Halvorson Steals Wells Concrete Street Stock Win at the Line

By Mike Spieker

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (September 1, 2017) – Josh Barker jumped out to the early lead of the Wells Concrete WISSOTA Street Stock feature. Barker, of Thompson, N.D., pulled away to a 10 car length lead by lap two as Ron Olafson, Tiffany Noreikis, and John Halvorson battled for second. 

On lap four, Halvorson moved around Noreikis for third and set his sights on Olafson. ​

Halvorson quickly closed in on Olafson, but struggled to get around the Performance Auto No. 76. The two drivers battled side by side for the runner-up position for six consecutive laps before Halvorson was finally able to clear Olafson in turn four.

With five laps remaining, Halvorson had clean shot a Barker for the lead, but Barker had opened up a full straightaway advantage. Halvorson steadily closed in on Barker, reaching his rear bumper with two laps to go. When the white flag flew from the Valley Sunrise Properties flagstand, Halvorson made his move.

Barker pushed up the track in turn one, which allowed Halvorson to peek underneath. Barker had the momentum exiting the corner to regain the lead, but he pushed again in turn three.

Halvorson drove underneath him once again as they drag raced to the North Dakota Eye Clinic finish line, where Halvorson edged out Barker by a half car length.

The win was Halvorson’s first Street Stock win at River Cities Speedway since September 4, 2009 and 10th overall win at the Bullring.

Olafson, Noreikis, and Daniel Aberle rounded out the top five.

​RESULTS:

A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 96L-Jeremy Lizakowski, [4]; 2. 74-Gary Nelson, [1]; 3. 28S-Ryan Schow, [3]; 4. 44-Austin Hunter, [6]; 5. 17S-Lance Schill, [8]; 6. 16T-Tim Kanten, [5]; 7. 22-Rick Hamel, [7]; 8. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [10]; 9. 01-Zach Bruer, [12]; 10. 2G-Brock Gronwold, [9]; 11. 5C-Preston Carr, [13]; 12. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [18]; 13. 22S-Tyler Schow, [17]; 14. 35-John Halvorson, [15]; 15. 6R-Nate Reynolds, [23]; 16. M1-Ryan Oppegaard, [16]; 17. 77B-Logan Bauer, [19]; 18. 3-Adam Unrau, [24]; 19. (DNF) 2S-Matt Schow, [2]; 20. (DNF) 57-Nathan Raasakka, [20]; 21. (DNF) 39-Jamie Dietzler, [22]; 22. (DNF) 21-Todd Johnson, [14]; 23. (DNF) 97-Grady Shearer, [11]; (DNS) 96-Brent Loftsgard,

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 74-Gary Nelson, [1]; 2. 16T-Tim Kanten, [4]; 3. 28S-Ryan Schow, [3]; 4. 87S-Reise Stenberg, [5]; 5. 5C-Preston Carr, [7]; 6. M1-Ryan Oppegaard, [8]; 7. (DNF) 39-Jamie Dietzler, [2]; 8. (DNF) 6R-Nate Reynolds, [6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2S-Matt Schow, [2]; 2. 96L-Jeremy Lizakowski, [1]; 3. 2G-Brock Gronwold, [7]; 4. 97-Grady Shearer, [4]; 5. 21-Todd Johnson, [5]; 6. 22S-Tyler Schow, [3]; 7. 77B-Logan Bauer, [8]; 8. (DNF) 3-Adam Unrau, [6]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 22-Rick Hamel, [2]; 2. 17S-Lance Schill, [1]; 3. 44-Austin Hunter, [4]; 4. 01-Zach Bruer, [6]; 5. 35-John Halvorson, [7]; 6. 5-Aaron Blacklance, [8]; 7. 57-Nathan Raasakka, [5]; 8. (DNF) 96-Brent Loftsgard, [3]