Spacek, Nye, Beeksma, Christman earn checkers

by Nick Gima
May 12, 2012; Ashland, WI - Beautiful blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures greeted fans as the ABC Raceway opened its stock car racing season Saturday night.
In the AmsOil Dirt Track Series five-division program presented by the Northern State Bank, Jared Loos of Loyal made a rare trip north pay off with the WISSOTA modified feature win. Also collecting season-opening first-place paychecks were Randy Spacek of Phillips, Travis Nye of Ashland, Pat Beeksma of Ironwood, MI, and Jeff Christman of Superior.

by Nick Gima

April 28, 2012; Ashland, WI – It doesn’t seem that long ago the ABC Raceway capped off its 2011 stock-car racing season with one of the most exciting Red Clay Classic events in recent history.

But with the calendar quickly turing to spring and summer not far behind, the all-volunteer staff which operates the three-eighths-mile red-clay oval located just south of Ashland are already well into their preparations for the 48th season of action under the direction of the Ashland-Bayfield County Racing Association.

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI, October 1, 2011 – Jake Redetzke of Eau Claire followed in his father’s celebrated footsteps Saturday night, completing the first father-son combination to win Red Clay Classic features during the 36th running of the traditional stock car racing finale at the ABC Raceway on a crisp, clear autumn evening.

Joining Redetzke as winners of the AmsOil Dirt Track Series event were Joey Jensen of Forest Lake, MN; Shane Kisling of Sarona, and George Dalbeck of Ironwood, MI; while Dave Cain of Corcoran, MN, became the fifth – and, as it turns out, the final – Como Mod Series champion in the six seasons of the popular WISSOTA modified tour.

by Nick Gima

 Ashland, WI, August 27, 2011 – The ABC Raceway crowned its 2011 track champions during its Pepsi Fan Appreciation Night presented by Northstar Beverages of Hurley and WIMI, 99.7 FM, of Ironwood, MI on a beautiful late-summer evening.

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI — It all boils down to the final night of the 2011 stock car racing season at the ABC Raceway on Saturday, August 27.

All five divisional points championships will be decided, in a program to be presented by Northstar Beverage of Hurley, Pepsi, and WIMI, 99.7 FM, of Ironwood, MI, that will include heats and features in all classes plus some bonus racing.

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI, August 20, 2011 – The rains came down at just the right time for Brian Mikkonen, who was leading the WISSOTA super stock feature with six laps remaining when the skies opened up and washed out the balance of Saturday’s race program at the ABC Raceway.

Brian Mikkonen captured the rain-shortened WISSOTA Super Stock main event at ABC Raceway.

 The popular Iron River veteran racer was declared the winner of the race and joined Ashland drivers Rick Przybylski and Neil Adamczak as well as Steve Udeen of Superior in cashing in first-place checks during the shortened AmsOil Dirt Track Series program presented by Ashland businesses Chicago Iron & Supply and Northern Clearing Inc.

by Nick Gima

August 20, 2011 – Ashland, WI — Going for the win and looking at the big picture is a mental coin-toss when it comes to stock car racing.
 Many of the drivers at the ABC Raceway will have to make that decision with the season boiling down to just two more regular-season shows, including the one this Saturday presented by Chicago Iron & Supply and Northern Clearing, both of Ashland.

by Nick Gima

 Ashland, WI — The grand finale of the 2011 stock car racing season in the Northland is the 36th annual Red Clay Classic at the ABC Raceway, and reservations are now being accepted for pit parking, camping spots and seat-and-ticket packages.

This year’s Red Clay Classic will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 30-October 1 and will feature four WISSOTA-sanctioned divisions in action. Over 200 racers are again expected to compete for their share of a purse that should once again exceed $75,000.

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI, August 13, 2011 – Ken Tody Jr of Ashland made a low-groove pass stick on the final lap and stole away the win in the “Pure Excitement 25” pure stock feature at the ABC Raceway on Saturday night.

Also claiming victories during the AmsOil Dirt Track Series program, which was presented by the Ashland-Bayfield County Sportsman’s Club and Baxter’s Speed Shop of Dorchester, were Ashland’s Kevin Eder in the WISSOTA modifieds, Scott Lawrence of Superior in the WISSOTA super stocks, Taylor Leuthner of Foxboro in the WISSOTA Midwest modifieds, and Ashland’s Tyler Hudack in the six-cylinders. A season-high 91 cars were in action on a cool but comfortable evening.

by Nick Gima Ashland, WI –

The ABC Raceway will host its eighth annual “Pure Excitement 25” pure stock special this Saturday night. The event, which will be presented by the Ashland-Bayfield County Sportsman’s Club and Baxter’s Speed Shop & Custom Machining of Dorchester, gives local stock car racing’s entry-level division a chance to run for prize money greater than what the track’s “big boys” earn.

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI, August 6, 2011  – A late-arriving front moved in to the Chequamegon Bay area Saturday afternoon and dumped enough rain to wash out the Rivord Trucking-sponsored Birch Grove Campground Night at the Races program at the ABC Raceway.

 This marks the second straight season that wet weather forced track officials to cancel a program on the first scheduled race night of August. The decision also leaves just three regular-season race nights remaining for the summer of 2011.