Zach Naastad, driver of the Q&Z Plumbing & Heating No. Z17, won the NLRA season opener at the Jamestown Speedway in Jamestown, ND Saturday night. Naastad became the 50th different driver to win an NLRA series feature, and is the second first time series winner in a row, as AJ Diemel won last September's 'Prelude to the Johnny' at the River Cities Speedway. Naastad's win didn't come easy, as he had to defend his lead on a number of restarts, and regain the lead on other restarts, as multiple caution periods, three of which were multi-car pileups, that plagued the main event.
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Naastad took the point at the beginning of the 25 lapper, with Shane Edginton, driver of the No. 4 Performance Auto Victory, taking the lead for laps two and three. Naastad took the lead again on lap four, and held the point for the next six rounds on the high-banked quarter-mile. Edginton shadowed Naastad for those next six laps, and took the point again on lap eleven, the lap in which the race was stuck on for a few restarts. One of those restarts saw the lead go to Cole Schill, driver of the No. 44 Mid AG Dispatch MasterSbilt, taking the point from third, but those passes were negated by yet another yellow. During that string of yellows, Bill Mooney, driver of the No. 2 Winnipeg Hearing Centres MasterSbilt, cut a right rear tire, Brad Seng, lost a drive shaft in his No. 12S S&S Transport MB Custom, and Williston native Rob Odegard had his No. R30 removed from the track on the hook. The field was finally able to complete another string of green flag laps, after Naastad reclaimed the lead on the final lap eleven restart. |
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Eventual winner Zach Naastad goes high while Jason Storbakken, Casey Meyer, and Rob Odegard sit at the bottom of turn two. Mike Spieker photo.
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One last pileup in turn two with seven to go ended Curt Gelling's evening, but Jason Storbakken, Casey Meyer, and Jeff Hapala, driver of the No. 16S Auto Solutions Rocket, were able to continue, all of which survived being involved in their second pileups of the race.
On the restart, Naastad held the lead as Cole Schill made a pass on Shane Edginton for the second spot, as Naastad began to open up his first relatively comfortable lead of the race.
As the lead trio made their way past the flagstand with six to go, Ryan Corbett, who started tenth in the No. C4 Corbett Trucking MasterSbilt, made one last pass on Steffen Snare, and his No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist, to complete the top five.
Naastad lead 22 of the 25 laps for his first career NLRA series victory, and was followed by Schill and Edginton who finished second and third respectively. Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, began his title defense by finishing fourth ahead of Ryan Corbett, in his series return. Saturday night was Corbett's second NLRA series start since September 8, 2011, the other being last September at the 'Prelude to the Johnny'. It was also his first non September start since 2008.
Steffen Snare finished sixth, with, Kevin Robertson, driver of the No. 10R H. Anderson Concrete MasterSbilt, coming home seventh. Greg Meyer, driver of the No. 3M Southern Valley Cenex MB Custom, crossed the line in eighth, with Jason Storbakken, driver of the Storbakken & Sons Const. No. 16S, and Bryce Beck in the Beck Heating & Air No. 6X, rounding out the top ten. Storbakken and Beck started 18th and 21st respectively.
Naastad, Schill, Edginton, and Snare won the heat races, Jeremy Keller won the B Main, there were 30 cars in attendance. Naastad will be the series point leader heading into Friday nights' event at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND, as the series co-headlines once again with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, before continuing on to the newly resurfaced, and higher banked Greenbush Race Park in Greenbush, MN on Saturday night, June the 18th.
On the restart, Naastad held the lead as Cole Schill made a pass on Shane Edginton for the second spot, as Naastad began to open up his first relatively comfortable lead of the race.
As the lead trio made their way past the flagstand with six to go, Ryan Corbett, who started tenth in the No. C4 Corbett Trucking MasterSbilt, made one last pass on Steffen Snare, and his No. 71S Todd's Electric Bloomquist, to complete the top five.
Naastad lead 22 of the 25 laps for his first career NLRA series victory, and was followed by Schill and Edginton who finished second and third respectively. Dustin Strand, driver of the No. 71 Q&Z Plumbing & Heating Millenium, began his title defense by finishing fourth ahead of Ryan Corbett, in his series return. Saturday night was Corbett's second NLRA series start since September 8, 2011, the other being last September at the 'Prelude to the Johnny'. It was also his first non September start since 2008.
Steffen Snare finished sixth, with, Kevin Robertson, driver of the No. 10R H. Anderson Concrete MasterSbilt, coming home seventh. Greg Meyer, driver of the No. 3M Southern Valley Cenex MB Custom, crossed the line in eighth, with Jason Storbakken, driver of the Storbakken & Sons Const. No. 16S, and Bryce Beck in the Beck Heating & Air No. 6X, rounding out the top ten. Storbakken and Beck started 18th and 21st respectively.
Naastad, Schill, Edginton, and Snare won the heat races, Jeremy Keller won the B Main, there were 30 cars in attendance. Naastad will be the series point leader heading into Friday nights' event at the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND, as the series co-headlines once again with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, before continuing on to the newly resurfaced, and higher banked Greenbush Race Park in Greenbush, MN on Saturday night, June the 18th.
Zach Naastad in victory lane Saturday night in Jamestown. 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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NLRA Online:
Website: nlra.org
Facebook: facebook.com/NorthernLateModelRacingAssociation
Twitter: twitter.com/NLRAracing (@NLRAracing)
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