News and Notes - May 9th, 2016 Edition

Good day everyone. We're now a couple weeks into the racing season and there's a bunch more tidbits and news, so here's your latest update and observations from #RacingontheRadio.

First Timers
-A couple of drivers picked up their first ever wins on the first race of the season at Norman County Raceway including Reise Stenberg in the Midwest Mods and Luke Johnson in the Sport Mods. For Luke it was his first ever race in a sport mod after moving up from a Mod 4. He was sitting in 2nd all night until Wagner's misfortune put the 8j in the lead on the last lap. Stenberg has at least a couple years experience in a B-mod. He hit his spots perfectly on Thursday night to secure a win.

Not So Hot Potato
Andy "Spud" Wagner wasn't far away from having two impressive races this weekend, but mechanical problems turned it into a pretty rotten weekend. Thursday night he lead 11.5 of 12 laps at NCR before electrical problems shut down his engine. On Sunday, his problems continued in his heat, but he rebounded in his feature going from last to second with half the race remaining. However, the problem he had in his heat reared it's ugly and he began losing power. Wagner would pull off a few laps later.

A numbers game
-Dev Malmov is back again this year, but this time in preferred number #21. He ran the number #91b for the last several seasons, which is the inverse of car owner Jake Bitker's preferred number of #19b. Fun Fact: Dev is a HUGE Dominique Wilkins fan, who wore the #21 for the Atlanta Hawks. Ironically both are often referred to as "the human highlight reel" in their respective sports.

-Dan Dowling is racing an IMCA Hobby Stock with a number #5x, to match the number of NDSU Football National Championships. If he was a UND Hockey fan, his number would now be #8x...just throwing that out there. ;)

Thrice the Bryce
-As if reading the line ups in a poorly lit announcer booth wasn't already hard enough, Bryce Bjerken informed me while conversing with Bryce Borgen that Bryce Bjeke would be returning to race an IMCA Modified this year at Red River Valley Speedway. At least Bjerke will likely choose #9. (Borgen and Bjerken are both #7). But if all three find themselves in a 3-way, 3 wide battle of the Bryce's...the universe as we know might implode.

-Speaking of Bryce (Bjerken), Felton's Finest is off to a hot start in his rookie campaign in an IMCA Modified. In his first night of competition, Bryce finished 4th in his T&E Mod at Norman County Raceway and followed it up with a strong 8th at BRRP.

The track formerly known as the "Fastest Track in the Upper Midwest"
Red River Valley Speedway held a test and tune on Friday, May 6th and it appears to be in good shape. Sounds like there are still a few facility kinks that are being worked out, but many of the drivers had good things to say about the racing surface. 58 cars showed up for the session, which is a pretty solid indicator that the car count should be in the 60s or 70s on an average basis. The season opens at RRVS this Friday and we'll have live racing coverage all season long on 106.5 KRJB!

This is why we can't have nice things, Rob! 
For whatever reason, Rob VanMil can't keep his tin straight for more than 6 minutes. His #4d IMCA Mod is one of my favorite cars this season, and I specifically told Rob not to wreck his tin, which didn't make it out of either one of his heat races this weekend at NCR and BRRP without being yanked off and beat up. On a side note: His 2016 Victory is mad fast and is well on its way to a dozen or so victories this season. He got his first win of the season on Sunday.

Rob VanMil's Sharp looking 2016 Victory

News & Notes from April 28th Test & Tune at Norman County Raceway

It has been several months since I had last attended a dirt track, so it was nice to see some friendly faces, take in a big breath of exhaust fumes, and watch about 30 or so cars take some laps around Norman County Raceway, just one week before the Season Opener. I tried to take in as much as possible with so many drivers moving up and things changing this year. So here are a few news and notes that should get you by until race season starts.

Moving Up

-Paul Colvin and Vince Jegtvig are two pure stock drivers that will be making the plunge into a Sport Mod or B-mod car. Both are former NCR track champions by the way. By the sounds of it, Vince is choosing the WISSOTA Midwest Modified route, while Colvin is choosing an IMCA Northern Sport Modified. In his first few laps, Colvin looked solid and didn't appear to be afraid of the bigger car in any way.

-Luke Lick is moving up from a Sport/B-mod to an A-mod. Sharp car too. Definitely in my top 5 for coolest looking cars this season. By the sounds of it, he'll be running mostly WISSOTA shows, but will likely run some IMCA as well. I believe he has a goal of 50 shows this summer. Looked very comfortable in the new car.

Luke Lick's ride for 2016

-The "One Armed Bandit" Taylor Grove will be making the jump from the trophy class to an IMCA Sport Mod. By the end of test and tune, he really started to look comfortable and was turning some consistent and smooth laps. No easy task with only one hand on the wheel.  I'm excited to see what he can do once he gets confident.

