Bemidji Speedway “48th Annual Paul Bunyan Stampede”
Bemidji Speedway “48th Annual Paul Bunyan Stampede” October 3rd and 4th 2026
Cool north west breezes, colorful leaves falling, campfire smoke wafting in the air and the smell of race fuel….must be time for the “48th Annual Paul Bunyan Stampede” at Bemidji Speedway. Drivers brought their race cars from four states and Canada to compete for the prestigious honor of claiming a Paul Bunyan Stampede trophy in the two day competition.
Saturday October 3 (Day 1) Wissota Streets Feature:
The first feature of the weekend brought the Wissota Streets on track with Greg Jose and Levi Randt leading the way to the green flag. Randt powered to the lead with Jose and Weston Ramsrud trailing. The race went without issue until Kreg Anderson found the front retaining wall bringing out the caution yellow for a restart. The leaders held their positions with 16 year old Levi Randt claiming the win with a clean sweep for his 34th victory of the summer. Jose and Ramsrud trailed across the line.
Bemidji Mini Stocks Feature: Fourteen entries in the Bemidji Mini Stock feature were led to the green flag of flagman Lynn Johnson with William Foster on the pole and Ethan Hunter outside. Charging up from his second row start was Nick McCann racing side by side with Foster for the lead. McCann made the pass and was uncatchable to pick up the stampede win. Foster was second with Conrad Schwinn taking third.
Wissota Pure Stocks Feature: Anthony Ravina and Chad Puschinsky led the pack of thirteen Wissota Pure Stocks down the front straight with Puschinsky grabbing control early with Austin Carlson and Mason Smith in the top three. Puschinsky and Carlson were side by side, Mason Smith and Jake Smith and Kade Leeper were all in tight contention. Moving to the top Mason Smith powered by the leaders to take the lead. The caution flag flew later when Carlson and Dylan Helget tangles on the back straight. The restart was controlled by Mason Smith who won the clean sweep of his class with Jake Smith and Leeper trailing.
Wissota Midwest Modified Feature: The Wissota Midwest Modified class had eighteen entries two of the best led the pack to the green flag with Brennan Schmidt and Carter Matthews leading in row one. Lap one was led by Schmidt with Matthews and Justin Olson chasing. Following a single caution the race continued with no change in the leaders. Jake Smith was on the move from his third row start into fourth and raced up side by side with Matthews. Another caution brought the field together once again with Schmidt out front and Olson, Matthews, Jake Smith and Skyler Smith in the top five. It was a seesaw battle with drivers racing up side by side with attempts to advance. Late in the race it was Joey LaValley making his first appearance on the track of the summer into fourth place and looking very fast and passing Skyler Smith for third. Schmidt took the checkered flag first with Matthews and LaValley trailing in a incredibly entertaining race.
Wissota Hornet Feature: A dozen Wissota Hornets rolled on track led on the pole by Logan Delaney with Travis Olafson to his right. Delaney grabbed the early lead with Aiden Kessler and Olafson trailing after a lap. The #11 Hornet of Bryce Mueller raced up on the inside into third. Mueller continued his assault on the lead with Travis Roush joining him door to door. At this point the caution flag was thrown for two separate fires in two cars. The Bemidji Fire Dept flew into action to the cheers of the fans putting out the fires and the race was restarted with Roush out front and Mueller and Kessler in the top three. Roush was later DQ’d giving the win to Mueller with Kessler and Olafson in the top three.
Wissota Super Stocks Feature: Cameron Labelle and Matt Sparby shared the front row for the Wissota Super Stock feature with Labelle racing to the lead with Sparby and Dalton Carlson in the top three early. Carlson raced inside in turn four taking second. Labelle was extremely fast all weekend and was pulling away from the field until the #81 of Sparby slowed on the back straight bringing out the caution flag setting up a restart. The restart was controlled by Labelle with Carlson and Butch Butcher chasing him but to no avail as Labelle cruised to the Stampede victory and a clean sweep. Carlson and Butcher trailed in second and third.
Wissota Mod Four Feature: The Wissota Mod Fours rolled on track with Brooke Erickson and Patrick Specht in row one. Erickson had a great jump into the lead but Specht found traction out of turn two and made the pass for the lead with Ashton Schwinn racing up into third on the extremely fast track. The field spread out around the track until the leader Specht slowed on the back straight ending his night. The restart had Erickson in the lead with Ashton Schwinn and Conrad Schwinn behind her and Dean Larson looking to find and opening to move up. But the young lady had other plans and Brooke Erickson controlled the race to pick up her first Stampede feature win. Ashton and Conrad Schwinn finished second and third.
Wissota Modifieds Feature: A tremendous field of Wissota Modifieds roared on track for the final feature of DAY 1 with Zach Benson and Nic Lewis leading way. Benson grabbed control early with Devyn Weleski and Davey Mills in the top three. The caution waved early sending Lewis to the rear of the field. With Benson out front, Weleski and Mills were top three. Mills raced topside to take second on the back straight. Weleski dropped back to fourth as Benson built a five car length lead on the field. J T Johnson was on the move from his fourth row starting position to battle with Mills for second. Johnson moved up high on the back straight and made the pass. Benson finished the clean sweep on day one of the stampede with Johnson and Mills in the top three ending the first day of the Paul Bunyan Stampede.