By Mike Spieker
ADA, Minn. (June 18, 2020) – A strong field of Norman County Implement IMCA Stock Cars were on hand for the ninth annual King Pin Klash, presented by The Bowler of Fargo. Rob VanMil of Barnesville, Minn. and Todd Heinrich of Fargo made up the front row for the main event.
VanMil took the early lead as Heinrich and Brennan Borg of Harwood, N.D. filed into second and third, respectively. Heinrich rode in the tire tracks of VanMil throughout the entire feature until the two made contact with six laps to go. The contact sent VanMil spinning to bring out the caution. It was determined that VanMil was the cause for the caution and was sent to the tail of the field.
Todd Heinrich of Fargo was the big winner of the evening on Thursday at Norman County Raceway, winner the IMCA Stock Car King Pin Klash. Photo by Mike Spieker.
Heinrich went on to pick up the win to become the ninth different winner of the King Pin Klash at NCR.
“What a great race, what a great bunch of competitors, what a great class,” said a happy Heinrich in victory lane. “I’m having a blast. I just had to be patient. I overdrive the car way too much. I had to settle down and be patient and everything just worked out.”
Jesse Skalicky found KRJB 106.5 FM Victory Lane for the first time this season. Skalicky, of Fargo, came from the fourth starting position to win the Sander’s Metal Products IMCA Modified feature.
“It just took some patience tonight,” said Skalicky of his charge to the front. “The track was awesome tonight. It was smooth from top to bottom.”
Aaron Blacklance of Thief River Falls, Minn. made his return to victory lane after a dominating performance in the Christian Brothers Ford WISSOTA Midwest Mod feature. Matt Schow of McIntosh, Minn. took the lead on lap one from the pole position, but Blacklance worked his way around the No. 2S on lap two to take the lead.
Blacklance went on to lead the final 13 trips around the three-eighths-mile oval to claim the win by just under a second over Justin Jones of Bemidji, Minn.
Chris VanMil of Barnesville, Minn. took the lead away from Torey Fischer of West Fargo on lap five of 14 of the Titan Machinery IMCA SportMod feature, and never looked back. VanMil picked up the win by a convincing 5.7 seconds over Fischer as Scott Jacobson of Fargo rounded out the podium.
The win for VanMil, who is a part-time runner at Norman County Raceway, was his first at the speedway since 2015. In fact, VanMil was the winner of the first-ever IMCA SportMod event at NCR, which was when his most recent win came.
Tim Gonska has made the haul to NCR from Brainerd, Minn. all three weeks thus far. After having the Christian Brothers Ford IMCA Hobby Stock feature win stolen from him on the final lap last week, Gonska returned to victory lane on Thursday. Gonska made the pass for the lead on Brad Orvedahl of Fargo on lap three and never looked back.
Ashton Spieker of Sabin, Minn. led the opening laps of the Seedex INEX Legends feature before Tye Wilke of Detroit Lakes, Minn. came charging into the lead. Once out front, Wilke cruised to the win – his first of the season at NCR.
RESULTS:
IMCA Stock Cars:
