Colvin, Randall, Stearns, Lewis, Satter and Olson reach victory lane at NCR

An afternoon rain shower threw a wrench into Norman County Raceway’s show on Thursday night, but after some time working the moisture the show went on.

Things got started about 45 minutes late at NCR as it took time to work the track. The track was muddy and had a couple of holes, which was not unexpected after the rain. Those type of tracks are not easy to pass on.

Some new faces found victory lane on Thursday – one for the first time in five years while another won his first career feature.

Paul Colvin of Horace suffered a heartbreaking loss at the Bitker B Mod Brawl, getting passed on the final restart before settling for second. He didn’t settle for second on this night.

He took the lead from the outside pole in the IMCA Sport Mod feature, building a half straightaway advantage over Carter Restad of West Fargo, who was trying to fend off Cayden Westicott. Rich Pavlicek of Casselton moved into fourth ahead of Brody Johnson of Moorhead, who had his hands full with Ryan Restad of West Fargo.

Colvin was turning the race into a runaway as the lead grew to almost four seconds.  There was contact between Westicott and Carter Restad in turn three, sending the 16 off the track to bring out the yellow.  Restad got his spot back while Westicott was tagged with the yellow.

Pavlicek crabbed second on the restart as Ryan Restad, who was driving Landon Maatz’s 22 car, got around his son for third.  Kyle VanMil of Barnesville ran fifth.

Colvin maintained a four-car length lead on Pavlicek, who had Ryan Restad on his trail.  Colvin was never seriously challenged to pick up his first win since 2021,  For Colvin, it was a bit of redemption after the B Mod Brawl result; it also ended a string of really poor luck which saw two DNS and one DNR in his last four starts.

Pavlicek ran a solid second with Ryan Restad third. Carter Restad, who won his first career feature last Friday at Fix It Forward, held off VanMil for fifth.

Only seven IMCA Hobby Stocks were on hand. Todd Gettel of Mahnomen took the lead from the pole with Colby Patterson of Minot second. Daniel Beckman of Mahnomen was fighting Reid Randall of Park Rapids for third.

Patterson stayed within striking distance of Gettle as Randall would pass Beckman for third.  Patterson’s hopes for a win were dashed when he slid high, allowing Randall to grab second.

As laps wound down the top three – Gettel, Randall and Beckman – had broken away from the field. Randall was closing on Gettel for the lead, and he made a desperation move on the outside heading into turns three and four. He got it to stick, passing Gettel and going on to take the victory by .449 seconds. Gettel had to settle for second.  Beckman was third, Patterson was fourth and Hunter Goulet of Fargo was fifth. The caution-free race lasted a little more than five minutes.

Superman stole the show in the Wissota Modified feature, as Mike Stearns of Aberdeen dominated from the green flag.  Davey Mills of Bemidji ran second but had pressure from Bryce Borgen from nearby Perley.

Stearns had a massive lead on second, which saw Borgen get around Mills for that spot.  The lead grew to more than a straightaway for the 24S.

Dylan Zabel of Selby, S.D., got around Mills for third spot while Michael Tiani had fifth. Two usual contenders, Joseph Thomas of Glyndon and Ryan Gierke of Villard, pulled off early in the race, leaving only six cars left.

Borgen was able to cut into Stearns’s big lead, getting it down to a little more than two seconds, but Stearns was never touched to pick up the win. Borgen was second, Zabel third, Mills fourth and Tiani fifth.

A first-time winner found victory lane in the INEX Legends. Brandon Bunnis of Detroit Lakes had the early lead; there was contact in turn four between Bunnis and Carter Restad that saw Bunnis go around; Restad was charged with the yellow.  Moments later there was a spin out of turn ofur that collected point leader Ryan Braseth of Ulen, who suffered a fflat. He would change the tire and come back out at the tail of the field.

Bunnis continued to lead with Noah lewis on his tail. Joseph Lewis of Hawley was also running well and soon Ty Olson of Mandan joined the group. With six to go there was contact at the front; Bunnis would go around and was tagged with the yellow.

Noah Lewis inherited the lead with his brother Joseph on his heels.  Howie Briss of Glyndon, the defending NCR Champion, and Alex Clark of Moorhead had climbed into the top five.

Noah Lewis survived challenges from Joseph Lewis and Olson to hold on for his first career win. Joseph Lewis, who won his first career feature earlier this summer, was second. Olson was third, Briss fourth and Clark fifth. It wasn’t the cleanest Legends race I’d seen.

It was the Sanders Stock Car Challenge, which paid $800 to the winner, and It turned quickly turned into an outstanding three-car fight at the front between Brody Carlsrud of Moorhead, Ryan Satter of Dent and Rob VanMil of Barnesville.

Satter was applying heavy pressure to Carlsrud, trying to make a run on the lower lane.  However just past the halfway point Carlsrud’s B1 would slow coming down the frontstretch and he would pull off, ending an entertaining battle at the front.

Satter would have to contend with VanMil as Aaron Olson of Mekinock had climbed to third ahead of Dan Aberle of Finley. Kelly Jacobson of Fargo ran fourth.

Only five of the nine starters finished as Satter would prevail by .473 seconds. VanMil was second, Olson was third, Aberle fourth and Jacobson fifth.

The Wissota Midwest Modifieds capped off the night with Justin Olson of Thief River Falls taking the lead over Jory Berg of Grand Forks. There was contact between the top two that sent Olson around; Berg was charged with the yellow.

Reise Stenberg of Argusville was now up to second with Aaden Olson running third and Matt Schow of McIntosh in fourth. Aaron Blacklance of Thief River Falls also was in the top five.

Olson  had some breathing room over Stenberg as Aaden Olson ran third. Blacklance would take over third; moments later a four-car pileup happened in turn four as Aaden Olson went around, collecting Kenna Breidenbach of Grand Forks, Phil Christlieb of Fargo and Nick Shumansky of Perham.  Only Shumansky was able to continue.

Justin Olson led Stenberg and Blacklance on the start with Schow fourth. Stenberg stayed within 2-3 car lengths of Justin Olson, but the 169 was able to prevail by .503 seconds. Stenberg, who started sixth, was second with Blacklance going from eighth to third. Schow was fourth, and Berg made a comeback through the field to grab fifth at the checkered.

NCR/Thursday notes

--Caden Bunnis of Detroit Lakes blew a motor in his INEX Legend heat race.

--NCR is off next Thursday and will resume in two weeks. There are only two shows left for the summer.

--Justin Vogel of Brooten won the Wissota Street Stock feature Thursday night at KRA Speedway in Willmar.