junior Sportsmen (10 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 34 Lucas Jacobson; Mason City, IA
2- 22 Cole Ignaszewski; New Richland, MN
3- 48 Bryan Brandt; Fairmont, MN
4- 74 Parker Anderson; Sherburn, MN
5- 21 Porsha Porath; Windom, MN
6- 3 Levi Bulfer; Fairmont, MN
7- 904 Nick Joynt; Ventura, IA
8- 10R Ethan Rabenhorst; Mapleton, MN
9- 08 Alec Fett; Thompson, IA
DNS 5 Brock Piper; Mason City, IA
Flight 1 winners: Brandt and Jacobson; Flight 2 winners: Ignaszewski and Jacobson.
Junior I (6 karst)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 5 Javen Ostermann; Courtland, MN
2- 95 Tylan Porath; Windom, MN
3- 88 Nate Albrant; Thompson, IA
4- 77z Cole Lusk; Jackson, MN
5- 20 Logan Swanson; Heron Lake, MN
DNF 77 Scott Hengesteg; Northwood, IA
Flight 1 winner: Hengesteg; Flight 2 winner: Ostermann.
Junior I Animal (4 karts)
Feature 14 laps)
1- 92 Sam Hurlburt; Spencer, IA
2- 3 Levi Bulfer; Fairmont, MN
3- 8z Ben Zahradnik; Stewartville, MN
4- 1 Dylan Arndt; Hayfield, MN
Flight 1 winner: Arndt; Flight 2 winner: Arndt.
Junior II (7 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 39 Zach Drahota; Jackson, MN
2- 22s Derek Steen; Lakefield, MN
3- 2 Aaron Kaderabek; Jackson, MN
4- 7 Dylan Hanson; Blue Earth, MN
5- 25 Eric Porth; Brewster, MN
6- 14 Nathan Brehmer; New Ulm, MN
7- 17 Cade Ekstrom; Truman, MN
Flight 1 winner: Drahota; Flight 2 winner Drahota.
Junior II Animal (3 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 22s Nate Zahradnik; Stewartville, MN
2- 45 Sam Minske; Northfield, MN
3- 83k Kelsey Starman; Austin, MN
Flight 1 winner: Starman; Flight 2 winner: Minske
Stock Medium (7 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 27 Logan Christensen; Farimont, MN
2- 86 James McClain; Mankato, MN
3- 84 Brian Wanarka; Fairmont, MN
4- 17 Brandon Sohl; Corwith, MN
5- 44 Jesse Allen; Kasota, MN
6- 11 Mark Sprecher; Scarville, IA
7- 4c Caci Barfknecht; Truman, MN
Flight 1 winner: Allen; Flight 2 winner: Sohl.
Limited Modified (6 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 51 Blake Arndt; Hayfield, MN
2- 11 Wade Brandt; Fairmont, MN
3- 84 Brian Wanarka; Fairmont, MN
4- 44 Brad Minske; Northfield, MN
5- 47 Loren Theel; Eyota, MN
6- 52 Greg Rhoads; Austin, MN
Flight 1 winner: Minske; Flight 2 winner: Arndt
IKF Animal Heavy (4 karts)
Feature (14 laps)
1- 17v Jason Vetter; N. Mankato, MN
2- 17 Brandon Sohl; Corwith, MN
3- 26 Dan Yust; Eyota, MN
4- 9 Brad Maass; Thompson, IA
Flight 1 winner: Vetter; Flight 2 winner Vetter.