Another John Seitz Memorial is in the books as the tenth running of the event took place at the River Cities Speedway last week. Thursday night was marred by rain delays, but produced a new track record holder in Wissota national point leader Dustin Strand, and a new three-time NLRA series champion in Brad Seng. Friday saw the original Seitz memorial pole sitter, Steve Laursen, earn the pole once again. Saturday saw Elk Mound, Wisconsin native AJ Diemel join Brad Seng as the only two-time champions in the events' history.
Thursday - Strand Wins the Battle; Seng Wins the War
David McDonald, driver of the No. 52X AgriPlan Black Diamond, and Brad Seng, driver of the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, lead the field to the green for the sixth annual 'Prelude to the Johnny' with Seng taking the lead down the backstretch over McDonald, who had not even laid eyes on the Bullring until earlier that afternoon. Wisconsinites Nick Anvelink and Steve Laursen, along with Zach Naastad completed the top five after lap one.
Anvelink got a good bite off the bottom in his No. 15A Seubert Calf Ranches MB Custom, one lap two and took over the second spot, as Naastad took fourth in his No. Z17 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, from Laursen's No. 19 JT Auto Sales MasterSbilt. Strand followed his teammate Naastad in the No. 71 Troy Pecka Trucking Millenium, past Laursen as Steve Anderson in his first night behind the wheel his No. 9 Pro Mark Services MB Custom, moved in on Laursen for a spot in the top five.
Strand was looking to defend his NLRA title, but took an 18 point disadvantage to Seng into the main event, as Strand finished second to Seng in their heat race. Strand set a new track record in the heat race, putting down a blistering 11.422 second lap at 94 Mph. for an average speed. The previous record was set by Seng on April 22 of this year at 11.514.
Anvelink got a good bite off the bottom in his No. 15A Seubert Calf Ranches MB Custom, one lap two and took over the second spot, as Naastad took fourth in his No. Z17 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, from Laursen's No. 19 JT Auto Sales MasterSbilt. Strand followed his teammate Naastad in the No. 71 Troy Pecka Trucking Millenium, past Laursen as Steve Anderson in his first night behind the wheel his No. 9 Pro Mark Services MB Custom, moved in on Laursen for a spot in the top five.
Strand was looking to defend his NLRA title, but took an 18 point disadvantage to Seng into the main event, as Strand finished second to Seng in their heat race. Strand set a new track record in the heat race, putting down a blistering 11.422 second lap at 94 Mph. for an average speed. The previous record was set by Seng on April 22 of this year at 11.514.
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Anvelink nosed ahead of Seng on lap seven, and lead outright at the end of the lap. That would be the only lap Anvelink would lead, however, as he biked it hard in turn one, and fortunately saved it from going upside down.
Anvelink decided not to take any more chances, and headed pitside. Seng reclaimed the lead at that point as McDonald closed back in running a close second. After a caution on lap eight, McDonald chose the inside on the double file restart, Strand took second going into one, but bounced through the ruts as he went for the lead, but held on to second. Strand took the lead the next time through one and two. Seng and McDonald went door-to-door for second, with the latter making short work of the NLRA point leader. The races second and final caution with eleven laps remaining when AJ Diemel, driver of the No. 58 Beltline Body Shop MB Custom, stopped at the bottom of turn three. The top five remained the same on the first lap after the caution, but Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbilt, saw the rest of the field fighting for the bottom, so he road the top of the track, and passed Seng, Shaw, and Laursen on lap 16. |
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Brad Seng (12S) and David McDonald (52X) battle for the lead early on in the feature on Thursday night. Mike Spieker photo.
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Mooney proceeded to go door-to-door with McDonald in the closing laps, making the pass with three laps left. Strand went on to win, his seventh in NLRA competition this season, tying the record set by John Seitz in 2004. Mooney finished second, with McDonald third, defending Seitz winner Chad Mahder in fourth in the No. 33X Bay & Bay Club 29, and Shaw rounding out the top five in his No. 42S Shaw Trucking Victory by Moyer.
Anvelink, McDonald, Seng, and Laursen won the heats, Lance Matthees won the B Main in his No. 90 Yaggy Transportation Rocket. 37 cars enetered the pits.
Anvelink, McDonald, Seng, and Laursen won the heats, Lance Matthees won the B Main in his No. 90 Yaggy Transportation Rocket. 37 cars enetered the pits.
Friday - Laursen Takes the Pole
Steve Laursen guided the No. 19 to the pole dash victory on Friday. Mike Spieker photo.
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Jake Redetzke in the Champ Pans No. 27, Jeff Wildung in the Veit Companies No. 50, AJ Deimel, and Brad Seng won their 15 lap qualifying heats in their MB Custom race cars. Three-time Wissota national champ Curt Gelling guided his No. 18 to win the other heat.
Steve Laursen, who started on the pole for the first John Seitz Memorial in 2007, won the 'Go Hard or Go Home' pole dash just after midnight on a rubber down track after the sprint feature. Pat Doar, Gelling, Diemel, and Don Shaw rounded out the top five in the pole dash. NLRA regulars Seng, Cole Schill, Joey Pederson, Steffen Snare, and Mike Balcaen locked themselves into Saturday's feature. Seng went from tenth to seventh in the dash, Schill improved from 14th to tenth. |
Saturday - Diemel Wins Second Seitz Memorial Title
Scott Ward, driver of the No. 37 Boldt Construction Rocket, and defending Seitz champion Chad Mahder, won the B Mains, with Nick Anvelink making the show after stealing the win from Shane Edginton, who lead the bulk of the Margaret Seitz Last Chance race in his No. 4 Performance Auto Victory by Moyer. Cody Skytland, driving the No. 75 Langdon Implement MasterSbilt, earned the final spot in the show, using the provisional for the highest finished in last years race who had not yet qualified. Skytland, the 2010 Seitz Memorial champion, finished tenth last season.