Shaking things up

Say what!!!???

-It's no surprise to see Austin Arneson, the King of the Dirt and former USMTS Gulf Coast Region Champion, turning a ton of laps during an NCR Test & Tune, but it was a huge surprise to see him turning those laps in an IMCA Modified...and a Crate motor nonetheless. It makes sense though when really think about it. Arneson has a booming business (Dakota Grinding) and it doesn't allow him to run the USMTS schedule that he would like. With an IMCA Mod, he can run 4 shows a week all within an hour. Sounds like his plan is to run Thursday and Fridays at NCR and RRVS on a consistent basis and also still run some of the bigger shows and USMTS appearances in the region. Cale Arneson, Austin's brother, may also make a return to racing after four (or five?) year hiatus. He put some laps in Thursday night at the end of practice in Austin's car and looked really good from where I was watching in the infield..

-Cody Skytland is back in a Modified again for the 2016 season. He has a brand new Masterbilt to compete with thanks to car owner Bryan Kakela. Cody said he still plans on running the Late Model on occasion, but his main focus is the Modifed. Sounds like the goal is to hit up as many of the nearby USMTS and bigger Mod shows as he can while he is still able to. His kids are getting older and he said wanted to take one more big crack at competing against some of the top guys in the nation.

Cody Sktyland's 2016 Modified

Legendary

-There was about a half dozen or more INEX Legend cars putting some laps in at NCR before the regular season starts. The Legends will make roughly 10 appearances this year on the high banked 3/8th mile track. It's a little bit bigger than what most are probably used to so the practice was likely a big help. They looked like they were flying last night and I'm really excited to see what they can bring for racing action at NCR.  It's a tight group of racers and they travel well. My hope is to see at least two heats each week.

Other

- Matt Schow, who's targeting back to back track championships at River Cities Speedway, was turning laps in Lynn Lucken's Super Truck last night.

- Danny Netland will be the new flagman this year at Norman County Raceway. Danny has been with NCR for many years and I'm excited to have him on board making the calls and waving the flag. Even he, along with assistant flagman Matt Greseth, was at test and tune getting used to his new home in the flag stand.

-Robert Bladow had the fastest time of the night in his Late Model. Bladow had an up and down rookie season last year and is looking to rebound. Honestly he surprised many of us, including myself, by how fast he was out of the shoot in 2015. Robert looked very smooth last night and could really start being a contender this summer.

-Cody Erickson's Modified was present, but Cody was not. "Retired" driver Bryce Borgen was turning laps in it last night while Cody was busy in the field. UPDATE: Turns out Bryce will be racing the 1x for the first month or so of racing while Cody focuses on field work.

Mark Dobmeier will Race Both Sprint Car & Late Model This Summer at River Cities Speedway!

Breaking news out of the Team 13 Racing Shop this morning. In an interview recorded for an upcoming Racing on the Radio Review Episode, Mark "Dynamite" Dobmeier announced that in addition to running a 410 NOSA Sprint, he will also be racing a NLRA Late Model on a weekly basis on Friday nights at River Cities Speedway.

"It's an opportunity to branch out and get my feet wet in a different type of car. Late Model car counts were a bit low last year at River Cities, so this will add at least one more car to the field. Plus if Donny Schatz can do it, so can I!"

Dobmeier has only raced a Late Model once in his racing career. He admits it did not go very well, but he wants to try it again. The plan is to only to run it in Grand Forks, and at occasional shows throughout the region.

"The competition is pretty tough in Grand Forks," said Mark. "Brad Seng and Dustin Strand will be tough to beat, but I think I have enough skills in my back pocket and good enough team to hopefully win a couple of races in 2016.

But the real motive behind all of this, as I later found out in an off air discussion, is actually more of a marketing decision.

"This a great opportunity for me to sell more T-shirts!," Dobmeier confessed.

Mark plans on selling separate apparel for both his late model and sprint car. He also plans on separate lines of hats, I-phone covers, Dog and Cat water dishes, fish tanks, and paper towel dispensers.

Actually, this is the only car Mark Dobmeier will be racing this summer! 

April Fools! 

Thanks for reading and thanks to Mark Dobmeier for being a part of it!
The real interview with Mark can be heard April 9th on at 8:45am on 106.5 KRJB, Gold 101.5 KRJM, and 96.7 and 1480 KKCQ.

Ice Racing on the Radio Returns February 13th!

Matt Schow celebrates a heat win on January 23rd.

