Youngster Hoffman nabs first career feature at Eagle River Speedway

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Hoffman fought off a stiff challenge in the waning laps from hometown driver Dustin White and held on to the lead to win his first ever B-Modified feature at Eagle River Speedway Tuesday, June 17.

Hoffman started the feature on the pole, but his win was anything but easy. The teen racer jumped into the lead at the drop of the green of the 15-lap contest. Hoffman, a regular at Shawano Speedway, maintained a three-to-four car length lead, but his margin was erased no less than three times due to yellow flags.

After the last caution in the second half of the contest White, who started fourth on the grid, motored into second and began chasing down Hoffman. White, the 2025 IMCA sportmod Winternationals champion, tried both the high and low lines to squeeze past Hoffman. However, the younger driver was up for the challenge and secured his first career win at the third-mile, clay oval.

White settled for second at the pay window, followed by Ryan Brown, Dave Dishaw and Dustin Kangas.

In IMCA Stock Car action, former track champion “Hot Rod” Snellenberger from Pulaski wrestled the lead away from hometown driver Trentin Bell on Lap 5 and cruised to victory in the 15-lap feature. The win was the 230th in Snellenberger’s IMCA stock car career. White, who competed in three divisions on Tuesday night, claimed second. Waterford’s Jeff Bodendorfer, Jason Zdroik and Bell placed third through fifth, respectively.

Hermantown, Minnesota’s Cade Nelson grabbed the lead with three circuits remaining and won his second USRA Late Model feature win of the year at Eagle River. The contest was caution-plagued. Lucas Peterson — who scored the feature win the week prior — placed second, followed by Dave Bennett, Aaron Reivitis and hometown driver Jeff Thomas. Zack Friske led much of the contest, but wound up cutting a tire after having contact with a lapped car. Friske wound up 11th.

Hometown driver David Blackberg burst into the lead on the opening lap and fended off a late race surge from Luxemburg’s Shannon Guelette to win the Street Stock feature.

Current WISSOTA national Pure Stock point leader Eric Crosby made the nearly four-hour tow from Amery worthwhile and emerged triumphant in the caution-free, Pure Stock feature.

Saint Michael, Minnesota’s Tyler Pelofske passed Floridian Noah Carpenter on the final circuit and went on to win the 600 Micro Sprint feature.

Cooper Aho and Blake Wilke captured the Pro and Semi-Pro 300 Micro Sprint features, respectively.

The next race at the third-mile, clay oval will be Tuesday, June 24. It will be the track’s annual bike giveaway night. All of the track’s weekly, regular classes will be in attendance, with the first green flag dropping at 7 p.m.