Mike Spieker photo.
This race will be the ninth time the series has ran at the track in it's current configuration, as the first two races were on the old half-mile. This will also be the first points race at the Speedway since 2016, as last year's originally scheduled appearance was lost to rain. One event was contested at the Speedway last season, as Donny Schatz, driver of the No. 15 Fastlane Car Wash Rocket, picked up the very popular hometown victory. He was followed home by Ricky Weiss, driver of the No. 7 A.I.E. Communications Rocket, and Mike Balcaen, driver of the No. 10 Mission Transport Black Diamond, who rounded out the podium. Past Red River Valley NLRA winners Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S Schill Construction MB Custom, and Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Genrations Salon & Spa Millenium SRT, finished fourth and fifth respectively last August. Strand is the only repeat winner at the Red River Valley Speedway, as he has two wins to his credit on the three-eights mile configuration. | Donny Schatz won the lone NLRA appearance at the Red River Valley Speedway last year. Mike Spieker photo. Related |
In NLRA action thus far this season, Dustin Strand leads all drivers with three series wins coming into the four race stretch that starts at the Red River Co-op Speedway on Thursday, and continues at the River Cities Speedway on Friday. The series wraps up the stretch at the Sheyenne Speedway in Lisbon on Sunday night.
Strand's wins came at the Greenbush Race Park on June 23rd, on Midco Night at River Cities on June 29th, and at the Jamestown Speedway on August 4th.
Mike Balcaen has two wins this season. They came during the NLRA season opener at the Devils Lake Speedway on May 19th, and at the Greenbush Race Park on July 28th.
Ricky Weiss won at River Cities on June 15th, while Donny Schatz picked up a win in his hometown of Minot during the series return to the Nodak Speedway on August 5th.
The race at the Red River Valley Speedway will serve as a home race for a couple other series regulars. Moorhead's Travis Robertson, driver of the No. 1R The Bowler MasterSbilt, has shown speed in recent weeks following his scary wreck at River Cities on June 29th, including a strong fourth place run at the Devils Lake Speedway last Saturday night.
West Fargo's Jeff Hapala, driver of the No. 16S City Parcel Delivery MasterSbilt by JMR, lead the first half of the main event in weekly competition at River Cities last Friday night, and scored a number of wins at the Red River Valley Speedway on both configurations in his Super Stock days.
2016 Wissota National Champion Dustin Strand has a 98 point lead over Brad Seng heafing into the weekend. Mike Balcaen is currently third, with Shane Edginton, driver of the No. 4 Performance Auto Victory in fourth, and 1998 series titlist Troy Schill rounding out the top five in his No. 11 Albrecht Manufacturing MasterSbilt.
Brody Troftgruben, driver of the No. 14 Shane's Landscaping Rocket, is sixth in the NLRA standings. Troftgruben wrapped up the Devils Lake Speedway Championship last Saturday night.
Rookie Jesse Teunis, driver of the No. 70 Performance Auto MasterSbilt is seventh, with Bill Mooney driver of the No. 2 Winnipeg Hearing Centres MasterSbilt eighth. Ryan Corbett, driver of the No. C4 Diamond Lounge MasterSbilt, and Joey Pederson, driver of the No. 7P Vesey Plumbing Victory, round out the current top ten.
Racing begins after World of Outlaws time trials on Saturday night. To find out more about the event, visit our Tracks page, or visit redrivervalleyspeedway.com.
Previous NLRA Feature Winners at the Red River Valley Speedway:
2017 - Donny Schatz on August 23
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, A&L Siding, Millar Engines, Gateway Cenex, Fastlane Racing Equipment, Q&Z Plumbing, Fargo Forum, On The Edge Graphics, Hugo's, EGF American Legion Post 157, 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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