Gary Olson had a birthday last weekend that he’ll probably never forget.
The Sartell drag racer celebrated Saturday in Brainerd International Raceway’s Winner’s Circle while hoisting a Wally trophy as the track’s 2021 Summit King of the Track. Olson and his 1971 Chevy Nova beat the best of the best in BIR’s Bracket Drag Racing Series to earn the title.
“You never know if you’ll have another chance at winning King of the Track because of how the points fall and the level of competition, so coming out on top was pretty special,” Olson said.
The King of the Track race is for the two racers at the top of the point standings in each of the series’ seven classes. The racers are paired up in a run-off for the crown.
This year’s field included several former Kings, including 2020 King of the Track Max Niesen. It’s also stacked with experienced drivers, like Brad Mickle, who lined up against Olson in the first round. Mickle was driving a buddy’s car after breaking the crankshaft on his ’67 Mustang earlier in the day. The race was close but Mickle’s unfamiliarity with the car may have cost him the race.
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Olson then beat Keith Larson in the second round, setting up a showdown Mike Campbell, who’s driving a new dragster this year and has been as consistent as any driver at the track, which explains why he’s one of the toughest Bracket racers to beat this year.
“He’s been hot this season, so that was the most exciting race for me,” Olson said.
The two had similar reaction times off the starting line but Olson nudged Campbell out at the finish line by .004 seconds, which he said is about 13 inches. Olson’s winning time was 11.113 seconds at 121.55 mph. “That was a fun win,” Olson added.
The win launched Olson into the finals where he met up with Mike Larson, who handed Olson the finals win by fouling at the starting line.
The King of the Track race was part of the fourth Bracket Drag Racing Series weekend of the season. While the dragstrip was busy with the series, BIR’s road course was at centerstage. It featured a blend of the old and the new during the second annual Jed Copham Memorial Race, a weekend of racing to celebrate BIR’s late owner Jed Copham, who died tragically in a swimming accident in 2018.
The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli returned to BIR with a 24-car field that provided the weekend’s finale, a 40-lap slugfest that was won by Ernie Francis Jr., who started in 24th place but raced his way to the lead in the 19th lap and took the checkered flag.
The weekend also gave BIR the chance to introduce Formula 4 racing to its fans for the first time. The Formula 4 US Championship and the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda shared the road course with the Trans Am Series, giving fans a taste of open-wheel Formula racing. Formula 4 racing is a circuit that prepares drivers for racing Formula 1 cars.
Back on the dragstrip, Brainerd’s Will Young will enter the series’ fifth weekend having won 14 straight races, including a sweep of the Super Pro class last weekend. That’s no easy task given that the class featured 76 drivers.
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Young had his 1971 Chevy Chevelle dialed in, beating Jason Charlton in Saturday’s first round. Charlton went on to win the Pro ET class Saturday but fouled at the starting line against Young, which kickstarted Young’s run.
In Saturday’s finals, Young faced Bemidji’s Al Gavlovsky and his 1963 Corvette Roadster. Young was quicker off the starting line and outlasted Gavlovsky at the finish line with a winning time of 11.321 seconds and 118.60 mph.
In Sunday’s finals, Young line up across from Corey Jorissen and his ’70 Duster. Again, Young was quicker off the starting line and never looked back, beating Jorissen with a time of 11.340 seconds and 117.61 mph. The double win catapulted Young into first place in the Super Pro points standings, just ahead of second-place Mike Campbell.
The fifth weekend in the six-weekend Bracket Drag Racing Series is set for July 30-Aug. 1. On the road course that weekend will be MotoAmerica Superbike racing. This is a national circuit similar to the AMA Superbike Championships that made BIR a regular stop for several decades.
Below are the finals results for each class.
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SATURDAY, JULY 17
Super Pro
Finals: Will Young of Brainerd def. Al Gavlovsky of Bemidji
Pro ET
Finals: Jason Charlton of Grand Rapids def. Aaron Athman of St. Cloud
Sportsman
Finals: Shawn Carlson of Elbow Lake def. Chris Henry of Sauk Rapids
Stock/Super Stock
Finals: Ron Feist of Brooklyn Park def. Brian Zenzen of St. Cloud
Pro Bike/Sled
Finals: Donnie Durenberger of Dayton def. Jimmy Paulson of Stacy
Comp Trophy
Finals: Tyler Noyes of Andover def. Marc Peters of Zimmerman
Street Trophy
Finals: Ally Giese of Kandiyohi def. Tyler Gadacz of Little Falls
Junior Dragster Advanced
Finals: Riley Luberda of Foley def. Carter Luberda of Foley
Junior Dragster Intermediate
Finals: Reisa Mellgren of Young America def. Ty Reynolds of Cologne
Junior Dragster Novice
Finals: Hailey Dahms of Perham def. Colt Carlson of Elbow Lake
SUNDAY, JULY 18
Super Pro
Finals: Will Young of Brainerd def. Corey Jorissen of Harwood, N.D.
Pro ET
Finals: Wally Higby of Maple Grove def. Ted Beebe of Otsego
Sportsman
Finals: Joe Moriarty of Ham Lake def. Troy Luberda of Foley
Stock/Super Stock
Finals: Hannah Line of Cromwell def. Jason Deforrest of Oak Grove
Pro Bike/Sled
Finals: Ben Birr of Avon def. Jimmy Paulson of Stacy
Comp Trophy
Finals: Paul Songas of Stacy def. Tyler Noyes of Andover
Street Trophy
Finals: Keith Allen Larson of Brainerd def. Paige Findell of Zimmerman
Junior Dragster Advanced
Finals: Hannah Drake of Zimmerman def. Daniela Krech of Inver Grove Heights
Junior Dragster Intermediate
Finals: Ty Reynolds of Cologne def. Reisa Mellgren of Young America
Junior Dragster Novice
Finals: Mason Jahr of Foley def. Colt Carlson of Elbow Lake