It's back again for 2016! Ice Racing on the Radio coverage returns for the 4th year in a row from Cameron Lake in Erskine, Mn. While my #RacingontheRadio Colleagues (Mike and Corey) are sweating their butts off in the Florida heat helping out Racefeed X, I look forward to getting back in to the racing action with the great group from the the Cameron Lake Ice Racing Association. Coverage will begin at about 11:45am on KKCQ 1480AM with the green flag dropping at noon. There will be two full shows (Heats, B-main, Feature).

Some of the names of the drivers might be recognizable as well to dirt track fans. All three Schow brothers (Matt, Ryan, Tyler) are driving this year along with the often dominant Doyle Erickson, Bill Beckman, Ryan Osowski, Thomas Arndt, and more.

The Cameron Lake Ice Racing Association had their first race of the season on January 16th and continues each Saturday typically until March. Spectating the races is free and concessions are usually available.

Speaking from experience the races are always a blast, the drivers are super nice, and the Cameron Lake Ice Racing Association is a pleasure to work with! And on February 13th, you'll be able to watch the races from the comfort of your vehicle and listen to the play by play on KKCQ 1480-AM.

If you are interested in sponsoring the race broadcast, please feel free to contact Don Brinkman at 218-435-1919 or Jim or Mark (myself) at 218-784-2844.

KRJB to be the Radio Home for Red River Valley Speedway!

Exciting news coming for Racing on the Radio fans this summer. Not only will you continue to hear live racing coverage from Norman County Raceway on Thursday nights, but now Racing on the Radio will be broadcasting live on Friday nights as well from Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND.

Dirt track action from RRVS will be heard exclusively on 106.5 KRJB and online at rjbroadcasting.com.

"We've formed a great partnership with  NCR (and now RRVS) owner Jake Bitker over the years with our involvement at Norman County Raceway. This is an exciting new adventure and great chance to reach out to new fans and continue to provide more racing coverage for our already very loyal following," says Jim Birkemeyer, Owner of R & J Broadcasting Inc.

Racing on the Radio began in 2010 with broadcasting just a few races throughout the season and has since expanded to include full season coverage. pre and post race driver interviews, color commentary and analysis, and audio streaming to an audience all across the world.

Expect the same great quality coverage from announcers Mark Askelson, Corey Litton, and Mike Spieker when available. Racing is set to begin on May 5th at Norman County Raceway and May 6th at Red River Valley Speedway. A broadcast schedule is still pending, but coverage should be expected for a minimum of 10 races at RRVS and a minimum of 15 at NCR.

"We are extremely grateful for our great following and many loyal sponsors who support Racing on the Radio, and I'm thrilled to be able to provide another night of quality, local dirt track racing. No where else in this region can you turn on your radio and hear great racing action like we have on Racing on the Radio," says Racing on the Radio host and producer Mark Askelson. Mark will serve as NCR track announcer and provide play-by-play on Thursday nights with Corey Litton running the show. Friday nights they will swap positions at RRVS.

106.5 KRJB is 100,000 watt radio station in Ada, Mn, and is part of the R & J Broadcasting Inc, group of stations that also includes Gold 101.5 KRJM in Mahnomen and 96.7/1480 KKCQ in Fosston. KRJB's signal can be heard as far west as Jamestown, as far east as Bemidji, past Grand Forks to the north, and near the Whapeton area to the south.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Racing on the Radio or would like more information, contact Jim or Mark with R & J Broadcasting Inc. at 1-800-569-4171.

Red River Valley Speedway to Re-Open in 2016!!!

It is by far the biggest racing announcement this year "in the Upper Midwest"

There's been many rumors and a lot of wishful thinking in the racing world these last couple months, but as it turns out the rumors are true. Red River Valley Speedway will return in 2016 on a somewhat limited schedule. The former 1/2 now 3/8 mile dirt track has sat stagnant since the end of the 2012 season.

Previously ran by the Schatz Family and under the WISSOTA sanction, RRVS will continue on Friday nights but with the IMCA banner and with new operators. This time around Nick Skalicky, who runs the Red River Kart Club, and Jake Bitker, who runs Norman County Raceway, will be continuing on the legacy of dirt track racing on the Red River Valley Fairgrounds. Skalicky will be the Chief Operations Officer and Competition Director of the Speedway. JS Bitker LLC signed a 3 year deal with the Red River Valley Fairboard to operate the facility through at least 2018

Racing will be on Friday nights at 7pm. 13 events are scheduled for 2016. Classes that will compete each week include IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Northern Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks/Pure Stocks, and INEX Legends. A complete schedule was not yet available, However, NOSA Sprints Cars will make an appearance on July 17th as part of the Red River Valley Fair. The season opener is set for May 6th.

Red River Valley Speedway first opened in 1972.

