CAMBRIDGE, MN

Longtime dirt-track racer Mike Schmidt (56, above) ended a lengthy winless drought by recording a hard-earned victory in the 600 Vintage class during the AMA District 23 short-track races held at the Isanti County Fairgrounds. Weather played an important role in the activities, as a short rain shower coated the dry-slick racetrack after the heats. However, with the efforts put forth by Robert Anderson and crew, the new racing surface became tacky and very fast.

Schmidt took advantage of the changing conditions and nailed the holeshot at start of the 600 Vintage main event. Heat-race winner Curtis Lofgren, along with Dave Darsow and the rest of the field, gave chase. Lofgren repeatedly looked to the outside of Schmidt, proving there was plenty of passing room on the now-tacky track, but a bobble in turn two gave Schmidt the breathing room he needed to seal the deal.

"I put my lucky tire on today," explained Schmidt afterward. "The last time I had that tire on, I won. That was five years ago!"

The 450 Semi-Pro class saw a familiar face in the winners' circle when National number 68, Josh Koch, slid his Jeff's SOS/Anderson Plumbing/General Engineering-backed Honda past the Go-Moto-sponsored race leader Nick Mataya with two laps to go. Former Ice Racing World Champion Kevin Anderson finished third, ahead of a talent-laden field that should have included his girlfriend, Lindsey King; however, King took the rest of the evening off after suffering a horrifying heat-race crash earlier that saw the speedy Pro Singles rider from Clovis, California, hit the turn-four wall head-on after colliding with a fallen rider.

"I don't remember what exactly happened," explained King afterward. "Someone fell in front of me and I didn't have anywhere to go. I'm sure I'll be sore for a while, though."

The Open Semi-Pro final saw yet another frightening incident when race leader Kevin Anderson and Josh Koch tangled while speeding down the front straight midrace. Koch clipped Anderson's rear tire and was sent tumbling after hitting the concrete wall. Amazingly, Koch (with a little assistance) clambered to his feet. He then decided to take the rest of the night off, complaining of light-headedness and sporting some nasty-looking road rash on his right shoulder.

"I thought I had enough room to move to the outside of Kevin," Koch later explained. "I hope I have my big crash of the season out of the way now!"

"Josh was to the inside of me through turns three and four," Anderson said of the incident, "so I moved wide to square the corner off, hoping to put in a solid lap to pass him back, but I think he had the same idea."

After the single-file restart, the Diesel Minnesota/EME Inc./Goodwin Racing/Larson's Cycle/Durelle Racing Products-sponsored Kevin Anderson (11K, above, taking a victory lap with his girlfriend Lindsey King) quickly checked out for the win. Mataya passed Kevin's younger brother Conner Anderson late in the race to finish second. Zack Zemanovic finished fourth, and Dustin Paul placed fifth in his first-ever appearance in the Pro division.

In other racing action, the father-and-son team of Verdeen and Cale Langland (22, above) notched victories in the Over 30 and 450 A classes, respectively. Mason Grecula pulled double-duty by winning the 50cc Senior and Junior classes in a convincing manner.

Celebrity announcer Eric Brouhard (87K, above) took a short break from calling the shots and proved he can still ride the real steel by piloting the Lee's Speed Shop-sponsored Harley-Davidson KLR 900to victory in the Open Twin main event.

Results

50 SHAFT: 1. Nick Lindberg (Honda); 2. Amelea Hauer (Yamaha); 3. Preston Langland (Yamaha); 4. Mark Ryan Kincs (Yamaha); 5. Ban Minster (Honda).

50 JR: 1. Mason Grecula (KTM); 2. Conner Kleminhagen (Cob); 3. Nick Lindberg (KTM); 4. Ty Valland (KTM); 5. Amelea Hauer (Yamaha).

50 SR: 1. Mason Grecula (KTM); 2. Reece Valland (KTM); 3. Jackson Lindberg (Cob); 4. Joshua Fedder (KTM); 5. Will Larson (KTM).

65 MINI: 1. Reece Valland (KTM).

85 MINI: 1. Johnny Murray (Suzuki); 2. Rochelle Paul (Kawasaki); 3. Zach Bailey (Yamaha).

80 OPEN: 1. Johnny Murray (Suzuki).

MAD DOG: 1. Mark Nelson (Honda); 2. Curtis Lofgren (Honda); 3. James Parnell (Honda).

BEG: 1. Gary Carter (Yamaha); 2. James Parnell (KTM); 3. Carla Lofgren (Honda); 4. Charles Holm (Honda).

125 A: 1. Ricky Peterson (Yamaha).

250 A: 1. Elliot Darsow (Suzuki); 2. Riley Rasmusson (Suzuki).

450 A: 1. Cale Langland (Honda); 2. Dustin Paul (Honda); 3. Wayne Lindberg (Honda); 4. Tony Hauer (Suzuki); 5. Steve Bystrom (Honda).

450 SEMI-PRO: 1. Josh Koch (Honda); 2. Nick Mataya (Yamaha); 3. Kevin Anderson (Honda); 4. Conner Anderson (Honda); 5. Cole Fealy (Honda).

600 VINT: 1. Mike Schmidt (Yamaha); 2. Curtis Lofgren (Yamaha); 3. David Darsow (Honda); 4. Robert Rooney (Yamaha); 5. Adam Schmidt (Yamaha).

OPEN A: 1. Dustin Paul (Honda); 2. Cale Langland (Honda); 3. Zachary Zemanovic (Honda); 4. Cole Fealy (Honda); 5. Scott Bigalke (Honda).

OPEN B: 1. Riley Rasmusson (Suzuki); 2. Tom Lawdwig (Yamaha); 3. Elliot Darsow (Suzuki); 4. Zack Stromberg (Suzuki); 5. Mark Nelson (Yamaha).

OPEN SEMI-PRO: 1. Kevin Anderson (Honda); 2. Nick Mataya (Yamaha); 3. Conner Anderson (Honda); 4. Zachary Zemanovic (Honda); 5. Dustin Paul (Honda).

OPEN TW: 1. Eric Brouhard (H-D); 2. Adam Schmidt (Yamaha); 3. Rick Peterson (Yamaha).

30+: 1. Verdeen Langland (Honda); 2. Scott Bigalke (Yamaha); 3. Randy Thistle (Yamaha); 4. James Parnell (KTM).

40+: 1. Wayne Lindberg (Honda); 2. Ron Bystrom (Honda); 3. Randy Thistle (Yamaha); 4. Tom Lawdwig (Yamaha); 5. Tony Hauer (Suzuki).

50+: 1. Ron Bystrom (Honda); 2. Randy Thistle (Yamaha); 3. David Darsow (Honda); 4. Mike Schmidt (Yamaha); 5. Robert Rooney (Yamaha).