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Steve Laursen and Pat Doar, driver of the No. 11D Speedwerx Capital, lead the field to the green, with Laursen taking the point as the field took turn one for the first of 92 times.
Curt Gelling went low, then door-to-door with Pat Doar for second, but Doar kept the spot. Don Shaw moved into third on lap eight, as Laursen and Doar remained first and second as they approached traffic on lap 13. Bill Mooney, Scott Ward, and Steve Anderson were racing for position in front of the leaders, running laps as good or better then the leaders. Laursen remained on the low side as Doar ran high, as Shaw closed in. |
AJ Diemel and Don Shaw battle for the lead during the Seitz Memorial feature on Saturday. Mike Spieker photo.
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Shaw took second from Doar on the 17th lap. 2014 Seitz Memorial champion AJ Diemel, who has never finished worse than second in this event, moved to third on lap 19. Don Shaw moved in to take the lead running high on the track, eventually taking the spot on lap 23. Laursen took the lead back on the backstretch, but a yellow for Lance Matthees in turn three on lap 26 saved the lead for Shaw.
On the restart, only seven laps remained until the scheduled fuel stop on lap 32. The final pass up front before then was AJ Diemel's move to second on lap 31.
After the fuel stop that lasted about eleven minutes, the field roared back to life, as Shaw continued to lead. Two-time Seitz Champ Brad Seng took fourth from Jake Redetzke. Six laps later, a yellow for Steve Laursen, who was running third, slid off turn three, re-stacking the field once again.
On the restart, Redetzke moved back around Seng for fourth, and Seitz Memorial rookie Aaron Turnbull moved the No. 21 Mack Auction MB Custom into the top five past Curt Gelling. The next dozen or so laps went in the books with Turnbull making the only move among the leaders, as he moved by Seng for fourth.
On the restart, only seven laps remained until the scheduled fuel stop on lap 32. The final pass up front before then was AJ Diemel's move to second on lap 31.
After the fuel stop that lasted about eleven minutes, the field roared back to life, as Shaw continued to lead. Two-time Seitz Champ Brad Seng took fourth from Jake Redetzke. Six laps later, a yellow for Steve Laursen, who was running third, slid off turn three, re-stacking the field once again.
On the restart, Redetzke moved back around Seng for fourth, and Seitz Memorial rookie Aaron Turnbull moved the No. 21 Mack Auction MB Custom into the top five past Curt Gelling. The next dozen or so laps went in the books with Turnbull making the only move among the leaders, as he moved by Seng for fourth.
Aaron Turnbull (21) and Brad Seng battle for fourth during the Seitz memorial. Mike Spieker photo.
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Shaw was able to open up a bit of a lead as Jeff Provinzino held up Diemel before heading for the infield on lap 52. Diemel chased Shaw back down, however, as the pair started to work traffic again. Diemel made his move on lap 58 to take the lead. Three laps later, Shaw fell back to third, as Redetzke takes second on lap 61. Jeffrey Massingill, driver of the No. 6M Tesar Engines Club 29, was the biggest mover in the races longest stanza of 44 laps without a yellow. Massingill improved from eleventh to fifth during that run. |
Disaster struck again for another top five driver as a caution flew for Aaron Turnbull on lap 81. Turnbull was as high as fourth, and was fifth when a tire failed him. He would rebound to finish twelfth.
Diemel remained unchallenged on final restart, and went on to win, with Don Shaw second, and Jeffrey Massingill rounding out the podium. Joey Pederson, who finished second to Diemel in 2014 after starting 23rd, moved from 9th on the final restart to finish 4th.
Pederson, along with eight other NLRA regulars, made the main event. Brad Seng finished fifth, with Dustin Strand twelfth, and Mike Balcaen 15th in the No. 10 Enns Brothers Black Diamond. Bill Mooney finished 17th, Steffen Snare was 19th in the No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist. Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Mid Ag Dispatch MasterSbilt, was 20th in his first Seitz Memorial feature start. Steve Anderson was 22nd, and Cody Skytland finished 24th.
Diemel remained unchallenged on final restart, and went on to win, with Don Shaw second, and Jeffrey Massingill rounding out the podium. Joey Pederson, who finished second to Diemel in 2014 after starting 23rd, moved from 9th on the final restart to finish 4th.
Pederson, along with eight other NLRA regulars, made the main event. Brad Seng finished fifth, with Dustin Strand twelfth, and Mike Balcaen 15th in the No. 10 Enns Brothers Black Diamond. Bill Mooney finished 17th, Steffen Snare was 19th in the No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist. Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Mid Ag Dispatch MasterSbilt, was 20th in his first Seitz Memorial feature start. Steve Anderson was 22nd, and Cody Skytland finished 24th.
AJ Diemel (winner; center), Don Shaw (second; left), and Jeffrey Massingill (third; right) after the race in victory lane.
Mike Spieker photo.
Mike Spieker photo.
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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