by Nick Gima
Ashland, WI, June 20 -- John Kallas of Hurley, who has been on a tear during the early portion on the 2009 race season, finally tallied a win at the ABC Raceway during Saturday’s Amsoil Dirt Track Series program presented by the Northern State Bank and Baxter’s Speed Shop.

The five-division show saw all first-time winners for 2009 at ABC, while the track also played host to the Northern Vintage Stockcar Racers group of Minnesota and held its first-ever “Preacher Feature,” in which 13 ministers from various churches throughout the region competed for the rights to claim a large donation of food items from the fans and $170 in cash from FastLane Motorsports, Mountain Funeral Home and Glenn Dammer Racing.

Kallas, who had won nine of the ten feature races he had entered at Eagle River and Tomahawk so far this season, was 0-for-three at ABC coming into the night. But in Saturday’s non-stop 15-lap WISSOTA Street Stock feature Kallas was in the hunt from the drop of the green, hounding Cory Casari through the first two laps before sweeping around him for the lead.

Jeff Spacek Modified, Steve Stuart Midwest Modified, Pat Beeksma Six cylinder, Chad Carlson Pure Stock, Scott Lawrence Super Stock, Larry Haderly Street Stockby Nick Gima
Ashland, WI, January 17 -- Over 300 race drivers, fans and sponsors joined track workers from the ABC Raceway on Saturday, January 17, at the Bad River Casino Convention Center to celebrate the 2008 stock-car racing season at the track's annual banquet. After a buffet-style meal, track announcer Nick Gima welcomed the crowd, who had come to honor the top-finishing drivers in all six regular weekly divisions. Gima made special mention of the fact that another 16 drivers had been added in 2008 to the long list of feature winners in the track's 40-plus-year history.

Track president Kurt Beeksma then took a few moments to thank the members of the Board of Directors of the Raceway, recognize the many volunteer workers who help at the track, and congratulate the six divisional points champions. Beeksma also expressed the Raceway's appreciation to its many sponsors and a number of racers and other individuals who extended a helping hand during the past summer, and complemented several drivers who made special efforts to enhance the racing program in 2008.