2015 Racing on the Radio "Best of Best"

So as the 2015 dirt track season has effectively came to a close, I feel now would be a good time to make mention of some of the best moments, drivers, races, and anything else that I feel deserves a high five, fist pound, thumbs up, or even standing ovation. Essentially it’s my way of pointing out things or people that deserve a little credit this season. Of course, these are my opinions based on my observations based on races I attended. There’s probably lots of stuff that I missed, so feel free to comment and add what you think deserves recognition.

First off on a lighter note:

Best Nachos: Gotta give this one to River Cities Speedway and their Bucket of Nachos. Taco Beef or shredded pork with nacho chips, nacho cheese, shredded cheese, salsa, jalopenos, and more! Best $7.50 I ever spent. And I did so on multiple occasions. Even their regular Nachos were loaded with extra cheese.

Best Hamburger: Norman County Raceway. I never actually had one, but if Jake Pommerer, Mike Spieker, and Corey Litton tell you that it’s the best around….it has to be true.

Best overall concessions: North Central Speedway in Brainerd gets the nod here. Very affordable prices and lots of unique options like the Pit Fries (fries loaded with BBQ’s and Cheese).

Pit Fries from North Central Speedway

My favorite race track of the year: I will exclude NCR because of my bias. I still didn't make it to as many tracks as would have liked, but I will give the nod to Buffalo River Race Park. Great fans, great affordable place to watch a race. Indoor seating. Great hospitality too. Races move quickly.

Other notables: I-94 Speedway in Fergus was a close 2nd. Love the seating. Cheap ticket. North Central Speedway is also a very affordable and family friendly race track.

On to some actual racing things…..

Modified Driver of the year: Can you give this to anyone besides Mr. Excitement, Dev Malmlov? I have never seen anyone driver a car like he did the 2^nd half of the summer.

Other notables: Justin Jones (He did win like 2 or was it 3 track championships), Alex Englestad, Dustin Strand, Mike Johnson

Dev Malmlov #91B

Late Model Driver of the Year: Gotta give it to Dustin Strand. The “Kid” proved this year he is a top contender in the Late Model field. Won the NLRA points championship.

Other notables: Ricky Weiss had a tremendous year but didn’t make any new friends by the sound of it. Don Shaw, Brad Seng, and the usual suspects.

Dustin Strand #71

Midwest Modified or Sport Modified Driver of the Year: Jason Strand was untouchable in a Midwest Mod. Swept the B-mod Blitz.

Other notables: Andy Wagner made a ton of progress this year. Brock Gronwold is still fast. Travis Saurer isn’t cheating after all. Matt Schow finished strong. Scott Jacobson still has it.

Jason Strand #E85

Biggest Surprise of the Year: We all knew Rob VanMill would probably win a race or at least be competitive, but I don’t think anyone predicted he would have more than 5…which he did. (He won 7) Rob clearly has great racing sense. Should be a dominant force in the future.

Other notables: Bill Mooney had some very bright moments this year. Bill Yonke won a few races and also may have exposed one of the biggest conspiracy theories I’ve heard in recent dirt track history.

Rob VanMill #4D

Drivers to Watch in 2016: Brady Petermann was close to his first win in his rookie year in a mod. Definitely has the car. Tyler Hall is close. Jesse Skalicky will keep winning more races. Cole Schill looked very confident this year.

Best Race of the Year: Personally the John Seitz Memorial Race was the top choice for me. 92 laps of close racing. Lots of lead changes plus tons of drama and story lines to go with it.

Other notables: Sander's Mod Challenge was a great experience, and literally every Street Stock race ever this summer.

Biggest Rivalry: Ryan Satter vs Travis Robertson. It was a friendly rivalry, but those two battled hard many nights together. Good kids, cool heads, great race car drivers. 

Other notables: Andy Wagner vs the Jacobsons. Actually come to think about it...nobody made any friends in the sport mod class this year. 

Tough luck Award: Compared to her tremendous 2014 campaign, Tailin Tommerdahl had a pretty rough go of things this summer. Besides her scary roll over at Norman County Raceway, it was just was one of those years where she couldn’t get things to click. She has a ton of potential in the sport and I’m really looking forward to seeing her start fresh in a Modified in 2016.

Favorite Driver to Interview/Speak to: Tom Cummings. Let's be honest this is probably the only award he had a shot at winning. Just a quality individual though. Always smiling. Funny as hell. Smarter than I ever imagined.
Other notables: Billy Vogel is a character. Brad Seng is a goofball, but super nice too. Dustin Strand tells it like it is. 

All Photo Credit (with the exception of the food one) goes to Mike Spieker of Speedway Shots.