|
Balcaen,
Geringer, Strand
and Kennedy take River Cities Speedway Opener
By Mike
Orness
River
Cities Speedway season opener couldn’t have been on a
nicer weekend compared to recent years. With little
precipitation lately, the track had dried out nicely and was
prepared for the 83 race teams that entered the back gate.
With saddened hearts and thoughts, there was one face that
was a staple Friday nights at River Cities Speedway. That
being the multi-champion, John Seitz.
But things
carried on just as John would have wanted them to and just
as if he was there. In some sort of way he was. The
scoreboard that carried the numbers 92 many times was
illuminated with his car number throughout the hotlap
sessions and during a short remembrance prior to the
national anthems by Pat Mooney. Drivers lined the top of the
backstretch facing the crowd while Mooney spoke of John and
some great memories. All to honor a great racer and man that
circled our track.
As the
speedway’s race program carried out, the first set of
Unicel street stock heat races
rolled up on the track as the crowd was ready to see the
first race of 2007 season. Jim Geringer took the checkered
flag by a straightaway over Sheldon Peterson. The second
heat race was won by Aaron Olson with Dan Arends finishing
second after leading much of the race. Joe Potter showed how
strong he was by capturing the win over Tyson Anderson.
New to the
speedway this year are the Midwest Modifieds. The Super
Stock class was replaced by this up and coming class, in
which the numbers seem to keep growing. The first Dempsey
Truck Service heat race was won by Dustin Strand over Bryan
Dyrdahl. A mid-race caution took out Bryan LePier and
Patrick Sobolik. Heat race two was won by Bobby Eckerdt who
started in the back of the heat race and took the lead with
four laps to go. Bret Schmidt was runner up with David
Hultstrand third after leading much of the race.
The first
of three DTRA Late Model races was won by a fast Cody
Skytland with Joey Pederson right behind him in a caution
free race. The second Atek Auto Parts heat race was won by
Troy Schill after he had passed Tom Corcoran for the lead
late in the race. Mike Balcaen won the third heat race from
the fourth starting spot with Brad Seng second after passing
Tom Balcaen.
The two
NOSA Sprint Car heat races were action packed with the first
heat race being won by Austin Monson with Wade Nygaard
chasing him all race. Bad luck hit the 2006 track champion
as he slowed on the front stretch and was pushed pitside.
Lou Kennedy Jr led every lap with Bob Martin chasing him all
race. Martin slipped up a little which allowed Casey Mack
and Dave Sobczak a chance to get past and finished
respectively second and third.
After a
brief intermission, the Unicel Street Stock feature race
started with Arends and Potter on the front row. This year,
the Street Stocks will be ran on Goodyear tires and
co-sanctioned with the newly formed driver association, MDRA
and DTRA. Potter grabbed the lead and led all but the last
lap with Geringer hot on his bumper. A lap car slowed up
potter which allowed Geringer to grab the lead and the first
win of 2007 at River Cities Speedway. Tyson Anderson also
slipped past Potter for the second spot after starting
sixth.
David
Hultstrand and Rod Peterson led the field around to take the
checkered flag for the first ever Dempsey Truck Service
Midwest Modified feature race. Before any laps
were complete, there were two cautions in which the field
had to reset and given the green flag again. Dustin Strand
looked to be the one to beat as he used the high groove of
the speedway to his advantage and take over the lead with 10
laps to go. As he stretched out his lead, Eckerdt and
Schmidt battled for the second spot lap after lap, but it
was Eckerdt that was able to take the second spot and give
Strand a run for his money late in the race. Eckerdt tried
both lines, hi and low, but was unable to overtake Strand as he cruised to the checkered flag. Halvorson and
Nelson also put on a great show for the fourth spot with
Nelson capitalizing on the spot at the line.
The Atek
Auto Parts feature race for the DTRA Late Models started all
twenty-one cars with Corcoran and Schill on the front row.
There were a couple of cautions before the whole field was
able to complete a lap. Corcoran and Schill battled for the
lead, but it was Pederson who slipped around them for the
lead and continued to lead through the next five cautions
for various cars. With twelve laps to go, Mike Balcaen
appeared from the eighth starting spot to challenge Pederson
for the lead. With two more laps complete, Balcaen made his
move around Pederson in turn three for the lead. From there
on, Balcaen was smooth in the corners and was able to
continue on through the checkered flag with Pederson in his
mirror while Corcoran and Schill scrapped for the third
spot. Schill was able to secure the third spot with Corcoran
accepting fourth. During the interview with Balcaen in
victory lane, he dedicated the win to Johnny.
The last
feature race of the evening was ready and all Sprint Cars
were pushed off. Jeff Vonasek had some issues and couldn’t
keep the engine fired so he was pushed to the infield while
Bob Martin and Scott McDonald led the field around for the
green flag. With the leaders crossing the line for the first
lap, McDonald and Burke made contact with McDonald getting
the worse of it and turned his sprinter over and was unable
to continue. Jade Fredrickson was also caught up in the
meley, and rolled many times near the front wall. Linnell’s
front end was damaged too much and was pulled to the
infield. Chris Shirek’s top wing was damged but made repairs
and tagged the field. After the field was refired, Burke
used his front row spot to take the lead and with authority
was pulling away from Bob Martin while Sobczak and Kennedy
battled for the third spot. With Burke coming up on lap
traffic, Kennedy was able to find his way to the second spot
and pressure Burke. Nygaard was also making his way to the
front and found himself racing Martin for the third spot.
Lap cars were what held up Burke and enabled Kennedy to
complete the pass for the lead. By this time Dobmeier had
went to the back and raced his way back up to about eighth.
After a few more cautions, Kennedy found Nygaard trying to
pass him for the lead in the closing laps. Kennedy seemed to
change his line at each end of the track to close the door
on Nygaard. Kennedy held on for the win with Nygaard and
Martin second and third. Burke finished with a strong run in
fourth and Dobmeier rounded out the top five spots.
|
