NLRA Event Preview - Red River Co-Op, River Cities, and Devils Lake

The NLRA season continues after a nearly three week break, as the series makes a trio of return visits this weekend, starting on Thursday night, August the 20th, for the Can-Am Late Model Challenge at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg, continuing on Friday night, August the 21st, at the River Cities Speedway alongside the World of Outlaws sprint car series, then ending on Saturday night, August the 22nd, at the Devils Lake Speedway near Doyon, ND.

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First on Thursday night, the NLRA makes its' second appearance this season, and 25th overall to the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg. Ricky Weiss in the No. 7  Derrick's Sandblasting Bloomquist, won the series first visit to the four-tenths mile oval on July 2nd. Weiss started outside the front row, and lead all 25 laps. Dustin Strand, driver of the Q&Z Plumbing & Heating No. 71 finished second, with Mike Balcaen, driver of the No. 10 Northstar Canada Victory Circle third, Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom fourth, and Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Rivinius Ranch MasterSbuilt by JMR fifth. 

Thursday nights' event is the Can-Am Late Model Challenge, pitting the best Canadian Drivers against the best Americans. The Canadian contingent bested the American talent last season. Eight races have been run in weekly competition at the Red River Co-Op Speedway this season, with three different drivers winning races. Ricky Weiss leads the way with five wins. Mike Balcaen won on June 18th and July 9th, Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbuilt by JMR, won on June 11th. Balcaen enters the evening as the point leader by eight markers over Mooney. Kevin Sexton is third, with Ricky Weiss and Paul Veert rounding out the top five. Racing starts at seven on Thursday night.

Steffen Snare (71S) and Bill Mooney (2) race door-to-door in Winnipeg on July 2nd. Photo credit: Tim Johnson.

On Friday night the NLRA makes its' 24th appearance at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, where the NLRA will once again race alongside the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. Joey Pederson, driver of the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors MB Custom, won the first visit to the three-tenths mile oval on the Grand Forks County Fairgrounds on June 19th, leading the 25 laps. Mike Balcaen finished second, with Brad Seng, Dustin Strand, and World of Outlaw Sprint Car feature winner Donny Schatz, driver of the No. 15 K3 Farms Rocket, rounding out the top five. Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbuilt by JMR was the hard charger, passing a series best 15 cars, after starting 23rd.

Steve Anderson (9) and Donny Schatz (15) running in turns one and two at River Cities on June 19. Photo credit: Mike Spieker.

Ten races have been run in weekly competition at the River Cities Speedway this season, with five different drivers winning races. Brad Seng leads the way with four wins. Joey Pederson and Ricky Weiss have two wins, while Bill Mooney and Dustin Strand have one win each. Strand's win is the most recent winner at River Cities, having won the race of champions qualifier for the Wissota 100 in Huron, SD. in September. Strand also enters the evening as the point leader by three markers over Seng. Pederson is third, with Steffen Snare, driver of the No. 71S High Mark Snowmobile Rentals Bloomquist, and Steve Anderson, driver of the No. 9 Hi-Per-Flex Panel Systems Pierce rounding out the top five. Racing starts at seven on Friday night.

Finally on Saturday night, the series makes its' second and final appearance this season, and 17th overall, at the Devils Lake Speedway near Doyon, ND. Brad Seng won the first visit to the three-eighths mile oval on July 18. Seng lead the first ten laps before relinquishing the lead to Mike Balcaen in lapped traffic on lap eleven. Seng, however, recaptured the lead on lap 14, and lead the rest of the 25 lap main event. Mike Balcaen finished second, with Ricky Weiss third, Dustin Strand fourth, and Bill Mooney rounding out the top five after starting tenth. Seng enters Saturday night having won the previous two races in Devils Lake. Seng is the only american to win an NLRA series event in Devils Lake since 2006, with Bill Mooney and Ricky Weiss winning the other three features. Dustin Strand will head into Devils Lake with momentum as well, as he won the modified special at the speedway on August 8th. Racing starts at seven on Saturday night.

Heading into Thursday nights' race in Winnipeg, Mike Balcaen leads the NLRA point standings with an eight point advantage over Dustin Strand. Brad Seng sits in the third spot, while Ricky Weiss and Steffen Snare round out the top five. Steve Anderson is in the sixth spot, with Cole Schill in seventh, Jeff Hapala, driver of the No. 16S Auto Solutions Rocket eighth, Bill Mooney in ninth, and Norm Olson, driver of the No. 29 Disabled American Veterans MasterSbilt rounding out the top ten.

Previous NLRA Feature Winners at Red River Co-Op Speedway:
2015 - Ricky Weiss on July 2
2014 - Brad Seng on July 17
2013 - Joey Pederson on June 27
2012 - Brad Seng on June 28
2009 - Ricky Weiss on June 11; Troy Schill on August 6
2008 - Brad Seng on May 22; Mike Balcaen on August 7
2007 - Kevin Sexton on May 17; Scott Greer on June 21; Kevin Sexton on August 16; Joel Cryderman on Sept. 8
2006 - Mike Balcaen on June 15; John Seitz on August 17; Kevin Sexton on Sept. 9
2005 - John Seitz on June 16; Mike Balcaen on Sept. 10
2004 - Troy Schill on May 1; Kevin Sexton on Sept. 11
2003 - Mike Balcaen on May 3; Joey Pederson on Sept. 6
2001 - Joey Pederson on April 28
1998 - Howie Schill on June 17; Mike Balcaen on July 15

Previous NLRA Feature Winners at River Cities Speedway:
2015 - Joey Pederson on June 19
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

Previous NLRA Feature Winners at Devils Lake Speedway:
2015 - Brad Seng on July 18
2014 - Brad Seng on July 26
2013 - Bill Mooney on August 17
2012 - Ricky Weiss on June 23
2011 - Ricky Weiss on August 19
2006 - Cody Skytland on June 10; Roger Gendron on August 19
2003 - Brad Seng on June 28; Brian Strand on July 19
2002 - Ryan Corbett on June 8; Mike Balcaen on July 27; Mike Balcaen on August 31
2001 - John Seitz on June 23; Mike Balcaen on July 21; John Seitz on Sept. 1; Brian Strand on Sept. 2

Zach Naastad (Z17), Dustin Strand (71), Joey Pederson (7P), and Mike Balcaen (10) head into turn one at River Cities earlier this season. Photo courtesy of Rick Rea.


The NLRA would like to thank Tour Sponsors: Adams Automotive, S & S Transport, Wes' Plumbing, Initials Custom Embroidery (ICE), BOSS Signs & Graphics, Millar Race Engines, Todd's Electric, Gateway Cenex, White Water Truck Wash, ADrenaLize Graphics, Generous Jerry's/Gold-Silver Exchange, Gateway Sports, Grand Forks Subaru Kia, Forum Printing, On The Edge Graphics, Fastlane Racing Equipment, Victory Diesel, Forks Mobile Wash, Q&Z Plumbing, A&L Siding, The Ho Bar And Grill, AG Spray, and Cartunz, and Contingency Sponsors: Speedway International Fuel, Hi-Per Flex, Schaeffer's Oil & Lubricants, Mars Race Cars, Hoosier Tire North, FYE Motorsports Promotion, and CMD Shocks, for their support.