SAUK CENTRE, MN (June 5, 2004) - Blake Bjorklund recently graduated from high school and after a making a late race pass, Bjorklund graduated to a new level on the track as he won the Yellow Book USA MARS Late Model 100 lap feature at the I-94 Raceway in Sauk Centre. Outside polesitter Stacy Rossell grabbed the lead from the start as Dexter Bean ran right alongside. Bean would nose ahead to lead lap two, but Rossell regained the point as he retook the spot one lap later. A long green flag run allowed Rossell to stretch his lead to a full straightaway as things tightened up behind. Trent Snyder held second with Bjorklund right behind. Rossell’s lead slowly began to evaporate as Bjorklund moved past Snyder. DJ Dondelinger spun in turn four to bring out the race’s first caution on lap 36. On the restart, Bjorklund was all over Rossell and two laps back to green, Bjorklund had maneuvered himself to the lead. Jeff VanOudenhoven was also moving up and he grabbed second just before the yellow flew for Clay Montella, who hit the turn one wall on lap 42. When things got going again, Bjorklund and VanOudenhoven ran nose-to-tail, with VanOudenhoven looking to the low side several times to no avail. Eugene Dick worked his way up to third and closed on the leaders as lapped traffic helped keep the top three close. With five laps remaining, Bjorklund got held up by the lapped car of Gary Mueller. VanOudenhoven squeezed his way past to take the lead, bringing along Dick and shuffling Bjorklund back to third. Lapped traffic again would keep things tight as Bjorklund reclaimed second with only one lap left. That surge in momentum set up a drag race coming out of the final turn and Bjorklund took the lead exiting the final turn to beat VanOudenhoven to the line with Dick right behind the top two. With the win, Bjorklund became the first Minnesota driver to ever win a Yellow Book USA MARS Late Model race and at only 18-years of age, he is the youngest driver to ever win a MARS Late Model Race.

I-94 Raceway Results

June 5, 2004

Yellow Book USA MARS Late Models

First Heat

1.) Jeff Lofquist (Fergus Falls) 2.) Paul Milford (Apple Valley) 3.) Eugene Dick (Watkins) 4.) Ritch Johnson (Monticello) 5.) Jake Jay (Harris) 6.) DJ Dondelinger (Brainerd) 7.) Rob Dubnecay (Maple Grove) 8.) Clay Montella (Ottertail)-DNF

Second Heat

1.) Jon Olson (Hamel) 2.) Dean Cornelius (Bloomington) 3.) Dexter Bean (Westby, WI) 4.) Trent Snyder (Ironton) 5.) Ryan Manthei (Green Bay, WI) 6.) Bill Rhode (Hudson, WI) 7.) Stacy Rossell (Atwater) 8.) Molly Rhoads (Hastings)

Third Heat

1.) Gary Mueller (Chisago) 2.) Andy Hanson (Ramsey) 3.) Blake Bjorklund (Isanti) 4.) Todd Hansen (Minneapolis) 5.) Jim Duchow (Appleton, WI) 6.) Chris Grimes (Green Bay, WI) 7.) Tim Olson (Hamel) 8.) Jeff VanOudenhoven (Kimberly, WI) 9.) Jim Weber (Roseville)-DNF

Fast Qualifiers

1.) Todd Hansen (16.90 sec.) 2.) Jim Duchow (16.96 sec.) 3.) Jeff VanOudenhoven (16.97 sec.) 4.) Chris Grimes (16.98 sec.) 5.) Tim Olson (16.99 sec.) 6.) Blake Bjorklund (17.00 sec.)

100 Lap Feature

1.) Blake Bjorklund 2.) Jeff VanOudenhoven 3.) Eugene Dick 4.) Jim Duchow 5.) Stacy Rossell 6.) Tim Olson 7.) Chris Grimes 8.) Todd Hansen 9.) Trent Snyder 10.) Bill Rhode 11.) Gary Mueller 12.) Dexter Bean 13.) DJ Dondelinger 14.) Dean Cornelius 15.) Jake Jay 16.) Paul Milford 17.) Andy Hanson-DNF 18.) Jon Olson-DNF 19.) Ryan Manthei-DNF 20.) Clay Montella-DNF 21.) Molly Rhoads-DNF 22.) Jeff Lofquist-DNF 23.) Ritch Johnson-DNF 24.) Jim Weber-DNF 25.) Rob Dubnecay-DNF