09.06.14 PS Doors Driver of the Night: Joey Pederson

Joey Pederson wheels his way from 23rd to 2nd during the 92 lap A-main

By Mike Spieker

GRAND FORKS, ND (September 6) - Coming into the night Joey Pederson wasn't even locked into the $9,200-to-win Late Model A-main. Pederson lined up on the outside of the front row in B-main #1 and held on to grab the third and final transfer spot into the biggest Wissota Late Model event of the year.

Pederson began picking up spots lap after lap once the race began and found himself inside the top 10 by lap 30. When the caution flew with 15 laps to go, Pederson had worked his way up to sixth but when the race resumed, Pederson jumped up to the cushion and passed four cars in one lap to move into second. From there Pederson set his sights on leader, AJ Diemel, but came up less than a half of a car length short of the win when the checkers flew.

"We just barely made it into the show and before we went out I made major adjustments to the car that we've never done," said Pederson after the race. "We really took a big swing at it just to try to improve (throughout the race)."

"The line that (AJ Diemel) was running made it difficult for me on the front straightaway. He would drift out to the wall and that's where I was running," Pederson continued. "Had he been running a little different line, I think I could have snuck by hime and the result would have been different."

"I still can't believe it. I'm just ecstatic about it. It's probably the most memorable finish of my career." 

Pederson's impressive drive landed him the PS Doors Driver of the Night award and the $192.92 Hard Charger award, presented by Derrick's Sandblasting.