While the cold and wet weather has led to a slow start for most area tracks, Reise Stenberg has no complaints to how his 2019 season began.
The Argusville, N.D., resident has raced his No. 87S Wissota Midwest Modified four times this season. He has two wins already -- one at Jamestown and one at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks -- and has finished in the top five all four times. When it comes to wins, Stenberg is batting .500 to start 2019.
"It's been a very good beginning of the year so far," Stenberg said.
Stenberg will have his car at Norman County Raceway's opener tonight.
One of those wins was a big one -- the Jeff Carpenter Memorial at Jamestown Speedway on May 25. The race was 37 laps and paid $1,037 to win. Stenberg crossed the finish line first for the most profitable win of his five-year career.
"That's the biggest win, by far," Stenberg said. "In our class, pretty much anybody can win every night. To come from fifth, I was very pleased."
Stenberg ran in the top five all night, first chasing leader Kelly Hagel and then Kyle Langland. Eventually with about 10 laps left, Brennon Weight of La Moure took over the lead and Stenberg moved into second. With less than three laps left Stenberg was closing,and then got his chance when Weight encountered a lapped car. He took the lead and went on to take the thrilling win.
"I saw the lapped car coming and I felt like I was catching Brennon a little bit. Once I saw his nose go down to the bottom, I was like 'I've got to try it on the top or I am going to be stuck as well'...and it held," Stenberg said. "I'm very happy how it went."
The fifth-year driver got his start in go-karts, racing them from ages eight to 16. He then played hockey in high school and stepped away from racing.
"I had no time to do anything other than sports. I don't regret anything one bit," Stenberg said.
It was some prompting from his eventual wife, Katie, to go back to the racetrack.
"When I met my wife, her relatives raced. She's like 'why don't we go to the races?'" Stenberg said. "I said if we go, I'm going to buy a car. Ever since then, we've been going. It's a lot of fun for her and I to go racing."
Stenberg's brother in law is Matt Schow of McIntosh, Minn., who drives the 2S Wissota Midwest Modified at River Cities and Norman County.
"We work back and forth and help each other out," Stenberg said.
The key to strong start in 2019?
"Confidence," Stenberg said. "Knowing that the car is going to hold going into the corner is the main thing. It's been a lot of confidence."
While River Cities and Norman County are regular tracks for Stenberg, he also makes trips to Jamestown, Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon and I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls.
"I live in Argusville, and we can travel an hour and race four nights a week," Stenberg said. "That makes it nice. I like to go where we can hom some fun and have a good time."
Driver Profile
Reise Stenberg
Wissota Midwest Modified #87S
Residence: Argusville, N.D.
Age: 31
Sponsors: Ahmann Construction, Epic Solutions, Sandhill Heating and Plumbing, Harwood Grill anad Saloon, Premium Ag Solutions, Roed Seed Sles, Ladysmith Machine, Sanders Metal Products, AirHitch Technologies, Titan Tool
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