Bemidji Speedway "Meet The Drivers Night" 7/19/2026
Bemidji Speedway and “Great River Rescue” hosted the “Meet The Drivers” night at the speedway with all who donated given to the cause for animals given reduced admission. “Meet the Drivers” night is always a special night with fans of all ages allowed to go down on track and meet their favorite drivers and pick up hero cards and LOTS of treats.
Next Saturday July 26th the track will host the “Red River Valley Pullers Association” tractor pull. There will be no races on Sunday the 27th. Racing returns on August 2nd on 2026 “Hall of Fame” night when 9 new members will be inducted. This years new inductees are Ted Carlson, Mike Spaulding, Loren and Jeff Tardy, Al Sadek Sr., Dan Sadek, Todd McClellan, Jimmy Pierce, and Dennis Peterson.
Sunday night was a hot and steamy night for Meet The Drivers night but the grandstands were full with excited fans. 75 cars made for excellent racing in all classes.
Wissota Midwest Modified Feature:
There were 13 entries in the Wissota Midwest Modified class with Brennan Schmidt on the pole and Cejay LaValley to his right. Schmidt grabbed the early lead with LaValley and Josh Beaulieu chasing. Connor Drewry moved up high and around LaValley for third as the field of B Mods spread around the track. Schmidt and Beaulieu battled for the remainder of the race with Schmidt taking the checkered flag with a three car length lead. Beaulieu and Drewry held the top three. IT was a clean sweep for Schmidt picking up both the heat and feature wins.
Bemidji Mini Stocks Feature:
The ever growing Bemidji Mini Stocks were next on track with 16 cars in the field. It was a wild and exciting race with lots of action throughout the field of minis. Hayden Engen and Conrad Schwinn lined up in row one. At the green flag of flagman Lynn Johnson the #6 of Conrad Schwinn powered to the lead with Engen and Nick McCann (both Schwinn and McCann tied for first in the standings) in the top three. McCann moved up and passed Engen for second. Several spins and crashes delayed the late laps with McCann being sent tailback and Engen losing his muffler and being DQ’d. At one point it was all Schwinns in the top three with dad Conrad in the lead, sons Cameron and Ashton behind him. But that didn’t last with Cameron forced to pit. McCann took advantage of restarts and worked his way back up into third as Conrad Schwinn won the race with son Ashton in second, McCann third. A clean sweep for Schwinn.
Wissota Pure Stocks Feature:
The Wissota Pure Stocks were next with 13 entries led by Caylyn Binkley and Billy Binkley to her right. Caylyn took the first lead with Josh Bitker and Billy Binkley in the top three and Alex Berg coming fast in fourth. Charging hard from his last place starting position was Austin Carlson. Passing car after car up into third place. Continuing racing low on the track Carlson worked up side by side with the leaders and grabbed the lead in impressive fashion low in turn one and two. Carlson had to fight off a side by side duel with Billy Binkley one more time following a caution. With a final green white checkered finish Carlson took the checkered flag for the win, his seventh of the summer at Bemidji. Billy Binkley and Joshua Bitker held the number two and three positions.
Wissota Hornets Feature:
The front wheel driver Wissota Hornets were next on track nine strong led by former National Champion Travis Olafson on the pole and Logan Delaney to his right. Making a rare appearance, Olafson outraced Delaney to the lead. Olafson built a strong lead when something broke in Delaney’s #28 as he slowed to the back of the field. Chad Reller started in the third row and now was in third behind Olafson and William Lange in second. Lange and Reller dueled side by side for second with Olafson way out front. A couple of cautions slowed the racing and set up restarts, each time Olafson returned to the lead. Olafson won with Lange and Reller in the top three. But post-race inspections DQ’d Olafson giving the win to Lange wih Reller, and Kody Crabtree in the top three.
Wissota Mod Four Feature:
The Wissota Mod Four feature found Conrad Schwinn on the pole and Christopher Roller to his right at the green flag waved. Schwinn took the lead with Shannon George and Dexyn Habraken trailing. Schwinn flew out to a three car length lead with the second to fifth place mod fours tightly bunched. A multi-car spin sent George tailback for a restart moving Ashton Schwinn into the top three. On the restart the younger Schwinn passed Habraken on the highside and moved up to challenge his dad for the lead. Quickly he made the pass and cruised the win with Habraken and Conrad Schwinn in the top three. In another strong showing, Brooke Erickson was fourth. For Ashton Schwinn it was a clean sweep and his fifth feature win.
Wissota Modified Feature:
Adam Johnson and Jeff Reed led the field of Wissota Mods down the front straight to the green flag with Reed capturing the lead with Johnson and Davey Mills in the top three. Reed quickly built on his lead leaving Johnson and Mills to battle for second. The two raced side by side with Johnson holding the backup position. In a fast flag to flag race the #2 mod of Jeff Reed picked up his third feature win of the summer and a clean sweep. Johnson finished a strong second with Mills, Alan Olafson and Devyn Weleski in the top five.
Wissota Super Stocks Feature:
Matt Sparby and Nic Lewis led the Wissota Super Stocks on track for the final feature of the night. On lap one Sparby fighting for the lead slid sideways in turn one and was given the yellow flag and sent to the rear for the restart. The restart was all Dylan Nelson needed moving up to the front row and blasting to the lead over Lewis and Dalton Carlson. Nelson, making a rare appearance at Bemidji, built a huge lead with Lewis and Carlson dueling for second. Carlson finally used a highside pass to clear Lewis for second as Nelson took the checkered flag for the win. Carlson, Lewis, Justin Barsness and Cameron Labelle finished in the top five to end a great night of racing at Bemidji Speedway.