ABC to Celebrate Fans, Offer Big Payday for Pures on Saturday
by Nick Gima
Ashland, WI, August 15 – This Saturday night, the ABC Raceway will take time to thank its loyal fans with its annual “Summer Blast” fan appreciation race program, to be presented by Northern Wisconsin Fence of Phillips and Outlaw Wraps & Apparel of Ashland.
A full six-division race program is in store for fans in attendance at the award-winning three-eighths-mile red-clay oval, with the WISSOTA Pure Stocks getting a little extra attention thanks to an increased payout for their feature.
Heading up the effort to put together the bonus purse for the Pure Stocks is veteran driver Brandle Pupp of Highbridge. Pupp, who has spent seven of his ten seasons in racing competing in the Pure Stock class, currently sits third in the division’s points standings at ABC, and should he stay there after the final two regular-season race nights he will match a personal career high for points finishes at Ashland.
Pupp has spent the past few weeks putting together a list of nearly two dozen area businesses who have contributed to a purse that should be close to double what the Raceway typically sets aside for the Pure Stocks.
The two drivers directly ahead of Pupp in his division’s standings – Randy Graham of Trego and Justin Weinberger of Park Falls – are in a dogfight for that class’s title. Each driver has four feature wins here in 2019, with Weinberger picking up his fourth win last Saturday night. Graham holds a thin 12-point advantage, however.
There are several other very tight championship battles at the Raceway as the season winds down. Ashland’s Steve Stuart is clinging to a scant 14-point lead in the WISSOTA Modified division, due in large part to second-in-points Jeff Spacek of Phillips picking up his second feature win of the season – and the 60th of his career at ABC – last Saturday night.
In the WISSOTA Hornets, Paul George of Princeton, MN, grabbed his second A-main win last weekend here and is holding on to just a 24-point edge on Iron River’s Derek Dunbar as he aims to become the first-ever Hornets champ in ABC Raceway history.
And in the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, former track champ George Dalbeck of Wakefield, MI, is hoping to add a second title, but Thunder Bay, ON’s David Simpson is lurking just 29 points back.
The Raceway’s other two points chases may not be as dramatic, but they’re not mathematically over with. Graham also leads the ABC Six-Cylinder points standings, as he attempts to become the first driver to ever win two divisional championships in one season at Ashland. Forrest Schultz of Ashland is Graham’s closest challenger, albeit a full 79 points back.
And Mason’s Nick Oreskovich is on pace for his fourth consecutive WISSOTA Super Stock championship, leading divisional rookie Kyle Copp of Brule by 93 points. A lead of at least 113 points after this Saturday’s program will wrap up the outright title for Oreskovich.
Lots of prize giveaways are planned for the fans in attendance on Saturday. The grandstand gates will open at 5 pm, hot laps will start at 6:15, and the first heat race of the night should “go green” at 7 pm. “Race Night” will air from 4:30-6 pm on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, with up-to-date news and weather information every 15-20 minutes.
The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland, just one mile west of State Highway 13 on Butterworth Road. For race day information, please call (715) 682-4990
The next-to-last night of the 2019 regular race season at the ABC Raceway will be on Saturday, August 17, when the track will pay tribute to its fans with its annual “Summer Blast” appreciation night, to be presented by Northern Wisconsin Fence of Phillips and Outlaw Wraps & Apparel of Ashland. All six divisions will be in action, with the enhanced-purse feature recently announced for the WISSOTA Pure Stocks to be held on this night.
The grandstands will open at 5 pm, hot laps will start at 6:15, and the first green flag of the night is set to fly at 7 pm. “Race Night” will air on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, with up-to-date track news and weather updates every 15-20 minutes from 4:30-6 pm; coverage will also stream on www.wbszfm.com and on the free Heartland Communications Group radio app.
The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990,
