The Scoop
ZELLNER BOYS QUICK LEARNERS AT EAGLE RIVER – GABE COPS ROUND III TRIPLE CROWN
Posted on: Wednesday August 11, 2021
New Franken, Wisconsin’s Gabe Zellner proved to be a quick study at Eagle RIver Speedway August 10. In his first time at the track Zellner passed local hotshoe Jason Zdroik for the lead and won the $1,100 top prize in the B Mod Triple Crown Shootout.
Gabe Zellner and his family didn’t mind a long road home back to New Franken, Wisconsin into the early morning hours Wednesday, August 11.
That’s because in the brothers first ever appearance at the D-shaped, third-mile clay oval Gabe and his brother Jacob finished 1-2, beating the local star Jason Zdroik in Round III of the B Mod Triple Crown at Eagle River, Speedway Tuesday August 11.
Gabe pocketed $1,100 while Jacob took home $600 for his second place efforts. “I’ve never seen a track like this before,” Gabe Zellner exclaimed in victory lane. “The surface was a little bit sandier than the clay we are used to at the other tracks to the south. But we love it up here. It’s a really cool place.”
The Zellner’s were both very quick learners, as each captured their respective heat races, turning some heads and making the locals take notice.
When Zdroik, who won the first series event in June drew the number 2 pill to start outside in the front row, many in attendance thought it was all over with. However, the Zeller brothers had other ideas.
“Those guys are tough,” Zdroik explained, congratulating Zellner in victory lane. “I love the competition. The more cars the better. It’s tough to get them up here because we’re so far north and we run on Tuesday nights. The more the merrier in my opinion.”
Zdroik still had reason to be happy as he wound up champion of the three race series and pocketed $1,500 in bonus cash for his title.
The drama with that unfolded days before when Eagle River’s Bruce Belland, who held a one point lead in the series over Zdroik heading into the final night, went down with a medical condition and was unable to answer the bell for the series finale. Belland won the July Triple Crown event.
A total of 27 different B Mod drivers (21 from Wisconsin and six from Michigan) took part in the three race series. 10 of those drivers made all three shows and were rewarded for their attendance with point fund cash. Fall Creek, Wisconsin’s Josh Smith pocketed $750 while Twin Lakes, Michigan’s Jesse Aho took home $500 in bonus cash for third. 10th place finisher Pete Paulus of Phillips took home $200. That bonus cash was courtesy of Red’s Auto of Ironwood, Michigan, Hartman’s Well Drilling of Conover and Chef Rene’s of Eagle River.
27 B Mod drivers from Wisconsin and Michigan earned points in Eagle River Speedway’s Triple Crown in 2021. The top ten in points all took home bonus cash.
Plans are to continue to build upon the Triple Crown in 2022 and make it even bigger. In three races the series spawned three different winners. Drivers representing more than one dozen dirt tracks across multiple sanctioning bodies took part in the three race series.
ATTENTION SPORTS/MOTORSPORTS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GABE ZELLNER SHADES BROTHER JACOB ZELLNER, ZDROIK, COPS EAGLE RIVER B MOD SHOOTOUT
(ZDROIK WINS THREE RACE TRIPLE CROWN SERIES)
(EAGLE RIVER, WI) August 10 – New Franken’s Gabe Zellner made the long tow north from New Franken, Wisconsin pay off.
Zellner passed local hotshoe Jason Zdroik for the lead on lap eight and weaved his way through lapped cars to win Round III of the B Mod Triple Crown at Eagle River Speedway here Tuesday night in a race that went green-to-checkered without a yellow.
The event went green to checkered without a yellow. Polesitter Peter Paulus jumped into the early lead at the drop of the green with Zdroik to his outside and Gabe Zellner glued to his rear bumper.
Zdroik wrestled the top spot away from Paulus on lap five and Zellner worked the high line around Zdroik. The went toe-to-toe for the balance of the event with Zellner pulling away and his brother Jacob Zellner slipping into the second spot.
