Racing: BIR to honor Muscle Car Series champs

Baxter's Greg Schmidt will be the first to tell you that when it comes to drag racing every point counts in the Muscle Car Series.

After the 3-race series concluded Labor Day weekend, only one point separated the top three drivers in the Outlaw Class. Fortunately for Schmidt, Bubba Romanyshyn and defending champ Warren Peterson came up one point short, and tied for second.

"That was a close one," said Schmidt, who finished off the season by winning the GSTA Muscle Car Shootout to solidify his series title. He was runner-up at the PleasureLand RV Show & Go after winning that event in 2015.

"It was kind of cool to win the (Muscle Car Shootout) and keep the championship in Brainerd."

Schmidt and his 1989 Camaro ran about 7.5 seconds at 180 mph all season. He didn't have the fastest car in the class so he relied on consistency, good reaction times and a little luck. He plans to return next season to defend his title.

"We'll make a couple small changes to the car but for the most part, we'll have the exact same car next year," he said.

Schmidt was among more than 300 drivers who competed in the eighth annual Muscle Car Series, which included the Street Car Showdown Memorial Day weekend, the Show & Go on the Fourth of July weekend and the Muscle Car Shootout on Labor Day weekend. The Outlaw Class was one of seven heads-up classes, where both drivers start at the same time, with the winner being the first car to the finish line.

Schmidt and the rest of the series champs will be honored Saturday, Feb. 25, at BIR's annual Racer Banquet at Cragun's Resort.

Other top three finishers from the lakes area were Joseph Wilczek of Little Falls in Pro Outlaw, Rob Wilczek of Little Falls in Real Street Natural, Wendy Lane of Brainerd in Strip Eliminator 2 and Scott Davich of Pequot Lakes in Strip Eliminator 3.

Rob Wilczek is all too familiar with disappointment. He came into this season with a chip on his shoulder from last year after losing the 2015 Real Street Natural title by only one point to Bill Meyer despite qualifying No. 1 in all three races. He admits that he thought a lot about that finish over the off season.

"(Coming into this season) I wanted to win races but I really wanted the championship," he said. He did both. He only qualified first once but he ended up in the Winner's Circle all three times with his '69 Mustang that was running at 9.1 seconds and 145 mph.

Top three finishers in each class:

Pro Outlaw: 1-Ray Fuchs of Bowman, N.D.; 2-Rick Schmidt of Dickinson, N.D.; 3-Joseph Wilczek of Little Falls

Outlaw: 1-Greg Schmidt of Baxter, 2-Bubba Romanyshyn of Belfield, N.D.; 2-Warren Peterson of Duluth

King Street: 1-Chris Orr of Superior, Wis.; 2-Jake Waste of Loretto; 3-Brian Mahnke of Proctor

Real Street Unlimited: 1-Dennis Orr of Superior, Wis.; 2-Jesse Nelson of Mountain Iron; 3-Duane Godbout of Cloquet

Real Street Natural: 1-Rob Wilczek of Little Falls; 2-Bob Wallin of Superior, Wis.; 3-Bill Meyer of Andover

True Street: 1-Dan Gefre of Coon Rapids; 2-Jason Nelson of Champlin; 3-Zach Novak of Sauk Rapids

660 Outlaw Street: 1-Brian Carpenter of Forest Lake; 2-David Senderhauf Jr. of Zimmerman; 3-Dan Boyko of Winnipeg, Manitoba

Strip Eliminator 1: 1-Scott Hielscher of Otsego; 2-Kevin Sand of Cambridge; 3-Jeremy Brostrom of Brooklyn Park

Strip Eliminator 2: 1-Gary Olson of Sartell; 2-Lonnie Ellenson of Park Rapids; 3-Wendy Lane of Brainerd

Strip Eliminator 3: 1-Scott Davich of Pequot Lakes; 2-Heather LaClare of Zimmerman; 3-Cameron Novak of Rice

Truck Eliminator: 1-Bob Peterson of Roseville; 2-Taylor Tesar of Medina; 3-Corey Winkelman of Clear Lake

Manual Transmission: 1-Keith Sand of Cambridge; 2-Mike Hed of Menahga; 3-Jeremy Reitmeier of Crookston

Index Class Champion: 1-Jesse Haugesag of Prior Lake; 2-Gary Olson of Sartell; 3-Jeff Purdham of St. Michael