By Emily Wicklund, Photos: Jacob Mick – PBB Productions
After being postponed once due to poor ice conditions, Cor Powersports took racers to Okoboji, Iowa for the second annual Okoboji 100. Ran across East Okoboji Lake, the course was a plowed 10-mile lap. The Pro classes ran a two-lap timed qualifier and a ten-lap final both days; Saturday Pro Open and Sunday Pro Stock. Semi Pro was similar with running a two-lap timed qualifier but only ran a six-lap final both days; Saturday Semi Pro Improved and Sunday Semi Pro Stock. All other classes run four laps both days and winners were decided on overall time.
Racing action got started with the Pro Open and Semi Pro Improved timed qualifier. The results from this qualifier determined the starting order for the heads up final at the end of the day. The first two sleds off the line for the weekend were the Revering brothers, Dan and Charlie. After all Pro Open sleds got the green flag, the Semi Pro Improved sleds joined them. After two laps, Aaron Christensen was the top qualifier on his Polaris 1.7 seconds over second place qualifier Alex Hetteen. The rest of the sleds that earned a front row starting spot in the final were Paul Brown, Zach Herfindahl, Ben Langaas, and Justin Tate. In the Semi Pro Improved class, the top six qualifiers making up the front row for their final were Evan Peppel, Dustin Schwandt, Boe Bunke, Brandon Wolter, Luke Van Lyssel, and Grant Weber.
All other classes took on the ten-mile course for their first day of racing while the Semi Pro Improved and Pro Open riders eagerly awaited their turn and made their final adjustments before the final.
The first heads up final on the weekend was the six lap Semi Pro Improved final. The top six qualifier took position in the front row and took the green flag. Boe Bunke got the early race lead and took command on his Polaris. Dustin Schwandt was two seconds behind him with Evan Peppel four seconds back in third. On lap two, the race leader Boe Bunke lost his breaks which resulted in a DNF on the day. This put Arctic Cat’s Dustin Schwandt into the lead, Evan Peppel into second and Brandon Wolter into the third spot. The top two sleds quickly separated themselves from the pack never looked back. Second place running Peppel never let the leader get more than three seconds ahead of him keeping his taillight in site. On the final lap, Peppel clocked in the fastest lap of the race (9 minutes 55 seconds) but just fell short of the win. After 60 miles of racing, Dustin Schwandt hung on for the win 1.5 seconds over second place Evan Peppel. Rounding out the podium in third place was Brandon Wolter 35.5 seconds behind the leader.
The final race of day one was the Pro Open final. Pine Lake’s champ, Aaron Christensen was the man to beat coming off a win and being the top qualifier. Seventeen sleds lined up in rows of six with Christensen, Hetteen, P. Brown, Herfindahl, Langaas, and Tate all on the front row. The green flag dropped, and the open sleds screamed across East Okoboji Lake. After lap one, Christensen was out front on his Polaris with Hetteen and P. Brown close behind. The following five laps the top three remained the same with Christensen expanding his lead to 10.1 seconds by lap six. On lap seven, the race leader opted to take his mandatory fuel stop and then rejoined the field in third place. This put Hetteen out front on his Polaris and P. Brown and his Arctic Cat in second, neither of which have fueled. On lap eight, the top two took their fuel stop and Christensen was able to regain his lead by 28 seconds. On lap eight, second place running Hetteen had a spark plug issue which slowed his pace down tremendously and set him back to third for the time being. This gave Christensen a 38.9 second lead over second place, Paul Brown. Christensen finished strong and was the first to see the checkered flag for the second time this season on his Polaris Matryx. Paul Brown took second 45.1 second out of the lead and his older brother David Brown rounded out the podium 1 minute 3 seconds both riding Arctic Cat.
