The NLRA is coming off a four race stretch, which started last Wednesday night at the Norman County Raceway in Ada, MN, helping kick off the 121st Norman County Fair.
The stretch kicked off last Wednesday night, as heat winners Kevin Robertson, driver of the No. 10R Nugget Vending MasterSbilt and Adam Fischer, and his No. 30 Northwest Auto Body Rocket, lead the field to the green flag in the feature. Iron Ranger Jeffrey Massingill, driver of the No. 6M Tesar Racing Engines Club 29, got off to a great start on the bottom of the track, and lead the field into turn one from the third starting spot.
The stretch kicked off last Wednesday night, as heat winners Kevin Robertson, driver of the No. 10R Nugget Vending MasterSbilt and Adam Fischer, and his No. 30 Northwest Auto Body Rocket, lead the field to the green flag in the feature. Iron Ranger Jeffrey Massingill, driver of the No. 6M Tesar Racing Engines Club 29, got off to a great start on the bottom of the track, and lead the field into turn one from the third starting spot.
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Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, moved low around Fischer in turns three and four to take the runner-up spot, and began closing the gap on Massingill for the lead. Seng closed to within a couple car lengths of the lead, while sweeping to the outside in turn one on lap three.
As the lead was up for debate, Matt Aukland, in the M&J Auto Parts No. 12A, Robertson, Jeff Wildung in the Veit Companies No. 50, and Mike Balcaen, driving the No. 10 Enns Bros. Black Diamond, went four wide for the fifth spot. Wildung gave way on the front stretch, as the remaining three went three wide into turn one. Seng would take the lead from Massingill on the outside in one and two on lap four, and would pull away by nearly a straightaway on lap seven. Wildung would move into the final spot inside the top five with a move on Adam Fischer on the low side of one and two on lap eight. Then it was Don Shaw's turn to get in on the action, as he would take a peek inside of Massingill in his Shaw Trucking No. 42S in turns three and four on lap ten. Shaw would proceed to pull even with Massingill on the inside of one and two on lap eleven, but Massingill would get a good bite off the top side, and pull away on the backstretch. |
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Jeffrey Massingill (6M) and Brad Seng (12S) side-by-side on night one at Norman County. Mike Spieker photo.
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Seng was approaching lapped traffic, as Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Gateway Chevrolet MasterSbilt and Shane Edginton, wheeling the No. 4 Performance Auto Victory by Moyer, would begin to work on Fischer for seventh. Schill made his move on the outside in one and two, while Edginton followed on the top of three and four. A caution saved Seng from having to start working traffic, and on the ensuing double file restart, Massingill would choose the inside line, On the green, Shaw got a better start, and moved into second on the top of one an two. Wildung would do the same on Mike Balcaen as Shaw, Massingill and Wildung ran nose to tail down the backstretch. Balcaen wasn't done yet, however, as he would take fourth back from Wildung on the inside of three and four.
Balcaen continued on lap 14, taking a look on the inside of Massingill in one and two, but Massingill would keep the spot. with ten to go in the 25 lap affair, the field would start to string out a bit, as Seng would start to see the tail of the field once again. Seng would reach the first lapped car with six to go, with Shaw starting to reel in the leader.
Seng was approaching lapped traffic, as Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Gateway Chevrolet MasterSbilt and Shane Edginton, wheeling the No. 4 Performance Auto Victory by Moyer, would begin to work on Fischer for seventh. Schill made his move on the outside in one and two, while Edginton followed on the top of three and four. A caution saved Seng from having to start working traffic, and on the ensuing double file restart, Massingill would choose the inside line, On the green, Shaw got a better start, and moved into second on the top of one an two. Wildung would do the same on Mike Balcaen as Shaw, Massingill and Wildung ran nose to tail down the backstretch. Balcaen wasn't done yet, however, as he would take fourth back from Wildung on the inside of three and four.
Balcaen continued on lap 14, taking a look on the inside of Massingill in one and two, but Massingill would keep the spot. with ten to go in the 25 lap affair, the field would start to string out a bit, as Seng would start to see the tail of the field once again. Seng would reach the first lapped car with six to go, with Shaw starting to reel in the leader.
Shane Edginton (4) and Mike Balcaen (10) have been close all season. Mike Spieker photo.
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Shaw would take a peek inside seng for the lead with five to go in one and two, as the pair would remain nose to tail as they moved high around a pair of lapped cars. Shaw and Seng were clear of traffic until the two to go signal when Seng caught the back of one final lapper. Seng would make the race clinching move on the bottom of three and four coming to the white flag, and go on to his first series win of the season, and 32nd overall.
Massingill, Balcaen, and Wildung rounded out the top five. Schill, Edginton, Strand, Dave Smith, driver of the No. 06 Mobil 1 Capital, and Steffen Snare in the No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist rounded out the top ten. Strand was the hard charger, improving eight spots from his 16th starting spot. Aukland and Massingill joined Fischer and Robertson as heat winners. 25 cars were in attendance on night one. |
Night two in Ada started as night one ended, as Seng and Shaw would resume their battle early, as they won their heats, and redrew the front row for the main event. Seng would lead the field into one and two at the start, looking to become the second driver to sweep the Ada fair races, Ricky Weiss accomplishing that feat just one year ago.
Two-time and defending series champion Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing and heating Millenium, along with Don Shaw, and Jeremy Keller, who was looking to bounce back from a tough night one night prior in his Simes Graphics No. 11K, went three wide off of turn two, with Keller taking the runner up spot. Keller would proceed to take a peek inside of Seng for the lead in one and two on lap two, but Seng held the point. as Dave Smith pulled even inside of Shaw for fourth, as a caution negated that possible pass.
