Recap by Jason D Searcy
Elko (MN) – September 23, 2017
Lakeville Minnesota’s Chris Marek won his third career Big 8 Late Model series event this past Saturday night at Elko Speedway.
Marek, who started the race from fifth place, did not get to the front of the field until lap 38, navigating his way through one of the deepest Big 8 Series feature fields in recent memory. Prior Lake Minnesota’s Chad Walen held the lead early on in the 58 lap race, trading barbs with Fairbault native Bryan Wrolstad. On lap 18, Wrolstad pushed past Walen and inherited the race lead. Meanwhile, Marek finally made his way to the front by lap 31 and challenged Wrolstad for the top spot. Seven laps later, Marek climbed to the lead and held off the late race challenges of Elko Speedway track champion Jacob Goede on his way to the win.
“The car was really solid all day, we knew we weren’t the fastest car on the short run, but we had a pretty good long run piece and it payed off for the end,” said Marek “going cautionless really helped us.”
This is the second time that Marek has won at Thunderstruck, a race ran in memory of Dan Ryan, a former Elko racer and car owner who passed away from ALS in 2009. Marek also won the Big 8 series race in 2013. “This race is extra special because Dan was a good friend of my whole family and he was a mentor to me” said Marek.
Goede started tenth and finished second in his first ever Big 8 race, while Wrolstad held on and captured a podium finish in third. Series point leader Michael Bilderback started eleventh and moved up to finish in the fourth position while nine-time Elko Speedway champion Donny Reuvers rounded out the top 5.
The 58 lap race featured 25 starters and ran caution free.
Big 8 Late Model Series
Official Results
9th Annual “Thunderstruck
Elko (MN) Speedway
1. Christopher Marek, Lakeville, MN
2. Jacob Goede, Carver, MN
3. Bryan Wrolstad, Fairbault, MN
4. Michael Bilderback, South Beloit, IL
5. Donny Reuvers, Dundas, MN
6. Brody Willett, Alburnett, IA
7. Owin Giles, New Market, MN
8. Joe Neisius, Rosemount, MN
9. Dylan Moore, Northfield, MN
10. Grant Brown, Prior Lake, MN
11. Chad Walen, Prior Lake, MN
12. Derek Lemke, Shakopee, MN
13. Michael Ostdiek, Lakeville, MN
14. Ryan Kamish, Farmington, MN
15. Jacob Zellmer, Burlington, WI
16. Justin Neisius, Eagan, MN
17. Jeremy Miller, Rockford, IL
18. Jon Lemke, Shakopee, MN
19. Jared Duda, St Michael, MN
20. Jerry Mueller, Richfield, WI
21. Jeff Partington, Farmington, MN
22. Jacob Vanoskey, Hartford, WI
23. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream, IL
24. Tim Sargent, South Beloit, IL
25. Tyler Hromadka, Brookfield, WI
Fast Time: Sargent
Car Count: 25 Big 8 Late Models
Current Big 8 Late Model Series Points
Top 10
1 Michael Bilderback 702
2. Jeremy Miller 601
3. Brody Willett 508
4. Ryan Kamish 447
5. Jerry Mueller 391
6. Jake Zellmer 367
7. Jake Vanoskey 353
8. Tim Sargent 349
9. Tyler Hromadka 313
10. (Tie) Tyler Brown ® 274
Jared Duda 274