NLRA Event Preview - Prelude to the Johnny

Steve Anderson (9) and Brody Troftgruben (14) race side-by-side at River Cities on track championship night.
Mike Spieker photo.
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The 20th season of NLRA action comes to a close this Thursday night at the River Cities Speedway with the seventh running of the 'Prelude to the Johnny' that kicks off the eleventh annual John Seitz Memorial weekend.
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Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, won last years Prelude, one of his twenty feature wins that propelled him to a Wissota national championship. 

Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, clinched the championship last year on the final night as he and Strand were separated by just 46 points going into the Prelude.

​Dustin Strand won six races during the regular season at River Cities. Seng, Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 Winnipeg Heading Centres MasterSbilt by JMR, and Joey Pederson, driver of the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors MB Custom, have two wins each.

​Zach Naastad, driver of the No. Z17 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, Ricky Weiss, driver of the No. 7 Hawkeye Construction Bloomquist, and Donny Schatz, driver of the No. 15 Fargo Petro Rocket, have one win each.

​Schatz's win was part of a sweep including the WoO feature three weeks ago. Weiss' win came last Friday night.
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Ricky Weiss is on the verge of securing his second NLRA championship. He'll take a 90 point lead into the 'Prelude'

Related

• Weiss And Shaw Split Labor Day Double At Viking

• Donny Schatz Doubles Up At River Cities

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• 08.18.17 Highlights: River Cities Speedway

​Dustin Strand won the season points championship at River Cities by 32 markers over multiple time track champion Joey Pederson. Mike Balcaen, driver of the No. 10 Enns Brothers Black Diamond, finished third, with Mooney and Seng rounding out the top five.

All Ricky Weiss has to do is roll onto the track under his own power once to clinch his second series title. Weiss has three wins with the series this season, and will carry a 90 point lead into Thursday night. 

Brad Seng is second, with Shane Edginton, driver of the No. 4 Schill Construction Victory third, Bill Mooney fourth, and Mike Balcaen rounding out the top five.

Steve Anderson, driver of the No. 9 Big Trucks by Jimco MB Custom is sixth, with Dustin Strand seventh, Travis Robertson, driver of the No. 1R Tires Plus MasterSbilt eight, Tom Corcoran, driver of the No. T1 D&B Motors MB Custom ninth, and Jeff Hapala, driver of the No. 16S City Parcel Delivery MasterSbilt by JMR, rounding out the top ten.

Racing begins at seven on Thursday night. If you can't make it out, Speed Shift TV will carry all the action throughout the weekend. For more info on the River Cities Speedway, visit our Tracks page.
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Previous NLRA Feature Winners at River Cities Speedway:
2017 - Dustin Strand on June 16; Dustin Strand on June 30; Donny Schatz on August 18
2016 - Mike Balcaen on June 17; Don Shaw on June 25; Dustin Strand on August 26; Dustin Strand on September 8
2015 - Joey Pederson on June 19; Bill Mooney on August 21; AJ Diemel on September 10
2014 - Mike Balcaen on June 20; Brad Seng on August 15; Donny Schatz on August 16; Ricky Weiss on Sept. 4
2013 - Joey Pederson in June 21; Donny Schatz on August 16; Pat Doar on September 5
2012 - Joey Pederson on August 17; John Kaanta on Sept. 6
2011 - Ricky Weiss on August 18; Adam Hensel on Sept. 8
2010 - Steve Anderson on June 19; Ricky Weiss on June 20
2009 - Brad Seng on June 19
2008 - Joey Pederson on June 13
2003 - Dave Zimmerman on August 8
2001 - Brad Seng on August 3
2000 - Mitch Johnson on May 31; Johnny Johnson on June 1; Mitch Johnson on August 18
1999 - Don Shaw on June 17; Joel Cryderman on August 19

The NLRA would like to thank Tour Sponsors: Wes' Plumbing, S&S Transport, Performance Auto, Adams Automotive & Machine, White Water Truck Wash, Day Dreams, Grand Forks Subaru/Kia, BOSS Signs & Graphics, Storbakken & Sons Construction, Cartunz, Generous Jerry's/Gold Silver Exchange, A&L Siding, Millar Engines, Todd's Electric, Gateway Cenex, Fastlane Racing Equipment, Q&Z Plumbing, On The Edge, Fargo Forum, Hugo's, Eagles, and Contingency Sponsors: Speedway International Fuel, Hi-Per Flex, Schaeffer's Oil & Lubricants, Hoosier Tire North, and FYE Motorsports Promotion, for their support.
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