I made it back to Buffalo River Speedway on Sunday with the Steffes Street Stock Tour and Rebel Midwest Modified Tour were both in town.
Buffalo River dodged a major weather bullet; I ran into Glyndon during intermission and it just poured there which would have ended the night. There was a light shower at the track but nothing like it was in Glyndon. That’s about three miles away. I’m happy for both the Steffes Street Stock Tour and Rebel Midwest Modified Tour drivers who finally got a feature in.
Buffalo River Speedway officials decided to blade the track at intermission; some might have questioned that decision with the skies darkening and a light rain falling, but they didn’t have a choice in my view. The track was rough in the heats and was a handful for drivers; several had some big chunks of mud to scrape after their heats.
The Wolverine and tour point leader Justin Vogel of Brooten and veteran Royce Jawaski of Horace led the 22-cap Wissota Street Stock field to the green. I will say that with some character in the track in the corners, this was some of the hardest street stock racing I’ve seen in a while.
Vogel took the early lead over Jawaski with Ty Agen of Chippewa Falls battling for second. A three-car fight for third involved Cory Dykhoff of Perham, Hunter Carter of West Fargo and 2020 Steffes Tour champion Jonny Carter of Fairmont.
A caution came out two laps into the race. Vogel opened up a lead on the restart but there was a total melee for second involving Jawaski, Agen, Dykhoff, Kyle Anderson of Jamestown, Hunter Carter and Jonny Carter, with a some hard, three-wide racing.
On a restart with 20 to go, Anderson was able to escape the battle and take over second, and he set his sights on Vogel.
Jonny Carter got by his cousin Hunter for third, and set his sights on the top two. Anderson closed within a car length of Vogel, but Jonny Carter, who was running a higher line, was charging.
Soon it turned into a thrilling three-car fight between Vogel, Anderson and Jonny Carter — but of course, the damn yellow flag came out as the action really heated up. Vogel narrowly escaped disaster when a lapped car lost in in turn two in front of the leaders. There was some contact on Vogel’s 10 car but it could have been much worse.
With six to go, Carter moved into second and Cory Dykhoff — who had struck the wall earlier — made it back into third past Anderson
With three to go, Jonny Carter got the run he needed on Vogel — who had his hands full in turn two for much of the race as his car would push after hitting the big hole in turn two. Jonny Carter would take over the top spot and go on to win by 1.252 seconds over Vogel. Jonny is the first repeat winner on the tour this season.
Vogel, Mr. Consistency, was second; he has finished in the top five in every tour race this season. Anderson would outlast Dykhoff for third while Hunter Carter capped off a solid run in the top five. Agen, the first winner on the tour, was sixth.
It was an entertaining race from my view, some good three-wide racing, and I’m sure a few weren’t thrilled with each other. Some of that is how hard those drivers race, some of it is racing on a fast track with some character.
Corey Storck of Morris and Justin Jones of Bemidji paced the Rebel Midwest Modified Tour, with Jones taking the early lead. Storck soon took over the top spot with a pass on the lower lane but he slid up in turn two and Jones took over the top spot. Reise Stenberg of Argusville settled into third.
There was a three-car battle between Jess Brekke of Devils Lake, Cody the Cobra Lee of Starbuck and Justin Froemming of Elbow Lake for the fourth spot.
Storck and Jones put on a heck of a showo for the lead as they encountered lapped traffic. With seven to go, Jones had opened up a couple of car lengths of breathing room when he put a lapped car between himself and Storck.
Storck was persistent in his pursuit of Jones — a driver who knows BRS as well as anyone — but could not get close enough to make the pass as the Bemidji veteran prevailed for a hard-fought win. Storck was second; Stenberg stayed in the third spot for the whole race and finished there to cap off a solid night. Froemming and tour points leader Lucas Rodin of Marion rounded out the top five over Cody Lee.
Jones becomes the fifth different tour winner this season, joining Lee (three wins), Rodin (two wins), Storck and Lance Schill as winners this season.
Chris VanMil of Barnesville and Matthew Clark of Fargo led the IMCA Sport Mod field to the green.
One of the contenders, Scott Jacobson of Fargo, suffered bad luck on the opening lap. There was contact and he left with a bent front end, ending his night. It’s been a frustrating week for the #5 team as he suffered a flat tire after contact on the opening lap at Norman County Raceway on Wednesday.
Shortly after, with just two laps in, at three-car pileup occurred when Patrick Brejcha of Wahpeton, N.D., spin his #60 in turn two, which collected Rich Pavlicek of Casselton and Bryce Borgen. All three had some crumbled sheet metal but were able to continue.
VanMil took the lead on the high side with Dave Siercks of Princeton pressuring Vince Jegtvig of Dilworth for second. After another caution, Siercks got by Jegtvig was closing the gap on VanMil.
Kelly Jacobson of Fargo was also having a solid run in the top five. Pavlicek, who started 14th, was fast as he’s been all year, and soon moved into third.
Siercks effectively worked the lower line and when VanMil slid just a bit high out of turn four, Siercks made the pass for the lead. VanMil soon had to contend with Pavlicek for the runner-up spot.
Siercks, 67, coming off of a $750 win at Princeton on Friday, would go on to a 1.7 second win over Pavlicek, who had cleared VanMil for second. Kelly Jacobson was third with VanMil fourth and Jegtvig fifth.
Honestly, I felt for VanMil; the cautions didn’t play in his favor. Had the race stayed green I think he wins the race. Sometimes the cautions can bite you.