Day two of racing got started with subzero temperatures and a chance of light snow. The first race on the schedule was the two lap Pro Stock and Semi Pro Stock qualifier. Like Saturday, this lined up the starting order for the finals later in the race program. The first two Pro sleds off the line were Ross Erdman and Charlie Revering. After all 18 pro sleds got the green, 19 semi pro sleds started their qualifying session. After two laps, Aaron Christensen was the top qualifier once again in the Pro division. Clocking in behind him were Herfindahl, P. Brown, Hetteen, D. Revering, and Bunke making up the top six. In the Semi Pro Stock class, another Polaris was at the top of timing, Evan Peppel. The next five qualifiers were Van Lyssel, Bunke, Nymann, B. Wolter, and Young.
After the other classes competed in their second day of racing, it was time for the Semi Pro Stock heads up final. The top six qualifiers took the front row and the green flag dropped. Just as he did on Saturday, Boe Bunke took the early race lead and led lap number one on his Polaris machine. Two more red sleds followed closely behind, Van Lyssel and Peppel. On lap two, race leader Boe Bunke caught a berm wrong and went for a ride across the ice. He was able to resaddle his sled but fell outside of the top five in racing order. Peppel was also able to get around Van Lyssel which put Evan Peppel at the front of the pack with Luke Van Lyssel in second and Caleb Nymann now sitting in third on his Arctic Cat. On lap three, Peppel laid down the fastest lap of the race (9 minutes 49 seconds) and was able to stretch his lead out to 21.5 seconds giving himself some breathing room over the rest of the pack. Yesterday’s Semi Pro Improved winner, Dustin Schwandt was also able to make the pass for third place on lap three. Peppel continued to grow his lead and was able to clench his second straight Semi Pro Stock win on the 2022 season. Luke Van Lyssel came through second on his Polaris 24.7 seconds back and Dustin Schwandt rounded out the podium on his Arctic Cat 26 seconds out of the lead.
The last race on the weekend was set to be the featured Pro Stock heads up final. Due to bad snow dust and poor visibility, the race was changed to a timed event for the safety of the riders. Sleds still left the line in qualifying time order but was racing the clock rather than the sled in front of them. The first two sleds to take the green were Christensen and Herfindahl. Two-by-two sleds left the line and their times started as they left. After on lap, Zach Herfindahl found himself at the top of the times with Justin Tate and Ross Erdman rounding out the top three. Pine Lake’s winner, Taylor Bunke, sat in seventh after lap one but on lap two he found some speed and laid down a fast lap of 9 minutes 51.1 seconds, 13 seconds faster than his first lap. This put him into fifth place in time overall. Herfindahl was still on top after lap two running a 9 minute 51.6 second lap with Marshall Busse in second and Paul Brown sitting in third, By lap three, Bunke found some serious speed clocking in a lap at 9 minutes 45 second; the fastest lap of the weekend. This put him up to second place, 1.3 second behind the leader Zach Herfindahl. On lap four, Taylor Bunke overtook the lead after running another 9 minute 45 second lap with Herfindahl still in second and P. Brown in third. Bunke continued to find more speed on his Polaris Matryx and laid down a 9 minute 42 second lap on lap five. This grew his lead to 10.4 second over Herfindahl with P. Brown 23.1 second back. On lap six, second place running Zach Herfindahl took his mandatory fuel stop which temporarily put him back in overall time. Menwhile, Bunke clocked in at 9 minutes 41 seconds which in the end the fastest lap Okoboji saw all weekend. On lap seven, Bunke and P. Brown both took their fuel which brough Herfindahl back into second.
After 100 miles of high-speed racing, Taylor Bunke’s speed was untouched and he took home his first Okoboji 100 win. Zach Herfindahl claimed second place on his Arctic Cat 40 second behind the leader with P. Brown taking third 1 minute and 2 seconds out of the lead.
After the race win Taylor Bunke reflected on what he felt after earning himself his third Pro Stock career win. “Securing back-to-back victories is a big weight off my shoulders. After our first Pro Stock win in 2018 I knew we had all the tools in out toll box to win in the pro class, but we kept coming up short by one or two positions. Taking these first two races proves it wasn’t a fluke and gives us a good start on season points.” -Taylor Bunke.
Cor Powersports will be back in action next weekend for the first terrain race of the season in Park Rapids, Minnesota.