On the insuing double file restart, Keller would choose the inside, and, just like Jeffrey Massingill's inside pick one night before, Keller would lose second to Strand as the green flew. Strand, Keller, and Shaw went nose-to-door on the inside of one and two, with the latter giving way. Dave Smith would again hound Shaw for fourth, with a pair off Jeff's, Wildung and Hapala, close behind.
Shaw, Smith, and Wildung would go three wide into three and four, with Wildung coming out on top. As the field circulated on lap three, Wildung became the only driver inside the top eleven to run the high side, as he would use the line to move past Shaw in turn two. Wildung would close in quickly on Keller for third, eventually taking the spot in three and four, as Shaw and Balcaen ran even to the flag stand.
Shaw, Smith, and Wildung would go three wide into three and four, with Wildung coming out on top. As the field circulated on lap three, Wildung became the only driver inside the top eleven to run the high side, as he would use the line to move past Shaw in turn two. Wildung would close in quickly on Keller for third, eventually taking the spot in three and four, as Shaw and Balcaen ran even to the flag stand.
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As Shaw and Balcaen's battle dominated lap five action, Wildung would begin work on Strand for the runner-up spot.
The next lap, Wildung closed in on Strand while still running high in one and two. Wildung showed his nose in three and four, and Strand would make the choice to move to the top in one and two as seven commenced. Strand was still good off the bottom in three and four, while Shaw and Balcaen continued to jockey for fifth. Balcaen and Shaw would go three-wide with Keller into one and two on lap eight, as Wildung would peek to the inside of Strand. Strand would continue to pace ahead of Wildung, Balcaen, Keller, and Shaw. |
Jeff Wildung (50) and Dustin Strand (71) battle during the Norman County Fair. Mike Spieker photo.
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Seng, who was out to a relatively health advantage, would reach the tail of the field on lap nine. Just as Seng was looking to put the last place car a lap down, the lapped car pushed going into turn one, making contact with the left rear of Seng's 12S, causing him to spin. As Seng's car spun, Wildung and Strand had to put their battle on hold, and take evasive action, as the pair drove over turns one and two to avoid Seng.
Seng was able to continue, but as the green flew, smoke started pouring out the back of Seng's car down the length of the front stretch. Wildung and Strand, who chose the inside on the double file restart, split Seng to go three-wide off turn two, with Wildung taking the point down the back straight. Strand moved into second, but another caution erased all of that movement.
Strand chose the inside again on the ensuing restart, but Seng got off to a better start, as the smoke didn't reappear out of Seng's machine. Strand and Wildung resumed their battle for second, as Keller and Balcaen swapped third and fourth. Seng would remain the leader into one and two, while Wildung was putting an end to his battle with Strand, as the No. 50 got a good bite off the top of turn two and pulled away from Strand.
Seng was able to continue, but as the green flew, smoke started pouring out the back of Seng's car down the length of the front stretch. Wildung and Strand, who chose the inside on the double file restart, split Seng to go three-wide off turn two, with Wildung taking the point down the back straight. Strand moved into second, but another caution erased all of that movement.
Strand chose the inside again on the ensuing restart, but Seng got off to a better start, as the smoke didn't reappear out of Seng's machine. Strand and Wildung resumed their battle for second, as Keller and Balcaen swapped third and fourth. Seng would remain the leader into one and two, while Wildung was putting an end to his battle with Strand, as the No. 50 got a good bite off the top of turn two and pulled away from Strand.
Donny Schatz (15) Jeff Hapala (16S) and Allen Kent (33) go three wide on night two. Mike Spieker photo.
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Wildung would then quickly pull even with Seng in one and two on lap ten, taking the lead as the pair headed into turn three. Wildung would lead at the flag stand. The pair would pull even again, in one and two, but Wildung would earn a car lenght advantage at the end of the back stretch. The best battle in the place became the fight for seventh, as a pair of Rockets, Donny Schatz, in his K3 Farms No. 15 and Jeff Hapala in his Auto Solutions No. 16S raced down the back straight.
Wildung began to open it up, as the majority of the field began to string out just a bit. With ten to go, Allen Kent, driving his No. 33 K&K Racing GRT, would start to work on Hapala for eighth, with Kent gaining the edge. Wildung caught lapped traffic with eight laps to go. The first pass was no problem, as the pair ran different lanes, but the next three cars were on Wildung's preferred high side of the track. |
Wildung had to go low, but made steady progress, as he lapped one car a lap for the next three laps. Wildung caught some more traffic, but he was able to go back to the high side. As Wildung continued to keep his advantage in front. Strand steadily reeled in Seng for second. With five to go, Strand would take the runner-up spot while in traffic, running the middle in three and four, with Seng on the bottom. Wildung had one last challenge in the final pair of laps, but he earned the clincher by splitting a pair of lapped car in one an two on the final round.
Strand, Seng, Keller, and Shaw rounded out the top five. Mike Balcaen was sixth, with Schatz in seventh, Allen Kent eighth, Dave Smith ninth, and Shane Edginton rounding out the top ten. Edginton was the hard charger as he gained eleven spots after starting 21st. Hapala and Strand joined Shaw and Seng as heat winners. 27 cars entered the event on night two.
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Brad Seng and his crew (left) and Jeff Wildung (right) in victory lane at the Norman County Raceway last week.
Mike Spieker photos.
Mike Spieker photos.
The NLRA would like to thank Tour Sponsors: Adams Automotive, S & S Transport, Wes' Plumbing, 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, Q&Z Plumbing, A&L Siding, Performance Auto, Cartunz, Daydreams Specialties, Storbakken and Sons Construction, 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.
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