The fourteenth annual John Seitz Memorial at the River Cities Speedway is in the books, and the big winners were Lance Schill, driver of the No. 17 Schill Construction MB Custom, who collected his first career NLRA series feature win during the 'Prelude to the Johnny.' Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium SRT won his fourth NLRA series championship. And Aaron Turnbull, driver of the No. 21 Mack Auctions MB Custom, who won the 'Go Hard or Go Home' pole dash, and his second consecutive John Seitz Memorial championship.
Lance Schill Scores First NLRA Victory; Dustin Strand Wins Fourth Title
Lance Schill with his family and crew in victory lane after winning the 'Prelude to the Johnny.'
Speedway Shots photo.
Speedway Shots photo.
On Thursday night at River Cities, Steffen Snare lined the No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist on the pole, with Lance Schill to his outside. After a caution on the initial start, Schill took the lead, as Joey Pederson moved to second in the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors Victory.
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After a lap three caution for Cole Schill and his No. 44 Mid Ag Dispatch MC Custom, the field re-stacked for a Delaware double-file restart.
Schill continued to lead, with Wisconsin's Chad Mahder moving his No. 55 to the runner-up spot. Another caution on lap six slowed the pace of the race once again, but it was Schill who continued to lead on the ensuing restart, with Mahder and Pederson door-to-door for second. Near the midway point, Schill started to work lapped traffic, using all lanes to perfection to maintain his lead. This allowed Pederson to close in on Schill's spoiler, however, with Pederson briefly taking the lead on lap seventeen. The pass was erased by a caution shortly thereafter, but the lead duo resumed their battle as the green flew again. Pederson tried a slidejob, and a crossover, but it was Schill who remained the leader. It was then when defending Seitz Memorial champion Aaron Turnbull moved up to the second spot, and began to briefly reel in Schill for the lead. Schill was too strong in clear air in the waning laps, going on to collect his first NLRA feature win over Turnbull, Dustin Strand, Jeffrey Massingill, and AJ Diemel. |
Dustin Strand won his fourth NLRA series championship.
Speedway Shots photo. Related |
"We had a good heat race, and we were able to draw up front for the feature," Schill said post race after his first NLRA feature win. "We knew we were gonna have to draw good to run up front with these guys. We're just happy to be here, it's a big special event. I've always want to win a Seitz race. We always thought it would be in a B-Mod, we never dreamt it would be in a Late Model, but we're pretty darn happy to be here."
With his third place run, Dustin Strand was able to secure his fourth NLRA series championship.
With his third place run, Dustin Strand was able to secure his fourth NLRA series championship.
"It's been a weird year," Strand said after the race. "We probably only raced half of the races we should have, but it's always an honor to win this deal. We race with a great group of guys, and hopefully next year we can get a full season in."
Defending Champion Turnbull Wins The Pole
On Friday night, Aaron Turnbull's bid to go back-to-back as the John Seitz Memorial champion got off to a great start, as he won the fifteen lap 'Go Hard or Go Home' pole dash, earning him the pole for Saturday night's 92 lap feature. Don Shaw, Jesse Glenz, Dave Mass, and Casey Meyer rounded out the top five in the dash.
Glenz, Mass, Casey Meyer, Joey Pederson, and Shaw were the heat winners.
Glenz, Mass, Casey Meyer, Joey Pederson, and Shaw were the heat winners.
Turnbull Goes Back-To-Back As Seitz Memorial Champion
Aaron Turnbull in victory lane after his second consecutive John Seitz Memorial championship.
Speedway Shots photo.
Speedway Shots photo.
Former Seitz Memorial champions Aaron Turnbull and Don Shaw lead the field to the green for the fourteenth running of the John Seitz Memorial, and it was Shaw who paced the field to start. Shaw lead the opening twenty-three circuits to start, before another former champion AJ Diemel moved to the top spot on the twenty-fourth lap in the No. 58 Beltline Body Shop MB Custom.
After the fuel stop on lap thirty-two, Diemel continued to lead, with Aaron Turnbull taking second from Shaw shortly after the restart.
With sixty-six laps in the books, Turnbull took the point for the first time, as Diemel began to slip back through the field to as far back as fifth on a pair of occasions.
