44 year old Tonja Stranger
(pronounced Tonya) made a name for herself racing in a different era. Race fuel
was $2.50 a gallon. The first George Bush was in the White House. Her hometown
Bemidji State Beavers were still a Division III hockey program. I was 1 year
old. It was 1989 when Tanya entered her first race. She went on to win several heat races and
even 2 track championships in the Pro Stock class in 1993 and 1994 at Buffalo
River Race Park in Glyndon. Following that season, Tonja hung it all up for a
different life. She left behind a big presence at the track, both literally and
figuratively. She bought a home, bought a new pick up, and “grew up” as she put
it. However, despite the track championships, she never won a feature race. But
her racing career was not forgotten, nor was it over.
Fast forward about 17 years later.
Race fuel is now about $9 a gallon. The 2nd George Bush was long
gone. The Beavers hockey team had just shocked the nation by making the
Division I Final Four the year prior. I could now legally be in a bar. The year
was 2010 and a familiar name with a different look had returned to racing. Now
175 pounds lighter and still a larger than life personality, Tonja Stranger had
returned to racing in a WISSOTA Mod 4. She credits close friend and fellow
competitor Conrad Schwinn for getting her back into racing. She’s still in search
of her first feature win, but as she stated in recent interview, “As long as
I’m improving I’m happy.” She’s finished 4th, 3rd, and 2nd
in recent feature races.
Her hometown track is Bemidji
Speedway, a ¼ mile clay track her and her family also run. Although she likes
to get out and run different tracks when she can. “It’s hard to enjoy racing as
much as I’d like to, because being promoter of the track is hard enough.
Bemidji is fun, but its nice going to other tracks where the other drivers
aren’t always asking you where the pay window is,” chuckled Stranger. And if you’re wondering how she feels being a
female in a primarily male sport, Stranger says she proved herself against the
guys in her first few years of racing. “I haven’t set the world on fire. I
haven’t won a feature yet, but that’s my goal this year.” Look for Stranger to make an occasional appearance
at Norman County Raceway in the #97 Mod-4.
Photo: Tonja Stranger (right) races in a Pro Stock back in the 90s at Buffalo River Race Park. Photo credit to: Corey Litton (Checkers and Wreckers)
Mark Askelson hosts “Racing on the
Radio” Thursday nights starting 6:45pm from Norman County Raceway as well as
the “Racing on the Radio Review” Saturday mornings at 8:45am. Both can be heard
on 106.5 KRJB and krjbradio.com.
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