The Zellner boys and Zdroik threaded their way through lapped cars in the final circuits with Gabe Zellner collecting $1,100 for the win. Jacob Zellner settled for second at the pay window, followed by Zdroik, Jesse Aho and Mickey Nosser.
With his third place finish Zdroik captured the B Mod Triple Crown Series which paid out $1,500. Zdroik would go on to win the late model feature later in the night.
Defending stock car champion Rod Snellenberger of Pulaski scored a green-to-checkered division feature win, fending off a late race surge from hometown driver Ryan Brown in doing so. Brown gained redemption later in the night with a feature win in the street stock class.
Phelps’ Dustin Kangas went wire-to-wire – leading every lap en route to his first 15 lap 600 micro feature of the season.
In 300 micro sprint action Boulder Junction’s Kathryn Towne lapped the entire field en route to victory in her feature race. Tomahawk’s Kaeden Bethel padded his point lead with a feature win.
Racing resumes next Tuesday, August 17 with back-to-school night at the speedway. Dozens of backpacks chock full of school supplies will be given away to the kids. The track’s weekly divisions will be in action along with the Pure Stocks. The first green flag is set to fly at 730 p.m. Fans are encouraged to please check the track’s website Facebook page or you can email patzdroik@yahoo.com or call (715) 891 1870.
SUMMARY
CHEF RENE B MOD TRIPLE CROWN FEATURE RACE – Gabe Zellner, New Franken; Jacob Zellner, New Franken; Jason Zdroik, Eagle River; Jesse Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Mickey Nosser, Phillips; Josh Smith, Fall Creek; Cole Czarneski, Denmark; Stan Rychloch, Three Lakes; Pete Paulus, Phillips; Frank Gasperini, Eagle River; Beetle Bailey, Argonne; Andrew Welter, Cedarburg; Joe Dyer, Kiel; Austin Zdroik, Hartford; Dustin White, Eagle River; John Ostermann, Norway, MI
HEATS 1) Gabe Zellner; Smith 2) Jacob Zellner; Jesse Aho
SWEETWATER ERS LATE MODEL FEATURE – Jason Zdroik; Travis Friske, Tomahawk; Dustin White, Eagle River; Danny Zelten, Clearwater
HEAT – Zdroik; White
COFFEN CONSTRUCTION STOCK CAR FEATURE – Rod Snellenberger, Pulaski; Brown; David Blackberg, Eagle River; Jonathon Miller, Eagle River; Patrick Farley Jr, Green Bay; Joe Leveille, Eagle River; Matt Cleary, Lac Du Flambeau
HEAT – Snellenberger; Blackberg
EAGLE RIVER DOCK & LIFT STREET STOCK FEATURE – Brown; Jason Eisel, Sugar Camp; Dave Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI; Emerson Manos, Ontonagon, MI; Blake Hartman, Conover; Mason Zdroik, Hartford; Breydon Peterson, Eagle River
HEAT – Dave Dishaw; Eisel
JD ARCHERY & PAINTBALL 600 MICRO SPRINT FEATURE – Dustin Kangas, Phelps; Cole Stella, Minocqua; Tommie Springer, Eagle River; Russell Klein, Sugar Camp; Mya Towne, Boulder Junction; Andy Fink, Minocqua; Matthew Klein, Sugar Camp
HEAT – Stella; Springer
HALSEY FAB/DAN’S SERVICE JUNIOR SPRINT FEATURES 300 SEMI PRO – Kathryne Towne, Boulder Junction; Carter Aho, Twin Lakes, MI; Addison Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI; Lucas Zdroik, Eagle River; Mason Meier, Eagle River; Kaylynn Klein, Sugar Camp; Aiyana Laughnan, Archer Peter, Manitowish Waters; Alexander Kniewel
300 PRO – Kaeden Bethel, Tomahawk; Kayden Halsey, Eagle River; Oakley Schwantes, Dorchester; Cooper Aho, Twin Lakes, MI
HEATS 1) Halsey; Bethel 2) Carter Aho; Lucas Zdroik