For the ninth time in series history, the NLRA will spend its' Labor Day weekend at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN. The regulars of the NLRA series will take on the 51-year-old half-mile oval on the Douglas County Fairgrounds for the 38th time in series history. 

​Last season, for the first time ever, Viking aces Jeff Wildung and Zach Johnson were held out of the win column. Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, and Don Shaw in the Shaw Trucking No. 42S, became just the third and fourth drivers not named Wildung or Johnson to win on Labor Day weekend in Alexandria. 

Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, continued his hot streak last week going undefeated in both heats and both features first on Thursday night in Winnipeg at the Red River Co-Op Speedway and at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.

​The wins are his fifth and sixth of the season in NLRA action, and his tenth and eleventh with the series overall, as he now sits tied for seventh on the all-time wins list.

He will head into the final four races of the season with the opportunity to tie and or break the record for wins in a single season, currently held by the late John Seitz, at seven victories. Strand has also won six of the last eight NLRA events, five of them have been sweeps, including four in a row.

Dustin Strand continued his hot streak on Friday night, winning his sixth NLRA feature, and his sixth feature at River Cities on Friday night. Strand survived a pileup in turn three, and contact with a lapped car to capture the win, leaving him one win shy of John Seitz' series record seven wins set in 2004. Strand, who took the lead from Joey Pederson on lap seven, went on to lead the remainder of the race. Strand was followed to the line by Donny Schatz, who again went on to won the Sprint Car portion of the event, Pederson, Bill Mooney, and teammate Zach Naastad, who rounded out the top five. Strand again closed his disadvantage to point leader Brad Seng in the series standings, as the pair will be separated by just 16 markers when the series reconvenes next Saturday night at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN.
Full Results.
Current Points.
Mike Spieker photo. 

Dustin Strand continued his hot streak Thursday night, starting on the pole, and leading all 25 laps at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg. Strand, who has won five of the last seven NLRA events, also became the eighth driver in series history to win ten or more features with the win. Strand is also just two wins shy of tying the single season mark set by the late John Seitz. Seitz currently holds the record of seven wins in one season, a mark he set in 2004. For the second straight NLRA event, Bill Mooney finished second to Strand, as Mike Balcaen, Cole Schill, and Brad Seng, rounded out the top five. Schill was also the hard charger, improving nine spots, after starting 13th. Strand, the defending series champion, has made things interesting point wise, as he will take a 36 point disadvantage to leader Brad Seng into Friday nights action at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.
Full Results.
Current Points.
Mike Spieker photo.

Ten years ago today, John Seitz won his his 19th and final feature at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks. Seitz won his first late model feature on May 21, 1999, moving over from the Super Stock division, where he won around two dozen more features in the class at what was then the Grand Forks Speedway. Seitz, who had won the previous Friday after starting 24th, beat Mike Balcaen, Doyle Erickson, eventual NLRA series co-champion Cody Skytland, and Brad Seng, who rounded out the top five that night. 

The NLRA is set to head north to make it's lone appearance in Canada for the 2016 season on Thursday night at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg, before heading back south on Friday to once again share the spotlight with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks.

On Thursday night, August the 25th, the NLRA makes its' 26th appearance at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the third annual Can-Am Late Model Challenge.

Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, picked up his fourth win of the season Saturday night at the Devils Lake Speedway. Strand took the lead on a late restart and won his ninth NLRA series feature, putting him alone in eighth on the series all-time wins list.

​Strand has been on a hot streak lately, as he has won four of the last six NLRA features, sweeping the season series in Devils Lake, along with winning a Modified feature at the Speedway two weeks ago. 

Dustin Strand picked up his fourth win of the season Saturday night at the Devils Lake Speedway. Strand took the lead on a late restart and won his ninth NLRA series feature, putting him alone in eighth on the series all-time wins list. Strand has been on a hot streak lately, as he has won four of the last six NLRA features, sweeping the season series in Devils Lake, along with winning a Modified feature at the Speedway two weeks ago. Strand was followed to the line by Bill Mooney, who lead 15 of the first 16 laps of the main event, and Mike Balcaen, who finished third. Twin No. 12 machines were piloted by Veteran Lance Matthees, who finished fourth, and Brad Seng who rounded out the top five. Strand's win helped him leap frog over Shane Edginton into the second spot in the series standings, as he'll sit 52 markers behind Seng as the series heads to the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg on Thursday night.
Full Results.
Current Points.

Ten years ago today, after winning the NLRA series feature in Winnipeg the night before, John Seitz won his second to last feature at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, in what is one of the greatest performances in the history of the Speedway. John won many races at Grand Forks/River Cities in Super Stocks and Late Models, but this win was a standout by how impressive it was. River Cities decided to try something different on this night in August by running double features. The second feature would be inverted by the way the drivers finished in the first feature. Seitz finished second to Mitch Johnson in first feature. There were 25 car in attendance that night, so Seitz would be slated to start outside of the twelfth row in the 24th position at the start of the second feature. When all was said and done, Seitz was parked in Rydell cars victory lane at the end of the second feature. After the race, Seitz said he believed he could win, "I always think I have a shot at winning" Seitz told the Grand Forks Herald. He continued, "I went from 24th to first, and I didn't touch a single car, there was no muscling guys out of the way."

Ten years ago today, John Seitz won his final NLRA series feature at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg. Seitz started third, and held off ninth starting Kevin Sexton for the victory. Eventual co-champions Troy Olson and  Cody Skytland, along with Howie Schill rouned out the top five. The win was Seitz's second of the 2006 season, and 26th career NLRA series victory overall, a mark he held alone for over 2900 days, until Brad Seng won his 26th NLRA feature at River Cities on August 15th, 2014. Seng broke the mark on May 23rd last year at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN.
Photo from the centerfold of the River Cities Speedway program for the 1st annual John Seitz Memorial.