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Dustin Strand with his family (left) after winning the first feature, and Strand with his crew (right) after winning the makeup feature. Both photos by Mike Spieker.
Dustin Strand swept both ends of the double header last Friday night at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND. Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing Millenium, lead flag-to-flag in both features, collecting his 13th and 14th career series wins, passing both Mitch Johnson and Jeff Wildung to move alone into fifth on the all time wins list.
Last Friday started with the running of the entire previously scheduled event for June 30th, then was concluded with the makeup feature from June 16th that was lost due to rain and curfew during the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series visit to River Cities.
Strand and Joey Pederson shared the front row in the first feature, and, after a couple botched starts, Pederson took the lead down the backstretch in the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors MB Custom on the final try at starting the event, but Strand was able to ride the cushion and lead the opening lap.
The first five laps were plagued with the same number of cautions, including a roll over by Kevin Robertson after contact with Zach Naastad's No. Z17 Naastad Acres Millenium, which sent the No. 10R Nugget Vending MB Custom for a couple barrel rolls. He was o.k., and even made it back out to start the makeup feature.
On the second to last restart with four laps complete, Strand continued to lead, as Ricky Weiss and Pederson resumed their battle for second. Weiss took second in the Derrick's Sandblasting No. 7 as rookie Ryan Mikkelson, driver of the Truck Hero No. 15 took third from Joey Pederson.
Strand entered lapped traffic on lap eight, and continued to dominate the race, using both lines to lap cars with relative ease as Mikkelson moved to second on lap ten. After Mikkelson had just moved to second, 14th starting Bill Mooney moved the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbilt by JMR past Weiss for third, then past Mikkelson for second.
Donny Schatz moved into the top five on lap twelve in the No. 15 Fargo Petro Rocket, as Strand continued to lap cars and lead by a straightaway. Weiss and Schatz moved past Mikkelson on laps 13 and 14 respectively, before the pair swapped third and fourth the next lap with ten remaining.
In the next couple rounds, Strand had as many as four lapped car between himself and second place, which was then being contested by Mooney and Schatz, with the latter taking the spot with five laps left.
As Schatz took second, Strand regained his four lapped car advantage, as Mikkelson took fourth back from Weiss, before a mechanical failure ended Mikkelson's brilliant Bullring Late Model debut with two laps left.
On the final restart, Schatz briefly showed his nose to Strand, but never put in a serious bid for the win, as Strand held on for the victory. Mooney finished third, with Weiss and Mike Balcaen, who started 17th, rounding out the top five in the No. 10 Enns Brothers Black Diamond.
Cole Schill finished sixth in the No. 44 Mid Ag Dispatch MasterSbilt by JMR, with Tom Corcoran in the No. T1 Greg's Lawn Care MB Custom in seventh, Steffen Snare eighth in the No. 71S JMS Motorsports Bloomquist, Pederson ninth, and Steve Anderson rounding out the top ten in the No. 9 Pro Mark Services MB Custom. Weiss, Pederson, and Strand won the heats. 26 cars started the first feature.
A half-an-hour later, Strand and Pederson again shared the front row for the makeup feature. This feature got off to an inauspicious start, as it took three tries to get a lap complete.
Strand took the lead once again, as teammate Zach Naastad battled with Pederson for second. Naastad took the spot before another caution flag flew with two laps complete.
The next 18 laps went caution free, as Schatz took third from Pederson on the ensuing restart. Schatz brought Weiss with him, as the latter then took third on the next circuit.
Shane Edginton moved past Pederson for fifth in the No. 4 General Signs Victory by Moyer, on the same lap as the Weiss/Schatz swap. A few laps later, Weiss took second from Naastad, as Strand, who was once again a straightaway ahead of the field, began work lapped traffic.
Lapped traffic produced a few position swaps in the next few laps as Schatz took third from Naastad on lap ten and Seng moved the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom past Edginton for the final spot inside the top five on lap twelve.
At the halfway point, Schatz and Weiss dueled it out for second in lapped traffic, which saw the pair split one lapped car in three and four, with Schatz taking the spot with twelve to go.
With eight to go, Strand had his toughest time with lapped traffic, as they were racing side-by-side for position in front of the lead duo. The leaders ran nose to tail for the next couple laps, before a caution fell with five to go. That caution was followed by another completed lap, then the races final caution with four to go.
Strand again wasn't threatened again for the lead on either of the single file restarts that followed, completing his sweep of the evening. Schatz finished second, with Weiss, Seng, and Mooney rounding out the top five.
Mike Balcaen crossed the line in sixth, with Scott Bintz finishing seventh in the No. 1S RHRswag.com Millemium. Jpey Pederson, Tom Corcoran, and Zach Naastad rounded out the top ten in the makeup feature. Pederson, Naastad, and Strand won the heats on June 16th. 22 cars started the makeup feature including Kevin Robertson who rolled in the first feature. Dave and Matt Smith were unable to return for the makeup feature.
