Jose, Berg, TPO (2x) and Pake pick up River Cities Speedway feature wins

River Cities Speedway was back in action on Friday with 79 cars on hand, led by 22 Wissota Midwest Modifieds.

The Wissota Street Stock feature quickly turned into a three-car fight at the front between Greg Jose of Grand Forks, Trey Hess of Grand Forks and Cole Greseth of Harwood. Hess, who is driving Rodney Hulst’s 49 machine this season, grabbed the lead with 18 laps to go.

A spin brought out the first caution and the second came out before all the cars could even take the green.

Jose would grab the lead on the restart but Greseth was all over him. Hess fell back to third. Greseth, however slowed with 15 to go and went off to bring out the caution; he would pull pitside.

Jose resumed the lead with Doug VanMill of Bagley now in second. John Halvorson of Warren moved to third while Hess and Blaine Barnes of Grand Forks dueled for fourth.

Jose opened a 2.2 second lead on VanMill with eight to go when the red flag came out for Tyler Schrenk of Ypsilanti who rolled his 21 machine on the frontstretch. He was OK, the car was not.  Schrenk, who races weekly in both the streets and mid mods at Jamestown, would be out later in his Midwest modified, but won’t want to remember his first trip to the bullring this year.

Once the cleanup was done Jose pulled away from VanMill as Hess took third from Halvorson. Barnes was running a solid fifth with Zach Lee of Fargo chasing him.

There was no catching Jose as he won by 1.8 seconds over VanMill. Hess was second, Halvorson fourth and Barnes was fifth. Remember, Barnes is only 14 years old, and he now has six top fives in 14 starts this year as he continues to grow in the class.

The Wissota Midwest Modified feature was a mess with seven caution flags; the race was shortened by five laps because of time. I’ll be honest, it was frustrating as hell to watch.

After a caution on the opening lap, Cylen Vargason of Edinburg had the outside pole of the Wissota Midwest Modified feature and took the lead over Kenna Breidenbach of Grand Forks. There was another caution with Casey Jenkins and Ryan Johnson getting together in turns one and two.

Vargason led Breidenbach with Austin Hunter moving around Brennan Schmidt for third. Justin Jones of Bemidji was into fifth. Again the caution flew with Nick Seitz of Bemidji and Colin Dietzler of Larimore getting together; Seitz, who is not having any luck of late, left on the hook.

On the restart Hunter pressured Breidenbach for second as Schmidt was fourth and Taylor Jacobson of Roseau into fifth. Jory Berg of Grand Forks, who started in 12th, had moved to sixth. The fourth caution waved for Connor Drewry’s spin. Hunter took over second on the restart and was working a higher lane, trying to get around Vargason for the lead. Berg was charging on the outside and into fourth. The fifth caution flew for a three-car tangle in turn two that included Mavrik Strand, Johnson and Schrenk.

Vargason opened a big lead on the restart with Hunter and Berg fighting for second.  The sixth caution would wave for Breidenbach who went off of turn three.  Vargason’s new challenger was now Berg, and things intensified at the front. Berg would take the lead but Vargason fought back with a hard slider and made contact with Berg; moments later the 29 would spin in turn one.

The race was shortened to a green-white-checkered finish – thankfully as it had gone past 20 minutes – and Berg controlled things to pick up the win over Hunter. Schmidt was third, and Reise Stenberg of Argusville – who had navigated through the cautions to work into the top five – captured fourth after starting ninth. Jacobson was fifth. Dylan McCaughan of St. Francois Xaxier, Man., went from 15^th to sixth. Only 12 of the 22 starters finished.

Brendan Luschinski led Jordan Duray after the first ap of the Wissota Modified feature before the caution came out for Doyle Erickson’s 99 which slowed. On the restart Luschinski opened a lead as Tyler Peterson of Hickson (TPO) was charging into second after restarting fifth. TPO took the lead with 15 laps to go as Duray and Shaun Tennis fought for second. The caution came out for Ward Imrie’s 10W, which slid off turns one and two.

