WAGNER, S.D. (June 4) – Race car drivers and crews sometimes fall into a stereotype, that they are mechanics or some other type of “blue collar” professions. But two of the winners Friday night at Wagner Speedway followed a different career path.
A big crown braved the elements on a hot and windy evening.
Following two weeks of action being limited on the track’s time limit, the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks went the distance with a masterful performance from a driver who has shown that patience and consistency can pay off.
Tony Fetterman, who has been in the top five a total of four times in five races, finally broke through for the win, coming from outside the fourth row. Once he got by leader Dennis Powers, it was smooth sailing from there. Following Fetterman and Powers across the line was the driver who had won the last two races, Jordan Vosika, with Kaylb Brunssen fourth and Matt Rezac picking up his first top five finish of the season.
When the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods took the green, the two drivers who have combined for all five wins this season started in the fourth row, but you just had the feeling it wouldn’t take long for those two drivers to rise to the top quickly.
After an early caution, the march was on. Dudley Schroeder Jr. started in the eighth position and worked his way to the front near the halfway point, with Josh Pfeifer in tow. Eventually, Pfeifer was able to power by Schroeder to pick up his third victory of the season.
Pfeifer is used to driving somewhere from a great distance. He resides in St. Paul, Neb., which is 155 miles from Wagner, and he commutes one hour each way every day to his job as an Interventional Cardiac Vascular Technologist in Hastings. Following Pfeifer and Schroeder across the checkers were Kevin McCarthy, Raymond Bigge and Stephen Ives.
The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars took to the high banks next and another driver in the health care field “took care” of the field. Once he was able to get by race leader Dennis Englehaput, Daniel Nekolite came from the sixth starting spot to pick up his first win of the season at Wagner.
Nekolite, nicknamed “Doc,” is a physician and business owner of Finish Line Chiropractic and Acupuncture in O’Neill, Neb. Needless to say, his 22D machine was in fine form in victory. Following the good doctor were Logan Hershey, Dennis Englehaupt, Jared Janssen and John Otte.
It was more of the same in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts, as Conner Brown picked up top honors for the third time in 2021. Following Brown were Auston Honeycutt, Taylor Brown, Richard Gray and Jerik Stabler.
The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars saw a first-time winner, as Brady Wenzlaff was able to pry the lead in the race and the dominance in points from Greg Taylor for his first triumph.
Taylor, who had won three of four events in 2021, lead the event until Wenzlaff made his move and drove away to garner the checkers. Taylor settled for second with Logan Kafka taking third. Kafka, making his first appearance of the season at the track, drove the Joey Jaton no. 7 entry to take a top three.
For a complete listing of results and up to the minute point standings at the track and on the IMCA ledger, see wagnerspeedway.com
The Fort Randall Casino Weekly Racing Series will resume with its sixth event this Friday night, June 11.