A Feature: 1. 38-Todd Heinrich[2]; 2. 10R-Travis Robertson[6]; 3. 52-Brennan Borg[7]; 4. 4-Rick Schulz[9]; 5. 11-Kalvin Kesselberg[4]; 6. 40-Rob VanMil[1]; 7. 86-Thomas Ahrndt[12]; 8. 21J-Andrew Jochim[11]; 9. 17-Chad Hunteman[14]; 10. 18-Mike Anderson[10]; 11. 76Z-John Sandvig[5]; 12. 8-Billy Michaelsohn[3]; 13. (DNF) 34-Jordan Zillmer[8]; 14. (DNF) 85K-Ernest Geist[13]
Heat 1: 1. 10R-Travis Robertson[1]; 2. 38-Todd Heinrich[3]; 3. 4-Rick Schulz[6]; 4. 11-Kalvin Kesselberg[7]; 5. 76Z-John Sandvig[4]; 6. 21J-Andrew Jochim[5]; 7. 85K-Ernest Geist[2]
Heat 2: 1. 52-Brennan Borg[1]; 2. 40-Rob VanMil[4]; 3. 18-Mike Anderson[6]; 4. 8-Billy Michaelsohn[2]; 5. 34-Jordan Zillmer[5]; 6. 86-Thomas Ahrndt[7]; 7. 17-Chad Hunteman[3]
IMCA Modifieds:
A Feature: 1. 3S-Jesse Skalicky[4]; 2. 60-Tyler Hall[1]; 3. 88B-Brady Petermann[2]; 4. 40-Rob VanMil[3]; 5. 96-Erv Grossman[6]; 6. 57-Tom Cummings[7]; 7. (DNF) 84-Joshua Johnson[8]; 8. (DNF) 10-Austin Arneson[5]
Heat 1: 1. 3S-Jesse Skalicky[6]; 2. 88B-Brady Petermann[4]; 3. 10-Austin Arneson[7]; 4. 60-Tyler Hall[3]; 5. 40-Rob VanMil[5]; 6. 96-Erv Grossman[2]; 7. 57-Tom Cummings[1]
WISSOTA Midwest Mods:
A Feature: 1. 5BA-Aaron Blacklance[2]; 2. 69-Justin Jones[3]; 3. 2S-Matt Schow[1]; 4. 9B-Brendan Blascyk[8]; 5. 7-Brandon Mehrwerth[6]; 6. 188-Hunter Hougard[7]; 7. 01-Zach Bruer[4]; 8. 33-Jeff Nelson[5]; 9. 16-Skyler Smith[10]; 10. 55X-Chris Mack[13]; 11. 6J-Taylor Jacobson[11]; 12. (DNF) 2G-Brock Gronwold[9]; 13. (DNF) 35-David McIntire[12]
Heat 1: 1. 7-Brandon Mehrwerth[2]; 2. 01-Zach Bruer[1]; 3. 188-Hunter Hougard[4]; 4. 5BA-Aaron Blacklance[3]; 5. 2G-Brock Gronwold[5]; 6. 6J-Taylor Jacobson[6]; 7. 55X-Chris Mack[7]
Heat 2: 1. 9B-Brendan Blascyk[5]; 2. 2S-Matt Schow[3]; 3. 33-Jeff Nelson[2]; 4. 69-Justin Jones[6]; 5. 16-Skyler Smith[1]; 6. 35-David McIntire[4]
IMCA Northern SportMods:
A Feature: 1. 40-Chris VanMil[5]; 2. 9-Torey Fischer[1]; 3. 5-Scott Jacobson[7]; 4. 8J-Luke Johnson[9]; 5. 22-Vince Jegtvig[4]; 6. 17-Rich Pavlicek[10]; 7. 13C-Paul Colvin[2]; 8. 12T-Brandon Tendeland[3]; 9. 2X-Brady Moore[11]; 10. (DNF) 3X-Andy Wagner[6]; 11. (DNF) 3W-Aaron Wetterlin[8]
Heat 1: 1. 3W-Aaron Wetterlin[4]; 2. 3X-Andy Wagner[3]; 3. 12T-Brandon Tendeland[2]; 4. 17-Rich Pavlicek[5]; 5. 9-Torey Fischer[1]; 6. 2X-Brady Moore[6]
Heat 2: 1. 5-Scott Jacobson[4]; 2. 8J-Luke Johnson[5]; 3. 22-Vince Jegtvig[2]; 4. 40-Chris VanMil[3]; 5. (DNF) 13C-Paul Colvin[1]
IMCA Hobby Stocks:
A Feature: 1. 5G-Tim Gonska[8]; 2. 3XL-Brad Orvedal[6]; 3. 31X-Tim Shiek[7]; 4. B2-Brodee Eckerdt[3]; 5. 6-Scott Herron[9]; 6. 17-Chad Visser[2]; 7. 2B-Steve Nordhagen[5]; 8. 39-Caleb Gardner[10]; 9. 22W-Will Miller[1]; 10. (DNF) 33X-Joe Gonska[4]
Heat 1: 1. 5G-Tim Gonska[4]; 2. 33X-Joe Gonska[2]; 3. 3XL-Brad Orvedal[3]; 4. 17-Chad Visser[1]; 5. 39-Caleb Gardner[5]
Heat 2: 1. B2-Brodee Eckerdt[2]; 2. 31X-Tim Shiek[4]; 3. 6-Scott Herron[5]; 4. 2B-Steve Nordhagen[3]; 5. 22W-Will Miller[1]
INEX Legends:
A Feature: 1. 72-Tye Wilke[2]; 2. B1-Brody Carlsrud[7]; 3. 29-Ryan Braseth[3]; 4. 20-Alex Braseth[4]; 5. D1RT-Tony Brockhouse[6]; 6. 2-Ashton Spieker[1]; 7. (DNF) 19E-Elzetta Bitker[5]
Heat 1: 1. 29-Ryan Braseth[5]; 2. D1RT-Tony Brockhouse[7]; 3. 72-Tye Wilke[4]; 4. 20-Alex Braseth[6]; 5. 2-Ashton Spieker[2]; 6. 19E-Elzetta Bitker[1]; 7. (DNF) B1-Brody Carlsrud[3]