The NLRA season continues on Saturday night, July the 15th at the Greenbush Race Park in Greenbush, MN.
Strand and Joey Pederson shared the front row in the first feature, and, after a couple botched starts, Pederson took the lead down the backstretch in the No. 7P Dahlstrom Motors MB Custom on the final try at starting the event, but Strand was able to ride the cushion and lead the opening lap.
The first five laps were plagued with the same number of cautions, including a roll over by Kevin Robertson after contact with Zach Naastad's No. Z17 Naastad Acres Millenium, which sent the No. 10R Nugget Vending MB Custom for a couple barrel rolls. He was o.k., and even made it back out to start the makeup feature.
On the second to last restart with four laps complete, Strand continued to lead, as Ricky Weiss and Pederson resumed their battle for second. Weiss took second in the Derrick's Sandblasting No. 7 as rookie Ryan Mikkelson, driver of the Truck Hero No. 15 took third from Joey Pederson.
Strand entered lapped traffic on lap eight, and continued to dominate the race, using both lines to lap cars with relative ease as Mikkelson moved to second on lap ten. After Mikkelson had just moved to second, 14th starting Bill Mooney moved the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbilt by JMR past Weiss for third, then past Mikkelson for second.
Donny Schatz moved into the top five on lap twelve in the No. 15 Fargo Petro Rocket, as Strand continued to lap cars and lead by a straightaway. Weiss and Schatz moved past Mikkelson on laps 13 and 14 respectively, before the pair swapped third and fourth the next lap with ten remaining.
In the next couple rounds, Strand had as many as four lapped car between himself and second place, which was then being contested by Mooney and Schatz, with the latter taking the spot with five laps left.
As Schatz took second, Strand regained his four lapped car advantage, as Mikkelson took fourth back from Weiss, before a mechanical failure ended Mikkelson's brilliant Bullring Late Model debut with two laps left.
On the final restart, Schatz briefly showed his nose to Strand, but never put in a serious bid for the win, as Strand held on for the victory. Mooney finished third, with Weiss and Mike Balcaen, who started 17th, rounding out the top five in the No. 10 Enns Brothers Black Diamond.
Cole Schill finished sixth in the No. 44 Mid Ag Dispatch MasterSbilt by JMR, with Tom Corcoran in the No. T1 Greg's Lawn Care MB Custom in seventh, Steffen Snare eighth in the No. 71S JMS Motorsports Bloomquist, Pederson ninth, and Steve Anderson rounding out the top ten in the No. 9 Pro Mark Services MB Custom. Weiss, Pederson, and Strand won the heats. 26 cars started the first feature.
A half-an-hour later, Strand and Pederson again shared the front row for the makeup feature. This feature got off to an inauspicious start, as it took three tries to get a lap complete.
Strand took the lead once again, as teammate Zach Naastad battled with Pederson for second. Naastad took the spot before another caution flag flew with two laps complete.
The next 18 laps went caution free, as Schatz took third from Pederson on the ensuing restart. Schatz brought Weiss with him, as the latter then took third on the next circuit.
Shane Edginton moved past Pederson for fifth in the No. 4 General Signs Victory by Moyer, on the same lap as the Weiss/Schatz swap. A few laps later, Weiss took second from Naastad, as Strand, who was once again a straightaway ahead of the field, began work lapped traffic.
Lapped traffic produced a few position swaps in the next few laps as Schatz took third from Naastad on lap ten and Seng moved the No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom past Edginton for the final spot inside the top five on lap twelve.
At the halfway point, Schatz and Weiss dueled it out for second in lapped traffic, which saw the pair split one lapped car in three and four, with Schatz taking the spot with twelve to go.
With eight to go, Strand had his toughest time with lapped traffic, as they were racing side-by-side for position in front of the lead duo. The leaders ran nose to tail for the next couple laps, before a caution fell with five to go. That caution was followed by another completed lap, then the races final caution with four to go.
Strand again wasn't threatened again for the lead on either of the single file restarts that followed, completing his sweep of the evening. Schatz finished second, with Weiss, Seng, and Mooney rounding out the top five.
Mike Balcaen crossed the line in sixth, with Scott Bintz finishing seventh in the No. 1S RHRswag.com Millemium. Jpey Pederson, Tom Corcoran, and Zach Naastad rounded out the top ten in the makeup feature. Pederson, Naastad, and Strand won the heats on June 16th. 22 cars started the makeup feature including Kevin Robertson who rolled in the first feature. Dave and Matt Smith were unable to return for the makeup feature.
The NLRA season continues on Saturday night, July the 15th at the Greenbush Race Park in Greenbush, MN.
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.
NLRA Online:
Website: nlra.org
Facebook: facebook.com/NLRAlatemodels
Twitter: twitter.com/NLRAracing (@NLRAracing)
NLRA Online:
Website: nlra.org
Facebook: facebook.com/NLRAlatemodels
Twitter: twitter.com/NLRAracing (@NLRAracing)
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