A solid 14-car POWRi Minn-Kota Lightning Sprint field was on hand. On the restart with 13 to go, Alex Truscinski of Greenbush got a great run off of turn two to take the top spot over Chase Fischer of Jefferson, City, Mo. (who easily won the unofficial long haul award). Dexter Dvergsten of Greenbush soon was in hot pursuit of Fischer.
Dvergsten got b y Fischer and was closing the gap on Alex Truscinski as the leaders worked into lapped traffic. A two-car tangle in turn two involving two rookies, Matthew Taves of Detroit Lakes and Brody Graham of Grand Forks. Taves left on the hook.
With five to go, Dvergsten looked to make a run, but Alex Truscinski reestablished control to win by 1.138 seconds. Dvergsten was second, Fischer was third. Alan Truscinski of Greenbush was fourth and Garrison Miller was fifth. Miller has finished in the top five in four of his six starts this season.
Jason Berg, the BRS promoter, isn’t getting along very well with the infield tractor tires at the quarter-mile. He struck on in turn two with his #100 damaged his right front on the first lap, ending his night. He suffered a similar fate on opening night.
The INEX Legends saw Shawn Wiest of Fargo and Shaun Erickson of Glyndon on the front row. It was kind of a caution-fest, to be honest, to the point where the yellow/black came out pretty quick.
It soon turned in a battle up front between Ashton Spieker of Sabin and Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes. Wilke was all over Spieker, mainly trying a higher line, but Spieker held tough. One time, Wilke did take over the top spot, but the caution waved and the results went back to the last completed lap. Collin Compson of Valley City settled into third, while Scott Richardson of Pelican Rapids, who won on Wednesday at Norman County Raceway.
Wilke’s hopes for another win ended when he struck a tire coming out of turn four and pulled in. Shortly another caution waved with eight to go.
On the restart, Richardson got a good run on the outside of Spieker but could not make it stick, and Compson was able to take over the second spot briefly. Richardson, came back to get second.
Spieker made a slip up in turn four but recovered nicely and opened up a little breathing room to pick up his second victory of 2022. He won by 0.541 seconds. Richardson capped off a good week in second with Compson a solid third. Dylan Johnson of Durbin — one of the few drivers who ventured up high — was fourth with the steady Australian, Glenn Mitchell, rounding out the top five.
The night concluded with the Short Tracker feature. The #4 car of Lee Williams of Fargo was battling up front, but struck a tire and nearly rolled his car; he kept it on four wheels but his night was over.
It turned into the Austin Raths show. The Donnelly, Minn., driver opened up a commanding lead on the field as Jason Kast moved into second.
Kevin Wahl of Fergus Falls battled with Mike Carlson for third with John Heacox of Lisbon moving into the top five.
Raths put a whipping on the field, winning by half a lap over Kast. Wahl, Carlson and Heacox rounded out the top five.
BRS Notes
—Cole Greseth of Harwood was happy to be racing at one of his local tracks in his Wissota Street Stock, but his night ended late in the heat race when he rolled his #19G machine hard in turns three and four. He was OK but the car was significantly damaged and his night was over.
Strand, Blacklance, Pederson Capture River Cities Features
Dustin Strand of East Grand Forks won the NLRA Late Model feature Sunday night at River Cities Speedway. The race was the final night of the Greater Grand Forks County Fair. Strand also won the NLRA show at Norman County Raceway on Thursday.
Brad Seng of Grand Forks was second, Joey Pederson of East Grand Forks third, Mike Greseth of Harwood fourth and Brody Troftgruben of Grand Forks was fifth. Greseth and Troftgruben both picked up their second top five finishes of the week in NLRA shows.
Aaron Blacklance of Thief River Falls ended Lance Schill’s unbeaten streak in the Wissota Midwest Modifieds. Schill settled for second with Jason Halverson of Devils Lake third, Justin Olson of Thief River Falls fourth and Nate Reynolds of Hoople fifth.
Tucker Pederson of East Grand Forks topped Blacklance for the Wissota Street Stock feature. John Halvorson of Warren was third, Weston Ramsrud of Bagley fourth and Trey Hess of Grand Forks fifth.
Thomas, Dykhoff Win at Casino
Tim Thomas of Fargo picked up his second career feature win in the Wissota Modifieds Sunday night at Casino Speedway in Watertown.
Thomas topped former national champion Mike Stearns of Aberdeen for the win, with Tyler Peterson of Hickson taking third. Cayden Schmeling of Watertown was fourth and Dale Ames of Huron fifth.
Adam Brotherton of Huron won the Wissota Midwest Modified feature over Tommy Nichols of Watertown. Mike Nichols of Watertown was third, Derek Rieck of Ortonville was fourth and Jake Wranek of Winner fifth.
Kyle Dyikhoff of Starbuck picked up the Wissota Street Stock win over Tyler Lamb of Clark, S.D. Maria Broksieck is so consistent at Casino; she finished third for another top three finish. Jason Marko of Watertown was fourth and Adam Butterfield of South Shore was fifth.
Chad Becker of Aberdeen won the Wissota Late Model feature over Scott Ward of Watertown. Curt Kranz of Watertown was third, Morgan Ward-Grosz of Watertown fourth and Dave Thomas of Aberdeen fifth.
Bodie Croninger of Watertown topped Todd Stark of Watertown for the Viessman Late Model feature. Tony Croninger of Watertown was third.
Jeff Asche of Willmar won the Wissota Hornet feature.
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