By Mike Spieker
ADA, Minn. (July 12, 2018) – Jason Strand’s long-awaited return to KRJB / KRJM Victory Lane at Norman County Raceway came on Thursday in the Sanders Metal Products IMCA Modifieds. Strand, who has been close to getting that elusive first win the last few weeks in both his WISSOTA Midwest Modified and IMCA Modified, picked up a convincing victory leading every lap of the feature.
Jason Strand raced to his first IMCA Modified win of the season at Norman County Raceway
A pair of cautions kept Strand at bay to the rest of the field for the first half of the race. Dale Kraling and Michael Johnson became locked in a battle for the second spot, which allowed Strand to extend his advantage.
Johnson finally cleared Kraling for the runner-up spot with five circuits remaining, but by then, Strand was long gone. Strand went on to take the win over Johnson, Kraling, and Tyler Peterson as Jesse Skalicky rounded out the top five.
Sean Johnson raced to his first career Petermann Seeds INEX Legends win. Alex Braseth led the majority of the main event before his brother, Ryan, took the point. With three laps to go, Johnson used the high side of turns one and two to take the lead and the win.
Matt Schow led the Christian Brothers Ford WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature from green to checkered. With the win, Schow qualified himself for the AFCO Race of Champions at the WISSOTA 100 at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls in September. Jeff Nelson, Bryan Kakela, Brock Gronwold and Eric Haugland rounded out the top five.
Rick Schulz held off Brandon Schmidt and Rob VanMil on the start of the Christian Motors IMCA Stock Car feature. Schulz held onto that lead until he slipped over the turn one embankment, handing the lead over to Schmidt with six laps to go. With three circuits remaining, Rob VanMil started working the high lane and snuck by for the lead. Schmidt found a way back by VanMil in the closing laps to pick up his first Norman County Raceway Stock Car feature win.
The Titan Machinery IMCA SportMods got off to a wild start. Taylor Grove got loose in the marbles coming out of turn two and spun into traffic, collecting Kreig Kasin, Luke Johnson, Aaron Wetterlin and defending track champion and current point leader, Andy Wagner. Wagner’s machine got upside down in the incident, thankfully Wagner was able to walk away uninjured.
Just five cars remained for the ensuing restart as Paul Colvin led the way. A caution set up another restart. Kelly Jacobson took advantage of the opportunity and took the lead from Colvin. Once out front, Jacobson never looked back as he claimed his second win of the season at Norman County Raceway.
Next Thursday night is Luau night at Norman County Raceway. Buffalo Wild Wings and Norman County Implement will bring in the NOSA 410 Sprint Cars and IMCA Hobby Stock Shootout. The event will be the last appearance of the season by the 900+ horsepower winged Sprint Cars. All weekly classes will also be in action.
RESULTS:
IMCA Modifieds:
A Feature: 1. E85-Jason Strand, [1]; 2. 84-Michael Johnson, [2]; 3. 7-Dale Kraling, [6]; 4. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson, [10]; 5. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, [4]; 6. 88B-Brady Petermann, [9]; 7. 60-Tyler Hall, [8]; 8. 99B-Bryce Borgen, [7]; 9. 21-Jamie Schulz, [11]; 10. 60X-Patrick Brejcha, [3]; 11. (DNF) 25-Jamie Trautner, [5]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. E85-Jason Strand, [1]; 2. 25-Jamie Trautner, [3]; 3. 99B-Bryce Borgen, [4]; 4. 88B-Brady Petermann, [5]; 5. 60X-Patrick Brejcha, [2]; 6. 21-Jamie Schulz, [6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 3S-Jesse Skalicky, [2]; 2. 84-Michael Johnson, [1]; 3. 7-Dale Kraling, [3]; 4. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson, [5]; 5. 60-Tyler Hall, [4]
WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds:
A Feature: 1. 2S-Matt Schow, [1]; 2. 33-Jeff Nelson, [3]; 3. 11-Bryan Kakela, [8]; 4. 2G-Brock Gronwold, [5]; 5. 32-Eric Haugland, [2]; 6. 7X-Corky Thomas, [7]; 7. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [6]; 8. 7T-Joseph Thomas, [10]; 9. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [11]; 10. 01-Zach Bruer, [9]; 11. (DNF) 17-Lance Schill, [4]; 12. (DNF) 2M-Rob Metzger, [14]; 13. (DNF) 1S-Scott Bintz, [12]; 14. (DNF) 22S-Tyler Schow, [13]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 32-Eric Haugland, [2]; 2. 17-Lance Schill, [5]; 3. 11-Bryan Kakela, [7]; 4. 7X-Corky Thomas, [1]; 5. 01-Zach Bruer, [3]; 6. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [4]; 7. 1S-Scott Bintz, [6]
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [2]; 2. 33-Jeff Nelson, [1]; 3. 2S-Matt Schow, [5]; 4. 2G-Brock Gronwold, [4]; 5. 7T-Joseph Thomas, [3]; 6. (DNF) 2M-Rob Metzger, [7]; 7. (DNF) 22S-Tyler Schow, [6]
IMCA SportMods:
A Feature: 1. 51-Kelly Jacobson, [7]; 2. 22-Vince Jegtvig, [6]; 3. 13C-Paul Colvin, [2]; 4. 12T-Brandon Tendeland, [3]; 5. (DNF) 2X-Brady Moore, [1]; 6. (DNF) 47-Kreig Kasin, [5]; 7. (DNF) 3W-Aaron Wetterlin, [8]; 8. (DNF) 8J-Luke Johnson, [10]; 9. (DNF) 3X-Andy Wagner, [9]; 10. (DNF) 1RM-Taylor Grove, [4]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 3X-Andy Wagner, [5]; 2. 51-Kelly Jacobson, [4]; 3. 12T-Brandon Tendeland, [2]; 4. 47-Kreig Kasin, [3]; 5. (DNF) 2X-Brady Moore, [1]
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 1RM-Taylor Grove, [2]; 2. 3W-Aaron Wetterlin, [4]; 3. 8J-Luke Johnson, [5]; 4. 22-Vince Jegtvig, [3]; 5. 13C-Paul Colvin, [1]
INEX Legends:
A Feature 1: 1. 58-Sean Johnson, [5]; 2. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, [4]; 3. 20-Alex Braseth, [2]; 4. 29-Ryan Braseth, [1]; 5. B1-Brody Carlsrud, [3]; 6. D1RT-Tony Brockhouse, [6]; 7. 5G-Garrison Miller, [7]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 29-Ryan Braseth, [2]; 2. 58-Sean Johnson, [6]; 3. 8JR-Kaitlyn Skalicky, [5]; 4. B1-Brody Carlsrud, [4]; 5. 20-Alex Braseth, [3]; 6. D1RT-Tony Brockhouse, [7]; 7. 5G-Garrison Miller, [1]
IMCA Stock Cars:
A Feature: 1. 219-Brandon Schmidt, [3]; 2. 40-Rob VanMil, [4]; 3. 14-Aaron Olson, [5]; 4. 4-Rick Schulz, [2]; 5. 21-Tim Church, [1]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 4-Rick Schulz, [2]; 2. 40-Rob VanMil, [4]; 3. 219-Brandon Schmidt, [3]; 4. 21-Tim Church, [1]; 5. 14-Aaron Olson, [5]