I was at Norman County Raceway in Ada for track championship night. And saw another driver get his first career win.
Car counts were a little thin in the IMCA Hobby Stock (five) and IMCA Stock Car (eight) but ok in the other classes as there were at least two heats. I do like when all of the heat racing is done in an hour.
My theory on why NCR ends its season a bit earlier than others, it's in large part because of farming. Wheat was being combined all over on my drive up and beets were being lifted and hauled. If a large part of your fan base and or driver base is involved in that industry -- chances are your counts will drop. Plus, high school football starts in Minnesota next week with some games on Thursday.
Noah Metzger of Crookston (interviewed above) has plugged away for seven years looking for his first career feature win and Thursday night proved to be that night. He took the lead early in the IMCA Sport Mod feature and never relinquished it on his way to his first career win. It wasn't without drama as Andy Wagner of Ada was closing in quickly as the laps waned. Wagner pulled beside Metzger in turns one and two but Metzger's momentum was enough to stay out front and take his first win. Wagner clinched the 2019 Sport Mod Track Championship with his runner-up finish. Brandon Schmidt of Horace, Kelly Jacobson of Fargo and Luke Johnson of Moorhead completed the top five.
The points race in the sport mods was incredibly close going into the feature as Johnson led Wagner by one with Schmidt just four back. Wagner told me Thursday was the wrap to his 2019 season. In addition to co-owning the Arc Lanes in Ada, Wagner also drives beet truck during harvest season -- and that is well underway locally.
Tim Shiek of Fargo won the battle in the IMCA Hobby Stocks -- taking the feature win -- but the war was won by Brad Orvedal of Fargo who took the track title. Orvedal had a four-point lead over Shiek to enter the night and finished second to Shiek on Thursday to clinch the title. Alyssa White of West Fargo had another solid finish taking third.
Wissota Midwest Modified national point leader Cole Searing made the four-hour plus trek from Huron, S.D., worth it as he picked up the feature win. Searing started eighth and worked past McIntosh driver Ryan Schow about halfway through to take the win. Schow took second, while Jeff Nelson of Perham finished a solid third. Jamie Dietzler of Larimore and Aaron Blacklance of Thief River Falls finished off the top five.
Reise Stenberg of Argusville finished sixth, but it was good neough to secure his first points title of his career. He led Blacklance by 27 points going into the night and finished one spot behind him.
Tye Wilke had a nine point advantage in the INEX Legends going into the night. HE finished fourth to claim the track title. The feature turned into a two-car battle between Ryan Braseth of Ulen and Andrew Jochim of Glyndon that went down to the finish line. Braseth held off for the win with Jochim taking second. Alex Braseth was third, Tye Wilke fourth and Tony Brockhouse fifth. Wilke is the 2019 track champion.
Mike Johnson of Moorhead led early in the IMCA Mod feature but it was Tyler Hall (interviewed above) who soon was applying pressure. Hall took over the lead and had a decent advantage over Dale Kraling of Mayville. Casey "Deuce" Arneson was on the move from his seventh starting spot and was closing in on Hall. Arneson made a run but Hall didn't make any mistakes and took the win his fourth of 2019. Deuce Arneson of Fargo was second, Austin Arneson third, Dale Kraling fourth and Johnson fifth. Fargo driver Jesse Skalicky is the 2019 IMCA Mod champion.
Todd Heinrich picked up the win in the IMCA Stock Cars to cap off the night. Travis Robertson of Moorhead was second, Kalvin Kesselberg of Ada third, Rick Schulz of Horace fourth and Erv Grossman of Fargo. Rob VanMil, who did not finish the feature, was the 2019 track champ.
Schulz had some tough luck in the IMCA Stock Car heat race, sliding off of turn two and striking the guardrail. He got it repaired and had a decent feature race.
Gregor, Walton, Carter Win Again at Sheyenne
Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon held its Ransom County Fair races.
Bo Gregor of Lisbon made it two in a row in the Hobby Stock class. Jordan Sours of Lisbon was second and Jayden Michaelsohn of Aberdeen third. Zack Nord of Enderlin was fourth. Gregor is closing in on the 2019 track title in the class.
Neil Walton of Englevale topped Matt Bogart of Milnor for the Mini Stock win. Walton now has three wins in the class this eason. Isaiah Throener of Cogswill was third, Roger Lukes of Lisbon fourth and Cole Bogart fifth.
Randy Klein of Lisbon picked up his second Wissota Midwest Modified feature of the season. Brennon Weight of La Moure was second, Nate Reinke of Lisbon third, Lucas Rodin of Marion fourth and Jaren Wibstad of Jamestown fifth.
Todd Carter continues to roll along in the Wissota Street Stocks, picking up another win. Jonny Carter of Lisbon was second, Kyle Anderson of Jamestown third, Jerry Lamb of Lisbon fourth and Royce Jawaski of Horace fifth.
Thursday Night Notes
--Justin Vogel of Brooten topped Eric Riley of Morris for the Wissota Street Stock win Thursday at KRA Speedway in Willmar. Vogel is locked in a tight battle with Jonny Carter of Lisbon for the national points lead.
--Ward Imrie of Winnipeg won the Wissota Modified feature Thursday at the Red River Co-op Speedway in Winnipeg. Austin Hunter of Winnipeg won the Wissota Midwest Modified feature.
Shipley, Orvedal Win at RRVS on Wednesday
Dave Shipley of Argusville survived the challenges from Austin Arneson of Fargo to win the IMCA Modifieds Wednesday night at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo . Jesse Skalicky of Fargo was third, Dylan Goplen of Fargo fourth and Rich Pavlicek of Casselton fifth.
The IMCA Modified points race at RRVS couldn't be closer. Goplen leads Casey Arneson of Fargo by three points and Matt Aukland of Fargo by four.
Brad Orvedal of Fargo topped Matthew Olson of Fargo for the IMCA Hobby Stock win. Alyssa White of West Fargo was third.
West Fargo driver Ryan Restad started 10th but worked his way to the front to win the IMCA Sport Mod feature. Luke Johnson of Moorhead started 11th but finished second. Kelly Jacobson of Fargo, Doug Gardner of Glyndon and Scott Jacobson of Fargo finished off the top five.
Rob VanMil of Barnesville picked up another IMCA Stock Car win with Travis Robertson of Moorhead second. Tyler McDougall of Hawley was third, Todd Heinrich of Fargo fourth and Brennan Borg of Harwood fifth.
Glyndon's Andrew Jochim outdueled Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes for the INEX Legends win. Alex Braseth of Ulen was third, Kaitlyn Skalicky of Fargo fourth and Brody Carlsrud of Moorhead fifth.
Jason Berg of Fargo won the NLSA Lightning Sprints with Alan Truscinski of Greenbush taking second. Presley Truedson of Kennedy was third and Kelsi Pederson of East Grand Forks fifth.
A good field of 92 cars signed in at Red River Valley Speedway.
Comments