Dustin Strand Repeats as Performance Auto Late Model Winner

By Mike Spieker

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (June 2, 2017) – Dustin Strand picked up his second River Cities Speedway win after a dominating run in the Performance Auto Late Model feature. The Grand Forks driver got by polesitter, Tom Corcoran, on lap three before checking out from the field.

Early on, the big mover of the race was Joey Pederson. The driver of the No. 7P advanced from eighth to second in the first seven laps, but got shuffled back in the closing stages as Mike Balcaen and Brad Seng managed to work their way by.
 
In the final three circuits, Balcaen reeled in Strand and was within striking distance. Balcaen ran his usual lane around the bottom, while Strand rode in the moisture in the middle. Balcaen closed the gap to within two car lengths, but Strand was able to hold him off to become the first repeat winner at the bullring.
 
Balcaen, Seng, Pederson, and Billy Mooney rounded out the top five.

RESULTS:

A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 71-Dustin Strand, [4]; 2. 10-Mike Balcaen, [8]; 3. 12S-Brad Seng, [9]; 4. 7P-Joey Pederson, [7]; 5. 2-Bill Mooney, [11]; 6. 4C-Ryan Corbett, [6]; 7. Z17-Zach Naastad, [3]; 8. T1-Tom Corcoran, [2]; 9. 9-Steve Anderson, [13]; 10. 4-Shane Edginton, [10]; 11. 1R-Travis Robertson, [18]; 12. F9-Brandon Fuller, [12]; 13. 10R-Kevin Robertson, [17]; 14. 1S-Scott (Rebel) Bintz*, [5]; 15. 14-Brody Troftgruben, [14]; 16. 345-Bryce Reimer, [1]; 17. 9R-Erik Robertson, [16]; (DNS) 1M-Nicholas Minske,


Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. T1-Tom Corcoran, [2]; 2. 1S-Scott (Rebel) Bintz*, [1]; 3. 345-Bryce Reimer, [3]; 4. (DNF) 9R-Erik Robertson, [5]; 5. (DNF) 10R-Kevin Robertson, [6]; 6. (DNF) 1R-Travis Robertson, [4]


Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Z17-Zach Naastad, [2]; 2. 4C-Ryan Corbett, [1]; 3. 10-Mike Balcaen, [4]; 4. 4-Shane Edginton, [3]; 5. F9-Brandon Fuller, [5]; 6. 14-Brody Troftgruben, [6]


Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 71-Dustin Strand, [1]; 2. 12S-Brad Seng, [3]; 3. 7P-Joey Pederson, [5]; 4. 2-Bill Mooney, [2]; 5. 9-Steve Anderson, [4]; 6. 1M-Nicholas Minske, [6]