The NLRA will begin its' 20th season of competition in a big way this weekend, co-heading a double dose of action in the Valley with the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series.
The season starts this Friday night at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND, where the series is scheduled to run its' 30th series points race. The high-banked quarter-mile clay oval hosted the series four times last season.
This season in weekly competition, Strand again leads all drivers with two wins. Zach Naastad, driver of the No. Z17 Q&Z Plumbing Millenium, is coming off his second career late model victory, and his first at River Cities last Friday night before the rains came.
Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 Lithia Toyota MasterSbilt by JMR, won the season opener on May 5. Defending NLRA series champion Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, won on May 12. Joey Pederson, driver of the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors MB Custom, won his first race since the June 2015 running of this Friday's event, on May 19.
Pederson leads all drivers with four series wins at River Cities. Brad Seng has three, while Balcaen, Donny Schatz, and Strand have two a piece. Steve Anderson, driver the No. 9 Big Trucks by Jimco MB Custom, and Bill Mooney are the other series regulars with prior series victories, each collecting one triumph each.
Brad Seng will carry a six point lead over Joey Pederson heading into Friday's races in the River Cities season point standings. Balcaen, Strand, and Naastad round out the top five. Ryan Corbett, in the No. C4 Corbett Trucking MasterSbilt, Mooney, Tom Corcoran, in the No. T1 D&B Motors MB Custom, Travis Robertson, in the No. 1R Tires Plus MasterSbilt by JMR, and Steve Anderson round out the top ten.
On Saturday the series will head an hour south down Interstate 29 to the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND. The series will make it's tenth visit to the Red River Valley Fairgrounds, and it's eighth to the current 3/8ths mile configuration.
Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Gateway Motors MasterSbilt by JMR, and Dustin Strand split the series' two visits last season. Along with Schill and Strand, Mike Balcaen, Shane Edginton, driver of the No. 4 General Signs Victory by Moyer, and Brad Seng collected top tens during both visits last season. Strand leads all drivers with two victories in Fargo, while Schill and Seng are the only other series regulars with wins, with Seng's win coming back on the old half-mile configuration.
Donny Schatz is scheduled to race both his No. 15 Petro of Fargo Rocket NLRA Late Model and his World of Outlaw Sprint Car both nights. Action is scheduled to begin after time trials, around seven on both nights. For more information on these tracks, visit our tracks page.
2016 - Mike Balcaen on June 17; Don Shaw on June 25; Dustin Strand on August 26; Dustin Strand on Sept. 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
Previous NLRA Feature Winners at the Red River Valley Speedway:
2016 - Cole Schill on June 24; Dustin Strand on July 17
2012 - Marshall Fegers on May 5; Matt Aukland on June 20; Dustin Strand on August 25
2011 - Jake Redetzke on June 23; Corey Seckerson on August 17
2010 - Chad Becker on July 14
2009 - Brad Seng on June 20
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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