With twenty laps left, Jesse Glenz and Jeffrey Massingill, who started twenty-third after earning the final transfer spot in his B Main earlier in the night, went head to head for second.
Massingill mastered the bottom, moving his no. 6M to second on a pair of occasions. As Glenz won the battle for second, Casey Meyer moved onto the podium, as the Smith Motors No. 03 was the next to fight Glenz for second.
Glenz closed to Turnbull's spoiler with ten laps remaining, with Meyer close in third. Just then, Diemel started to make a last push for another Seitz Memorial championship.
Diemel moved back up to third with four laps left, the in to second past Glenz with two laps left. Diemel, running the low side, then through the middle, went three-wide with Glenz and Turnbull on a couple occasions, before Diemel peeked to Turnbull's inside during the final trip through turns one and two.
Turnbull abandoned the cushion, protecting against a last lap pass for the win by Diemel. The move was enough for Turnbull to beat Diemel back to the double checkers by .138 of a second. Glenz, Meyer, and Massingill rounder out the top five.
“I thought we were a third place car there at the beginning. I guess we had enough there at the end,” said a shocked Turnbull in victory lane. “Last year was bigger because my family was here. That was just so awesome to have those guys here with me. But this is unbelievable.”
“I was so flustered those last 20 laps,” said Turnbull after the race. “The last two or three laps I saw a nose poking under me. I probably didn’t do the right thing going to the bottom on the last lap in (turns) three and four but I saw a slide job coming. I thought I should at least try and protect that. It was a good thing it was 92 (laps) and not 93.”
After the fuel stop on lap thirty-two, Diemel continued to lead, with Aaron Turnbull taking second from Shaw shortly after the restart.
With sixty-six laps in the books, Turnbull took the point for the first time, as Diemel began to slip back through the field to as far back as fifth on a pair of occasions.
With twenty laps left, Jesse Glenz and Jeffrey Massingill, who started twenty-third after earning the final transfer spot in his B Main earlier in the night, went head to head for second.
Massingill mastered the bottom, moving his no. 6M to second on a pair of occasions. As Glenz won the battle for second, Casey Meyer moved onto the podium, as the Smith Motors No. 03 was the next to fight Glenz for second.
Glenz closed to Turnbull's spoiler with ten laps remaining, with Meyer close in third. Just then, Diemel started to make a last push for another Seitz Memorial championship.
Diemel moved back up to third with four laps left, the in to second past Glenz with two laps left. Diemel, running the low side, then through the middle, went three-wide with Glenz and Turnbull on a couple occasions, before Diemel peeked to Turnbull's inside during the final trip through turns one and two.
Turnbull abandoned the cushion, protecting against a last lap pass for the win by Diemel. The move was enough for Turnbull to beat Diemel back to the double checkers by .138 of a second. Glenz, Meyer, and Massingill rounder out the top five.
“I thought we were a third place car there at the beginning. I guess we had enough there at the end,” said a shocked Turnbull in victory lane. “Last year was bigger because my family was here. That was just so awesome to have those guys here with me. But this is unbelievable.”
“I was so flustered those last 20 laps,” said Turnbull after the race. “The last two or three laps I saw a nose poking under me. I probably didn’t do the right thing going to the bottom on the last lap in (turns) three and four but I saw a slide job coming. I thought I should at least try and protect that. It was a good thing it was 92 (laps) and not 93.”
The NLRA would like to thank Tour Sponsors: Wes’ Plumbing, S & S Transport, Performance Auto, Adams Automotive and Machine, White Water Truck Wash, DayDreams Specialties, Grand Forks Subaru/Kia, Boss Signs, Storbakken & Sons Construction, Millar Engines, Gateway Cenex, Fastlane Racing Equipment, Q & Z Plumbing, Fargo Forum, On The Edge Graphics, Hugo’s Family Marketplace, EGF American Legion Post 157, EZ Open Garage Door, Schill Construction, and Greg’s Lawn Care, and Contingency Sponsors: CMD Shocks, Hoosier Tire North, Mars Race Cars, Performance Auto, Speedway International Fuel, Schaeffer's Oil & Lubricants, for their continued support.
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