Rautio, Fohr are Bayfield County Fair ‘Dirt Dash’ winners

IRON RIVER — Jake Rautio and Todd Fohr captured the big wins during the “Dirt Dash” features at the Bayfield County Fairgrounds in Iron River on a beautiful late-August Sunday evening.

In the Pro Division feature Rautio ran second from the initial green flag until contact with the leader gave him the lead. Dustin Gay moved into second, and on lap three Chris Martens took third. The field strung out over the middle stages of the eight-lap event, with Rautio carrying a comfortable lead to the finish, well ahead of Gay and Martens.

Emmitt O’Connell led the eight-lap Amateur Division feature at the green, but behind him Fohr slipped into second in heavy traffic. On lap two Larry Shelhon took third as O’Connell built a solid lead, but when O’Connell caught the tail end of the field at mid-race Fohr and Shelhon closed quickly.

In fact, O’Connell had to come to a complete stop to avoid heavy contact with a backmarker, and Fohr capitalized to steal the lead away for good.

O’Connell held on to second but could not catch Fohr, and Shelhon nearly flipped his ride over in a last-corner attempt to take second.

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