Hard-nosed competition has long been part of racing in central Wisconsin, but so has sportsmanship. Both were on display Thursday night during the annual Flip Merwin Memorial at State Park Speedway.

M.G. Gajewski’s bid for a second straight Flip Merwin race win appeared to be over with 12 laps left when he spun while in the lead. A gentleman’s rule gave him a second lease on first place, though, and Gajewski took advantage to win the 75-lap Auto Select Super Late Models presented by C-Tech feature race.

Gajewski was in the lead in the closing laps but had last week’s feature winner Justin Mondeik in hot pursuit. That’s when the young Gleason driver got into Gajewski coming out of turn four, causing him to spin to the infield grass. Mondeik stopped right on the track, then under the yellow flag tapped the roof of his car to indicate he was taking sole fault for the accident. By track rules, the car that spun but was not considered at fault is then allowed to take their previous position, meaning Gajewski moved right back to the top spot.

Gajewski still had to weather two restarts over the final 12 laps. On the first, he pulled away from Mark Mackesy, and on the second with five laps left, he held off Neil Knoblock, who briefly made a final rush before finishing two car lengths back at the finish.

“It was unreal,” said Gajewski in Brickner Family Victory Lane after the race. “First I got a break at the beginning to get through, and then to hold everybody off at the end. And I applaud Justin Mondeik for tapping out. That was sportsmanship right there.”

Gajewski started the race eighth in the 12-car field but worked his way up to third by lap 21, passing Mackesy on the outside.

Gajewski and everyone else trailed Knoblock early on, as the veteran racer started on the pole and led the first 37 laps while running a higher line around the track. Knoblock fought off a challenge from Derek Doerr for the lead 30 laps in, but Gajewski passed Doerr on lap 36 for second and then Knoblock two laps later to take the lead.

Mackesy finished third, while Mondeik also moved back into contention in the final laps and came in fourth. Doerr, who ran in the top three for much of the race, was involved in a spin with Mike Olson with five laps left and finished 11th.

Results
Auto Select Super Late Models pres. by C-Tech
Fast Qualifier: Luke Fenhaus, Wausau, 13.769 sec.
First Heat: Neil Knoblock, Wausau; Mark Eswein, Wisconsin Rapids; Jeremy Lepak, Ringle; Derek Doerr, Watertown; Mark Mackesy, Wausau
Second Heat: M.G. Gajewski, Wausau; Justin Mondeik, Gleason; Fenhaus; Mike Olson, Dorchester; Dillon Hammond, Grand Marsh
Feature: Gajewski; Knoblock; Mackesy; Mondeik; Ryan Hinner, Stevens Point; Jeff Storm, Waterford; Hammond; Fenhaus; Eswein; Olson