Moments later Luschinski went off turn two to bring out the third caution. TPO began checking out on the field on the restart with Duray in second and Rick DeLaine in third.  Tennis was fourth and Aaron Holtan of Newfolden was fifth. With 10 to go the fourth caution waved for Connor Graff’s 33G in turns three and four.

It would have likely taken an act of God to derail TPO in this race as he build a commanding lead over DeLaine. Duray was third. Luschinski, who had gone to the tail not that longer ago, had climbed back to fifth.

TPO demolished the field by 6.3 seconds with Delaine in second. Holtan ran a really good race, going from seventh to third. Duray was fourth and Luschinski was fifth.

After a 13-caution debacle last week, I was hopeful for a cleaner sprint car feature and this week was better.

Andy Pake of Felton surged out front with Zach Omdahl of Grand Forks in second. Weston Olson of Warren was third, Alex Truscinski of Greenbush was fourth and Gage Pulkrabek of Grand Forks fifth.

Pake built a 2.3 second lead on Olson, who passed Omdahl for second. His biggest concern came in lapped traffic; but his lead grew to 3.8 seconds. Mark Dobemier climbed to fourth as Omdahl fell out of the top five. Dobmeier soon worked around Truscinski for third.

The first caution of the race waved with six to go when Pulkrabek, who had been running in the top five, spun. He had a mechanical issue and his night was done. Pake built a 1.5 second lead quickly, but the 11m of Brendan Mullen got into the wall coming off of turn four and Jack Croaker – who has the worst luck of any driver in that class in my opinion – had nowhere to go and ended up on his side.

The red flag was extended because of a medical situation in the pit grandstand which required EMTs; during that time Croaker got his car repaired during the open red flag, and both he and Mullen were able to continue.

After the delay Olson stayed close to Pake for a few laps before Pake pulled away, winning by .743 seconds. Olson ran a strong second, Dobmeier was third, Truscinski ran a solid fourth and Austin Pierce of Grand Forks worked up to fifth at the checkered.

As a blogger, I wonder this about the NOSA Sprints – who, on a weekly basis, will be able to challenge Dobmeier. With four-time NOSA champion Jade Hastings stepping away from racing (I won’t even begin to get into the situation), that’s a prime weekly contender who isn’t racing at RCS.  Austin Pierce used to be in that group but doesn’t race as often anymore and is now driving the 31A owned by Shane Roemeling. Nick Omdahl is a former NOSA champion and a solid runner. Guys like Mullen,  Pake, Pulkrabek and Olson have shown they can win NOSA shows, but the challenge is to be in the hunt on a regular basis and Hastings was one of the few the past couple of years who could be in that group.

TPO had the pole for the second straight week in the Wissota Late Model feature and grabbed the lead. Shane Edginton of East St. Paul, Man., who wrecked a car in a nasty rollover at Dead Horse Creek a few years ago, brought out a new car and moved to second.

Brad Seng, driving one of Nick Corbett’s cars, would spin in turn two to bring out the caution. TPO pulled away on the restart as Edginton grabbed second from Tucker Pederson. Bemidji driver Josh Beaulieu was working on Pederson for third as Jason Strand of Portland settled into fifth.

TPO built a commanding 4.8 second lead on Edginton as Pederson had cleared Beaulieu for third. Jason Strand who had been running well, pulled off which moved Brody Troftgruben  of Grand Forks into the top five.

It was another dominant performance for TPO as he lapped up through seventh place and won by 6.8 seconds. Edginton was second, Pederson third, Troftgruben fourth and John Seng of Grand Forks made a late move past Beaulieu for fifth. There was just one caution.

Nord, VanMil, Johnson, Jahnz, Kesselberg and Haugeberg nab feature wins at Fix It Forward Speedway

John Nord of Enderlin went from 12^th to first to win the IMCA Modified feature Friday night at Fix It Forward Speedway in West Fargo. Travis Robertson of Fargo was second, Jordan Sours of Lisbon was third, Dave Shipley of Argusville was fourth and John Miller of Enderlin was fifth.

Chris VanMil of Barnesville picked up the IMCA SportMod feature victory with Kelly Jacobson of Fargo second. Nathan Speten of Wilton was third, Scott Jacobson of Fargo fourth and Jayden Pavlicek of Casselton fifth.

