The NLRA embarked on a grueling five race stretch last week, and only saw one event lost to rain, and two different winners. The action began an hour late on Wednesday night at the Norman County Raceway in Ada, MN, as a rain storm that his just before six o'clock. Ricky Weiss, driver of the No. 7 Derrick's Sandblasting Bloomquist, pulled away from a hard charging Don Shaw, and lead the final 21 laps to win his 14th career NLRA main event. The win gave Weiss sole posession of fourth on the all-time wins list, breaking a tie he held with Mitch Johnson.
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Shaw, driving the Shaw Trucking No. 42S, finished second, with Mike Balcaen, in the No. 10 Northstar Canada Black Diamond in third, Matt Aukland, in the Northwest Auto Body No. 12A in fourth, and Cole Schill, driving the No. 44 Rivinius Ranch MasterSbilt by JMR completing the top five. A stack up at the start of the feature sent point leader Brad Seng pitside, and caused Dustin Strand, driver of the the Q&Z Plumbing & Heating No. 71 to have to restart at the tail. Strand charged back up to the sixth position. Mike Balcaen was the hard charger, moving up nine spots, and with the DNF by Brad Seng, Balcaen also took over the point lead by ten markers over Dustin Strand heading into Thursday nights' event. Aukland, Schill, and Weiss won the heat races, there were 22 cars in attendance.
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Bill Mooney (2) and Cody Skytland (75) race side-by-side in turn four during the Norman County Fair. Photo courtesy of Mike Spieker.
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Dave Smith (06) and Steffen Snare (71S) in heat race action on Thursday in Ada. Photo courtesy of Mike Spieker.
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On Thursday night at the Norman County, Ricky Weiss lead 23 of 25 laps, completing a sweep, winning his 15th NLRA feature of his career. A pileup in turn three on the opening lap forced Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 OMG Candy MasterSbilt by JMR, Cody Skytland in the No. 75 Langdon Implement MasterSbilt by JMR, and Robert Bladow in the No. 00 Primitive Place K&K Racing GRT, pitside, and left Norm Olson to nurse home a heavily damaged No. 29 Disabled American Veterans MasterSbuilt for the remainder of the race. Dustin Strand and Zach Johnson, in the No. 73 Shaw Trucking Pierce, put on the best battle on the track as they swapped second and third for most of the last half of the race, with Strand coming out on top. Steffen Snare, driving the No. 71S High Mark Snomobile Rentals Bloomquist and Donny Schatz, in the No. 15 K3 Farms Rocket, rounded out the top five.
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Strand's efforts made him the new point leader by just two points over Mike Balcaen heading into Friday's races. Zach Wohlers of Pengilly, MN was the hard charger, improving 15 spots, finishing tenth. Zach Johnson, Weiss, and Snare won the heats, 25 cars entered the nights' program.
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On Friday night, Ricky Weiss inherited the lead after Don Shaw's early exit from the main event, and went on to win his third series feature in as many nights during the NLRA's debut at the I-94 speedway in Fergus Falls, MN. Weiss and Shaw had just split Norm Olson to continue their torrid battle for the lead at the flagstand when Shaw cooked it into turn one a little to hot and the right rear smacked the outside retaining wall. Ricky Weiss took the lead on the lap 15 restart and faced no further challenges. Veteran Lance Matthees finished second, with Eric Breeschoten finishing third, Mike Balcaen fourth, and Dustin Strand finishing fifth after starting eleventh. Mike Balcaen became the third different point leader in as many nights, as he took a six point advantage over Strand into Saturday nights event. Matthees, Balcaen, Weiss, and Shaw won the heats, with Jeff Wildung winning the B-Main. Wildung was also the hard charger, improving eleven spots, finishing sixth. 32 cars were in the pits.
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Ricky Weiss in victory lane at the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls on Friday night. Photo courtesy of Corey Litton.
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Brad Seng (12S) and Josh Johnson (84X) racing in turns three and four at the Buffalo River Race Park. Photo courtesy of Mike Spieker.
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Rain ended the program at the Viking Speedway in Alexandria just as the heats were being run. The race will not be made up.
Brad Seng won his third NLRA feature of the season, and 29th of his career Sunday night at the Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon, MN. Seng became the third winner in three races at BRRP. Donny Schatz took the lead at the start and lead the firts two laps until Bill Mooney took the point after driving around Schatz on the outside on lap three. Mooney lead the next ten circuits until he spun off the high side of turn two while trying to pass lapped traffic, causing him to fall to the back of the field. Schatz lead on the restart, but Seng took the lead from on lap 15 and lead the rest of the way. |
Cody Skytland finished second, with Mike Balcaen third, Schatz slipping back to fourth. Dustin Strand finished fifth after starting eleventh for the second night during the five day stretch. Steffen Snare, Jeff Hapala, in the No. 16S Auto Solutions Rocket, Steve Anderson, driving the No. 9 Hi-Per-Flex Panel Systems Pierce, Dave Smith, in the No. 06 Mobil 1 Capitol, and Josh Johnson, driver of the No. 84X Jerry's Welding & Fabrication Rayburn rounded out the top ten. Anderson was the hard charger, gaining seven spots. Seng, Mooney, and Schatz won the heats. 17 cars attended the event. Sunday was the only night this week the point lead didn't change hands, as Mike Balcaen will take a twelve point lead into this Thursday nights (July 2nd, 7pm) race at the Red River Co-Op Speedway in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The NLRA would like to thank Tour Sponsors: Adams Automotive, S & S Transport, Wes' Plumbing, Initials Custom Embroidery (ICE), 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, Victory Diesel, Forks Mobile Wash, Q&Z Plumbing, A&L Siding, The Ho Bar And Grill, AG Spray, and Cartunz, 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.
The original start of Wednesday nights' feature that sidelined Brad Seng (12S) for the night. Photo courtesy of Mike Spieker.
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