By Mike Spieker
ADA, Minn. (July 15, 2021) – Racing returned to the high banks of Norman County Raceway on Thursday night after a week off. Todd Heinrich, Brock Gronwold, Scott Jacobson, Brodee Eckerdt and Kevin Youngquist all visited KRJB/KRJM/KKCQ Victory Lane.
This week, the WISSOTA Modifieds make their annual visit to the speedway. The WISSOTA Mods made their first appearance in several years to NCR last year and brought a full field of 24 cars. This year, the WISSOTA Modified special will be complemented by the Advantage RV Modified Tour.
The race of the night on Thursday went to the IMCA Stock Cars.
Just as he has so many times this season, Trent Grager jumped out to the early lead of the Norman County Implement IMCA Stock Car feature. Hometown driver Kalvin Kesselberg and Travis Robertson raced for second on two distinctly different grooves around the three-eighths-mile oval.
Robertson rode the rim on the outside while Kesselberg hugged the bottom. With eight to go, the high side eventually bit Robertson as his No. 10R machine slid off the top of turn one to bring out the caution.
On the restart, Randy Klein rode second with Todd Heinrich in third. With two to go, Heinrich found his groove on the top side to become a contender.
On the final lap, the lead trio went three-wide coming off of turn four to the checkered flag. At the AuctionBlock.com Flagstand, it was Heinrich by a nose over Grager as Klein had to settle for third.
Photo: Todd Heinrich of Fargo went from third to first in the final lap of the IMCA Stock Car feature. Photo by Mike Spieker
When asked if he had a shot at the win in the final laps, Heinrich said, “I honestly didn’t. I was racing with some really good competition. I have a lot of respect for them. All race long, I was trying to find the right way through the corner and after the yellow flag, things worked and I was able to get the win. I never expected it.”
Brock Gronwold came into Thursday’s races a perfect three-for-three in podium finishes at NCR, including one win. By the end of the night, Gronwold not only continued that streak but added another win to his stat line.
Gronwold jumped out to the early lead of the Christian Motors WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature. Behind him, Reise Stenberg, Aaron Blacklance, and Taylor Jacobson battled three-wide for the runner-up position. After Jacobson drifted back, Stenberg and Blacklance continued to battle wheel-to-wheel with Blacklance eventually taking the spot.
Blacklance then went to work on reeling in Gronwold for the lead. Blacklance pulled to within a car length of Gronwold near the midway point, but Gronwold went on to win by a comfortable margin.
Scott Jacobson and Torey Fischer had a good battle for the point to start the Titan Machinery IMCA SportMod feature. Fischer started third and Jacobson started fifth, but the pair ran one-two by lap four.
Fischer was strong, but Jacobson was able to find a way around her to take the lead. Once out front, Jacobson never looked back as he scored his first NCR win of 2021.
Brodee Eckerdt raced to the Christian Brothers Ford IMCA Hobby Stock feature win. The younger from Grand Forks, N.D. became the youngest winner and track champion at Red River Valley Speedway last season at age 14. Kevin Youngquist picked up the Hornet feature win.
RESULTS:
WISSOTA MIDWEST MODS
A Feature: 1. 2G-Brock Gronwold[7]; 2. 5BA-Aaron Blacklance[8]; 3. 87S-Reise Stenberg[4]; 4. 11-Bryan Kakela[6]; 5. 46J-Taylor Jacobson[1]; 6. 55X-Chris Mack[3]; 7. 15C-Chris Edmonds[9]; 8. 33G-Connor Graff[5]; 9. 404-Tracy Blumke[2]; 10. (DNS) 68-Joe Henninger
Heat 1: 1. 5BA-Aaron Blacklance[1]; 2. 11-Bryan Kakela[3]; 3. 33G-Connor Graff[5]; 4. 404-Tracy Blumke[2]; 5. (DNS) 68-Joe Henninger
Heat 2: 1. 2G-Brock Gronwold[4]; 2. 87S-Reise Stenberg[2]; 3. 46J-Taylor Jacobson[1]; 4. 55X-Chris Mack[3]; 5. 15C-Chris Edmonds[5]
IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
A Feature: 1. 5-Scott Jacobson[5]; 2. 3X-Andy Wagner[7]; 3. 17-Rich Pavlicek[9]; 4. 5F-Brandon Ferris[4]; 5. 13C-Paul Colvin[1]; 6. 9-Torey Fischer[3]; 7. 22-Vince Jegtvig[8]; 8. (DNF) 2X-Brady Moore[2]; 9. (DNF) 404-Swede Arneson[6]
Heat 1: 1. 13C-Paul Colvin[2]; 2. 2X-Brady Moore[4]; 3. 5F-Brandon Ferris[6]; 4. 5-Scott Jacobson[7]; 5. 9-Torey Fischer[5]; 6. 404-Swede Arneson[1]; 7. 3X-Andy Wagner[9]; 8. 22-Vince Jegtvig[3]; 9. (DNF) 17-Rich Pavlicek[8]
IMCA STOCK CARS
A Feature: 1. 38-Todd Heinrich[3]; 2. 71-Trent Grager[1]; 3. 88-Randy Klein[5]; 4. 10R-Travis Robertson[4]; 5. 4-Rick Schulz[8]; 6. 11-Kalvin Kesselberg[2]; 7. 67-Ryan Satter[9]; 8. 8-Billy Michaelsohn[6]; 9. (DNF) B1-Brody Carlsrud[7]
Heat 1: 1. 71-Trent Grager[3]; 2. 11-Kalvin Kesselberg[4]; 3. 10R-Travis Robertson[6]; 4. 38-Todd Heinrich[5]; 5. 88-Randy Klein[9]; 6. 8-Billy Michaelsohn[7]; 7. B1-Brody Carlsrud[1]; 8. 4-Rick Schulz[2]; 9. 67-Ryan Satter[8]
IMCA HOBBY STOCKS
A Feature: 1. B2-Brodee Eckerdt[1]; 2. 22W-Will Miller[4]; 3. 3XL-Brad Orvedal[3]; 4. 73-Todd Gettel[5]; 5. (DNF) 9-Skyla Miller[2]
Heat 1: 1. 9-Skyla Miller[2]; 2. B2-Brodee Eckerdt[1]; 3. 3XL-Brad Orvedal[3]; 4. 73-Todd Gettel[5]; 5. (DNF) 22W-Will Miller[4]
HORNETS
A Feature: 1. 00-Kevin Youngquist[5]; 2. 4P-David Munson[4]; 3. 0-Shawn Beto[2]; 4. 13X-Curtis Huseth[1]; 5. (DNF) 11-Casey Stremick[3]; 6. (DNF) 13-Chase Carlsrud[6]
Heat 1: 1. 4P-David Munson[5]; 2. 13X-Curtis Huseth[4]; 3. 00-Kevin Youngquist[1]; 4. 0-Shawn Beto[2]; 5. 11-Casey Stremick[3]; 6. 13-Chase Carlsrud[6]