Sean Johnson of Kindred won the INEX Legends feature with Alexander Clark of Moorhead second. Carter Restad of West Fargo was third, Andrew Clark of Moorhead was fourth and Noah Lewis of Hawley, who won at NCR on Thursday, was fifth.

Austin Jahnz of Lewisville won the IMCA Hobby Stock feature for a second straight week. Reid Randall of Park Rapids was second, Diezel Raynard of Lanpman, Sask., was third, Kyle Satran of Minot was fourth and Brodee Eckerdt of Grand Forks was fifth.

Kalvin Kesselberg of Ada won the IMCA Stock Car main event with Kelly Jacobson second. Brody Carlsrud of Moorhead was third, Rob VanMil of Ada fourth and Emmitt Curtis of Rothsay.

Bryce Haugeberg of West Fargo won the IMCA Racesaver Sprint feature over Evan Hendrickson of Mapleton. Matthew Taves of Detroit Lakes was third, Kate Taves of Detroit Lakes fourth and Brandon Rekow of Ellendale was fifth.

I-94 EMR Victors: Atkinson, Dykhoff, Randt, Rohner, Satter, Saurer and Wolden

Landon Atkinson of Little Falls won the Wissota Modified feature Friday night at I-94 EMR Speedway in Fergus Falls. Bryce Sward of Nelson was second, Blake Adams of Cameron, Wis., was third, Brady Gerdes of Villard fourth and Dave Cain of Corcoran was fifth.

Kyle Dykhoff of Starbuck won the Wissota Street Stock feature with Eric Riley of Morris second. Jeff Ekdahl of North Branch was third, Braedyn Fleck of Cold Spring fourth and Maverick Janssen of Barnesville fifth.

Landyn Randt of Siren won the Wissota Midwest Modified feature as Tyler Bitzan of Alexandria took second. Adam Bohlman of Isanti was third, Scott Oeltjen of Villard fourth and Nate Reinke of Lisbon was fifth.

Jeff Rohner of Willmar won the Wissota Hornet main event over William Lange of Staples. Adam Throener of Swanville was third, Paxton Tjaden of Boyd was fourth and Tyler Pourrier of Fergus Falls was fifth.

Ryan Satter of Dent won the Wissota Super Stock feature over multi-time national champion Shane Sabraski of Rice. William Lund of Brandon was third, Dave Mass of East Bethel fourth and Dan Nisalke of Winona was fifth.

Ben Wolden of Fergus Falls won the Gen X Late Model feature with Mass in second. Mike Anderson of Walcott was third, Bodie Croninger of Watertown was fourth and Alex Tschakert of Kent was fifth.

Travis Saurer of Dalton won the Wissota Late Model feature. Second was Sabraski, third was Mass, fourth was Danny Vang of Deerwood and Wolden was fifth.

Friday notes:

--Interesting numbers from Friday: 32 Wissota Mods at I-94 EMR Speedway (season-high); this was the first night of a three-night swing that goes to North Central Speedway in Brainerd and finishes Sunday at Granite City Motor Park in Sauk Rapids.

The other side of the coin is only 5 IMCA Stock Cars at Fix It Forward Speedway. The class was at 18-20 cars a night at West Fargo and now is struggling to get into the teens weekly. For an $800 to win, $120 to start Sanders Stock Car Special at Norman County Raceway on Thursday, there were nine cars. I talked to someone who raced in the class at one time, and he worries the class is dying locally. My theory is the class is spendy and the purses  weekly aren’t there to match it. I could be wrong.

--The Dirt Race Central Street Stock Tour resumes Saturday at Madison Speedway.

--Ryan Mikkelson of Alexandria won the Wissota Late Model feature at Night 1 of the ND Governor’s Cup at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan on Friday. Cole Schill of Hawley was second.

--Mike Stearns of Aberdeen won the Wissota Modified feature Friday night at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen.  Todd Stark of Watertown won the Wissota Midwest Modified feature while Maria Broksieck of Goodwin finished second in the Wissota Street Stock feature.

Dusty Mund of Lisbon won the INEX Legends feature.